Farmyard manure substitute is there such a thing

Hi all, I have a couple of older friends whose flowerbeds are in need of a bit of love. One problem is the soil structure has become quite poor with just fertilisers being added over the years. Chicken pellets, Growmore this sort of thing, but little organic matter. They are not composting folk so no material to hand and the mention of farmyard sends shivers down their neighbours (mostly elderly) So is there anything I can buy off the peg that would act like farmyard without the, ahem, fragrance. thanks

 

Hi Hans, you can buy bagged farmyard manure at
most garden centres, I don't think it's quite as smelly
as the real Mcoy. here's an example.

http://www.humax.co.uk/farmyard-manure

Pete

 

Hans - check your local dump (or Recycling Centre, as they're called these days).

Some of them compost the garden waste and sell it in big bags. I think it's pretty well rotted at a high temperature, so it might not add massive amounts of nutrients, but it's good as a soil structure improver.

 

Hans, all garden centres tend to stock composted manure so you have all the benefit of manure, only easier to handle and without the smell.:gnthb:

 

If its well rotted, as it should be, I dont think FYM pongs.

And I dont think any expensive bagged up alternative from a garden centre will be as good as a soil conditioner, its the actual organic bulk that makes the difference.

Home made garden compost is probably as good, along with the council made stuff.

Never tried that, but I know some have reservations about it.

 

Well Pete our garen centre sells four bags for a tenner which is my preffered alternative because i'm too bone idle to bag it up and fetch it from the farm!

 

Ooooor errr.

I didn't criticise it, I just said it was expensive, and if it aint got the bulk it wont work.

Thats just an opinion.:wink:

 

But how far does four bags go? Rob.

Are you being robbed? Rob.:D

 

I never use farmyard manure on my garden.
I'm a country girl but I have a real distrust about what is in there.
I tend to go for green manure I have grown myself - then I know what it is all about.
But I agree ground does need bulked up with organic material.

 

Soil definitely needs to be bulked up by organic matter. The more the better.

In fact, bulk up with organic matter should be the one and only golden rule of any good gardener.

 

Soil doesn`t need bulking up, soil needs feeding. Plants don`t live on bulk they live on food, and food is NPK.:gnthb:

 

I went into a large retailer, B and coo (Shrewsbury) I did not see any and did not expect it to be called fym...should have asked perhaps. After reading here I realise it is availabel and Pete pointed me in the right direction. Visiting my local DIY this afternoon there it was 2 x 60L bags for £6.04 (Charlie* Stores) or £3.25 each Westland fym, quite heavy so looks very promising. I know my friends borders will be much improved by this addition of organic material. thanks

 

Dai, So why not just chuck down a handful of growmore:skp: