Green vs Cow Manure

[Carrie G]

Taken from today's blog

I did 3 beds in the end and it just happened to work out that it was a half and half split between Green and Animal Manure that I was turning. I have to say, so far I much prefer the cow poo (never thought I'd write that sentence!), the ground just under it was more friable and full of worms - in the Green Manure beds, it was compacted, very compacted and a pain to work with. I still have an open mind about the whole sowing a living covering for over winter but I am still to be impressed with the results. We'll see...

Just interested in what you think, green or cow???

[Snadger]

I've found that green manures add very little organic matter or NPK to the soil.
Cow manure (or horse) would win hands down for me applied as a mulch...........no contest!

Not everyone has access to animal manures or enough homemade manure though so in this case green manure has it's uses and is better than nowt!

Hence I've voted for both!

[Two_Sheds]

I am unable to get, collect or lift animal manure, so it's green manures for me, but I use it (Limanthes) as a winter cover to stop soil erosion, not so much for adding nutrients.

[Eyren]

I'm trying to go with the whole no-dig thing, so I voted "cow only" (though I tend to use horse or chicken, since that's what's readily available in these parts). That, and most of my little plot is (in theory at least) in production of some kind all year round, so I don't have the space for green manures in my rotation.

[Alison]

Voted for both.

[SarzWix]

I've voted for cow, but here it's more likely to be horse manure. Mainly because I'm still battling the weeds in a lot of areas and a heavy mulch of cardboard and manure/compost is a wonderful weapon I don't think any green manure would do as good a job of weed suppression just yet. Maybe in the future I'll be able to take advantage of both systems

[Alison]

The reason I voted for both was because I don't want to manure all my plot and like Two Sheds like the idea of covering over winter.

[SarzWix]

The reason I voted for both was because I don't want to manure all my plot and like Two Sheds like the idea of covering over winter.

Yes, there is the root veg problem! But, I haven't had my soil in good enough state to grow carrots yet, they've been in a huge trough up to press. Hoping to have one bed fit for carrots and parsnips this year, at present it has spent tomato compost over it, and black sheeting.
I'm quite interested in the deeper rooting types of green manure, as i've read that they can be helpful in clay soils. More research to be done

[zazen999]

I can't be arsed [sorry] to locate and have manure delivered, our lottie is on an unadopted road and you can't turn at the end...so I use a plethora of soil conditioners all of which are easily transportable. Even though I live in the country - with no manure at all I still got good crops last year.

Green manure is on trial this winter, and it's covered the soil nicely - so I'll be hoeing it in in a week or 2.

[Carrie G]

Well thank you very much for your feed back. We seem to have a liking for both but with an emphasis on the stinky stuff. I am in the same boat myself - green manure has yet to impress me, though this is the first time I've tried it and we can get manure in bulk at our lotties (and it's delivered) dumped a couple of meters away!

Hope all is well on your plots x

[crichmond]

I like to use both well rotted manure, but I also like to use green manure as it helps keep the weeds down over winter.

[pigletwillie]

As the green manure rots down, does it not rob the soil of nitrogen as would say grass cuttings applied to a bed?

[jacob marley]

what i have done in the past is to grow a green manure the last one was linseed it look's good when flowering .
But after that it was strimmed of and bunged on the compost nice to look at and doing a job on the compost two bird's with one stone....jacob ps the Linseed was purchased from Holland & Barratt

[Snadger]

As the green manure rots down, does it not rob the soil of nitrogen as would say grass cuttings applied to a bed?

I think it must do PW! It does add a tiny bit of organic matter though and can stop nutrients being washed away by giving a top cover.

The one I fancy trying is Calliente Mustard which is reputed to have a soil sterilising action!

[Paulottie]

With green manuring I think the idea is not just soil erosion but tying up the nutrients that leach on light soils in the cover crop and then releasing them again in spring. You are not really adding much- just recycling and preserving what is there- you would still need to add nutrients. In the immediate term they would use a certain amount of available nitrogen during decomposition but this can be negated by using a high nitrogen fertilizer...eg pelleted chicken guano etc....or also choosing leguminous crops.(clover or peas etc).... You really need to have a cleanish plot to start with or you are just tuning back in all the couch and buttercup.

Cow manure (i'm assuming we are talking well rotted with bedding rather than slurry here) is going to add bulk to the soil as well as importing nutrients....of course it tends to bring with it weedseeds (weighed against suppression if used as a mulch) and gives the locality a nice rural hum as soon as it rains but then you are importing nutrients and organic matter to your soil.

Then there is compost, leaf mould, seaweed, stone-dust, mushroom compost etc...that all have their purpose.....I use what I can get it is not an either/ or question.....So not sure what a poll might prove.