Horse manure use

[Shirleygardener]

Having just read about keeping fresh horse manure, I am going to do the half and half method. If I dig it in 6 weeks after keeping in buckets, how soon can I plant bare rooted 'red robin' trees to grow into a tall hedge?
This is on ground that has just been cleared of two leylandii trees.
Any other tips welcome!
I've just joined 1 hour ago.
Shirleygardener

[nickdub]

I'd give it 3 or 4 weeks between manuring and planting.

If you can get a good pole of manure and cover it to keep out the rain the ideal time to apply it for fruit and veg would be early Spring - a lot of the goodness is washed out by water if it is left exposed.

[Scarlet]

hello and welcome Shirley

Have you got the bare root shrubs already? Are they on order?
I’d be tempted not to bother with the manure until the spring. Let it rot down and then use it as a top dressing.

Guide for shrub planting here:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=237

[Jay-ell]

I'd let it rot a bit and use it to topdress. If you add it to the planting holes then the roots might not want to spread out from the enriched soil and the trees won't get a healthy root system. If you just use the normal soil that'e there then the roots will be encouraged to spread out and search for nutrients anchoring the plants in better.

[Shirleygardener]

Horse manure use

Thank you so much for your useful replies. It was good that they were all different, that proves there is never a 100% right/wrong answer in gardening.

You will definitely be hearing from me again.
Thanks again for prompt replies
Shirleygardener.

[burnie]

Fresh horse manure can be very hot and can damage fine roots, I'd agree with leaving the poo till after the winter and add as a top dressing/mulch. I don't use it on edibles either, due to concerns over the feed the horses may have eaten.

[Scarlet]

the ideal time to apply it for fruit and veg would be early Spring.

I’d be tempted not to bother with the manure until the spring. Let it rot down and then use it as a top dressing.

I'd let it rot a bit and use it to topdress.

Thank you so much for your useful replies. It was good that they were all different, that proves there is never a 100% right/wrong answer in gardening.

On this occasion I think we all said the same thing?

[Aberdeenplotter]

hello and welcome Shirley

Have you got the bare root shrubs already? Are they on order?
I’d be tempted not to bother with the manure until the spring. Let it rot down and then use it as a top dressing.

Guide for shrub planting here:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=237

I'm with this as well

[veggiechicken]

Me too.

Welcome to the Forum, Shirley. This is one of the rare occasions when we all agree - it doesn't often happen.

[Leezy2]

Welcome Shirley,
You won’t regret joining, the wealth of knowledge here is amazing!
I’m with everyone else, I get my manure in Spring time and let it compost until Autumn when I use it to prep the beds for garlic and onions in Spring. Then again in Spring for top dressing.
Also, I use Donkey Dung. Had great results and it doesn’t smell!!!

[lynda66]

I'd bung it in a composter and chuck any other compostables in too and as well as the manure rotting down, you'll increase the amount by adding more stuff to it I'm a bit of an obsessive composter though, if it's compostable it gets composted.

[It never rains..it pours]

Fresh horse manure can be very hot and can damage fine roots, I'd agree with leaving the poo till after the winter and add as a top dressing/mulch. I don't use it on edibles either, due to concerns over the feed the horses may have eaten.

Burnie, presume you are refering to unknown source manure ?.