well rotted manure

[goddess]

Dear All.I was hoping to start a new heap of fresh manure in he autumn to have available to use this year but then stopped after issue with manure being contaminated.I do need some well rotted manure to put in beds (beds have no been cultivated for years and although soil is not very heavy i think it lacks nutrients as not that many weeds either )Can you recommend any supplier or place where i can bulk buy may be 10 bags or more?Garden centre stuff is very expensive and although i don't mind paying i still think it is a lot to pay! i live in stockport south manchester area.and also any alternative suggestions toimprove soil fertility.thanks

[Graham K]

Try Freegle (Freecycle)

Hi Goddess,

Give this one a try freegle.co.uk .They used to be called Freecycle but changed their name a while ago. Basically a bunch of like minded people advertise stuff they either want to get rid of, need or have collected from others doing the same!

Number one rule "it has to be FREE". You will need to offer something before you can receive but that's about it, I've had both plants and manure from the site.

Check it out, (I recently missed out on a greenhouse).

Graham K.

[Jeanied]

Two less expensive options for you are to provide extra nutrients in the form of fish, blood and bone or chicken manure pellets on the parts that need lots of feed this year. Then build up your compost bins for next year. I have created a couple of compost bins just for the horse poo that I collect from my local stables in small- ish bags (in the boot of my car!) - sometimes I layer the poo with general compost but I have had 2 dedicated ones maturing nicely since last autumn. These will be used 'when they are ready' - not sure when!
You could also do some local research on buying in a trailer load of spent mushroom compost- you may get a bargain.

[goddess]

Thanks for that.I have already bought FBB to use ,will try and get chicken pellets then.my chickens will come home this weekend so will build upsupply of chicken manure.My OH is adamant i don't carry fresh manure in my car although i am tempted!!never had any success with freecycle as i am always too late

[Two_Sheds]

also any alternative suggestions toimprove soil fertility.thanks

I've never used farmyard manure, but I do compost my guinea pig bedding (litter) and I grow green manures, as well as making my own garden compost.

We recently had 12 large sacks of rabbit litter delivered to the site via Freegle

[zazen999]

I had very heavy clay, which had the topsoil taken from it a good few years back, and very little worms in it when I took the lottie over 2 years ago.

I used all sorts of organic stuff; not BFB though as I'm veggie and don't really like the thought of it.

Cardboard laid over the soil and plant through, starts attracting worms immediately. You can pop spuds straight into the ground below and they grow through the card.

Ditto newspaper.

Coffee grounds [I go to the st*rbucks and get bin bags full of the stuff - it saves them getting rid].

I got some chicken pellets at the start, but don't use those any more...but a little in each hole when you transplant gives them a boost.

Have you any home made compost from either your garden or a bucketful from a friends? You can use that like a yogurt culture to start the process and it should have worms in it already so they will breed pretty fast if you give them stuff to chew on.

And contact a local farm and get them to deliver a load; I paid £30 for what ended up being about 3-4 tonne bags worth. Blommin bargain! I waited until both lottie neighbours had used it for a season with no untoward effects before buying it though.