fresh manure

[jdlondon]

There's a city farm close with fresh manure and I've read up on using manure, but it's all pretty confusing in my head right now.

So, question - can I use the fresh manure as part of my raised bed soil make-up, either in a layer(s) or mixed in with compost/straw/cardboard/newspapers? Majority opinion seems to be you can't use it on the top layer as it damages the plants, but if mixed in below, is it safe to carry on planting on top?

I don't have space for it to compost down by itself for 6 months, so I was hoping it can compost down in my bed while at the same time giving my raised bed much needed bulk.

[rustylady]

You could use it as a bottom layer, but it would be much better stacked to rot down. Don't you have room for even one heap?

[Potstubsdustbins]

RL I think you will find JD grows on a balcony hence the lack of room.

Colin

[zazen999]

Plenty of people don't use manure - it's not vital to use it.

[Two_Sheds]

I've never used horsemuck, in me life

[jdlondon]

It's free and I'm finding it's taking a lot more compost to fill up the raised bed than I expected, so it's a way to keep the cost down.

And yes, on a balcony so space problems. Even now, with my growing stuff on one side and the raised bed being built on the other, it's so cramped I have to shuffle carefully kinda sideways.

[jdlondon]

And I was hoping its harmful effects could be negated by being in layers between newspaper and cardboard. Kinda like lasagna beds - like in those pics of yours, 2S.

Talking of your pics, I saw the one with the corn kernal sprouting, and I never knew corn kernals were the 'seeds'! - you learn something new every day!

[Two_Sheds]

it's so cramped I have to shuffle carefully kinda sideways.

And that's before anything starts growing !
lol

[jdlondon]

You mock my pain, except I'm happily in pain so - and I was actually considering how to house bees or even chickens there, until I had to admit it would be animal and bee cruelty and gave up.

[rustylady]

Bees you could probably manage, but chickens???

[jdlondon]

I have a little park right under the balcony, so I thought I could shepherd the chickens there ala geese herding.... yeah, shuddup, leave me alone - it's just I've been yearning for chickens forever, cuz we kept them when I was a kid and, you know, good old days.

Once the garden part is up and running, I'll look into the bee thing, see if I can.

[Kaiya]

I mixed fresh horse manure with compost 50/50 and grew beans in it to test the manure for aminopyralid. Not only were they not scalded, they grew faster and bigger than those in the control compost, and are now in the allotment. Farmyard manure may be more likely to burn plants but the "don't use fresh manure, it burns plants" thing seems to be something that is regurgitated from other sources rather than experience. That doesn't mean all veg will love it or 50/50 is appropriate or city farm manure shouldn't be tested for aminopyralid - just that fresh horse manure didn't scald my beans

[rustylady]

I have a little park right under the balcony, so I thought I could shepherd the chickens there ala geese herding.... yeah, shuddup, leave me alone - it's just I've been yearning for chickens forever, cuz we kept them when I was a kid and, you know, good old days.

Once the garden part is up and running, I'll look into the bee thing, see if I can.

Link here for you re keeping bees in London The London Beekeepers Association I'm sure one hive wouldn't take up too much room.

[jdlondon]

Thanks - looked up aminopyralid and will test like you did.

And I'm definitely keen on the bees, thanks for the link. Especially since it's practically next door, one of the bee course places

[A Year On The Plot]

With regards to the horse manure, have you got space on the balcony for a wormery? They don't take up a great deal of space, and it's also a great way to deal with your kitchen scraps as well.

Richard