How can you tell if manure is composted/rotted? (No obv info on the packet)

[Samuel1988]

Morning all,

I bought some organice manure from the garden centre and, looking at the packet it was in, I couldn't tell if was fresh or composted/rotted.

I opened it up and spread a little on a few veg rows and the stuff looked really dark, did not smell what I thought it would smell like (it smelt a bit earthy) but it did attract flies, was moist and was a little fribrous. I did however brake up some bigger chunks with my hands to see what was small bits of unbroken down manure.

I was just wondering if this description would indicate fresh or well rotted manure?

Many thanks,

Samuel

[Samuel1988]

In addition to the above, I did not include mutch of it in the areas I put it in (strawberry row and tomato and pepper row) and mixed it up all good.

If it isn't well rotted, will this be much of any issue as the toms, peppers etc are still very young?

Many thanks

[alldigging]

its rotted, the fresh stuff would pong.

[Thelma Sanders]

That's how i judge whether it's rotted or not.

If it's smelly - I don't use it for a while

[Two_Sheds]

I was just wondering if this description would indicate fresh or well rotted manure?

How can I put this?

You know what manure is? And you know what fresh manure smells like? (yep, like sh!t)

Well that stuff you bought, doesn't smell or look like sh!t ... so ...

[Veggielot]

If it is commercial product and it a sealed bag, as you get with compost, then should be ready to use. I wouldn't expect a garden centre to sell fresh manure but if you have any doubt check with the garden centre.

[Mikey]

As per the others, its ready to use, when its fresh it doesn't resemble earth much.

[Pies]

if it looks like sh** and smells like sh**, then its fresh

[MrLAH]

Where I have my garden, there's a large horse field which is owned by the estate but rented out, was considering hopping over the fence and taking some of the manure, let it rot and use it.


Quick question; how long would I need to leave it from fresh to use it?

[mothhawk]

Till it stops smelling like horse and starts smelling like earth

[MrLAH]

Should have seen that coming

[mothhawk]

To be serious, it depends how big a heap you collect and if you mix other stuff with it. A stableyard muck heap is big and heats up fast to a degree where on a cold morning you can see steam rising from it. That will compost fast, 6 weeks or so. If you've just got a couple of bucketfuls, you're probably looking at 6 months or so.

If you leave your veg plot bare over winter, nip over the fence in autumn and gather enough to spread a layer over your beds. By spring it will be ready to fork in and grow stuff on.

[MrLAH]

To be honest my garden up there is only going to expand and will be used for some time so I might just put my wheelbarrow near the fence (its only about 3-4ft high) and clear up most of the field (although its massive) and keep for future usage.

I have spotted whilst walking up to the garden that there is a lot that has dried up and has clearly been there a while.

My friends always said I talk **** but this is a completely different level!

[mothhawk]

Picking up droppings from the field is a job most horse owners look on as a necessary chore - it's a drag doing it, but better for the health of the horses if it's done, so they may even pay you if you offer to do it for them.

A cautionary note, though, check what horse worming treatments they use, because some can be so toxic they kill soil insects and organisms - you don't want that in your beds. That might be the case if there are recognisable droppings that yet look very old. The normal bacteria and flies and dung beetles that would decompose the droppings back into the ground may have been killed on contact with it.

[MrLAH]

Thanks for the advice mothhawk. I know the people who rent the land/own the horses come down on Saturday mornings so I'll try catch them this Saturday and have a chat.

Thanks again.