Update Questions?

[Dogs and Veg]

Say "Yes please" to your friend - stack the manure in a heap somewhere and put something over it to keep the rain out if you can - slit open black bags with stones on top for example.

You can use the manure in containers provided a) its mixed with other compost and/or soil b) Its used at the bottom of a v large pot or bag) the plants going in there are reasonably mature ie not small seedlings - it would do a job for both your tomatoes and cuc in few weeks time.

Happy gardening

BTW if you are planning raised beds for next year, it would be a good move to get cracking on them this Summer as its much easier to work on these things when you have daylight and the ground isn't soaked - gives the soil a bit of a chance to settle before you start trying to grow veg in it too.[/QUOTE]

I need to do a bit of work to the garden first before I can tackle the beds thats the problem. It is a decent sized new build garden so just a patio and turf with fencing...lots of creative types would love the black canvas whereas i'm just daunted by it. However I need get fence painted and something done with edges / surrounds as hubby hates strimming them and is threatening to take weedkiller to the edges instead!

The manure...i am worried about keeping it with my two dogs around...it is already a task keeping them from munching on the soil that I added B,F&B to without manure there...I am absolutely certain they would be in like flynn at it!

[nickdub]

I need to do a bit of work to the garden first before I can tackle the beds thats the problem. It is a decent sized new build garden so just a patio and turf with fencing...lots of creative types would love the black canvas whereas i'm just daunted by it. However I need get fence painted and something done with edges / surrounds as hubby hates strimming them and is threatening to take weedkiller to the edges instead!

The manure...i am worried about keeping it with my two dogs around...it is already a task keeping them from munching on the soil that I added B,F&B to without manure there...I am absolutely certain they would be in like flynn at it!

No immediate rush on the raised beds - try not to put it off to the winter is all :-)

As for the hated strimming zones - dig it up and plant something instead of grass would be my first suggestion.

Deepness with the dogs what you have that might act as temporary dog-proof storage a I suppose - old bath, coal bunker or even some sheets of corrugated iron and/or pallets tied together into a rough box would do as temporary containers. You could bag it up and put it at the back of a shed I suppose - that would be my least favorite option, as it sounds like a load of work and also excluding air from it could leave you with a smelly mess.