Horse Manure for Potatoes

[freefolk]

I have access to an unlimited supply of useable horse manure, which I wish to use for next years spuds. I have the soil ready, but do I dig the manure in now, or just lay it on for the winter and dig it in during Spring prior to planting? Many thanks, learning is such fun!

[Paulie]

Hi. I think it depends on whether the manure is fresh or well-rotted. If it's fresh, I would build a cone-shaped pile, about three feet high and as wide as it needs to be. This will speed up the process of it rotting, as it'll heat up in the middle. Then in spring it will hopefully be ready to spread and dig into your tater bed. If it's well-rotted, you could spread it now and the worms will take it down into the soil for you.

[It never rains..it pours]

Put rotted and fresh on mine last autumn and dug in. Come the spring for earlies it was all well rotted down and had turned clay soil into a nice loam. The spuds seemed to yield well. One thing I have read is check what the horses have eaten as some sprayed grass herbicides will carry through to the manure and then kill the planted crop

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=477

[freefolk]

It is already several months old when bagged. Several other local growers (as well as the supplier) use it, so assume it is free from weedkillers, but I will check.

[Snadger]

I've used fresh stuff which was mainly sawdust used for the horses bedding with good results. Dug a small hole, put manure in bottom, then seed tattie then filled up hole. I had a wonderful crop of clean tatties!
A welcome side effect was when I raked down the bed after harvesting it made a wonderful tilth for the next planting.

[veggiechicken]

I'd spread it and leave it overwinter - then plant into it without digging it in.

[Mr Bones]

I'd spread it and leave it overwinter - then plant into it without digging it in.

I'd go with what VC said

[veggiechicken]

[Jay-ell]

I use the same stuff as Snadger - half filled up potato bags and 30l pots with it and stuck the spuds it. Filled it up once they were growing.

Nice crop of spuds and several bags of broken down manure for the beds.

[Penellype]

Another vote for spreading it and leaving it. The manure will act as a mulch, keeping weeds down (although you may find some grass grows if it contains hay seeds). The worms will do the digging for you.

[freefolk]

Further to the above, I was yesterday shown a huge (and I mean "climb up it and plant a flag on top" huge) pile of manure over the road. It is from where the horses were in a different field a year or two ago. It is black, crumbly, non-smelling, 12-18 months old and - best of all - FREE! Wheelbarrow here I come

[fishpond]

I'd go with what VC said

Ditto from me.

[veggiechicken]

I'd spread it and leave it overwinter - then plant into it without digging it in.

I'd go with what VC said

Another vote for spreading it and leaving it..

Ditto from me.

Feeling concerned - nobody ever agrees with me

[Snadger]

Feeling concerned - nobody every agrees with me

I didn't! Although, I probably could have!

[It never rains..it pours]

Further to the above, I was yesterday shown a huge (and I mean "climb up it and plant a flag on top" huge) pile of manure over the road. It is from where the horses were in a different field a year or two ago. It is black, crumbly, non-smelling, 12-18 months old and - best of all - FREE! Wheelbarrow here I come

Im jealous