Horse manure when?

[Saraheliz]

Hi

I have an unlimited supply of horse manure, is it right I cannot put it straight onto the soil?
I have just aquired an allotment and need to put some goodness into the soil

cheers for any advice!
from
Sarah

[Digger-07]

You can use it when its rotted down a bit and has lost the look it has when it's fresh. Put it in a heap and leave it for a month or two. The place I got mine from was already "mature" when it came so it went straight on to the plot.

At this time of year you could risk putting it on an area and leave it to be taken in by the worms but it may still be strawy when you wan't to use the space.

[bobleponge]

Mine always rests for a year before I put it on my garden. Even a month of two leaving it is going to better than nothing.
If you have an unlimited supply take the older stuff if there is any left.

[PAULW]

Chuck it on now it will mellow over winter then in the spring turn it in, I am just in the process of making a lasagne of a layer of muck a layer of straw a layer of muck a layer of straw this will settle down and I will plant my brassica's straight into it.

[kitchengardner]

Hi

I have an unlimited supply of horse manure, is it right I cannot put it straight onto the soil?
I have just aquired an allotment and need to put some goodness into the soil

cheers for any advice!
from
Sarah

Depends how well rotted it is. If nice and crumbly you can use it right away as a fertilizer mulch around existing plants. If still in lumps as it comes out of the horse (albeit dry) then you can either put it in the compost heap to rot down for a few months before using as above (best to crumble it in) or you can simply crumble it (and wet well if dry) before digging it into your soil to plant beans or green leafy veg into it in spring. Do not plant root crops in this soil for at least 6 months.

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[Snadger]

You could use some of the fresh stuff to make a 'hot bed' for planting early veg in!

[Two_Sheds]

Can you trust your source?
You don't want any of that contaminated manure spread all over your plot! Home-grown veg ruined by toxic herbicide | Environment | The Observer

[Saraheliz]

thank you all, I have not finished the allotment signing etc so cannot use it yet so will prob put it in a heap in the backgarden until I can use it.
Thanks for the warning two sheds- i had this problem with organic compost last year!

cheers
from
Sarahx