Manure.. Brown, green or both...?

[JimmerG]

Ideally I'd like to do both.

There are quite a few areas of my allotment that will be bare over the winter. I've got an inexhaustable supply of free manure, so I'm keen to get some of that on at somepoint. I'm also keen to get some green manure growing aswell to keep weeds down, stop minerals leaching away, add nitrogen and improve the soil structure.

Shall I put horse manure on now and green manure in the spring, or shall I get a load of green manure growing now, and turn it in with a load of horse poo in the spring - or shall I stick both sorts on now???

One area will be used for Brassicas next year, the other will be leeks, onions, beans.

Waddya think?

[rustylady]

Is your manure fresh or rotted?

[JimmerG]

Is a good couple of years old - so it' nicely rotted

[rustylady]

I would spread the manure on your empty beds now and leave the worms to pull it in for you. Then come spring you will just need to fork the beds over and away you go.

[hailtryfan]

I would spread the manure on your empty beds now and leave the worms to pull it in for you. Then come spring you will just need to fork the beds over and away you go.

Exactly what I spent my after-work lotty session doing tonight. Spread about a ton of horse manure (I too have an inexaustable supply) over some roughly dug beds that were covered in sheeting this season. The whole thing looks like I'm baking the world's largest chocolate brownie.

I've got heavy clay soil so I'm trying to get as much organic matter in there as possible to improve drainage, espicially as I too want to grow onions in the beds next year and they don't like soggy boots.