Soil conditioning without manure, since Aminopyralid

[Thelma Sanders]

I only have a small plot and struggle to make enough compost for my sandy soil, despite collecting cardboard/grass cuttings etc from the neighbours. (I have no car and cannot get bales of straw on the bus LOL)

How do you all manage without manure?

[Nes]

I don't manage without manure! Although obviously aminopyralid is a nightmare for everyone affected, I think the vast majority of gardeners / GYO-ers have escaped contamination. Perhaps you could ask around to see if there is a local source of unaffected manure? Or perhaps try mushroom compost which some people have delivered direct to their plots, though be a little careful with this, as I believe it is quite alkaline (limey), so unsuitable for potatoes, or already alkaline soil.

[yellow strawberry]

we have a local riding stables that delivers skip loads for £20 ,,have you tried ringing round local stables to see if they deliver ,,,most are glad to get rid

[chris]

Depends if they can guarantee if their fields havent been sprayed with it...

[Two_Sheds]

I've never used farmyard manure in my life (I've been growing veg on lotties for 16 years). I make a lot of compost, from everything: newspaper, grass clippings, guinea pig & parrot bedding as well as kitchen peelings.
I grow green manures on any vacant patch of ground (I've just ordered Growing Green for more ideas).
I also treat weeds as green manure, letting them grow big before I pull them, then adding to compost heap.

[Speed Gardener]

I don't throw any weeds away either. They go onto the weed pile that gets dug out every couple of years when it gets too big. The resultant soil, and it's beautiful dark stuff, gets spread by the barrowload to fill in dips and holes and generally raise levels. You do get a first flush of weed growth from all the seeds but after that, it seems to have no more weed in it than any other area. Waste not, want not, that's my allotment motto!

[planetologist]

Humanure from humans eating organic food?
Transition Norwich Blog: Alchemy