Freshly manured beds - to cover now or not??

[Muppet194]

I have been starting to put my plot to bed for the winter, next years carrot/parsnip bed is covered with black weed membrane. I have spread a good thick layer of cow manure over beds that will need it next year, it is pretty well rotted, some lumps but no real smell to it at all. Just wondered whether I need to cover these beds with weed membrane now? Thinking it would stop any weed growth but then again will it stop the weather getting all those lovely nutrients into the soil? What do most people do??

[burnie]

I don't cover my raised beds, just pull any weeds as I wander round the garden over the winter.

[ESBkevin]

The worms will pull down any nutrients into the soil without th eeffects of rain. A cardboard membrane will keep them very happy (just watch out for slugs and snails under there).

[fishpond]

Nutrients in manure will not be washed away over winter and therefore will be readily available to plants in the Spring.
Unlike man made ferts which are water soluble, therefore get washed away quickly, and end up in the local river.
I don't bother covering anything.

[Nicos]

We cover with cardboard or weed membrane, mainly to make things easier for us in the Spring.

As an aside, Cow manure tends to contain fewer weed seeds than horse manure because of the way it has been digested, so in theory you should get fewer weeds .

[1Bee]

We cover because our plot is mad with perennial weeds and pretty much unworkable due to clay soils and wet weather in winter, so anything that gives us a head start in spring is worth it. I mostly use black plastic or cardboard, and leave weed membrane that I've cultivated through the previous season (for squashes etc) in place until I need to lift it.

It's swings and roundabouts, really - whatever works best for you.

[sparrow100]

I cover.

There are loads of active seeds in horse muck, which is all I have. And like 1Bee I have thick clay that is sodden and unworkable till March/April each year, (I watch the early planting spud threads with enormous envy!) though the weeds don't find it stops them growing!

I cover with card under membrane and dig it in in Spring if there's much left.