[green_fingered_ash]

I can get limitless fresh manure, since i have a small garden i am not able to compost it, will i be able to just dig it into the soil where i wish to add organic material? for example i have an area where i intend to grow vegetables in next year, if i were to dig it in now and let it, decompose and get eaten by worms, will i be able to grow on it next year (planting out in april/may?

[compostqueen]

yes you will. Carrots and parsnips will prefer to grow on soil with last year's manure on it.  I use fresh manure myself, though I know folks sniff  at the very idea, but any port in a storm I reckon    I used it fresh for strawbs, courgettes and pumpkins, tomatoes and the beans and corn,. It does get chucked about my blackbirds but never mind  It's not very pleasant to handle if its wet though so stacking it til it's at least a bit dryer or you can get in a right stinky mess with it 

[green_fingered_ash]

thanks for the info , will be adding it to my garden and others that im renovating (at the cheapest possible cost

[compostqueen]

not just manure though    Comfrey, nettles, leafmould, sand, home made compost. All good stuff for the soil.  I like to have a mixture of all the above.  Kitchen compost is great as there are no weed seeds in it 

[green_fingered_ash]

how long to wait until i can plant in it?

i intend to add quite a bit to the soil, and possibly plant in it 4 months later(winter crop) is this possible? might also plant green manure such as field beans to add nitrogen to the soil for next years crop

[compostqueen]

you can use it straight from the animal if you've nothing else.  It is best left to rot down but I've used it very fresh but you have to keep it away from the plant stem so make sure a bit of compost is between it and any fresh poo or it burns it

You can add it fresh to beds which are going to be left for a bit. You can fork it in or just leave it on top

[green_fingered_ash]

ok thanks for the info, has helped alot, i think im going to use it and dig it over into a garden, let it decompose for a month or two, then grow a green manure that helps break up the soil, hopefully by next year i will have something viable to grow on (and boy do i sure have plans on what to grow next year)

[poultrygeist]

Am I right in thinking that fresh manure (or any other compost) could deplete the soil of nitrogen as it rots ?

Or is it only woody material that does that ?

Confused of Boston. (Rob )

[compostqueen]

I'm don't know the science but bung on manure, home made compo, sand, grit, leafmould. Any soil improvers I can get my hands on which are from nature.  I have left poo sitting on soil on my beds (not all of them obviously) over winter rather than forking it in. Come spring the soil underneath has been really moist and friable which is great for me as I'm a non-digger.   For planting spuds I just planted them through the manure but for planting brassicas I just shoved it to one side and then arranged it back again.  I would have thought winter rains would wash the goodness into the soil underneath it. That was the plan 

[poultrygeist]

I got hold of some manure that was not as rotted as was claimed. It was a pile of horse muck that was wet through from recent rains and smelt only wet and mouldy. But it was free 
I dug it into my bean trench anyway, in the hope that it would mature for a couple of months but now the bean leaves are looking a bit pale, albeit growing ok.
Might just be the variety (no idea!).

Rob

[compostqueen]

that paleness could be down to cold rather than the poo.  It has turned quite cold in the past few days and windy too. They are a bit tender and prefer warm weather to get them started

[poultrygeist]

I think I'm just an anxious parent !

Thanks CQ.

Rob

[compostqueen]