[Libby]

I have just been reading through the Month by Month section on this forum and have read that, in October, you can spread manure over empty ground, allowing it to be broken down in the soil over winter.  Would this be rotted manure?  I have fresh manure at the moment and am just about to prepare a manure bed, covered in plastic, ready for it to rot, but as my beds will be empty shortly, wondered if this may be the best way?  Many thanks.

[aelf]

Not sure which is the best way but my preference is to stack the manure for a few months so that heat builds up in it and breakdown into soil is speeded up. i will be spreading last spring's manure pile on the space for next springs potatoes some time in the next few weeks.

Hope that helps 

[Trillium]

My neighbour brings me a spreader full of fresh chicken poo and that's what I throw on my beds in fall and rotovate it all in. If I can get hold of shredded leaves from the local town, I throw those in as well and the worms love it all. But I'd never use the fresh manure in the spring - far too strong for the plants as it won't have enough time to break down.

[Libby]

Thanks very much for your reply.   I think I may work out my final version of crop rotation and then dig in the manure on the required beds - ready to be used next spring.  Perhaps if I halve the pile, I can have some to rot and use as required and dig some fresh in also.