[m1ckz]

morning all,i picked up a trailer load  of horse muck yesturday,,it was 98% muck ,, no straw,not sure if this is good or not,looked quiet fresh,going to get another load today,there is some with straw, what should i get  thanx

[radiohead]

Personally I'd want a good proportion of straw...(NOT shavings)...as well as muck,and well rotted as well. But whatever it is if it's fresh I wouldnt put it on the plot straight away,but store it over winter and dig it in early spring time.
That said if the plots bare and it goes in now I dont suppose It'll do any harm and will be well incorporated for the next growing season.

[DD.]

Don't go spreading it about until you've read up on aminopyralid.

[Amilo]

Don't go spreading it about until you've read up on aminopyralid.

Its got me thinkings, I have a stable that gives me as much as I can carry and they do spread on their own fields, but that does not seem to be a recommendation as they would just be renewing the aminopyralid when they spread the muck! so does any one know what is the life of aminopyralid when its in the soil?

Next time I pass the stables I will ask if they use it.

[Rampant_Weasel]

thats what i do (ask the owner) - all the stables ive been to day they dont use any sprays altho they are not farms just riding stables.

[mumofstig]

I don't know if it is as much of a problem as it was.................but the Aminopyralid could be in the straw and hay they use in the stable, not just in the fields - which goes straight through their gut and into the manure 

[realfood]

Do a Google search on Aminopyralid contamination of manure and you will get plenty of advice. My experience is that the contamination can last for 3 years in well cultivated soil.

[Yorkie]

Main website
http://www.allotment-garden.org/grow-your-own/garden-diary/2009-01/testing-for-aminopyralid-in-manure

[polly nator]

Aside from the Aminopyralid issue,  I have experimented with, and now frequently use, fresh unrotted horse muck very successfully. I generally remove a few inches of soil, add layer of horse muck, replace the soil and bobs your uncle. Never had bad results with it. NB the exception being that I dont do this where I am going to sow carrots

This year I am experimenting with this in raised beds at my daughters because they have a huge mares tail problem and I read somewhere (here?? maybe?) that mares tail finds manure too rich and can be suppressed by it. This seems to be the case and the beds with the horse muck are far more mares tail free than the bed where I am growing carrots