Manure

boybeck · « **on:** September 18, 2009, 21:05 »

I've been lucky enough to find a huge pile of free manure in a country lane near me and the horsekeepers are quite happy for me to help myself.

This may sound like a silly question but I was wondering if you should mix it up with the hay or just take the droppings? Which is best?

Terrier · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2009, 22:22 »

Mix it with hay to help it to break down and not stay in one soggy mass. Stack it for at least 6 months before using it so there's no chance of it 'burning' your plants. It's also a really good activator for your compost heap.

Yorkie · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2009, 23:44 »

Also check whether the hay has had, or the horses grazed on grass which had had, the herbicide aminopyralid applied - this persists in the manure for some years and will kill certain veg crops

BobandJack · « **Reply #3 on:** September 19, 2009, 13:43 »

I found that hay doesn't break down at all easily unlike straw, so I'd be inclined to mix it up with straw bedding & steer clear of hay.

Terrier · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2009, 15:45 »

Quote from: BobandJack on September 19, 2009, 13:43

I found that hay doesn't break down at all easily unlike straw, so I'd be inclined to mix it up with straw bedding & steer clear of hay.

Sorry, you're right, should have typed straw

Kristen · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2009, 09:58 »

Sorry just dotting-I's and crossing-T's here:

Even if not including the hay in your manure-pile its still important to check that the animals were not fed fodder (hay, silage, grazing etc) from fields that were treated with aminopyralid. That herbicide will persist through their gut and can kill off next year's crops

Trillium · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2009, 16:20 »

Definitely straw and not hay - it adds more organic matter to the soil when mixed with the manure.

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Manure

boybeck

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Terrier

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Yorkie

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BobandJack

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Terrier

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Kristen

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Trillium

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