[mrsparkle]

Manure - I'm always concerned about it, perhaps too concerned.

Firstly I can never tell if it is rotted enough.   The stuff  collected yesterday has lots of worms in and was deep brown in colour, like digging through a rich soil.  It didn't smell of poo.  However, it was wet so I couldn't establish how crumbly it was.

Secondly, I worry about where to store it.

Fresh or rotten I was thinking of putting it on concrete so that no bindweed could penetrate it from below - it would be a nightmare if it begun to harbour weeds and I spread them on my seedbeds.  I am concerned that no worms would get into it if I did this though.

Or should I simply dump a load of manure on one of my seedbeds and cover it with tarpuline.  My seedbeds may still have bits of thistle and bindweed in them as I can never seem to get them all, another topic on its own   It would again concern me if the weeds got into my manure.


Am I just being over cautious/paranoid?  Any advice would be brilliant.

[Kleftiwallah]

I suffer from anxiety, I think we may be very similar in that way however, to reply. . .  By your description it sounds like your manure is spot on ready to use.  The main way to tell if it is well rotted is the absence of smell and with this weather no wonder it is wet, this also shows it's water retentive properties.

If you put it on concrete do you have a bit of tarpaline? to lay down first, that way you could collect the liquer that will run off, diluted this is cracking for foliar feed.  Or you can plonk it on your growing beds (you will be needing your seed beds soon).  It will stop the weeds growing while they are covered and the goodness (liquer) will seep down into the soil to feed your young plants when you come to plant them.

I would cover as much ground as you can to a depth of 3 - 4 inches, cover with anything to keep out the light and the worms to pull the manure down into the soil.   No worries,   Cheers,   Tony.

[Trillium]

As said, as long as it doesn't stink of poo, it's ready. I try to tarp mine once it's ready so the rain doesn't leech out the goodness and so I can do it all with just spreading. If I need some liquid stuff. I simply put a scoop of poo into a bucket, fill with water, stir, let it sit a bit, then strain the liquid into a watering can.

Worms are a great indicator that manure is rotted; they can't live in the hot fermentation of manure that is in the rotting process. And yes, some weeds will start to grow in the manure but they're easily pulled out. Just keep an eye on couch grass so it doesn't get too well established in the pile.

[mrsparkle]

Thanks for the advice.  I think I will opt to simply  the beds with manure and then cover the manure with tarpaulin.

[mrsparkle]

I've got a follow question.

Having taken the advice of covering the bed I will be using for potatoes this year in well rotted manure I was wondering if I would be better to:
1. dig it in to the top 15cm of soil and recover the bed with tarpaulin or...
2. leave the manure on the surface and recover it or..
3. one of the above options but  no recover the bed.

I'm a learner and am hoping for a good crop of pots this year and hope that one of the above options will result in a good bed for a mid to late march sowing.

[Kleftiwallah]

Cover it letting the ground warm up and let the worms draw it down until your chitted spuds are ready.  Dig trenches and pop the spuds in, when you fill the trench the manure will be just where it will do the most good.   Cheers,   Tony.