[annie10]

ive just finished digging my new veg area and the soil is in very good condition..ie medium loam.
what would be the best thing to add to the soil as a fertililiser.
do i use horse manure or just a general fertiliser.

 

[Terrier]

Hi,Annie10, equipoo (OK horse muck) is used as a soil conditioner but has little nutritional value. Depending what you are thinking of planting, some crops don't do well in freshly manured ground. A general slow release fertiliser commonly used is blood, fish and bone.

[annie10]

so if my soil is in good condition, it doesnt need horse manure.
i intend to plant potatoes,carrots, brassicas,broccili.
im going to plant japanese onions sets soon and anythng else i can plant now and rear next yr.

[Terrier]

Putting a good layer of well rotted horse manure under your potatoes will help to retain moisture to act as a 'reservoir'. As for brassicas, they like the ground to be firm, horse manure tends to break it up. If you put a layer of horse muck on as a mulch now, by the time you come to plant next year,the worms should have done their work and incorporated it into the soil structure, it's also a good way of supressing annual weeds.

[DD.]

Hi,Annie10, equipoo (OK horse muck) is used as a soil conditioner but has little nutritional

There are many that would take issue with that.

[annie10]

so will it be of benefit to add a few sacks of horse manure to the area or is a general fertiliser a better bet

[Pompey Spud]

Hi Annie

How big is your plot?

Have you divided it into beds?

Remember, Broccoli is a brassica.

You could perhaps manure next years potato and brassica bed; than lime the brassica bed in Spring.

Green Manure your root bed ie Carrots

Broad Beans can go in Autumn.

Decisions, decisions.   :blink:

[annie10]

at the moment the area is raised by about 9 ins and is 20 sq mtrs.
there is more room to add other beds when needed but hubby had enough double digging 20mtrs so wont ask him to do more till next week.
i'll add some manure to the whole bed and use general ferts in the spring and then maybe dig another 25 sq mtr bed for roots veg et.
does that sound like a good plan?