[Steve.B]

Hi All,

When 'they' say dig in manure in the Autumn do they mean fresh or well rotted ?
I would think well rotted.
On a couple of my beds which don't hold the water and are stoney I have double dug fresh straw horse manure in, to try to get some structure into the soil. Will be leaving it about 5 months before putting Butternuts and Gherkins in the bed, do you think this is Ok as I couldn't wait for the well rotten type?

[JayG]

Your action is not normally advised but you will probably get away with it since your soil is light and the throughput of water and air is much greater than in a heavy soil which will help the added material rot and mature.

(Don't think you'll get away with posting this question in "Chatting" though!!!)

[sunshineband]

I can see why you did it, Steve but as Jay said.. not usually advised.

Could I suggest that before you plant anything in the beds in a few months that you dig about and check that most of the strawy stuff has rotted away a bit to avoid scorching the roots of your plants.

Perhaps covering the ground with black plastic might bhelp it all wam up and hasten the process a little bit 

[Steve.B]

Your action is not normally advised but you will probably get away with it since your soil is light and the throughput of water and air is much greater than in a heavy soil which will help the added material rot and mature.

(Don't think you'll get away with posting this question in "Chatting" though!!!)

I know drastic action!  What forum would you recommend? Grow Your Own?

[sunshineband]

I think Jay may have meant that some members migh faint with shock at you having dug in fresh manure --- never mind, they'll survive 

[JayG]

My prediction is that one of the mods will move the thread to the "Grow your own" forum (could be my first wrong prediction of the year!!)   

[sunshineband]

Oooh sorry --- I didn't realise that's what you meant, Jay.

I thought you were wanting to protect the more sensitive souls 

[DD.]

Correct JayG!!!!

[sunshineband]

Just as well I said sorry then 

[JayG]

Oooh sorry --- I didn't realise that's what you meant, Jay.

I thought you were wanting to protect the more sensitive souls 

Are you suggesting that "Chatterers" are less sensitive souls than "Growing your owners?!"

    

[Salmo]

Getting back to the question.

I am sure you will be OK. You will not be planting butternuts out until June so some rotting will take place by then.

Many people plant marrows/courgettes/squashes directly into manure heaps where they thrive.

If the manure has quite a lot of straw it will use nitrogen from the soil to rot down and your plants may could be short of nitrogen. Add liquid manure if they are pale.

[sunshineband]

Oooh sorry --- I didn't realise that's what you meant, Jay.

I thought you were wanting to protect the more sensitive souls 

Are you suggesting that "Chatterers" are less sensitive souls than "Growing your owners?!"

    

I daren't suggest anything after my faux pas 

Glad there was a very helpful answer for you, Steve, from Salmo 

[Steve.B]

Many thanks,

Do you think I should give the bed a bit of a dig over to expose some of the manure? it was dug in around the end of September.
And later before planting add some Sulphate of Ammonia? for a Nitrogen fix.

[Muddylou]

I put fresh manure over all of my plot last winter (my first) and dug it in in the spring. One of the old boys on the plot told me I would have to "scrape it off" before I could grow anything.
Well, it may have been beginners luck, but I got loads of everything including carrots and parsnips. Any way I've done the same this year. The only problem  I've had is growing huge everything and a cabbage lasting us two weeks so having to give lots of produce away.  The only thing that wasn't successful was broad beans which the black fly got to.

[Steve.B]

I put fresh manure over all of my plot last winter (my first) and dug it in in the spring. One of the old boys on the plot told me I would have to "scrape it off" before I could grow anything.
Well, it may have been beginners luck, but I got loads of everything including carrots and parsnips. Any way I've done the same this year. The only problem  I've had is growing huge everything and a cabbage lasting us two weeks so having to give lots of produce away.  The only thing that wasn't successful was broad beans which the black fly got to.

Good to know! Didn't your Parsnips/Carrots badly fork? I had that problem this year on a bed that was manured a year ago.
This year I only plan to put in greedy feeders.