[ineedhelp]

I have just bought a morello cherry tree to plant in  my garden with instructions to say that I need to plant it in manure (horse). I was going to buy some from Sainsbury's Homebase but wanted to know first whether there are any dangers in using it. For example, bacteria and germs. If there are any how come it is used in planting various fruit and veg.

[Christine]

Most of the time manure is great stuff and the friend of every gardener everywhere. There will be bacteria involved to help it rot down - but these are friendly bacteria and not harmful.

Germs? There are always germs in the garden of some sort - mostly harmful to other life than plants.

However, I was reminded only too sadly of the dangers of manure to some sorts of plants when down the gardeners association hut. Two new members came in for advice, help, suggestions, what could we sell them at a good price and so on. They'd used manure from the local farm as many of us do and had the problems described here. However, as they said, it was only the crops listed that were affected - their brassicas grew beautifully.

So I suggest that you should go ahead and buy some from Sainsburys Homebase for your tree - the tree is not susceptible to the chemicals that cause the trouble. If you were going to grow potatoes or tomatoes I'd advise you a bit differently.

[ineedhelp]

I might get some then. Could some good quality multi-purpose compost with garden fertiliser be used istead of manure for the morello cherry tree.

[Lardman]

I really wouldn't worry about it - you're not planning on eating the manure and as long as you wash your hands after use you'll be fine.

While I do understand your concern, sometimes I think we're all a little too paranoid lately about "germs".

Oh and not to alarm you or anything but there have been several cases of legionnaires disease linked to compost in Scotland. 

[azubah]

I am not a medical person, but I believe that tetanus is caught by getting horse manure in a cut.
I have  never come across anyone who has had tetanus so I don't know how serious the risk is.

[compostqueen]

I would certainly bung some muck round the tree. I put it round most things. You don't need to buy it from B & Q though as there's bound to be loads of the stuff locally 

[Trikidiki]

I am not a medical person, but I believe that tetanus is caught by getting horse manure in a cut.
I have  never come across anyone who has had tetanus so I don't know how serious the risk is.

Tetanus can potentially be contracted through any wound if the Clostridium Tetani bacteria is present. This might be in soil, compost, manure or just on the object causing the wound.

It would be advisable if you are into gardening that you have a tetanus innoculation. You are going to get scratched or hooked up on something sooner or later, I doubt a week goes by when I don't scratch myself, get a splinter or thorn in my hands, which are usually dirty. So better to be safe than sorry. Your GP should give you the jab if you explain your hobby. It lasts for ten years.

[peterjf]

im not a dentist but

i know that manure is good for 99% of allotment / garden plants ,

[lacewing]

Sound advice there from Trikidiki  Not wishing to frighten anyone,  but I read in garden news this week about a man who died as a result of pricking his finger  whilst pruning his roses. The wound turned septic and the man developed severe blood poisoning, doctors were unable to save him.
As well as having a tetanus jab, all cuts and even minor grazes should be properly cleaned and disinfected.  A small first aid kit  kept in the shed would be a good idea.

[penance]

It's horse poo not anthrax!
Stop worrying and use it for what nature intended.

[Aidy]

+1 with Trikki. When I started the veg garden at our primary school I was advised to ensure who ever was digging etc that they were upto date with their tetanus jabs as we were using rotted horse cack (well donkey cack in my case).

[JayG]

Just to get the risk in perspective there are an average of 100 cases of tetanus infection per year in the whole of the US, and although the figures are not broken down by the source of the infection there is no reason to think they are all linked to gardening since the bacterium responsible for tetanus is present throughout the environment (although it will be present in higher numbers in rich organic media.)

If you are up-to-date with your tetanus booster (every 10 years) there is no risk to using manure; take normal precautions (gloves, any cuts protected, washing after contact) and you will be fine (after all, you're using it as a soil conditioner, not a skin conditioner!)

[penance]

A ten yearly jab is no longer required providing you have had a full course of 5 vaccine doses.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1316.aspx?categoryid=67&subcategoryid=150

Just saying this to save people the trouble of visiting A&E after getting bitten by a mouse as i did, yes i felt stupid!

[Babstreefern]

I've only ever, in my 56 years of life, had two tetanus jabs - the first one was when I chopped the tip of my finger off with electric hedge trimmers (I never use them now, I use the good old fashioned shears ), and the second jab was only a booster 10 yrs later - I was in my early 40s when I had my booster .  I also always wear gardening gloves when I'm working on the allotment .  My day job is a legal secretary , and I like to keep my hands looking nice, so I don't have ingrained dirt or any cuts.

But using manure - I've got two fruit trees (an apple and a cherry) and all I dug in with the soil was my gorgeous black compost - lovely.  I've been having fruit off them since I bought them 3 years ago.

Also, with manure, you get a heck of a lot of weeds in them.  My next door friend put down his manure in the October, and he had tomato seedlings sprouting - lots of them as well - which you have to be careful as they are a member of the spud family, and it could upset your crop rotation - probably!!

[realfood]

I think that it is not a good idea to plant fruit trees with manure as it has far too much nitrogen, and is likely to just create sappy growth and delay fruiting. A slow release fertilizer is better, such as bone meal.