[4 Candles]

We've got three adjacent plots on my local allotment site and are coming to the end of our first season. One plot is raised beds and has given us some good crops this year, but the other two are still in the 'clearing ' stage. We've got rid of the bindweed, nettles and grass but it's been replaced by mare's tail!

A local farmer has donated 30 tons of manure to our site - it is sitting in a steaming mountain outside the gate! Our share is a fifth of it and we have been barrowing onto the plot for the last week and building our very own steaming hill!

What do we do with it?

My thinking was to dig some of it into the raised beds as the last crops were lifted and let it mature for planting in the spring.

A reply on Gardeners' Question Time last week suggested preparing a new plot by covering it with manure and then a membrane. Would this be a suitable way of getting my two unused plots ready for spring? And would it get rid of the mare's tail?

Your expert suggestions please!

[WG.]

Is it very fresh, or is it simply steaming due to having been moved?  My answers in red.

What do we do with it?  5 tons is not as much as you think between 3 plots.  You will soon get through it.  I reckon about 10 big barrowloads to the tonne so that is only 50 barrowloads.

A reply on Gardeners' Question Time last week suggested preparing a new plot by covering it with manure and then a membrane. Would this be a suitable way of getting my two unused plots ready for spring? Yes

And would it get rid of the mare's tail? No

[muntjac]

what you can do is put it in a pile and cover it with black sheeting of some sort .and just let it sit there for a year or so to cook .then it wil be absolutly loverly for spreading on a barren plot .,maybe one of the ones ur clearing .i found mares tail on a garden im working on .i just keeep rotavating it after it comes through this chops it off and stops it geting any nutrients from the sun slowly killing it once a fortnight is enough,when you have controlled the weeds etc on the plot you will have a massive bonus spreading the manure about and just letting the worms etc pull it down .maybe thena winter rotavating will put the finishing touch to it   with manure i would always find a space for it to lay about  

[starmoonlilly]

Give it me?

[Lynne]

I wish I could get some. I have been researching local possibilities but then get conflicting advice from other, more seasoned allotmenteers at our site, such as:

I found a stables with available manure. Was advised not to go there as there is too much urine in it.

I found a local farmer willing to bring me some cow manure. Was told that his stuff has masses of weed seeds in it.

I'm not sure where to go now :?

[shaun]

take no notice lynne get the cow muck in most cases it contains seeds but theres nowt you can do about that,you get more weed seeds from adjacent plots (in my case) than whats in the muck,

[muntjac]

tell em * orf . go for the horses muck and get the cows stuff. urine is urea nitrates that help break down the flipping straw n produce nitrogen... muppets.  n the weeds in manure will be cooked out with the heat .bigger muppets  

[shaun]

too right mate some folks are so full of bull s***  :roll:

[muntjac]

   

[Lynne]

Thanks 'boys' that's great advice so off to the farmer I will go.

[brucesgirl]

Lynne - I have found that loads of the old-timers just like to warn of dire outcomes, they seem to have lost any optimism they ever had!! I always ignore them and do what I want to do. For instance, if I had listened to them I wouldn't have two rows of lovely swede (swede never come to much here they said) .
If you don't know what to do with all that manure, put some in an envelope and send it to me!!!! We are going to start the phoning stables bit tomorrow.

[WG.]

Useful link for you : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=84066#84066

[starmoonlilly]

Cow manure will have a lot less seed than horse manure, as cows have 4 stomachs they tend to chew up seeds. Horses is said to be warmer as there is more undigested fodder so it heats up better in the rotting down.

They are all good, grab what you can. All adds to the benefit of your soil.

Dont worry about too much urea, if I was putting fresh manure down it would be in autumn on bare soil, thickly. By spring it would be well enough rotted down not to burn plants.

Or stack it in a heap over winter then apply in spring.

Just to add, I have just read your list WG. Sounds better than my advice, though I have done my method too and it worked fine

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

I was going to suggest sending it to me    I am having trouble getting any manure - and I have two horses stabled next to my plot, their offerings are already promised to other people :evil:

[WG.]

Just to add, I have just read your list WG. Sounds better than my advice, though I have done my method too and it worked fine

Nothing wrong with what you suggest SML.  Have done the same myself.