Manure questions

Nicki85 · « **on:** August 30, 2011, 20:55 »

Hi all

It's my first year on the plot and I'm currently winding down as the soil needs improving. I'm planning on leaving most of the beds empty and manuring over winter.

I have a free supply of pure horse manure which I am bringing down to the allotment trug by trug! So a few questions...

How long does it take horse manure to rot down? I'm currently digging a hole in the manure heap at the yard and taking the black soil like stuff... However it would make my life easier if I could take the stuff off the top!

I know that you can not grow some crops (like carrots...) on freshly manured soil. However, if i'm manuring it all now to rest over winter will I be OK to plant carrots etc. in the spring? Or should I leave a few beds un-manured for these crops?

Although i'm using horse manure I thought I could also sow some green manure on top of it to provide some more organic matter to dig in.... Could I do this? Or would it be a waste of money/ time? I was thinking about field beans as they can be sown now to stand over winter...

The soil needs improving both nutritionally and structure. I have about 2-3ft of top soil and under that is london clay... It is also very stony and the soil itself isn't that good.

Thoughts welcome :-) Thanks in advance

Growster... · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:28 »

Hi Nicki,

I can answer some of this, but there are also better people who can fill in the gaps here...

The old stuff needs to be close on a year old, so don't expect to use the new stuff at the top. Can they tell you how long it's been there?

Correct about carrots, leave them out of the equation for now, and put them in an unmanured bed. I presume you'll plant these somewhere which may have had some goodness this year? They should grow well, but watch out for the carrot fly (see elsewhere here...)

Green manure is a subject best dealt with by the experts here - there are loads!

2'-3' of topsoil sounds marvellous, but do you mean some topsoil, some subsoil, then the clay?

I reckon you'll get some more answers, but hops it's a start, and the very best of luck!

sunshineband · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:42 »

Lucky you having access to the bottom of a rotting manure pile

Have a look at this information from the Growing Help button above, as this explains about green manure etc and might be helpful:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/fertilizer/index.php

(Look in the blue bits at the bottom of the page)

Ricey · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:52 »

Im no expert but from what I've read/been told, sowing some green manure will help.

It seems to me that if you are digging in well rotted horse manure now, some of the goodness will be washed away over the winter months.

Some green manures solve this problem as they root deep and store any nutrients they find. In turn, those nutrients will be released back into the soil when you dig the green manures in. They also help to condition soil, break up the structure and keep down the weeds.

Before sowing field beans, research green manures a little further. There are a few you can try that do slightly different jobs and you should choose appropriately according to your plans for next spring. If you cant be bothered researching, I would recomend a general "Winter Mixture" of green manures.

My personal preferences for green manure are Alfalfa, Rye Grass and Clover, although I see mustard recomended a lot.

Good luck.

mumofstig · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:57 »

Horse manure?........before using it are you absolutely sure that no aminopyralid herbicide was used on the grazing grassland and that no hay from treated grassland has been fed to the horses, otherwise the manure could spoil your plot.
Please read the advice here, to be on the safeside

http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/257/aminopyralid-herbicide-residue-in-manure-killing-crops/

Yorkie · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:58 »

All good advice. I'm not sure that I would sow green manure on top of normal manure though.

Ricey · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2011, 22:06 »

Quote from: Yorkie on August 30, 2011, 21:58

All good advice. I'm not sure that I would sow green manure on top of normal manure though.

What makes you say that mate?
Not trying to start an argument, I am just truly interested in knowing more about green manures.
Could the ground become overly rich? Would that be a problem?
What about weed supression?

Yorkie · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2011, 22:10 »

I'm not sure how good a soil structure manure on its own would be but could be wrong. I suppose that it does tend to get left on the top of the soil over winter and then dug in, but unless the manure is completely rotted it will burn the seeds of the green manure.

Ricey · « **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2011, 23:02 »

Quote from: Yorkie on August 30, 2011, 22:10

but unless the manure is completely rotted it will burn the seeds of the green manure.

Good point.

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Manure questions

Nicki85

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sunshineband

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Ricey

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mumofstig

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