Manure

Hi

Is it true one can put to much manure on the garden the reason i ask is on my new allotement which i shall post pictures shortly the other people there call one gardener the manure man and they informed me he put so much manure on the ground and in the ground last yesr he was unable to grow very little what do ou all think.

 

Golfer, They are talking through their backsides, but what you have to make sure of. Is that you manure correctly. Brassicas want lime rather than manure, root crops don`t want anything. The gross feeders, onions, shallots, peas and beans etc, need manure. This should be applied in the late autumn, when you do you winter dig. Or in late spring early summer as a mulch.:thumb:

 

Thanks David

 

David what do you mean by root crops which do not need anything and brassicas which need lime ??? can you add some more detail please regarding both.

 

David did you read what i asked you yesterday about root crop and brassicas ??? could you give some more detail

 

With root crops, eg carrots, parsnips , beetroot etc, if the ground is too rich in nutrient the roots tend to fork. The one fertiliser they do like is superphosphate of lime. This is a fertiliser which encourages root growth, so is ideal for root crops. With Brassicas it`s usual, when doing your winter digging, to add lime. This help`s to prevent club root. Another way of using lime to prevent this disease, is to make a mix of 50% soil and 50% lime, you then add enough water to make a paste. You then dip the roots of the plant in this before planting.

 

Be careful Manure is either well rotted if out of a stable with straw or its fresh manure picked off the paddock. That could of been his problem.
My raised bed is full of horse poo and i grown no root crops. Onions, beans, herbs and salad only. Good luck.

 

I have been given both fresh horse dung and some well rotted horse manure. I intend to use the well rotted for my cucumbers, marrows and pumpkins. The fresh dung some of it I have left to soak in an old plastic dustbin which I then use as a liquinure and dilute to purpose. Is there any drawbacks to doing this? I haven't had any problems so far.

 

If you've had no problems so far Moyra, keep doing what your doing. I tend to mix the muck in with my ordinary compost and leave it a good 12 months before using. Although I have had success digging in fresh horse muck in Jan or Feb then a bit of growmore on the top a few weeks before using the plot.

 

Thanks again John, I was intending to mix the well rotted manure in with some bought compost for the cucumbers and marrows. It should be too strong. I remember when I was a young lass and lived on the Nursery, my late father-in-law used to pile the old well rotted manure up around the cucumbers in the hot house. So am going to try something along the same lines.

 

That was mean to say "shouldn't be too strong"

 

Moyra. You can use fresh horse pooh to make liquid manure quiet safely. Done it loads of times. It's only when digging it in you need to let it break down first. Too many nitrates/nitrites in the fresh stuff. Someone here told me it's because the pooh contains pee ???? and that is what does it. Liquidising it with water dilutes it so it is OK.