Best time to dig in manure?

I am glad this is the Beginners section!
When is the best time to dig in some manure to beds and borders? Tackling a rather 'empty' garden, and wondered if any harm can come by adding manure? Do all plants benefit from this? Is it just plain 'farmyard manure'??!!
Obviously not to be attempted when the ground is frozen, but on a mild winters day? or wait until the spring?
Thanks,
Lyn

 

I would say any time you like, redfifi.

I read somewhere of a guy who dug a deep trench in the autumn and all throught he winter he filled it with veg peelings and torn up newspaper and cardboard,all sorts. Every so often he covered the contents with a layer of earth. Then in the early spring he planted his spud in it and they grew like gangbusters!

 

is it farmyard manure? .... or some sort of rather more expensive compost,
i can t see any reason not to spread manure and fork it in, on eg vegetable plots as part of preparation for spring planting, tho i d prefer to wait till frost has killed off a few pests and spread in February , not over ground where carrots are to grow tho.
if spreading on borders, probably not too heavily as spring bulbs and snowdrops will be appearing soon
fym is excellent mulch for rhubarb .. esp for forcing
potatoes need as much fym as you can spare
i would not use fym on alpines, heathers herbs, or rockeries

 

The old rule used to be Manure in Spring to warm the soil and mulch in Autumn to retain the heat. Nowadays it does not seem to matter. Only warning, if you need to add lime to your garden (most veg like a slightly limey soil) then do not add at the same time as the manure.
By the way, manure does NOT feed plants, it contains very few of the trace elements which plants require for growth, it feeds the soil and the organisms within it. Manure contains organic material which improves the capability of the soil to hold moisture and thus to hold on to plant food.

 

There is a view that says you do not have to dig it in. Just lay it on top and let the worms take it in. No point in keeping worms and wriggling yourself!

 

I would agree - when I first started using compost and manure in the autumn/winter, I forked it in, then someone told me to save my blisters and let nature do the work. Bin doing it ever sine - and it works fine.