I have since purchased sample bags of a third Horse Manure. I found a farm where they are processing the manure and bagging it for sale in garden centres under the brand name Equigrow.
I trialled it with B&Q Verve Compost alongside the original manure and green compost.
Results of the third manure are also miserable and if anything worse than the first.
Planted 30 June.
The first photos shows from the left – B & Q Verve, Manure#1, and on the right Manure# 3 (# 2 was tested with beans and not even worth including)
The photo showing the whole raised bed has the Green Compost to the left which was planted 5 days after the others on 5 July and the results are very encouraging. Plants look fresh and bouyant.
In the section to the right of the green compost I have only just planted up Mushroom Compost but the downside of that is that the source I have found is much more expensive than the Green Compost. The Green Compost is a good consistency compared to the first two manures which I had to spend a large amount of time chopping with the spade.
The conclusion is that for me, the safest bet is Green Compost to which I am happy to add Chicken Manure Pellets in the hope that this boosts nutrients to top levels.
Now all I have to do is barrow out 8 tons of rubbish manure and start again. I wont be beaten!!
I thought this was interesting knowledge for others. I for one, had no idea it was so hard to find good horse manure.
