hello Charles,
I had a truck load of cow manure delivered in June, 3 months ago. I’m now laying new vegetable beds for overwintering too. It’s a new plot and I’ve tried to get rid of most weeds. The manure was covered with a plastic sheet over the entire hot summer, so I believe is part rotted. I don’t plan to use the beds until February or March ( the season starts earlier here in central Portugal). Can I spread an inch or two of this part rotted cow manure on top of my beds and cover with cardboard or other weed suppressing material until March 2015? As the cow manure is only 3 months old, I hesitate doing this as I realise you don’t normally recommend using less than year old manure as a mulch.
Many thanks Charles!