This topic contains 10 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by charles 11 years, 3 months ago.
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Yes spring is indeed coming but there is time in spring to wait a little too, for instance before planting courgettes and summer beans in May or early June.
For now, I would indeed spread your manure on the leaf mould, as soon as you can so that frost can soften the lumps and make a surface for sowing and planting into.
Early potatoes will grow well in all that and then you can plant leeks, purple sprouting broccoli or whatever after their harvest. Carrots may be tricky unless the manure is really well broken down, but it sounds as though it is.
Fair questions.
Problem is there is a lot of misinformation out there and I think a lot of experienced gardeners see it wrong, for instance they equate manure with chemical fertiliser, which does indeed leach, its great weakness.
What do we mean by manure? I use the word for older, composted, dark manure, not fresh faeces from which the nutrients can be leached, to some extent anyway, which is why dairy farmers treat slurry like a nitrogen fertiliser.
The point in organic gardening is to spread older, composted (not necessarily perfect) manure and compost, which HOLDS ONTO ITS NUTRIENTS UNTIL WARMTH AND ROOTS CAN MOBILISE THEM.
All my experience points to this, and although a few nutrients may be washed out, the main part stay.
How otherwise could I be showing pics on this site of such abundance? I use no other fertilsers, organic or whatever, except some very occasional rockdust and seaweed.
Some of the problem here is language and for anyone else who is confused, be clear yourself and ask what other people mean by "manure"!
Your second point is also a question of language, I mean more that certain seeds and seedlings may struggle in lumpier conditions, but all vegetables should thrive in your beds, once they are underway. Giving advice here is tricky as I cannot see your beds and your manure and in fact the surface may be suitable for sowing everything, especially after the frost.
Hi weedkiller
Before you order your manure have a read of this
http://www.glallotments.co.uk/acmanure.html
Good luck with your plot
Sahira
Fair point but also remember that nearly all manure is UNcontaminated…. if worried, sow some peas, lettuce and tomato in the manure in a seed tray in a warm place, then if growth is healthy after three to four weeks, the manure is clean.
Fortunately aminopyralid weedkiller is expensive and beyond the means of most farmers.
Dear Charles
Further on this thread and relating to ‘what is manure’. We had difficulty getting a supply of manure at the end of last year so we have only just had it delivered, it is not well rotted (from clearing out cattle that have been indoors since november). Our beds are mostly covered with plastic or carpet to suppress last years weeds! Should we put the fresh stuff under the weed suppressant coverings or spread it without covering or leave it in a covered heap to rot ? Thank you for this wonderful site and your marvellous books!Hi Jonathan, glad you like the site and books.
On the whole I would pull back the covers and spread this manure under them, to feed soil life and give you a better soil for when your weeds are finally gone. I am unsure when you put the covers on, what weeds etc and that affects the answer, also what you plan to grow because spreading strawy manure can make it tricky to grow carrots and salads because of slugs and the difficulty of sowing small seeds. Best look on it a part of a "long term clean up" and grow squash family, brassicas, potatoes etc this year.
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