Mulch Advice

[baggins11Participant]

I bought in a couple of pallets of horse manure and mushroom compost and I am pleased with it but I wanted to do a few more beds and have run out of compost.

I have been offered some manure from a farmer but not sure if it is suitable to use straight away. They have told me it is well rotted and it is a nice dark colour but has the texture of very heavy clay with layers of straw stuck together. Very different to the stuff I bought in.

Do people actually sow or plant directly into manure like this? It is slightly more smelly than the stuff I bought in and I noticed a couple of tiny maggots in it.

[charlesModerator]

No this is not well rotted compost and I would not sow or plant into it.
They were selling it…!

[baggins11Participant]

That’s what I suspected. Thanks so much Charles. I have some of your books and I hope to do a course eventually but I am still a complete beginner with lots to learn.

If I took some of the manure would I just leave it covered in plastic or would I need to turn it as you would with a compost heap? Also I know you haven’t seen it but usually how long would I need to wait before it is useable?

[charlesModerator]

Sounds like it needs air so fork it through and break open all the lumps then leave to compost, no polythene bags or cover, for up to a year, say next autumn at earliest.

[baggins11Participant]

Will do thanks Charles!

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