Shavings mulch

[JaneyB]

I have an area of fruit trees and bushes – apples, pears, plums, quince, blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants. I have access to supplies of fresh stable manure but the bedding is shavings. So the manure is very fresh and mixed with shavings and obviously urine. I do not have room to stack and compost the stuff. Can I use it as a mulch round the fruit trees fresh. I have read a lot about nitrogen robbery when such a mixture is dug in but is it ok to use as a mulch straight out of the stable?

[charles]

 Yes I would. You are right about it being best to avoid digging wood and sawdust into soil, but on top is fine.

Some of the urine may leach out and be lost, so composting would be better, but gardening is all about making the most of what we have and I think it is a good opportunity to feed and protect your soil, and keep weeds down too.

I just made a hotbed (probably warm bed in fact) out of similar fresh woody manure. Green Books have brought out a nice work by Jack First about it.

[JaneyB]

Thanks, that’s really helpful – I’ll start collecting! The hot bed idea sounds interesting too – what did you cover it with and what will you use it for? Using the same heat principle, does it figure that putting such a mulch on now in winter will, because the mixture will give off heat, cancel out the idea that you shouldn’t mulch in cold weather as it will prevent the soil warming up? An overblanket for the soil in effect! Thanks for your advice.

[charles]

 I would read the book!

re your question about mulching, "putting such a mulch on now in winter will, because the mixture will give off heat, cancel out the idea that you shouldn’t mulch in cold weather as it will prevent the soil warming up?"

this is not right because a hot bed only warms when at least 18 inches and preferably more fresh material is packed into an enclosed space. Even a six inch mulch of unrotted compost would barely heat on the soil.

Fresh manure will protect soil from frost, but then will prevent it wamring so much in the spring, especially if light in colour – and will hold slugs… but not a problem around fruit trees and bushes.

[Author]

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