Wise ways to work with cow and horse manner

[wino]

Last years I learned a lot from Charles books and website and using it in my own garden.

I am also actively involved in a/the Dutch forum about fruits and vegetable gardening ( It is called “Moestuinforum”) where all kinds of growers discuss a lot. Today, in a topic about the use of manner and the influence of mulching on the warming up of soil in early spring, I could gave a turn to the discussion by explaning that the undisturbed use of a mulch by compost on a bed has a positive influence on the growth of vegetables, especially in the first months of a season. Not because more or less warmth of sun is absorbed by the bottom, but because the need of settling and re-living of ground after digging in early winter or working with a milling-cutting machine in spring. But some questions raised, which I only could answer from my own practice and not in a clear way from Charles Dowding’s approach.
It is about the use of fresher manner. In my practise I never use it on my beds, will allways compost and mix it first, before I mulch it on my beds. At least for 2 reasons: environmental (a lot of nitrogenium and also some kalium will rinse out) and practical: those nutrients are not available for your plants.
Someone suggested (with some impatience) to spread some manner on the beds and use another layer of compost on it to close it in. It is not my way, but with my knowledge that would be better in my opinion to do in winter, than just spread the manner on the beds, because most of the nutrients will get absorbed in the humus. The question: Would Charles Dowding use manner in this way…that I couldn’t answer from what I did read untill here. So here is my question: Is it wise to use fresh manner in winter on some of the beds and if, how is it best use and for what reasons? (I myself stiick to the indirect way for now to use manner, by composting it first).

Thanks in advance if you find time for an explination!

[charles]

 Thanks for this Wino, it is a fair question because of the confusion about "manure" and relally we need two words for 

fresh manure (poo) – needs stacking in a heap

mature manure (compost) – can be spread on soil

They are such different things. As you say, fresh manure does not hold on to all its nutrients when spread as a thin layer on soil, whereas mature (say year old or more) manure behaves like compost and has nutrients which are not water-soluble.

So it is fine to spread mature manure/compost at any time of year. I find that having it on the surface of undisturbed soil definitely promotes earlier growth in spring, especially of spinach and alliums. I see this every year in my dig/no dig experiment. Also back in the eighties I was well known for having the earliest crops of organic growers in south west England.
Another beneficial effect of no dig is that mycorrhizal fungae are undisturbed and all intact, so they can leap into action in spring and help plants find nutrients, useful when soil is cold.

The ony way that fresh manure can bring heat to soil is by having it like a hotbed, underneath and half a metre deep or more, you can see pictures of some hotbeds in This Month.

[susiethegrower]

Hi Charles
I am using horse manure from a local stable on my allotment, but I’m not sure how well composted it is. It looks like its mixed with wood chip. I was wondering if I could post or send you a photo that I’ve taken of it? I’d value your opinion on what you think of the look of it and what I could use it for. I would ideally like to use it to create new growing areas as well as using as mulch on existing areas. Thanks.

[charles]

 Shame about wood shavings in manure, they take so long to rot. Still ok to spread as surface mulch but probably not suitable for making beds, yes do email a low-res photo.

[charles]

 Here is the pic  and it looks pretty fresh, as one can see the horse poo: so I would stack it six months at least before using in or on a bed. Could be a pathway mulch.

[Rhys]

I put some down which wasn’t more than 2 months old in November on our rhubarb patch and the surrounding comfrey plants. Both are already starting to grow visible shoots as of 6th February 2014.

So I guess you could put some of it down if you have a rhubarb bed??

The other thing I’ve done is put it around the hedge surrounds where weeds were growing and to date, 3 months in, we’ve got no new weeds appearing.

All the rest is still rotting down in a 1 metre cubed open compost bin.

[RedSkyOrganics]

I like the idea of using to cool down and at the same time create a weed barrier. I guess it’s unlikely to hurt a matured hedge…? Thanks RTF for sharing the ideas.

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