htmark98 wrote:
A friend has a horse stables and offered my some manure, now is it ok
just to take or will i need to do something to it first?

Stick it in a corner somewhere and let it rot down for a while. It's
better used this way because fresh manure is very strong and can 'burn'
your plants. If you want to give your plants a feed, however, dilute
some manure in a bucket of water and pour it over the plants.

Also my dad in law has a cow farm is this stuff any better?

Treat as above and let it rot down.

Thanks

This will be going into a garden and really want to do it this week as
it's a bkank canvas at the mo.

If your father in law has some well-rotted manure on his farm, you
could use that immediately. Please do NOT take the advice to add lime
to your soil or the manure. The use of lime will stop you using many
plants which are lime intolerant and the person suggesting that has no
idea what your soil is like or even, where it is! He doesn't live in
UK.
Camellias for example, absolutely detest lime, as do Enkianthus,
Rhododendrons and Azaleas and Heathers. If the garden is new to you,
get a soil testing kit from a garden centre and check it out.
Alternatively, look at what your neighbours are growing which will give
you a good idea of what can easily be grown in your area.
On another topic, when starting your new garden, do think beforehand
about whether you need to put in any electric cables for e.g. pond
pumps and make sure you leave trenches or room for trenches, where
those will be needed.
If you want some info on plants later, it would be a good thing to tell
us the area in which you live because that will make a difference to
what you can grow.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon