"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
First time allotment holder, seeking advice...


The local riding stables have left a whole big load of horse manure
outside of our allotment site for folk to use. It is pretty fresh (great
strong pong from it) and it contains only a moderate amount of straw.

Notwithstanding the warnings I have seen on this list and elsewhere
regarding contamination with weed killers and the like, how can I
beneficially use this stuff?

Can I use this manure straight away on the beds in my plot as a top mulch
and dig it in next spring? Or should I just add it to my compost bins and
let it mature there for, say, a year and then use it?

Also which plants would benefit from an application of manure? I seem to
recall that root crops don't like recently manured beds?

Ed

Why not ask them if any weedkiller has been used on the pasture land where
the horses are.

Generally speaking it is not horse manure that has been the problem, but cow
manure. It appears that horses are far less tolerant to weedkillers than
cows so weedkillers are not used. I understand (from a local stables) that
cows only eat grass and leave the other stuff but horses eat almost
everything.

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure on
one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm suing the
farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not been
contaminated.

PDM