OwenD wrote:
Hi There,

My first post so be gentle with me..

I live in Surrey, near an area called Claygate and as such with quite
a clay soil. Last year I moved to a new house with lots of space so
threw a few seeds down and had good results with

courgettes
runner beans
parsnips
carrotts

the only crop that remains for me to pick are my Leeks which have been
growing since April last year and I am hoping I can pick this spring..


There is no reason to pick leeks at any given time, they go on for some
time, unlike courgettes :-).

this year I plan to branch out further to broad beans, sweetcorn and
more of the above

my question is re. compose and manure. All advice I can see for most
of the veg I want to grow suggests mixing manure into the soil. I have
already used bags of compost to fill trenches I have dug in order to
plant the crops I have listed above, but am wondering if I am missing
a trick by not using actual manure....or will compost do?


Both are good. Just be careful with fresh compost, particularly from birds,
as it may be too strong and burn your plants. OTOH don't leave it in a heap
for ages as all the nutrients will leach out and run into the area down
hill. Bagged compost is usually aged already but still be more spareing
with chicken than horse for example.

To be honest I am not mad keen on the idea of laying horse poo in the
garden and think the missus might not approve either!


It really isn't a health problem unless you use your own - not recommended.
Sure it smells a bit but that's life. Horse manure is relatively
inoffensive when fresh and will soon be quite harmless and odour free when
exposed to the air and sun. However, check the provenance of your horse
manure. If the horses have been on grain feed or some types of hay and it
hasn't been sterilized by heat or composting, there may be lots of viable
grain mixed in whcih will promptly give you a weed problem.

Manure from herbivores has been making gardens grow for millenia you are not
going somewhere new.

David

David