On 2009-12-09 17:33:11 +0000, "Part_No" said:

Sacha wrote in
:

On 2009-12-09 14:08:02 +0000, "Part_No" said:

"Tom" wrote in
:


"Part_No" wrote in message
...
Hello all
I have been lucky enough to get a ton(ish) of 3year old horse muck,
and much more if I want.
I live in North Lincolnshire and my soil is light
When should I dig it in? or should I?
Trying to grow veg. NOT flowers and shrubs.
There are differences of opinion on t'net, some say if I do it now
all or most of the "goodness" will be washed away during winter,
others say do it now.
It looks like soil and smells like it too btw, and it's a very dark
brown colour that I think "black gold" people liken it to is a good
description.


Sounds like what you have got there is compost that used to be horse
manure. Get all you can and spread it out for the worms to dig in
for you. If the "goodness" hasn't washed out in 3 years, it isn't
going to now (though to be honest, there isn't a lot of goodness in
there to start with, but it is fantastic soil conditioner). Put as
much as you can get on, your soil, the worms and your veg will love
you for it.

Tom




Thanks, Tom
I was under the false impression that horse manure was full of
goodies and that it was used as a fertilizer.
I can get as much of this as I want so if all I need to do is spread
it on the top I'll get another trailer load or two.
Should I be spreading it now? or wait.

Thanks again
Part_No

We keep repeating this on here but do read the past posts and press
information on manure from horses and cows grazed over fields treated
with weed killer. One of them - aminopyralid - passes through the
animal causing it no (apparent) harm but contaminating its manure.
People using it have lost their crops. Check with the person selling
the manure that the animals weren't grazed over land where that weed
killer has been used. Apparently, aminopyralid is slow to break down
so the effects could be felt for some years.

Yes, sorry not mentioning aminopyralid....It's very well known, even to
me about the devastation it causes. My source of horse doodaas is
apparently free of weed killer. I don't know of any test we can do, but
a couple of local gardeners have been using the same stuff for a long
time.......I know that's not concrete evidence and maybe it's too much
trust but I'm putting my confidence there.
Fingers crossed and thanks for caring to warn me about this.

Part_No



I hope you know that no sort of admonishment was intended. ;-) But
given how much we've heard of it here, I thought it might be worth
mentioning so as to alert others. As long as the owners of the grazing
haven't changed their practice, you should be safe.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon