"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
On 15/10/2012 14:47, Sacha wrote:

She went back a few hours later to find he'd
thrown it straight onto the flower beds and there were her plants,
waving helplessly at her from several inches of manure. They thrived.
They didn't burn and they didn't wilt.

Is this another "Old Gardening Chestnut" successfully debunked?

I've never been convinced by any advice given by anyone about manure
'burning' plants.

I think the reason for that is that I've used manure for decades and
sometimes in very fresh condition but I've always thought about how and
where I will use it and i have always ahd big garens.

I wouldn't put hen manure from directly under the perchs straight on a bed
of tiny seedlings, but I have dumped a lot of underperch poo under an
Alister Clark climbing rose which like many of his roses had been bred with
rosa gigantea in it's parentage. No ill effects and that manure was still
soggy and very fresh. Just 2 days ago we had to hack that rose back because
it was threatening to strangle anyone trying to use the gate to get into the
orchard.