Horse manure as a good garden compost?.🤔🤔🤔

[Jstpssng]

Years ago I was talking to a nursery owner who said that all he used for potting medium was horse manure mixed with hardwood shavings, which he got from a friend's stable. He would spread it out onto the ground, apply 10-10-10 liberally and keep turning it with his tiller until it got so hot that it burned the weeds out.

He also was certified organic, so I was surprised that he could use chemical fertilizer that way.

 

[grsthegreat]

If he was cert organic, he should not have used chemical fertilizer. This is why I personally dont believe those labels.

 

[Jstpssng]

If he was cert organic, he should not have used chemical fertilizer. This is why I personally dont believe those labels.

That's what I thought.

The original organic gardeners lived what they taught. I didn't always agree with them, yet did respect their beliefs. Now it's just another money maker in a lot of ways.

 

[KennyG]

If he was cert organic, he should not have used chemical fertilizer. This is why I personally dont believe those labels.

I think some people have redefined organic just to mean they don't use herbicide or pesticide. I'm not sure if there is an official definition.

 

[Yander]

I think some people have redefined organic just to mean they don't use herbicide or pesticide. I'm not sure if there is an official definition.

This would be me. However, I don't sell anything and so don't care if I'm certified. I use compost from zoo animals, hogs etc. that are all medically treated probably so I have no idea what is in it. I'll take my chances though.

I do have some pests (mostly my chickens now) but I almost always have more veggies than I consume and give away. Some years I have different insect pressure than others. This year wasn't bad for insects for me. Except for the cucumber beetles took out my zucchini plants about mid summer.

 

[RalphVa]

Check with people where you get your horse manure. Make sure they haven't used something like Grazeon herbicide (think that's the stuff) on their pastures. Stuff can last forever and will kill any plant material it is applied to.

 

[kubota shifty]

I have used horse manure as a garden compost for quite a long time.
No other commercial compost or fertilizer but only well rotten horse compost.
Definitely., I recommend rotten horse manure as a good garden compost.
Jkk

I have found nothing better than manure. I put on a front loader thick layer in the fall when the garden is done. I get the best tomatoes, etc. in my garden. When everyone else is saying their garden didn't do well mine is always great. Yes, there are a lot of weeds, but they won't grow where you don't water. Only water where the plants are. I try to rotate the manure so I always put on the most composted.

Thought I should add that in the spring I have to mow (rotary mower) because the weeds are 4' tall and then I go in with the box scrapper with tines at full length. I rip with garden and push out the weeds with the front loader.

 

[dzoller]

This would be me. However, I don't sell anything and so don't care if I'm certified. I use compost from zoo animals, hogs etc. that are all medically treated probably so I have no idea what is in it. I'll take my chances though.

I do have some pests (mostly my chickens now) but I almost always have more veggies than I consume and give away. Some years I have different insect pressure than others. This year wasn't bad for insects for me. Except for the cucumber beetles took out my zucchini plants about mid summer.

Ironically, this summer in Oklahoma the Zucchini bugs devoured my cucumbers once the zucchini was gone.

 

[Paul in TN]

One thing horse pucky is good for is breaking up heavy clay soil.... and growing weeds too.

Weeds are nature’s way of improving the soil. If you have more time than money let the weeds grow but mow the seed tops to reduce spreading. Mow high. Adding annual rye grass helps. As does light tilling.

 

[Bobrown14]

Unless you live in the west where our soil is a bit on the alkaline side. We like to add organic matter and sulfur instead of gypsum, which will increase alkalinity.

Gypsum has sulfur in it as well as a good supply of Calcium. I like to add hardwood charcoal and ashes from our fire pit to our soil.

Gypsum = calcium sulfate (CaSO4).
Greensand = good stuff in a garden plot good source of potash as well and +30 other macro and micro elements great for roots/soil.
Pot-ash = hardwood ashes
manure

We got several large garden plots. These all work.