Topic: fresh cow manure

[vjm63]

Possibly some really daft questions, so apologies in advance if they are...

I have obtained a good pile of cow manure mixed with straw from a local farmer - free, so I am not complaining!  I am in the process of moving it into builders bags to store on the vegetable patch because I do not have any compost box as such - only a rather freeform pile. It is pretty fresh manure from the cows over winter, mixed with a good lot of straw.  I am moving it partially to show I do want it - and hopefully he will give me more throughout the year. 

Will it rot down in the builders bags ok? I am not planning on using it really until autumn to put on the beds at the end of the growing season - too fresh to put there now surely (?). Any good advice/comments?  Also - would it be worth putting some on top of the existing compost pile as well?

Thanks.

[Chrispy]

Farmers spread it while it is still fresh, as long as you don't spread it to think and grow something that would appreciate it, squash would be ideal, then you could put it on now.

[Digeroo]

It will rot down in the bag, but it does need air, and should be turned or stirred or if that is not possible prod it with a stick to get air into it.  You might have problems with mice, voles, grass snakes etc moving in.

Farmers are not supposed to use it fresh as it smells awful.  But having said that I used some fresh last year to mulch broadbeans and it was fine after a few days.

Do test it by growing a few beans in it?

[Geoffwilz]

I agree it will rot down in bags, but you'll get a better product if it's left in a pile and turned periodically.

[peanuts]

We regularly get free fresh cow manure from the farmer next door.  We just spread it out in a huge flat pile, about three foot high (he gives us three huge trailerfuls!), and leave it for a year.  We sow squash seeds direct into it and they do fantastically.  After a year we move it to the back or the same area, leave it another year by which time it is a beautiful fine dark tilth, ready to spread over parts of the veg patch.
Only problem where we live is that it attracts  the mole crickets which are a real problem for things like potatoes. 

[Chrispy]

Farmers are not supposed to use it fresh as it smells awful.

And that is why I know some do 

[antipodes]

I would have thought that you could dig it in now on the patch where you will have your summer veg (toms, courgettes etc), it will be just right by then. I put it pretty fresh as mulch on the garlic this winter and they seem to be doing very well at the moment!

[vjm63]

Thanks for all the comments and advice.  It looks like I am going to have considerably more than four builders bags' worth so some has been layered into the compost heap (turning that as well) and I will dig some in for the tomatoes etc.  Plus do a bean test first - thanks for the reminder Digeroo!

You also reminded me that I had some pumpkin seeds in my seed stash - a couple of years old, but either they will do nothing, which they would have done anyway, or I will be over-run with pumpkins... 

[bachus1964]

it will give a flying start to your spuds

[digmore]

Subject to what volume/ tonnage you have, spread it and put some into pits, cover with 6ins of soil and plant squashes, courgettes and best of all pumpkins. Just keep it well soaked.

You could again, subject to volume, leave it free standing and place the same as above in bottomless pots of soil and plant pot into manure.

Have fun.

Digmore.