2022 What compost are you using this year thread?!

Started by Deb P, March 05, 2022, 15:43:17

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Harry

Quote from: Obelixx on April 14, 2023, 13:46:42
If your allotment hasn't been used for a couple of years it has effectively been lying fallow which used to be one of the rotation years for farmland before industrialisation, intensive growing and chemical based fertilisers became the norm after WW2.

If you feel the soil texture is good then go ahead and clear weeds to a compost heap and plant but bear in mind the need to rotate crops to avoid the build up pests and diseases and also depletion of nutrients.   Mulching is always a good idea if you have enough composted material available and your horse poo is black gold so hang onto as much as you can and let it break down for a year or two before using as a mulch or feed.

You can consult the RHS website, Garden Organic or Tee Gee's almanac for crop rotation and soil prep info.

The only fertiliser I buy is a special liquid feed for citrus plants and bags of pelleted chicken manure.   Eveyting else comes off our compost heaps and, when I can get it, local horse poo.
Thanks, Obelisk and TeeGee,
My fresh muck is more bronze gold at the moment. Still very fresh. and neat with not much  straw. But I can see it has potential value so I'll hang on to most of it, mixing it generously into my heap which is getting well fed with greens and browns. I have about a dozen bags!
There's a few good local sources of better stuff, so I'll still willingly trade it for other goodies.

Silly question. Will it decompose much in the bags, or if I were to empty them out into a pile of just muck? How bad would the stink get if I opened it to the elements? I want it 'maturing' even if I'm currently short of green and brown, but i don't want to pee off local householders.

Harry


JanG

I have various piles of horse manure breaking down and even when fresh have found there's hardly any smell and what there is isn't unpleasant. As others have said, hang onto whatever you can get hold of. I'd prefer to tip it out of the bags and let the elements get to it. Leaves can rot down well in a plastic sack as long as the moisture level is right and there's some air let in but getting that right for manure might be more difficult. Others might have experience which suggests otherwise though.

In my experience the ordinary browns and greens of a compost heap rot down more quickly than horse manure, so I wouldn't drown a compost heap with too much manure. Add reasonably sparingly perhaps.

Obelixx

I agree.  Even fresh horse manure smells good to me, especialy in comparison to cow or pig muck, so I'd tip it out and either make a separate pile or mix it up with layers of other stuff.
Obxx - Vendée France

Harry

#23
Quote from: Obelixx on April 15, 2023, 20:02:24
I agree.  Even fresh horse manure smells good to me, especialy in comparison to cow or pig muck, so I'd tip it out and either make a separate pile or mix it up with layers of other stuff.
:toothy10: I just went to the plot and opened a bag to tip out on the heap. As It rolled down the pile towards me, I've never moved so fast in my life. Opening the bag was a bit wiffy. I wouldn't say it smelled 'good' but it wasn't evil..... Though it looked evil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRGq7ranxTw&t=1s


🐴💩

Obelixx

Tee Gee - I consulted you almanac quite a lot when gardening in Belgium because dates were similar.   Very different here but still a good guide for what needs doing in what order.

Harry - fresh compost will need air to help it rot down and also stop it smelling so get the rest unbagged as soon as you can.
Obxx - Vendée France

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