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Free Manure choices.

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Tee Gee:

--- Quote ---I'll be pinching the idea to use fresh manure to get it active again.
--- End quote ---


The way I got over this situation was to alter my digging procedure, that is; I did it in Oct/Nov as opposed to in Spring.

I found a number of benefits from this change, e.g.

The soil was usually more manageable.

Digging in the manure, then, meant that it was rotting down in the soil over the winter months rather than in the compost bins/heaps, thus allowing the soil life (worms etc)to feed on it and keep them relatively warm.

I was fitter as and more supple in Oct/Nov as opposed to have to dig in cold weather, in possibly cold soil particularly if I had over indulged or become unfit over Xmas and the winter months.

Plus, another benefit was that the surface soil in Oct/Nov was relatively warm whereas in the Spring it was relatively cold, meaning I was transferring cold soil to the bottom of the digging trench in which is the area/depth I would be planting out my seedlings/plants a couple of months later.

I tool my cue from farmers who generally did their muck spreading and ploughing at the end of the year, then harrowed prior to sowing their grain seed. Potatoes were a bit different as usually these were sown in spring because of their susceptibility to cold, wet weather.

But again as I see it, this is one of the choices that is down to the individual plot holder, so each to their own!

Here is my slant on the subject.

https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/S/Soil-Preparation/Soil%20Cultivation.htm

Harry:
Back to daft questions.....
On the search for free compostables, I can get car loads of horse muck from a local stables. But that's maybe a surplus of one ingredient to the mix. I can get a few big barrowloads of wood chippings for the 'brown'. A local tree surgeon may have loads to get rid of. But I'm damned if I can get a good supply of 'green' I can beg my neighbours grass cuttings when cutting season arrives, but for now, the biggest heap of greens that I can get are really bad weeds including lots of couch and some bindweed. I'm a bit torn on whether to take such weed infested stuff, because short of getting the heat going, it could be trouble. But another part of me says. it's free and plentiful so take it, use it, just make sure it gets rotted.
Any thoughts on how and where to blag green compostables. I have no shame and have already approached two neighbours for their grass cuttings. But I want to go BIG on composting.... As in getting a few cubic meters of heap on the go.
A neighbouring lotter (correct me on terminology) suggested that a few of us should band together on a combined big heap. I'm not sure how well that would work from a cooperation point of view.

Digeroo:
Having had a problem with herbicides in manure I am now very cautious about it.
I test every batch with broad beans.  A pot of soil and a pot of manure, you will quickly see the difference if it is contaminated.
Another rule is to never bury manure.  I put it on the surface near the plants but never touching.  Then in they show any sign of issues it can be easily raked off. 
I have one lump of what was contaminated manure and the worms still will not touch it.
Worms do not not seem to like contaminated manure and if they are abundant in manure I would suggest it is ok.  Also a contaminated manure heap does not heat up, so for me a warm manure pile is a good sign.
The effects of weedkiller in manure seems to be worse in my soil, so I would suggest that if you have alkaline soil you need to be more careful.
Bacteria in soil are supposed to breakdown the weedkillers. So I pour water with soil in it and yoghurt on my manure piles.  It seems to help.
That said I use a lot of manure.   

Harry:

--- Quote from: Digeroo on March 07, 2023, 20:15:37 ---Having had a problem with herbicides in manure I am now very cautious about it.
I test every batch with broad beans.  A pot of soil and a pot of manure, you will quickly see the difference if it is contaminated.
Another rule is to never bury manure.  I put it on the surface near the plants but never touching.  Then in they show any sign of issues it can be easily raked off. 
I have one lump of what was contaminated manure and the worms still will not touch it.
Worms do not not seem to like contaminated manure and if they are abundant in manure I would suggest it is ok.  Also a contaminated manure heap does not heat up, so for me a warm manure pile is a good sign.
The effects of weedkiller in manure seems to be worse in my soil, so I would suggest that if you have alkaline soil you need to be more careful.
Bacteria in soil are supposed to breakdown the weedkillers. So I pour water with soil in it and yoghurt on my manure piles.  It seems to help.
That said I use a lot of manure.

--- End quote ---
Yes. I too am very worried about Grazon Herbicide. I've asked the manure sources, but I take their assertions as unreliable. Remarkably, the three experienced allotment neighbours I've spoken to were oblivious to the problem.
Thanks for the idea of testing with broad beans. Great tip.Also, the observation that worms avoid it. and not digging it in.
I'll be mad as hell if I get stitched up with plentiful toxic poo. And mad at myself for taking it.

Testing for grazon with peas or broad beans...
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/simple-compost-test/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqjfDeG92U

Paulh:
Don't add couch grass and bindweed roots to the heap: you just don't want to reinfect your plot with something that pernicious!

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