where not to manure/can fresh manure be used?

[shaolin101]

Hi All - more questions i'm afraid!

I am in the process of preperation and have 4 1x1 metre raised beds (3 for my young kids to do what they want with and one for a few herbs). The rest is just open soil right now which i will need to divide into some order.

I can get manure from the local stables - just need to bring a bag.

Is there anywhere I shouldn't dig manure in (I understand you shouldn't for root vegetables but stand to be corrected if need be!)

Also, the manure may be quite fresh - is that ok or is it supposed to rot before you use it?

Thanks
Liam

[shaolin101]

[Magnolia]

Oh pants.  I've only just dug in rotted manure into the beds I was planning to use for roots (parsnips, carrots, leeks, beetroot).  Have I made a huge mistake here?  I don't have anywhere else to put them now.

[bupster]

I think they'll be fine to eat, just might look a little rude  :P

[Berty]

As you say beds for root crops should not be manured. For the most part herbs like to grow in poor soils so you need not manure that area either. Spuds, Pea family and squashes like lots of manure. If the manure is very fresh stack it up and leave it for a few months. If you can't have a formal stock, leave it in the bags you collected it in. Stack the bags up. The bags will help it sweat down faster. Even starting today the manure will have settled down enough for Peas and Spuds by Easter. However I would dig it in well before planting. Squashes are the greediest. You can put them in very fresh manure.

The longer you can leave the manure the better however not all of of us have the luxury of stock piling manure for a year or more.

[Tee Gee]

To manure or not to manure for root veg ???

I do and always have done.

Having said that I prepare the rows for root veg a little differently!

That is I drive my spade in along the line of the row ease it back and forward to to form a 'vee' trench.

I fill this trench with sifted compost, old stuff will do providing it is not diseased then I sow my seed into this.

The reason why I do this is; I do not think of  'manure' as a fertiliser I think of it as a water retention material and root veg need as much moisture as other veg.

So through capillary attraction my root veg attract the moisture from the 'manure' that is along side my vee trench.

Well thats my theory and I can't complain about my root veg they are mostly of good size & quality.

So I guess this is another case of;.......'each to their own' ie do whats best for you.

[Magnolia]

that makes sense.  cheers. x