The difference of using cow muck

[RSJK]

Here is the difference in digging cow muck into the ground makes to a row of King Edward potatoes, they was all planted on the same day.

                                 [/img]
         
            This is the row in question.


                               [/img]

               
The half which as been mucked.

                             [/img]

The half which as no muck.

I did not think it would have made that much difference to the growth.  It will be intresting to see what the end crop will be like at the end of the season.

                    ;)

[RSJK]

[ina]

That is amazing.

[Diana]

Excellent post Richard

Next year, would you mind doing half a row with cow much + half with horse - wonder if there'd be a difference there?

Anyone tryied it?

D

[wardy]

It's interesting to see the difference.  You could do one with sheep muck, one horse, one cow and one with nothing.  We are doing this test at the mo but with seedlings like beetroot, carrot, spinach and making tea to water them with.  We're doing nettle and comfrey tea as well as the manure teas.  When I say "we" I mean me and my lotty hoppo who's just made Phil Cooper's patent comfrey pipe  :)

[sweet-pea]

Wow, what a difference.  I wish my potatoes were looking like that, but alas they're looking rather sorry for themselves after being hit by frost  :(

How did you get hold of cow muck? and does it need to rot down first or did you just dig it straight into the soil?

[westsussexlottie]

was this rotten cow muck or fresh?????

[kenkew]

This is the 8th May using horse and compost.

[wardy]

They're looking well  :)  Mine have been blackened with frost  :(

[RSJK]

Sweet pea the muck was this years so was not rotted down as much as I would have liked, but you will find out that most of the manure farmers put on there ground is only about six month old.
Being an ex market gardener I know one or two farmers so getting muck is no problem.
                ::)

[sweet-pea]

Thanks Richard
My allotments by a stray where they graze cattle so I could always take my barrow there and see if I can fill it  :)

[gledhillbo]

Living in a village I have plenty of cow muck available for free. I spread it on in March and it has not fully rotted down. I have four compost bins and plan to keep picking up a truckload of it from time to time and layer it in with the other garden stuff so that by next spring it should be champion.

I have been told that there are uric acid problems with horse muck and definitely never use horse muck that is from woodshavings or sawdust, which a lot of stables now use instead of straw. Nutrients are taken from the soil to rot down the sawdust, so it takes two years for horse muck on sawdust to be of any good.

I do not know if this info is true, but I am sticking with cow poo. - Bob

[telboy]

Very interesting.
I have a copious amount of Comfrey & placed a good quantity under rotted horse manure with chitted seeds planted in. I am trying these newfangled 'Sarpo'
varieties this year due to my first blight disaster in 37 years. So far not impressed. Chitting was so slow & they haven't appeared yet. (late planting - frosts)
I still have high hopes from previous reports.

[telboy]

In addition, I agree with Gledhillbo.
My supply of stable manure is straw based.
Wood shaving based, if not rotted for two years would denitrify the soil if applied too soon.

[redimp]

A few of my pupils are farmer's children - do you think it would be unethical of me to ask them to ask their parents if they have any spare poo?

[kenkew]

Put it to your class as a question. 'Why is manure good for the soil'? 'Anyone know if my plants would be better with or without it'?.....then as the discussion gets going, pop in ....'Anyone know a place where manure is available'?

[Doris_Pinks]

Tellboy I am also growing sarpo, and they are late showing themselves compared to all the other varieties I have! We shall see what sort of crop we get  ;D

[redimp]

Put it to your class as a question. 'Why is manure good for the soil'? 'Anyone know if my plants would be better with or without it'?.....then as the discussion gets going, pop in ....'Anyone know a place where manure is available'?

A good idea - but doing 'helping plants to grow well' next year (one of my favourite topics  :))  I shall have to tie it into literacy or something.

[Lillypad]

Or start a gardening club & send a note to parents asking for contributions of seeds, tools & muck! :o

[redimp]

This teaching lark good get quite profitable.  'Ello Mr Trotter!   ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

It would be a pleasant change from the lunacy which is the teacher's normal lot!