Allotments 4 All

I'm expecting my first every delivery of manure tomorrow.  I'm very excited.  But I have a few questions...

How thick do I spread it on the ground?  I intend to put it onto bare patches to supress weeds over the winter and dig it in in the springtim.

Is there anything that really doesn't like manure?

I know the rhubarb would like some manure.  Do I just plonk it around the crowns or do I need to dig it in?

Any other advise would be useful too.

Thanks

This could be interesting as opinions will surely differ(and why not?-none of us are perfect).

Manure on rhubarb-pile it on once the leaves have died back.

On weeds?-well----not on perennial ones unless you want a bumper `harvest` next year

By and large I hope there will be concensus that fresh manure is a no no for root crops like carrots and parsnips.

As to how thick?-umm tricky,I would rather muck an area heavily for crops that like it rather than throw a bit everywhere-so it might depend on how much you have.

No contention!

Following this topic intently  .....

Erm me too! Had loads of pig muck delivered and got them to put it on the compost heap, thought I'd leave it to mature/rest. I was under the impression that if you put fresh manure straight onto the ground, the microorganisms would stop doing their thing in the soil, and go straight to the muck, which means they won't be doing their thing in the soil....I think...possibly

You think Lottie ?  You've never admitted to this before !   .....  *frowns*

Ssshhhhhh.....is not widely known..... ::) ;)

< .... still trying to get my head round the concept of using the words "lottie" and "thinking" in the same sentence  ..... sounds like an oxymoron to me  .....

You know that Aching Plot.......will oxymoron it soon!! ;), but will give you chance to get your head round the concept..is a hard fact to absorb, I know.... ::) ;)

Jeez !  she's using threatening typing at me !  ADMIN ! ! !

Anyway......surly cough...I thought that was why you had to rest manure?

As a weed suppressant, you need at least 4inches.
As far as damaging the soil I doubt it, as by the time it is deliverd to you most manures will have already undergone the initial stages of decomposition. Only time it might be a difficulty is if the animals were on sawdust or shavings and you could still see the bedding. Then I would want to compost first. When the farmers do muck spreading they seem to put about two pinches cover but that is before ploughing.

I put as much as I can get on the area that my potatos will be grown on next spring. Last year about 6 - 8 inches. Left it covered overwinter letting the worms do their thing. Then plant the spuds and hey presto fantastic crop of spuds and the soil is greatly improved for the following spring.
regards
Chriszog

4"?? You'll be lucky? But if you are - walk backwards??

I agree with Cleo but have a look at this thread on rhubarb if you want more information.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,12596.msg117661.html#msg117661

Hope it helps.

I'm very new to all this but this year (my first) I double dug 2 tons of well rotted manure into my virgin lottie.  The extra I piled unto some old Rhubarb crowns and the leftovers I piled into a corner and covered with plastic sheet to stop all the nutrients leeching into the soil.  I planted winter squash seeds into the pile through cut slits and stood back......The result.... an absolutely bumper crop, 20 superb sqash, Rhubarb the size of Gunnera, beans enough to feed half the village, PSB nearly 4 feet high and leeks like telegraph poles.  In my humble opinion, everything loves muck ;D Apart that is from my good lady who thinks manure is a rude word.  It took my Mum years to get my Dad to call it manure ;D

I always use 1m2 manure at every 100 m2 soil.
That is 12 wheelbarrows per 100 m2 soil.
Thick layer in autumn, except  where carrots etc will grow .
and I have always very good results. ;D

Quote from: undercarriage plan on November 04, 2005, 19:17:35
Erm me too! Had loads of pig muck delivered and got them to put it on the compost heap, thought I'd leave it to mature/rest. I was under the impression that if you put fresh manure straight onto the ground, the microorganisms would stop doing their thing in the soil, and go straight to the muck, which means they won't be doing their thing in the soil....I think...possibly

Not quite. Fresh manure is very high in salts, especially N in the NO₃ form from urine (NH₄NO₃), which is highly water soluble, and these can be leached into the soil at levels sufficent to dessicate, basically burn, beneficial bacteria and fungi. The breakdown bacteria and fungi adapted to compost heaps will be better able to withstand these concentrations of salts. Additionally, spreading fresh manure straight onto the ground will also increase the chances of groundwater pollution by these same salts. High amounts of NO₃ are quite harmful when drunk, especially to small children, and can kill marine life.
Another reason not to use fresh manure can be found at:
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/VegFruit/fresh.htm

So what is it that carrots & parsnips don't like about manure?

i use horse manure and put that on a pile to turn into compost for 12 months or so. i find it easier to get it into the soil when it has reached that stage, as i do not dig ( the plot is too big). i spread it over the areas where i want it and work it in with a
machine (forgot what it´s called in english: rotoculto or so?
another reason for doing that is what john miller wrote.