Subject: Re: Horse Manure-Wood Shavings-Good for Gardens?

From: [email-masked] (Martin Zimmerman)
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 1995 12:25:18 -0600

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Karen
Fletcher) wrote:

> It's a great soil conditioner - lightens and improves any soil - but 
> don't count on much fertilizer value.  Unless horse manure is artfully
> composted (and this is a lost art), much of the nitrogen is lost in the 
> first week.

Its still not insignificant as a fertilizer when used in soil amendment
amounts. I mulched some spring-planted fruit trees in August with 1" of
aged manure (yes, I know bad idea) that had stopped growing in July. They
all immediately started growing again. They didn't drop their leaves until
December (this is in Zone 5/6 mind you) and started putting out new leaves
before February.

I'm going to terrace a hard clay slope this summer and I'm already
stockpiling manure from a friend with a dozen horses. As Karen pointed
out, stable owners *love* people that want their manure.

I did think that the manure made a troublesome mulch. I put a weed-blocker
mat under the manure and the weeds actually grew in the manure itself,
with their roots eventually destroying the underlying mat.

-- 
Marty Zimmerman                           [email-masked]
Analex Corp - NASA Lewis Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio USA

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From: [email-masked] (Bernard O'Dell)
Date: 28 Feb 1995 06:12:38 -0500

I recall years ago when "Gardeners" used to almost fight over
hauling away from horse barns the manure and wood shavings mix for
their gardens.  Is this still viable?  Good for gardens?
I would think that "odor" could be a problem.

Any experiences or info out there in this regard???

---

From: [email-masked] (Karen Fletcher)
Date: 28 Feb 1995 12:03:52 GMT

To think that there are people out there that don't appreciate the 
heavenly scent of horse manure...

Actually, your best bet is to get it off the bottom of the manure pile 
where it's had a chance to 'cook' for a while.  Fresh horse manure and 
fresh shavings can both cause problems - although in different ways.
Odor shouldn't be a problem, it just starts smelling like any well-cooked 
compost.

An added bonus is that you'll make friends with the stable owner - anyone 
who actually comes and takes it AWAY is a highly valued acquaintance, 
believe me.

Cheers.

Bernard O'Dell ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I recall years ago when "Gardeners" used to almost fight over
: hauling away from horse barns the manure and wood shavings mix for
: their gardens.  Is this still viable?  Good for gardens?
: I would think that "odor" could be a problem.

: Any experiences or info out there in this regard???

--
Karen Fletcher                                     [email-masked]
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