Subject: Fresh Horse Manure ??

From: [email-masked] (George VandenBerghe)
Date: 23 Mar 95 09:34:28 CST

A friend of mine has access to FRESH horse manure
from a local riding stable (local to him but
not to me).   He would like to use it
in his garden but I warned him that since it
is fresh it could burn his plants (various
vegetables) if he uses too much of it.
What is the maximum safe rate to apply it to his soil.

(I told him to compost it for three months at least
{ and a year would be better } but he is eager to
use it now if possible)( If it were me
I would avoid it completely until next year)

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From: [email-masked] (Art Campbell)
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 19:55:01 GMT

>What is the maximum safe rate to apply it to his soil.

We've been applying 3-6 inches in the spring and fall for
several years to both flower and veggie beds without anything
happening except lush growth. It's not nearly as "hot" as cow
or other manures . . .

Art
-- 
Art Campbell          [email-masked]            [email-masked]
    "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent 
     and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson
                             No disclaimers apply.

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From: [email-masked] (Art Campbell)
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 19:55:01 GMT

Art

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 25 Mar 1995 15:46:12 GMT

>I would avoid it completely until next year)

A much bigger problem than burning his plants; which
he can avoid by using manure tea at a gallon per square
yard per week, is the endless "volunteer" plants he will
get from undigested seeds in the manure.

Tell him to use a little of it to make manure tea, and
compost the rest.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 05:36:25 +1200

On 23 Mar 1995, George VandenBerghe wrote:

> He would like to use it

Yes - it could well burn the plants if used in quantity.  So I agree that
composting is the best way to use it if one has the facilities. 

> What is the maximum safe rate to apply it to his soil.

I have a horse, so I can get fresh manure.  But I don't have regular
access to a trailer or composting facilities - so I pick up half a bag
full each week and _thinly_ spread it over the soil surface.  The effect
is like naturally accumulating forest litter, it gradually breaks down and
becomes part of the organic matter in the topsoil and there are plenty of
worms.  One can also add finely chopped household scraps in a similar 
manner. 

Mark Owen
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (gowilliams)
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 1995 12:31:49 -0800

> is fresh it could burn his plants

An old fella with an incredible organic garden used to take the fresh
manure and put it in buckets of water (maybe one shovel for a five gallon
bucket) He would stir it for a week or so and then use  the liquid to
water his  plants. He called it manure tea.  the plants seemed to thrive
on it and he used it every couple of weeks. ( He had a 45 gallon drum in
his garden)

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From: [email-masked] (Angus John Davidson)
Date: 27 Mar 95 06:55:21 GMT

>worms.  One can also add finely chopped household scraps in a similar 
 I read in a gardening book that fresh horse manure can kill worms in the compost
 and garden because of the worming chemicals used on the horses.
 Don't know how much truth there is in it, but I guess it pays to be
 careful.

 Angus     :)
--

===============================================================================
   Angus Davidson  /\ Studio/Live     "Work is for people who can't fly-fish"

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From: [email-masked] (Martha Clouse)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 01:30:45 GMT

Fresh horse manure? Hot from the ponies? Don't your neighbors complain 
about the smell? mine did and I only put a bushel in my compost pile and 
covered it up with oak leaves. MDC

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From: [email-masked] (mark stephens)
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 13:51:06 -0500

While I allways have good intentions to till in the fall.... Spring is
typically when I get around to tilling in 3-5" of this stuff.  If you
plant immediately, use blood meal or other nitrogen (organic!) fertilizer
as the rotting manure will take nitrogen away before giving more back. 
Sea weed extract sprayed on periodically also works wonders.  It may burn,
but not horribly and not for all the plants and not for long.  If worried
about transplants, I put them in a pocket of non-manured soil.

mark

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From: [email-masked] (mark stephens)
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 13:51:06 -0500

mark

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From: mrubin@gallium (Mark Rubin)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 05:07:35 GMT

I've used the stuff and have never had a problem.  It's the greatest thing
you can add to your soil.  I usually put 6" on the soil in the spring and
dig it in.  

Once, just to see what would happen, I dug a 2 foot by 2 1/2 foot hole and
filled it with fresh horse manure.  Next I transplanted a tomatoe in the
middle.  It did fine.

Mark

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From: mrubin@gallium (Mark Rubin)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 05:07:35 GMT

Mark

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From: mrubin@gallium (Mark Rubin)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 05:07:35 GMT

Mark

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 95 16:53:48 -0500

NiniMaine <[email-masked]> writes:
 
>Fresh horse manure is apt to contain all the antibiotics fed to the
>horses. You're better off with organic cow manure, which is free of
>antibiotics, and therefore safer to grow food in. Put in on your garden in
 
What antibiotics?  Horses are not fed antibiotics, not healthy
ones anyway.  Antibiotics are typically administered intramuscularly
for specific problems for a finite length of time.  Horse feed
does not contain antibiotics.  Now, *some* people do feed a daily
wormer but as was mentioned before, it does not affect the worms
in the compost.  I've been using my horses's manure composted in
my garden for at least 20 years (as long as I've owned horses)
with no ill effects.
 
Mary McHugh

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From: [email-masked] (NiniMaine)
Date: 9 Apr 1995 22:01:35 -0400

Fresh horse manure is apt to contain all the antibiotics fed to the
horses. You're better off with organic cow manure, which is free of
antibiotics, and therefore safer to grow food in. Put in on your garden in
the fall, cover with leaves and other material (here in Maine we use
seaweed) and by spring you'll have a rich top layer to turn in.