Good soil amendment?

youngwilliam · January 5, 2009

Hey all. I have lurked for awhile, and this is my first post here.

My question is, I have access to some interesting manure.
This person raised rabbits over a bed of peat moss and potting soil mix that was kept moist. What is interesting is that he grew worms in the same soil. He claims that he would just brush away the surface and their would be thousands of worms to gather. He sold them by the 40 worm cup.
Anyway, he had to stop due to heart problems about 4 years ago.
This mix has been sitting all this time under roof in the rabbit house. It has dried out and no worms are left.
Think this would be good to add to the garden?
Think any worm eggs would be viable?
He has allot sitting for the taking.

Worth1 · January 5, 2009

No worm eggs but the stuff will be very good for the soil, just put it on and smile.

I would run not walk to this place and get it all.

Worth

Barbee · January 5, 2009

I agree with Worth. Run over there and get it all. Even if the worm eggs are not viable, it would surely attract worms in time.

newatthiskat · January 6, 2009

I am also in east Texas. If there is too much for you to handle I would be glad to help with the excess!
Kat

youngwilliam · January 7, 2009

Thanks for the replies. Just wanted to make sure that the peat moss would not be a problem.
Did a little research. Worm eggs can be viable 30-40 years.
Hopefully when this is added to the soil and conditions are right some will hatch.

Kat, I will let you know if there is any extras.

ruha · January 7, 2009

Hi! I am new here as of yesterday! Rabbit manure is very high in Nitrogen. It will give you LOTS of leaves and big too....but possibly no flowers or fruit. I know this because it has happened to me!! Worms came from all over for it! I'm not sure if worm composting converts the nitrogen to something else so there may still be too much N. in the soil....does anyone know for sure? Robin

dice · January 8, 2009

I read something like 2.4-1.4-0.6 for typical NPK ratios in
rabbit manure. That is higher nitrogen than horse manure,
but nothing like a typical commercial fertilizer, or even fish
fertilizer for that matter. You would need to add a huge
amount of it before it would provide enough nitrogen by
itself to inhibit flowering.

I mixed a bushel or so of it into a 20' row one year, and I did
not notice any unusual growth spurt from the plants there.
Perhaps your rabbit manure was mixed with something else
much higher in nitrogen, or maybe your soil already had a
lot of nitrogen before adding the manure.

ruha · October 24, 2010

Hi Dice! what I had done was to clean the ground under the rabbit cages; it was all dumped under the one old grape vine hoping to start a worm bed for fishing bait. The worms devoured everything......leaving us with giant deep green leaves galore!!!! not a single grape to be had. it had been a heavy producer until that year. However, the following year the grapes were HUGE and plentiful!

dice · October 24, 2010

You can find the NPK for rabbit manure in the document
below:
http://www.haredoo.com/npk_charts.htm

ruha · October 24, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by dice

You can find the NPK for rabbit manure in the document
below:
http://www.haredoo.com/npk_charts.htm

thank you for that interesting chart! We have quite a few alpaca farms around here. Has anyone tried this yet?
ru

January 5, 2009	#1
youngwilliam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 4	Good soil amendment? Hey all. I have lurked for awhile, and this is my first post here. My question is, I have access to some interesting manure. This person raised rabbits over a bed of peat moss and potting soil mix that was kept moist. What is interesting is that he grew worms in the same soil. He claims that he would just brush away the surface and their would be thousands of worms to gather. He sold them by the 40 worm cup. Anyway, he had to stop due to heart problems about 4 years ago. This mix has been sitting all this time under roof in the rabbit house. It has dried out and no worms are left. Think this would be good to add to the garden? Think any worm eggs would be viable? He has allot sitting for the taking.

January 5, 2009	#3
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	I agree with Worth. Run over there and get it all. Even if the worm eggs are not viable, it would surely attract worms in time. __________________ *Barbee*

January 6, 2009	#4
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	Reply I am also in east Texas. If there is too much for you to handle I would be glad to help with the excess! Kat

January 8, 2009	#7
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I read something like 2.4-1.4-0.6 for typical NPK ratios in rabbit manure. That is higher nitrogen than horse manure, but nothing like a typical commercial fertilizer, or even fish fertilizer for that matter. You would need to add a huge amount of it before it would provide enough nitrogen by itself to inhibit flowering. I mixed a bushel or so of it into a 20' row one year, and I did not notice any unusual growth spurt from the plants there. Perhaps your rabbit manure was mixed with something else much higher in nitrogen, or maybe your soil already had a lot of nitrogen before adding the manure. __________________ -- alias

October 24, 2010	#8
ruha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Western NY Posts: 3	Rabbit manure..... Hi Dice! what I had done was to clean the ground under the rabbit cages; it was all dumped under the one old grape vine hoping to start a worm bed for fishing bait. The worms devoured everything......leaving us with giant deep green leaves galore!!!! not a single grape to be had. it had been a heavy producer until that year. However, the following year the grapes were HUGE and plentiful! __________________ Curiosity killed the cat........ ........but satisfaction brought him back Last edited by ruha; October 24, 2010 at 12:00 PM. Reason: font too large!

January 5, 2009	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	No worm eggs but the stuff will be very good for the soil, just put it on and smile. I would run not walk to this place and get it all. Worth

January 7, 2009	#5
youngwilliam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 4	Thanks for the replies. Just wanted to make sure that the peat moss would not be a problem. Did a little research. Worm eggs can be viable 30-40 years. Hopefully when this is added to the soil and conditions are right some will hatch. Kat, I will let you know if there is any extras.