the use of horse manure as fertilizer

[mayax68]

Can someone please give an advice on the use of horse manure as fall fertilizer for the tomato garden? We have a local farm that gives out horse manure for free to anyone who wants it. I’m a little scared to use horse manure as fertilizer after the recent events with the organic spinach that contained an e-coli presumably because the manure used for fertilization contained e-coli. Does horse manure ever contain e-coli? I plan to fertilize the ground after all the plants are pulled out (sometimes in October). I want to plant tomatoes in the same spot again next spring. Is it possible for the tomato plants to suck in e-coli, if it is present from the ground and into the fruits?

Thank you.
Maya.

[JerryL]

I can’t help you with the e-coli question but here is what I put on my ‘mator patch each year.

[Tomstrees]

this is what I've been using:





Seaweed ...

~ Tom

[Miss_Mudcat]

Originally Posted by mayax68

Can someone please give an advice on the use of horse manure as fall fertilizer for the tomato garden? ... Is it possible for the tomato plants to suck in e-coli, if it is present from the ground and into the fruits?

Maya, E.coli is naturally occuring in the intestines of ruminants. All manure that you put in your garden should be allowed to compost for 120 days ( or ~4 months) before harvesting any produce that might come in contact with the manure. Because tomato fruits are not usually in contact with the soil, there is little chance they would become contaminated if there were E.coli present. It mostly affects vegetation that grows near the soil or where the applied manure would come in direct contact with the edible portion of the plant.

Do not hesitate to use the manure. It is an excellent source of humus for your garden.

Lisa

[Earl]

This may sound a bit yucky, but do those spinach farmers provide portapotties for their workers?

[elkwc36]

I've used horse manure for many years. It is very good. It is not as hot usually as cow and chicken. And works very good for me on tomatoes.

[Little_Rhody]

Earl,

I was wondering the same thing.

[Vince]

"Is it possible for the tomato plants to suck in e-coli, if it is present from the ground and into the fruits?"

As far as I know no. As long as you rinse the Toms well I don't think you should injest any harmful bacteria or spores.

Vince

[barkeater]

If Miss Mudcat is correct, since horses are not ruminants, then their manure would be safer than cow or sheep concerning e-coli.

Horse manure is what I use. I don't spread it in the fall, but cover the pile over the winter and come spring it is composted . Then it is dug/tilled into the garden.

[feldon30]

Never mind that our intestines depend upon e.coli to digest some of the foods we eat. I think this is a particular strain of e.coli that produced toxins that made people sick, not the presence of e.coli in general.

Mythbusters found that fecal coliform bacteria are present pretty much everywhere. They found more of it in the kitchen than they did in the bathroom.

[tjg911]

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WEED SEEDS?

around here horses eat hay among other things but hay is used. 1st cutting 80th cutting whatever, hay is grass. the top of each stand of hay is a lot of seeds. horses do not digest their food anywhere near as good as multi stomached animals.

so don't you, that use horse manure, get tons of weeds?

horse manure is plentiful, they couldn't pay me to take it. maybe i'm missing something here?

tom

[elkwc36]

In my case it don't make my weed and grass problems any worse. I also use grass hay, feed hay, alfalfa hay and grass clippings for mulch without any problems. I have more problems with the wind blowing tumble weeds. This is where I get most of my weed and grass problems. The only time I can say manure hurt my garden was when I didn't put any on. I've used chicken and cow also. Chicken is best for corn or use it very lightly. JD

[ddsack]

Had horses for over 20 years, used manure in all stages of decomposition, as well as manure tea. Things grew like crazy, including the weeds.

Horses died off about 5 years ago, rotted manure supply is used up. Have to buy cow manure because I can't possibly make enough compost for all my beds. I have just as many weeds as ever, whether it's in cow manure amended beds, or beds that get nothing. Weed seeds blow in from elsewhere, or lay dormant for years.

Actually, good quality hay should be cut before the seed heads appear. Many people bale it too late. The leaves lose top quality quickly once the plant puts energy into the seed head. Of course if there are weeds in the hayfield you get seeds from them in the hay.

[Ruth_10]

If you hot compost the horse manure, the high temperatures should destroy both the e. coli and the weed seeds. Just spreading the horse manure out on the garden over the winter and letting the sun and microbes do their thing is reasonable as well. Plus, if you could see all the animals that come unseen through a typical garden and leave little gifts behind as potential sources of contamination, you'd realize that nature does a pretty good job of keeping the harmful stuff in check. (Also remember that the Chinese used "night soil" aka human poop for thousands of years to fertilize their fields.)

A lot of the seriously dangerous strains of e. coli seem to result from industrialized agriculture where things get out of whack, imho. Microbes in the soil don't wind up inside the vegetables. Washing fruits and vegetables before eating them is always prudent. (Confession: I don't always do this with stuff from my own garden but if I drop something on the ground the ten second rule DOES apply. The ten millisecond rule applies.)

We have used horse manure for years. We let it sit in a pile for a month or so and then till it into the garden several weeks before planting to let it further decompose. Manure that has been hot composted and then allowed to sit for many months or up to a year we use more as a top dressing to be lightly worked into our heavy clay soil.

Do we get weeds? You betcha--grass, mostly, which is awful to get rid of. Does it come from the horse manure? Some, maybe, but we are surrounded by hay fields and most comes in by that route.

So I say use the horse manure if you can get it. Your garden and your tomatoes will love it.

[landarc]

As for the provision of sanitation facilities for farm labor, in California, it is the law, and it is checked upon, that all labor be provided potable facilities as well as sinks, soap and towels. There are inspections along the entire process. This does not mean that a person might notuse them, or that night fertilizer might not get into the chain of production. But, it isn;t for lack of facilities.

As for the E. coli, I have heard the jury is out as to whether microorganisms can enter the vegetable and fruit chain, however, most reasonable science strongly points tothe fact that there is simply little risk of this. Most likely is a post production issue. Horse manure is exceptionally good fetilizer. i am a fan of allowing it too age and allowing some heat to develop to insure a nice, easy to use product. I also like including the shavings with the equine urine contributions as it adds it own aprticular nutrient factors. It also makes a nice warm place to put your hands on a freezing winter morning in the landscape yard, but, I digress