Would you be tempted to use horse manure in your container mix?

bower · May 23, 2017

Happy my day when out of the blue a pickup load of horse manure was delivered to my garden.

Last week I bought a scoop of peat from my supplier, which was exciting work to bag up and carry home in the back of the car (two trips!). I also have a half dozen bags of their compost on hand with the plan of mixing compost and peat for my containers. It is not enough compost by any stretch, and it would be cheaper to buy by the scoop once again and bag it and haul it myself. $60 and a hard afternoon's work.

Soooo... yes it's true. The sight of that horse manure made me think, what if I used that instead of the lovely finished compost.

What do you think? Crazy bad idea?
I can tell you that it's fresh enough to smell like a horse, but overall fairly well rotted. There is lots of straw visible though and fine wood chips too from the stable. Worms galore, but also quite a few little flies.

Still I am tempted....

Worth1 · May 23, 2017

I think it would turn into a sewer if it wasn't fully finished.
But I'm no expert and could be way off.
Worth

Labradors2 · May 23, 2017

Hmmm. I read somewhere that it should have no smell if it is aged enough. Interestingly, the aged cow manure that I get from the farm has NO worms in it! Presumably, they have done their job and moved on to other delicacies, so perhaps the presence of worms also indicates that your horse manure isn't ready yet

I would play it safe and keep the manure for next year.....

Linda

Worth1 · May 23, 2017

You could top dress.
Worth

bower · May 23, 2017

I had some similar quality manure from the same guy last year which I did dig into the containers and it did no harm. Except the mix I was using last year was so unsuitable in the first place, anything to lighten it up was a good thing.

And of course digging in 'a bit' is not the same as mixing it 50 50 with peat... I think you guys are right. Sigh.....

I should probably use the manure to build a new garlic bed for the fall.

Sooo... guess I gotta go pay up and haul the compost too.
Thank you for stopping me from my crazed lazy plan.

Worth1 · May 23, 2017

I have heard of people planting directly in it once it stops cooking.
Why not try just one to see what happens.
Worth

agee12 · May 23, 2017

As others have mentioned, the issue is not that it is horse manure rather it's whether or not the manure has been properly aged/composted.

bower · May 23, 2017

It's a good idea, Worth, to try just ONE !.

Or maybe try it on my 'extras' if /when I run out of the good stuff (which I still will have to get - but a scoop is quite a bit.)
Being a little warm doesn't worry me - that's on the plus side, considering the weather. A bit of a 'tomato root hotbed' would be great.

I don't really think it's raw enough to hurt them..
OTOH, I would hate to 'learn a lesson' on the whole tomato crop for the year.

Been a bit too much of that lately.

AlittleSalt · May 23, 2017

I agree with letting it age some more. When it's lightweight and dry - it's ready. There won't be any smell either.

Worth1 · May 23, 2017

There was a guy here that said in Great Britain they would put a thermometer in it.
When the temperature when down they planted tomatoes in it.

Worth

Nematode · May 23, 2017

Try one tomato in it as a bio-assay.
Most hay fields are sprayed with 2-4-d, which passes right through the horse.
Tomato is exquisitely sensetive to this chemical.

bower · May 23, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nematode

Try one tomato in it as a bio-assay.
Most hay fields are sprayed with 2-4-d, which passes right through the horse.
Tomato is exquisitely sensetive to this chemical.

That sucks!!

bower · May 23, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

There was a guy here that said in Great Britain they would put a thermometer in it.
When the temperature when down they planted tomatoes in it.

Worth

This is much like the hotbed idea. I've never done it but it sounds... perfect for this fickle climate!! However it's for seedlings under glass, afaict, otherwise the heat just dissipates.
Wonder what would happen with a layer in the bottom of the container...

hotbeds are cool!

http://www.holon.se/garden/howto/hotbed_en.shtml

dmforcier · May 23, 2017

Drat! Worth stole my thermometer idea. I'd moisten it up and see if it's willing to cook some more. Otherwise add a little, but not as a major component. You got perlite?

Nematode · May 23, 2017

If it tastes tangy its ready.

May 23, 2017	#14
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	Drat! Worth stole my thermometer idea. I'd moisten it up and see if it's willing to cook some more. Otherwise add a little, but not as a major component. You got perlite? __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

May 23, 2017	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I think it would turn into a sewer if it wasn't fully finished. But I'm no expert and could be way off. Worth

May 23, 2017	#3
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,898	Hmmm. I read somewhere that it should have no smell if it is aged enough. Interestingly, the aged cow manure that I get from the farm has NO worms in it! Presumably, they have done their job and moved on to other delicacies, so perhaps the presence of worms also indicates that your horse manure isn't ready yet I would play it safe and keep the manure for next year..... Linda

May 23, 2017	#5
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I had some similar quality manure from the same guy last year which I did dig into the containers and it did no harm. Except the mix I was using last year was so unsuitable in the first place, anything to lighten it up was a good thing. And of course digging in 'a bit' is not the same as mixing it 50 50 with peat... I think you guys are right. Sigh..... I should probably use the manure to build a new garlic bed for the fall. Sooo... guess I gotta go pay up and haul the compost too. Thank you for stopping me from my crazed lazy plan.

May 23, 2017	#7
agee12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 196	As others have mentioned, the issue is not that it is horse manure rather it's whether or not the manure has been properly aged/composted.

May 23, 2017	#9
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I agree with letting it age some more. When it's lightweight and dry - it's ready. There won't be any smell either.

May 23, 2017	#11
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Try one tomato in it as a bio-assay. Most hay fields are sprayed with 2-4-d, which passes right through the horse. Tomato is exquisitely sensetive to this chemical.