| Author | Message | ||
     Elizabeth Citizen Username: Momof4peepers Post Number: 189 Registered: 12-2005 |
Anybody have an idea where I could get some? I'm starting to get some garden beds ready for next spring, and I was hoping to have manure down all winter. I hate to go the whole HD bag route and was looking to find some "in bulk". | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2677 Registered: 7-2003 |
You got a truck? 1.5 hours south (Exit 7A off of the Turnpike) I could give you 1-20 tons for free; I think the current Manure pit has been going for 5 years so you can get some older stuff if you need it. Bring a pitch fork | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 1823 Registered: 3-2002 |
sometimes the farmers markets sell compost | ||
| daylaborer Citizen Username: Upondaroof  Post Number: 938 Registered: 4-2003  |
South Mountain Reservation. Scoop it off the bridle trail. Just stay off the "male trail". | ||
| meluga Citizen Username: Meluga Post Number: 99 Registered: 6-2001 |
My daughter rides 3X/week and there is an abundance of manure and ample opportunity for me to take some home. What are the finer points of using manure? How old should it be? Ratio of manure:soil? Thanks | ||
| Elizabeth Citizen Username: Momof4peepers Post Number: 190 Registered: 12-2005 |
Brett - thanks for the awesome offer. I will see if I can't locate a truck and PL you. Meluga - Older manure is better than fresh. I'll double check tonight, but I believe you want a 1" layer on existing beds and more if you're creating new beds. | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 1828 Registered: 3-2002 |
drift from the manure issue, but I have heard that putting a thick layer of newspaper is good too - bocks weeds? | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 12595 Registered: 5-2001 |
Just make sure it is composted. The fresh stuff stinks. If you use fresh the neighbors may well find a new use for their pitchforks.  | ||
| Elizabeth Citizen Username: Momof4peepers Post Number: 191 Registered: 12-2005 |
Doulamomma - you want to put down about 5-7 sheets of newspaper, then wet it. If you do it this fall, put about 1-2" of shredded leaves on top. (then put the manure on top of this whole thing). In the spring, either till or dig it into the top 6" of soil. The newspapers should have broken down by then. Horse manure is apparently "weedy", so the recommendation is that it is well composted or hot composted to cut down on the weeds. You can use fresh, and risk the rath of your neighbors, but if you do use fresh, it should be put on in the late fall and tilled or dug into the topsoil in the spring. It's considered a "green" in the composting world, so you'll probably want to balance it out with some "browns". | ||
| calypso Citizen Username: Calypso Post Number: 101 Registered: 1-2006 |
You can get as much horse manure as you want from the public barn in Watchung Reservation (908-789-3665--for directions google Watchung Stables). They have a big old pile out back they are thrilled to give away. If you're going to be showing up with a pickup truck you might want to call ahead. I've never had a problem with it being "weedy," but I always ran it through my compost pile first. I can see that if you put it straight on the beds, especially because of the straw mixed with the manure, you might have a problem. I suppose if you dug a ways into the pile the inherent heat would have already killed a lot of the seeds. |
