A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 To Add Manure or not?

I have had notoriously bad soil. It is extraordinarily sandy and doesn't hold water. My garden is about 15x10 feet. Last summer I mulched with a bale of alfalfa, which had mostly disappeared by fall, and about 2 bags of leaves. Also, I added about a wheelbarrow full of compost to the area. Once my garden died off, I put a new compost pile in one corner and planted hairy vetch/rye for a green manure crop. I heavily mulched with with about 15 bags of leaves.

Now that it is starting to near spring, I'm going to need to dig in the vetch/rye and let sit for 6 weeks. Should I add some fresh manure (probably goat) at the same time or do you think that it would be doing too much? I don't see how it could hurt, but I'm new. :rolleyes: and there's a lot I don't know.

Thanks,
Sarah

You can till in the goat manure and it should be alright if the garden is going to sit for 6 weeks before planting...How much manure did you have in mind?

I honestly wasn't sure. We finally have a truck and was thinking about the equivelant of a 5-6 trash cans full... Is there a limit?

I'd add the lot. You won't add too much even if it's 8" thick over the whole bed. The way you've been going, with the green manure crop and all, is an excellent way to build good soil from sand. Good stuff.

8" of manure.... My hubby would not appreciate that request!! lol So, I am thinking of getting this all dug up about 6 weeks before my frost date. Maybe know there is fresh manure that will fry all my plants will keep me from putting them out early (like I do every year).

I found propbably 3 Semi loads of cow and horse manure down at the Vets office. I plan on hauling most of it off this year.

Just tell him 'that when shoveling manure it is best to keep your mouth shut' because if you get a mouthful it tastes like sh......!!!!!

I'll be sure to let him know.

Well, it only took about 2.5 hours but we got the **** spread out and tilled in today. Between the severe thunderstorms last night/this morning and the blizzard that is headed our way tonight. I got to use the new tiller and, although it didn't kick my butt, my back sure hurt! And guess what? It's chicken/goat **** 'n' straw mixture, that has been sitting for over a year. Sooooo I could probably plant in it early!! Woohoo!

You know you have it bad when something like **** makes you happy.

If you are going to put horse or cow manuer on the garden , let it compost for between 6 months to a year ( I do it for a year ) to kill off field seeds before putting in garden . I aslo say do not put fresh stuff on the garden as it will burn the plants . I add to the newest compost pile as I have several going at all times , so the newer one will not be used for about a year any way . By then it is well composted and the seeds are gone . I live in a very hot climate so getting the piles hot enough to kill the seeds is not a problem .