Is it all crap?

[RobbyW]

So I am getting excited about my 3rd garden ever. Still reading and learning. I have read some about using cow manure in my mixture for my raised beds ( going to try raised for the first time). So my dumb question is, is horse manure the same?

 

[catman529]

I hear that horse manure will have a lot of weed seeds that will germinate but maybe the same is true for cow manure too. Both have to be fully composted (where a lot of heat is generated in the process) to kill stuff like e. coli and weed seeds.That's what I've heard but I'm not an expert in BS

 

[GRAMPS]

Horse manure seems to break down better than cow crap in a compost bin.

 

[Mike Belt]

Horse manure will work as good as cow manure. I've used it and know several people that use it every year. As with any manure watch out for it being too fresh or it'll burn everything up.

 

[LA man]

i was told to let manure set for maybe 6 months before its blended in to the garden

 

[Mike Belt]

You really want to see things jump try chicken manure. It's extremely high in nitrogen so it's best to get it a year ahead of time to cure before using.

 

[woodchuckc]

Be sure it is composted or you will have a major battle with all sorts of undesirable weeds! I made the mistake about 8-9 years ago of mixing a pickup truck load of horse manure that was dried (I got it out of a barn about 5 years after horses had deposited it) but not composted into my garden. I am still fighting the carpet of morning glories that come up every spring! I never knew horses were so fond of morning glories.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

i was told to let manure set for maybe 6 months before its blended in to the garden

YEP and even better to compost it to kill weed seeds.

 

[BIGB]

If you don't let the manure breakdown or compost well the nitrogen will be too high and it will burn the crap out of your garden.