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Cape Cod

I am being given an ongoing supply of horse manure which has
wood shavings and sawdust mixed in. I recall hearing that these things deplete nitrogen in the soil. Is this so, and if it is, what would be the best way to replace that nitrogen.

Also, this stuff is fresh. I have it under a black tarp and it has been heating up. Any idea on how long I need it to cook to breakdown the seeds in it? The last thing I want is a field of weeds in my garden for next year.

Any thoughts on managing this stuff will be appreciated.

8/20/2002 7:14:18 AM

Rydal, Georgia

I would form two piles of Manure and rotate them like this. Pile #1 is fresh. Let compost for 3 plus months and then onto pile #2 which is your composted manure. Let is stay another 3 months until the next round is ready for pile # 1. Then when you add to pile #1, and move the piles on down the line, your patch will get #2 pile after a 6 month time frame and you just keep rotating. Sounds long, but you want the wood chips to stop pulling nitrogen and break down along with the backteria as well. Once you have the pile rotating, you will be amazed at the amount of manure your patch is getting. Also dont be afraid to add the kitchen scraps to the pile as they will break down in the process as well. Good Luck!

8/20/2002 10:31:49 AM