From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Manchester,N.H.

Is the horse manure with wood shavings in it not a good manure to use because of the wood ?

2/28/2005 1:44:34 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

It depends how long it has been composted. Horses have a single stomach, so the biggest issue with Horse manure is weed seeds that pass through undigested. Next is the possible Nitrogen draft (loss) that occurs when the high carbon sawdust requires "fuel" for bacterial consumption.

All that aside, I prefer well composted Horse to Cow for pumpkins since it is richer in potassium.

How old is the stuff?

2/28/2005 2:17:34 PM

Montoursville, PA

In the same pile of horse poop one can sometimes find a range of age from finished compost to fresh poop piled on yesterday.

If it smells like earth it is finished and can be used within reason anytime during the year. If it smells like poop it is. Fresh stuff should be used very gingerly, in the spring and tilled in, very early. Continued tilling delivers maximum oxygen and maximum conversion, to humus. You need four to six weeks, to get fresh, at least partly converted. If you can not use these four or more weeks tilling it in then it should go to compost pile for the summer and be added in the fall.

2/28/2005 7:50:53 PM

Jaffrey NH

I had luck with just putting the fresh horse manure into piles for a couple of weeks and spreading it. After I spread it all out, I tilled it into the soil and the "freshness" did not hurt my growing at all. I guess everyone will have their own opinions about this. I grew my personal bests this year. O, I remember looking out on a moonlight cold night and seeing steam rising from my patch. Maybe the fresh manure helped me as a northern grower. Good luck.

3/1/2005 6:45:13 AM

Dillsburg, PA

Wood shavings is not good because it takes a long time to break down. It is hard sometimes to get manure without wood. I went through this last year. My plants seemed to grow even with wood chips.

3/1/2005 8:51:40 AM

Utah

I have put A LOT of horse manure on my patch in the last two years. I put it most of it in on the Fall.
It has worked for me ... PB last year. but I am worrying about the Salt build up.

3/1/2005 8:58:36 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Salt build up = Gypsum & the extra Calcium is nice too.

We used a LOT of fresh Cow Manure in the fall of '03. Despite applying only 4 ounces on 2 different occasions of Nitrogen containing fertilizer, we still had tissue test confirmed excess Nitrogen that was released from the manure by bacteria.

Outside of applying a Nitrogen inhibitor (bad) perhaps I should have added wood shavens or sawdust to consume the suprlus Nitrogen! LOL

Maybe then the split rate wouldn't have been 66%. grrr.

3/1/2005 9:14:14 AM

Puyallup, WA

Jim Kuhn told me that horse manure is superior to cow manure. I get free horse manure year 'round. When you have a lot of clay, manure is good....even with sawdust shavings.

3/8/2005 10:44:08 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

horse manure is higher in potassium as Steve mentioned, and (I think) adds a bit more OM to the soil, or at least a bit more "consistency" to the soil...gypsum will take care of any salt concerns

3/9/2005 6:13:53 AM

Germantown, Tn

ok, what is OM- when I tell you I am new to this, take my word and give my stupidity a break. mysuzy

4/1/2005 10:43:02 AM

Benton Ky

organic matter

4/1/2005 12:18:24 PM

Eveleth MN

weeds are the worst thing about horse manure (what I strictly use since my parents 5 miles away have 10 horses)
Usually I hit the patch with "roundup" one to kill off any little weeds just starting to grow before I transplant the pumpkins to the patch.

4/6/2005 9:38:32 PM