How to prepare new garden

15 years ago

Hi all,

Last year we bought some property and animals (cattle, goats, chickens, rabbits and pigs). We had a small garden last year and hope to enlarge it to about 1/4 acre this year. Problem is, with the exception of about a 25'x25' plot that I tilled last year, most of what I have will be tilled for the first time this spring. The ground is rocky and clayish.

So, here's my question: is there any way that I can use the significant amount of rabbit, goat and pig manure that I have in my barn to enhance this year's garden. I won't have time to properly compost the manure so I'll need to find some method of using it to amend the soil with taking the time. Is this not possible? I'm pretty sure that I can just take the rabbit manure and put it right on top of the newly tilled ground (rabbit manure not being very "hot") but the pig manure probably can't just be put into the ground. But I've heard of people putting thin layers of uncomposted manure on top of the ground; with some rain and some sun, 3-6 weeks before planting, might this be enough to help the soil and not cause problems? The goat manure is probably not usable as it's mixed in with tons of wasted hay that they spilled; I'd probably be introducing endless weeds if I put this on the garden raw.

Any advice?

Thanks much

Comments (7)

ruthieg__tx
15 years ago
The rabbit manure you can use right away...it's not hot...the rest is probably better used after composting. If you can put it down and till it in really really good you might get by using it but truth is, I wouldn't if for no other reason than the weeds that some of it will produce....better composted to kill the weed seeds...
digdirt2
15 years ago
The standard recommendation you will find here is a minimum of 4-6 months of composting is required for all animal manures (rabbit is the one exception made by some) before use in vegetable gardens. Around non-food crops, fine. Food crops, no.

This question comes up weekly over on the Soil & Compost forum so you'll want to browse the many discussions there too.

The issue is not only the nitrogen levels in the manure but the pathogens. Proper composting over that period of time will eliminate the pathogens as well as any medications the animals had been given and reduce the nitrogen to safe levels at the same time.

I know 4-6 months of composting may sound extreme to you, but ongoing research at UC Davis and other AG universities is now indicating that at least 12 months of composting may soon become the standard - especially where root crops or low growing leafy greens will be grown.

Animal manures are a great soil amendment but around food crops, they must be used with care and concern for safety of the food you and your family will be eating.

Dave
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Hi, Lisa, First year, just buy plants, and enjoy them. Now, until next spring- each time you cut the grass, dump the clippings in one place. When you prepare vegetables and fruit, dump them in the same place. Cover this pile-very simply and cheaply- with a black plastic "yard" garbage bag. Pile on your autumn leaves, and get your neighbor's leaves, too- the key is to cover with the plastic. This composts your discards so fast that you won't believe it! If you have clay soil, go to your local home improvement store and buy a 10 pound bag of "contractors", or even "play" sand. Mix it in well with your clay soil, and especially your composted veg discards. Possibly, your community gives away composted leaves that they pick up each autumn. It's important to cover this with plastic and let it sit for a year- covering is EXTREMELY important, to kill the weed seeds. The manure thing is great- if you have access to straw to mix with it, (well "rotted") even better. The important thing is to mix organic material- and the sand if you have clay soil. Best thing is that the organic stuff is free- save all of the "vegetable refuse" you would normally throw away-potato peelings, vegetable "trimmings", the unattractive outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage- soft tomatoes, bad radishes, eggshells. Pretty much any vegetable discards will do. Just make sure that it hasn't been cooked, or contain salt or vinegar. And after many years, I learned that covering the "pile" is the key. If you have REALLY heavy clay soil, I have friends who did this- their soil wasn't only heavy clay, but marshy and wet- they collected old matresses- not with springs- tilled up, dug down about 3 feet, laid the matresses down and covered them back up with soil. This gave them incredibly good drainage, and they had one of the best vegetable gardens I've ever seen. I wish you luck, hope I've been of help. I live in Delaware, 3 miles from the beach, and have spent 8 years amending the soil here, making it so good! ( I be proud) Don't hesitate to contact me directly (shellywilley@juno.com)- I'd love to hear how you make out, and I have lots of agriculturally adept friends who will be more than happy to share with you. Hope to hear from you, Lisa- we'll all be happy to be made to feel knowledgeable and important by having the opportunity to share with you! Shelly ps- I meant to spell it all correctly....and did you get that covering it all with plastic is important?
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The Lasagna or chicken/rabbit manure will work on all annuals(seeds),some perennial also. Black plastic to stop sunlight & water or clear plastic if it is hot in your area. The clear plastic will stop water & trap heat to dry & kill most plants. If you have Coastal Bahia grass,wild garlic (Allium vineale) Or wild dew berry (Rubus eubtus). Then move away & never look back. I have been fighting these weeds for 5 years & I have gained 480 square feet of beds, but can not make new beds for fighting the 3, which are tiring to invade my beds. My brother has tired to kill them in his garden with round-up. the grass & garlic come back from the root& the dewberries do not die at all. The only way you can tell the round-up was applied to dew berries is the new growth has misshaped leaves. Why don't I grow the dewberries for fruit? They have small fruit & bear small amounts, besides I have blackberries. I have tired covering the weeds with burlap bags & they come though anything less the 4 bags & grow in any crack they find. Okay, I am not moving so maybe I should not tell you to. Good Lucky- P.S. if you win the war Let us know what you did, Please.
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gardenlen
15 years ago
with rocky clayey ground have you considered no-till raised beds? if you can source spent mushroom compost from a farm you could lay your manures down first then cover with the mushy compost and you have a garden bed ready to go.

might be somne ideas for you in the pic's on our page.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page
botemout
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the replies folks! I'll use the rabbit manure now and make up a nice compost pile with the rest; come next year, I'll definitely have all the compost I can use ;-)
Macmex
15 years ago
Goat and sheep manure have pretty much the same qualities as rabbit manure. I've raised all three and used their manure straight in the garden. However, as digdirt mentioned, I don't usually use it straight where I'm going to have a root crop the same year.

Be sure to mulch as soon as your plants are large enough. Mulching will greatly improve the soil by the end of the growing season. I especially like to use cardboard, with something on top of it, as it is easy to lay down and better than six layers of newspaper.

George
Tahlequah, OK
billinpa
15 years ago
ASide from the possibilty of pathogens you could mix in a lot of browns and cool off the manure faster.

I have done this in the past when I had mushy soil delivered and got a truck load of fresh horse manure. So fresh it was still steaming. I threw in a pile of leaves and a few bales of straw that I shredded with the mower and in about 2 weeks is was cool and useable.

Depending on the temps you could spread it out thin and cover with a black tarp to cook it. That will also spead up decomp but it was to be monitered as to not get too hot.
glib
15 years ago
I second billinpa. Get a tree company to bring you a truckload of chips, although I much prefer leaves (or straw, but chips are free and that makes a difference to me). I always mix my manure with browns. If you want to be careful, use the possibly hot manure (mixed) only with fruiting veggies. Anything that could be in contact with soil (green and root crops), goes in the previous year plot with the rabbit stuff.

How to prepare new garden

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ruthieg__tx

digdirt2

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