skip to main content

Gardening in Oz

Aging of horse manure

13 years ago

Hi all,
How far does fresh horse manure need the break down before it can be put on the vege garden, and if the horse has been wormed or medicated, will the residue of the medication kill off the earth worms in the garden.
As I have access to an unlimited supply, I am looking forward to using it in my garden.
Any help in utilizing the manure with the medication, would be appreciated.

Steve.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

alisonoz_gw
13 years ago
I wasn't going to comment but you've been waiting a while for a reply.
Personally I wouldn't use fresh horse manure on a veggie garden at all. If the horses are in a stable the manure could be mixed with straw containing other contaminants or other grass weeds, plus a lot of urine which will potentiall be very strong and burn plants.
I honestly don;t know about the effect of medication but I would be more inclined to age the manure well, in which case it's more useful as mulch than as real fertilizer as it'll be dry and leached out, or use the fresh manure in a compost mix where the heat of it can break down other stuff like lawn clippings, shredded paper... usual compost mix plus - I think this would give you a good brew
wombat
13 years ago
I've use a lot of stable manure - sawdust mixed in with the manure. It's from racing stable (trotters) so is sure ot have medications, etc in it. And it's free.

I've topped up garden beds, used it to fill raised beds, etc.

I wait until the oats have come up (and they do), before I plant into it. It doesn't take too long.

The additives don't seem to affect the worms. They seem to thrive in it, once it has cooled down. It breaks down to a beautiful dark loam.

I think any manure you buy is going to have additives. Cow manure must come from feed lots, and chook poo from sheds - one imagines there are lot of hormones!

I've also collected from friends' paddocks. Now that is weedy! It is too labour intensive from start to finish, but I have grown some amazing thistles.
Related Discussions
aged horse manure
Q
Comments (2)
3-Year old horse manure will provide a lot of organic matter and some trace nutirents, but very little nitrogen. I would put it down now, disc it in and you should have good friable soil in the spring. As far as amounts . . . all you can get. By Spring it will all have turned int ogood humus. Ron The Garden Guy! http://www.TheGardenGuy.net Soil Tests Available Through My Blog
...See More
Aged horse manure?
Q
Comments (4)
Actually, you can use less than aged with no harm to your roses. When spread, don't let it touch the bush. Spread it at the drip line and scratch it in. This promotes feeder root growth as they grow to reach the nutrients. The only advantage I see with aged manure is you don't have to be as careful when applying it to your rose beds. Either way, horse manure has low NPK so burning your bushes is difficult. Horse Manure (fresh) is 0.7: 0.3: 0.6: Look closely at these numbers as they are all less than 1 percent. Urea, a main ingredient in many chemical fertilizers, is 46.0 percent nitrogen compared to 00.7 in fresh horse manure.While it may be recommended to let it age a few weeks, scratching it into the soil lets it age in place, releasing valuable nutrients slowly as water runs through it. Here is a link that might be useful: Organic fertilizer NPK
...See More
Free aged horse Manure in Mesa, AZ
Q
Comments (6)
I've never had a weed problem with it either. I sort of sheet mulch. I just keep piling it on top as mulch. Plant in it, allowing some to fall in the hole with the plant. When planting seeds, I pull the mulch to the sides but there's so much of it it keeps piling up and the seedlings are growing in basically manure piled up from the last few years. At least, in places I've lived before thats what I've done. Still working on getting my soil right here. The two first gardens are looking better but I'm working with caliche which is just one step up from concrete. My horses eat alfalfa and I've never seen a weed in it.
...See More
aged horse manure
Q
Comments (3)
My inclination is to always compost any animal manure before spreading it on the garden, no matter how old that manure is supposed to be. I would just rather not potentially expose my family to disease pathogens if I can prevent that.
...See More
steander57
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks guys for your comments.
In the future I will be aging all animal manure to play it safe, as I will have an unlimited supply of horse manure it will be easy to have different stock piles breaking down ready for use.

Thanks again for your help
lippies
12 years ago
you need to break down any manure before putting it the garden,worms will help break it down they love it,give it a few months to break down,cow manure is better if you can get it and it makes a nice addition to a home compost pile,you will end up with the best garden food known to man,i am not joking home made compost pile with manure added is the best you will get for any trees or plants.look after the earthworms and they will tend to your garden.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES The Poop Scoop: Enrich Your Soil With Good Old Manure

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Get over the ick factor already — this natural super-ingredient for soil has so many benefits, you'll wonder why you ever went chemical

LIFE Age Is Just a Number: Houzzers’ Homes Old and New

By Mitchell Parker

Hear the stories behind homes ages 1 to 171, then share yours

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE Roots of Style: Georgian Homes Offer Familiarity Through the Ages

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Americans have been embracing this interpretation of classical architecture since the 1700s. Does your home show off any Georgian details?

GUESTHOUSES Houzz Tour: This Guesthouse’s Former Residents Were Horses

By Becky Harris

A new insulated exterior for a Vermont carriage barn preserves its rustic interior

REMODELING GUIDES Home Elevators: A Rising Trend

By Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

The increasing popularity of aging in place and universal design are giving home elevators a boost, spurring innovation and lower cost

STUDIOS AND WORKSHOPS A Stitch in Time: Creative Sewing Spaces

By Susan Redman

Sewing rooms have become popular again as people of all ages embrace simple crafts they can do at home

ARCHITECTURE Roots of Style: The Eclectic American Foursquare

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

The turn-of-the-20th-century style transitioned U.S. residential architecture from the Victorian era to the modern age

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: An Animal Lover's Texas Sanctuary

By Kailey J. Flynn Photography

Dogs, cats and horses enjoy an idyllic temporary refuge here, but the eco-minded home has a permanent place in its owner's heart

FARMHOUSES My Houzz: Charming Converted Barn Loft Outside Nashville

By Jordana Nicholson

A one-bedroom apartment in a former Tennessee horse stable sports chic equestrian style

Sponsored

Schlabach Woodworks

21 Reviews

Franklin County's Reclaimed Wood Professionals