Most of the manure I've seen has a very low N content and isn't at all likely to burn, but it can be counterproductive because of its small particle size and the speed with which it breaks down. Container growing is more about soil structure and making sure your plants' roots are getting ample amounts of air, than it is about providing nutrition via the soil. There is no sense in destroying a planting's opportunity to reach its potential by sacrificing aeration for nutrition - getting nutrients to plants is monkey-easy, so focus on making sure you're growing in the drainage/aeration sweet spot.

Let me know if you want more info. Understanding how soils work and what impacts the air/water balance in soils is a critical part of becoming proficient at growing in containers.

Al

Thanks, Al - Can always count on you. You must be a dynamo of energy with all the gardening you do and answer people's dumb questions, too.
Karen

It should be okay. I have done that many times and the results were acceptable. The best way to use the manure is to mix it with your compost and mix that with your container soil. Two seasons ago I loaded my raised garden with humus and composted leaves. My tomato and pepper plants were beautiful and gigantic, but produced little fruit. I believe that there was too much nitorgen. The following year I did nothing but till the soil and I had much more fruit.

The best way to use your manure is on the garden or beds, not in containers. The difference between survive and thrive is in attention to details, more specifically to those details that have the potential to limit plants.

Fertilizers are excellent at providing nutrients. We don't need manure for that. There will be far fewer problems and better results if the grower focuses on the soil's structure and its ability to provide a healthy air:water ratio instead of its ability to provide nutrition, and gives over nutrient provision to a reliable fertilizer.

Al