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Sat, Feb 5, 11 at 12:06
| I'm building two or three 12x4 raised beds. I have horses and a giant pile of straight, aged manure, very dry since this is AZ.
Anything else I add the beds will have to purchased, including dirt. How much horse manure per pile can I use and what else should I add. The manure is so dry it's almost powder, no wood shavings. The horses are fed pure alfalfa without weeds. The one thing that may come through the feed and sprout, not sure, could be the flax seeds they get for their coatsbut most of the current pile was made before I added the flax. The leftover manure will be added to my other gardens as both amendments and mulch. In the past I've had huge success with shavings/manure as mulch. I grew a couple gardens with no added dirt, just composted manure and they did great. Havent tried this pure manure yet. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| We used to have horses, I don't mean to butt in but isn't an abundance of alfalfa too rich? They will founder )horse version of gout) They can get stones in their gut too.They need oats and hay. Maybe you've had them many years but I've always heard that and if you are new to horses and don't know I feel compeled to tell you.As far as the poo it will need composted if you are planning to plant soon. If not the salts and nitrogen abundance will kill your plants. |
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| It's me again. I didn't mean no alfalfa. But limited amounts are fine. And again not to be rude. Our family had horses for many years and we've had them founder on too much grass in the spring and I'm very sure the alfalfa is too rich to feed that often. |
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| How much manure to add to soil at any time depends on what that soil needs. Animal manures would be part of the total amount of organic matter to be added to soil and that should bring the humus level (residual organic matter) to between 6 and 10 percent. |
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| Please define "aged manure", if it is black gritty soil, then it is composted on its on. If it is in clumped manure form, then you need to compost it. I have raised tomatoes in pure hog compost& sand, that was one year old. The only tomatoes that did better was some I planted in a hay,sand,cow manure compost mixture. Both of these were make by the animals walking them in to the sandy pin. Once the animal were removed, the mixture set for 6 month to a year then I planted the plants. I was 13 when I grew in the old hog pin & 16 when I grew in the cow feeding lot. Later on I read Robert Rodale's "Organic Gardening" & learned why the wild gardens worked so well. |
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| The manure is pulverized, dry but still somewhat green. It was a little too dry this winter to be a hot pile but it is about 4 months old, maybe older. For Poaky, I've raised horses for forty years and have a degree in it. Have raised many world and national champions, never, knock wood, had one founder. Alfalfa is the most readily available hay in the area, I live next to a town called " The Alfalfa Capitol of the Country" so it's pretty much my best choice in feeds, plus it helps prevent ulcers in my ulcer prone TB. Kimmsr, I will be purchasing all other materials in bags from the box store. So, any good tips for a calculation to get to the 6-10%, using the horse manure as my start, since it's my only freebie? Trying to dig in my rocks would be impossible so dirt will have to come from HD in bags. I'm doing two, 4x12 beds. |
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| I am glad you haven't had any problems, it must work for you. We've had them founder on rich grass here in Pa, and had to put a gate to seperate part of the pasture, so go figure.I thought it was worth mentioning, but after 40 years you surely know what you're doing. We had them 30 some years, so you have me beat. |
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| Poky, there is a lot more sugar in rich grass than in alfalfa so that's probably why you've had founder. Also, I have TBs and TB crosses and they can eat a ton of food without foundering. Unfortunately, that means they also need a ton of food! Used to have a vet who raised race horses and is world known for reproduction, she said her secret to getting horses pregnant was feeding them all the alfalfa they can eat. Now, the hard part is getting that poop across town without a front loader and a big truck. The place where I keep my manure I can't even back my pickup into and the pickup has a big RV 5th wheel hitch so doesn't do much good. Will probably be hauling about 50 rubbermaid containers across town. One step at a time. By the time I get my gardens filled the manure will be very, very aged! |
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| This simple Soil Test for Organic Matter can help you determine how much organic matter is in yuour mix. Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. Note I have changed the title of this test to satisfy a critic. |
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