my landlord offered to bring some horse manure so I can use in the flower beds and the bare spots in the lawn. Is it ok to use horse manure instead of cow manure? How should I mix it (if necessary at all) and when should I do it (fall or early spring)?
FayeC zone 5a
Horse manure is best hot composted--while it has fertilizer value, Due to the horses diet and digestive system the manure may contain some or a lot of viable seed which can sprout as weeds in your garden. Hot composting will destroy most of the seeds
the post form Frank is dead on!,, however "if" the horse is stabled Vs pastured,, the stabled horse manure is less likely too to have "bad" weeds,, Ed's 2c,,, :-)
talk about newbie......I have no clue what a hot compost is..... The horses are stabled (race horses). If he brings the manure fresh, is there anything I can do in my yard to "cure" it?
FayC zone 5a
stuff--grass clippings vegetable garbage anything organic that is vegetable in nature-then more manure then more stuff etc The fermentation will make the pile hot--go to the web and look up composting to learn how to manage your copmpost heap
Might also depend on the quality of the stabled horse's hay. Most of our local hay is loaded with Bermudagrass seeds that can be pretty bothersome in a flowerbed but might be okay on lawns. -Olin
Unless this is COMPOSTED manure, I'd say 'don't' . . . horse manure right out of the critter is full of undigested seeds just waiting to sprout in your flower beds.
Chris Owens
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