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Garden Gate:  Horse Manure Gardening  |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 4:30:03 PM
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I have brought a few wheelbarrow fulls of horse manure over to my smaller-sized garden this past week. I planned on doing this early (I wont be planting until ~April) because I heard that horse manure can "burn" the plants. However, I was chatting with a friend earlier today that said if you do not let the horse manure decompose long enough it could cause E. coli. Has anyone heard this? I do know that it can grow a lot of weeds, but hadn't heard of the E. coli issue. Just wondering if yall have heard of this?
Also is there a recommendation for the amount of horse manure per gardneing area?
Thanks for your help!
Kerry |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 6:12:28 PM
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Don't know about amount per gardening or E.coli. I have been working with horses for years and using the manure for lots of things and have never heard of e-coli in association with the manure. Sounds like scare tactics to me. I know it is great for anything that needs acidic fertilizer. I use it for everything and have never had a problem. I know it is great for roses and tomatoes. Our manure is mixed with course saw dust. It composts for a few weeks before we use it for anything.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 6:22:24 PM
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| Thank you so much for your reply. I have had horses since I was young and had never heard that either. Thanks so much for your help! I am excited for spring to arrive. |
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Sarahpauline
True Blue Farmgirl
672 Posts
sarah
Ringgold
GA
USA
672 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 7:19:23 PM
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Ive never heard of ecoli coming from horse manure and I actually dump on my garden throughout the summer, straight out of the barn. (we use straw bedding). Nothing has ever burned for me. My raised beds are honestly nothing but horse manure. We have the worst clay soil right here.
Oh Mr Darcy!
www.SarahPauline.com
www.AbraxasBaroque.com |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 8:31:57 PM
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Thanks Sarah! I really appreciate it! Good to know that your garden is mostly made up of horse manure. I am so excited about my garden this year and cant wait to get started. I been starting to read about composting fruits, vegies, coffee grings in hopes to get started with that sometime soon. I have been learning so many things from all the farmgirls.
I have riden a few times at Chickamauga, its a beautiful area.
Kerry |
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Sarahpauline
True Blue Farmgirl
672 Posts
sarah
Ringgold
GA
USA
672 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 8:37:14 PM
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Oh Kerry, isnt the battlefield pretty and ominous all at the same time? Who would think that a pile of cannonballs could be so frightening...to the horses. :)
Oh Mr Darcy!
www.SarahPauline.com
www.AbraxasBaroque.com |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 8:44:38 PM
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I like the tunnel personally! It is absolutely beautiful there! I have some friends from the area that took the historical tour via horseback, and said it was amazing! I grew up in North Georgia. Did I hear that Ringgold is getting a Costco? Am I thinking right? Ringgold is such a nice town.
~Kerry
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
Edited by - Kerbear on Jan 25 2010 9:55:36 PM |
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Sarahpauline
True Blue Farmgirl
672 Posts
sarah
Ringgold
GA
USA
672 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
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gramadinah
True Blue Farmgirl
3557 Posts
Diana
Orofino
ID
USA
3557 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 9:14:22 PM
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I wouldn't think that the solid waste from a horse could be to bad but the Urine that would absorb into the pine shavings could be very hot so to speak for a garden without some aging.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 05:56:16 AM
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Thanks you guys for all of your help! I have plenty of horse manure here so I am glad its not problem using it!
Thanks again!
~Kerry
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 06:27:02 AM
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Kerry, as long as you know what "goes in" and what "comes out" (respectively), I wouldn't worry too much. Having been around race horses my whole life, I wouldn't use a load of manure from their stalls--too many meds and things I wouldn't want in my food source. Perhaps if I was just using it around non-food type plantings.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
3019 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
3019 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 08:03:45 AM
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| I use my neighbors horse poo on my gardens, in fact my best bed is nothing but aged manure. I know that they are not giving meds. Just sweet grain, hay & pasture. Can't see any harm in that. |
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Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 08:28:08 AM
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I have heard that some huge Organic farms use raw COW manure on their vegetables, instead of chemical fertilizers. There were a few stories, very well hushed up, about people who were hospitialized (sp?) from getting E coli from things like Organic carrot juice, lettuce, and spinach; and they traced it back to the cow manure they used.
For that reason, I don't buy commercially grown organic veggies or veggie products. it just goes to show you - grow it yourself, of buy local.....
Anyway, I have never heard that about horse manure, I use it all the time; mine has pine shavings in it, and I compost it a few weeks before dumping in the garden. ONE TIME I used some really fresh horse poo on my young tomato plants, and it did burn them up. So whatever you use, compost it first.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
www.CarolinaRoses.etsy.com |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 1:10:18 PM
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Yall are fabulous! Thank you for all of your help!
~Kerry
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
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Garden Gate: Horse Manure Gardening |
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Horse Manure Gardening
