Advice re manure/lack of it!

**jackyspratty** · 19-03-2010, 11:27 AM

Advice re manure/lack of it!

Any advise ppplease very welcome!
Having found a supply of well rotted manure in the area, thanks to a fellow graper, my allotment buddy is now saying he doesnt have time to collect it with me (I cant drive and he has a trailor) and also that bob flowerdew said on GQT this week that manureing beds isnt essential for , and you can get away with granular fertilizers for several years?

So my question is...... what is the best way to condition/feed the plot without manure?!
Bearing inmind the maure would have been free and we are strapped for cash! Also we have only just started composting in the garden so thats a no no at the mo!

Its a new quarter plot for us that has been overgrow with couch grass for a while and we have been clearing it. Not sure when it was last worked properly, or had manure etc added?
Hmm seem to remember saying that once he got back to work he would have no time....!

Thanks peeps. Any miracles you can pull out of the hat appreciated!

**PAULW** · 19-03-2010, 01:18 PM

I would have thought a Yorkshireman would have jumped at anything free, Yes you can grow stuff just with chemicals but this isn't going to benifit the stucture of your soil and after a period of time your plot will end up like a used growbag and your plants will not produce the quality veg that most allotment holders strive for, you have to put the goodness in to take the goodness out, if you dont want to do this you may as well buy from the supermarket in the first place

**jackyspratty** · 19-03-2010, 01:35 PM

Agree really paulw. But don't really have an option as cant get to the manure weekdays when it can be collected. Could those chicken pellets be an option if they were spread over the beds?

Trying to get an option that is not too chemical reliant and not too costly if possible? But not sure if there is one?

My allotment was meant to get a delivery of manure but doesn't seem to have organised it at all?

**greengas** · 19-03-2010, 02:13 PM

Great allotment buddy you got there

Why can't he find some time if he has a trailer seems really daft to let such a fantastic free product slip through your hands.

**organic** · 19-03-2010, 02:35 PM

Maybe there's someone on here from around Leeds who wouldn't mind helping for the price of petrol and a pint (after the car's at home, of course). Just a thought.

**jackyspratty** · 19-03-2010, 06:20 PM

He's not really being mean. He runs a business as a gardener and is fully booked. Plus the manure can only be picked up 9.30-11.30 or 4.30-6.30 weekdays only. I can only do mornings as thats my only child free time and we can't fit kids into his van. Also think he doesn't fancy shovelling the manure too!

Idea of lift is good one, but a pint may not cover filling a boot with manure!

Plus its a huge ask.

There was a big meeting at the lotty in October when manure ordering and delivery was discussed but nothing has happened at all.

Do you guys think chicken poop pellets will do the job? Not sure how pricey they are?

I'm part of the seed saving circle too! Meant to be saving potimarron squash seeds!! Heavy feeders I know!

Just feel a bit stuck!

**greengas** · 19-03-2010, 06:32 PM

B&Q have buy one get one free at the moment on the boxes at about �4.50 a box!

**Two_Sheds** · 19-03-2010, 06:51 PM

Manure is used to improve the soil structure (added humus), while chicken pellets (high in nitrogen) are to feed plants.

Well-rotted garden compost adds humus to the soil, as do green manures.

I've never used farmyard manure, and I've been growing lovely veg for 12 years now.

**zazen999** · 19-03-2010, 07:01 PM

First question - what's your soil like now? What is growing in it apart from couch grass?

**jackyspratty** · 19-03-2010, 07:02 PM

Thanks everyone! Think the crissis is over! The stables are happy for us to collect Sunday morning. Hooray!!!

Thanks for the clarification on manure/pellets! Can you tell I'm a novice!!

As for what else is growing in it, its cuochgrass and with 1 solitary blackcurrant bush inthe centre. Nothing else. Currently covered with cardbard and tarp after various attacks and removal of a fair bit of couchgrass with an azada. Gonna go on Sunday and unveil what is lurking underneath. Plan is to at least get structure of plot in place with temp paths, beds etc.

Need to take provisions as its gonna be a long one!

**rustylady** · 19-03-2010, 10:30 PM

Have you contacted the owner of the manure? Would they be prepared to deliver it either free or for minimal payment?

**SarzWix** · 19-03-2010, 11:55 PM

I agree, it would be worth contacting them to ask - I got a pick-up full delivered for �10

Failing that, add as much compost as you have, and try to fertilize with pelleted organic matter such as chicken manure pellets, seaweed meal etc. Investigate green manures and see how you could fit them into your rotations. Mulch with cardboard and/or shredded paper which will rot down, and see if you can get anyone to deliver a bale ot 2 of straw. Also, try to utilise your rotation by planting brassicas (which like nitrogen) after peas and beans (which produce nitrogen in their roots), or companion plant lettuces etc with peas and beans for the same benefit.

**zazen999** · 20-03-2010, 10:04 AM

HI.

I've merged both your threads on this one.

**Flummery** · 20-03-2010, 10:22 AM

Like Two-Sheds, for many years I had no manure. I've always had lots of my own garden compost made of vegetable peelings, annual weeds, etc. I now have home-made chicken/garden manure. I still use my 3 garden Daleks for kitchen waste but the chicken manure is added to it. I now have a compost bin on the new allotment. Make as much comoost as you can and you'll get the soil improvement aspect. If you can't get manure, I always found a sprinkling of blood and bone meal helped, and I used to buy the pelleted chicken manure for nitrogen. Har har, got chickens now so I don't need to!

I think you now have access to your manure. It's jolly good stuff, but not essential.

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