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Horse bedding - how best to rot it down?

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  • #1

    Horse bedding - how best to rot it down?

    Newbie question

    I have a regular supply of used horse bedding. I have tested it for aminopyralid last year and it was fine, although of course I'll repeat that testing with every new batch, just in case. It's woodchip and manure, rarely see hay or straw in with it, usually it's very damp. I would say on volume it's probably very roughly quarter to half woodchip? So it's not neat manure by any stretch - fair amount of brown material in with it.

    To date I've used it fresh as a dressing over winter and emptied a bag into the compost bin as an activator/because it was there. I would like to rot some down in larger quantities for several reasons: I have 2 new empty daleks and want to get them full so they are earning their keep and don't blow away, plus this manure is my easiest source of any kind of mulch/humus, which (aiming for as no-dig as possible) I need a lot of, so it'll pay to stock up.

    I know you can rot manure in heaps, but can you rot bedding like this in daleks or is the air flow too low? I could add things like eggboxes etc. to boost the airflow.
    Proud member of the Nutters Club.
    Life goal: become Barbara Good.
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  • #2
    If it's got plenty of woodchip it will rot in a heap of it's own. Dalek's probably not the best place for it though, although it could be done. Maybe a wider heap (pallet bins?)

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    • #3
      I agree with Rustylady - I would leave it in an open heap.
      Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better...Albert Einstein

      Blog - @Twotheridge: For The Record - Sowing and Growing with a Virgin Veg Grower: Spring Has Now Sprung...Boing! http://vvgsowingandgrowing2012.blogs....html?spref=tw

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Kaiya View Post
        roughly quarter to half woodchip?
        Your mix should be roughly 50/50 greens to browns (though others will have a different preference). I don't measure, I just add scrunched newspapers to my daleks if they're getting too full of fresh green stuff


        Originally posted by Kaiya View Post
        To date I've used it fresh as a dressing over winter
        How did you find that? Did you get lots of weeds come up?
        I once used fresh sawdust/guinea poo as a mulch on one bed: I'm still ripping the chickweed out years later. I definitely compost it first now


        Originally posted by Kaiya View Post
        daleks ... is the air flow too low? I could add things like eggboxes etc. to boost the airflow.
        That's exactly what to do: some air pockets will form naturally as the stuff rots down, and of course worm tunnels are natural air pockets too, but adding loo rolls, scrunched newspaper, egg boxes etc does help.

        Originally posted by rustylady View Post
        Dalek's probably not the best place for it though
        Agreed ~ they'll fill your daleks really quickly, leaving you nowhere to put your other waste.
        If you really have a lot of pony poo, stack it in a pile, throw a tarp over the top and leave it
        Last edited by Two_Sheds; 22-02-2012, 09:45 AM. Reason: spelling police
        All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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        • #5
          Oo a tarp - I was reticent about stacking it in the open because the North end of my plot (where it would be stacked) is right next to the main path and tap. Apart from being a tad antisocial to passers by, I did worry about it being mucked about with. But covering with some used membrane would probably solve that. Didn't thank of that - thanks all!

          Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
          How did you find that? Did you get lots of weeds come up?
          I once used fresh sawdust/guinea poo as a mulch on one bed: I'm still ripping the chickweed out years later. I definitely compost it first now
          Ah, that could be interesting then! It currently has membrane over it. My plot is weed central at the moment anyway so may well be hard to tell! That particular area has more marigold seeds in it from last year's field of gold than soil, I'm sure.
          Proud member of the Nutters Club.
          Life goal: become Barbara Good.

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