Manure

redser7

Hi - I'm setting up 8 raised beds from scratch at the moment and I'm wondering how much manure I need to incorporate. They are built with scaffold planks and are 8 foot by 4 foot each. I have enough topsoil to fill them but the soil is very low in nutrients and free draining, nothing has ever been grown in it before. It was grazing land. Anyone any idea how to calcluate what I need?
Also would anyone have recomendations where to get it? I'm in North county Dublin. Even a farmer who supplies allotments.
Thanks very much

sponge_bob

pretty certain that any farmer will give you some manure or dung, good dung is what you need. this is the straw bedding that they put under cows and calfs and contains alot of manure. manure in its raw state would be very watery and hard for you to transport, whereas dung you could bring in a car trailer and can move around with a sprong and wheelbarrow. get a full car trailer of it or how ever much that you think the car will pull without putting it under to much strain. by having plenty of it you can use what you think is enough and put the rest in a corner and it will hold until you need it again, or you can dig it into your outside beds.

Corsendonk

As much as you can get is the simple answer. I am still having a problem sourcing from farmers but you might have more joy if you know anyone that keeps horses.

redser7

Thanks for the replies. Will get asking around

dadam

what should one be paying for manure

newbie2

MMmmm - how do you price sh!t?


Anyway - where I get it, it'swell rotted horse manure and it costs €2 per bag (if you want it in a bag and bagged for you). If you bag it yourself or load it into a trailer yourself - all you have to give is a donation.

paddy147

Dont forget your seaweed too.

redser7

newbie2 - would you mind to PM me where you got that? Thanks
Will get seaweed too!

Funsterdelux

The way I see it, if you go and get the dung/manure yourself there usually shouldn't be any cost, maybe a token gesture, such as some of your own produce!

Its all relative I guess.

aerosol

Redser,theres a stable on the Baskin lane that is more than happy to give horse manure away(his neighbour will also deliver it for a small fee)

Another one on Kettles lane which is happy for you to take it.

One thing with horse sh@t is to check when the horses were last wormed as most folks aren't keen on this in the poo.

I've used both stables before and had no probs with wire worm which can be a prob.

look out for big piles of poo on the allotments and go ask where they got
it.....Careful of dubious farmers fobbing you off with 'well rotted' manure only to deliver fresh steaming stuff:mad:This has happened a few times at Turvey.

redser7

Thanks a million Aerolsol

newbie2

redser7 wrote: »

newbie2 - would you mind to PM me where you got that? Thanks
Will get seaweed too!

http://www.festinalente.ie/

paddy147

Ah sure its all a load of chicken sh!t.:D
















Feed your plants some of that,and then you will see some results indeed.

Corsendonk

Just to point out that if anyone wishes to market there produce at farmers market as organic, the manure you use must come from organic reared animals and contain organic straw.

Mothman

Corsendonk wrote: »

Just to point out that if anyone wishes to market there produce at farmers market as organic, the manure you use must come from organic reared animals and contain organic straw.

Not strictly true.
To market as organic they will need to be certified by certification body (usually IOFGA or Organic Trust)

And with the standards of both it is possible, though restricted to use manure from non organic sources. See the standards of both certification bodies for finer detail, though they are similar if not the same in this regard.

dennyire

redser7 wrote: »

Hi - I'm setting up 8 raised beds from scratch at the moment and I'm wondering how much manure I need to incorporate. They are built with scaffold planks and are 8 foot by 4 foot each. I have enough topsoil to fill them but the soil is very low in nutrients and free draining, nothing has ever been grown in it before. It was grazing land. Anyone any idea how to calcluate what I need?
Also would anyone have recomendations where to get it? I'm in North county Dublin. Even a farmer who supplies allotments.
Thanks very much

OOps......sorry...thought this was a Manchester United thread :)

dfbemt

every now and then I have a look at www.donedeal.ie

Sometimes I pay (small amount) sometimes I get it for free.

Important part is to get some into your beds whatever way you can.