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Manure
Old timer2
Posts: 65
in Fruit & veg
I have recently been offered any amounts of horse manure but this does contain some wood shavings As bedding down material. Is this mix likely to be of any value considering the shavings if used as is, or should it be composted for possibly a year first. Any wistful advice welcome. Many thanks in anticipation.
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All horse manure, with either straw or wood shavings should be rotted down before being too near to your plants. I can get this mix from a stable up the road; I know that the owner does not use weed killer, which can pass through the horse and appear in your garden, I would compost it for 6 to 8 months. Also it is brilliant stuff to add to your compost bin. One of my bins was being very slow to sink down about 6 weeks ago. 1 shovel of fresh horse manure with wood shavings and wow! the difference in the speed of composting!
Compost it for a few months till it's rotted down then it'll be fine to use. It's no different to 'old style' straw bedding in that respect. Most horses are bedded on shavings now
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Edd
Old Timer, last weekend I was clearing several ton of horse muck and can assure you the wooden shavings rot down very well, they do take slightly longer than the straw (little pony kept eating the straw and was getting rather portly!) But for the average gardener I don't think you'd know the difference. But oh my gosh the worms!! There were hundreds per bags full! Seriously I kept expecting to see the bags moving there were so many! We had to spend several minutes clearing our boots of worms before we got in the truck.
Many thanks for all replies re horse manure/wood shavings. I shall go ahead as soon as possible and stock up in my composting bins. Keep up the good work, I shall continue to watch the forum with interest. Thanks again.