Talkback: Weedkiller in manure: update - Talkback

28/02/2009 at 00:55

I struggle to mke enough compost. NO matter how much I put in the bins it rots down to virtually nothing. I know this is general but it never ceases to amaze me how little compost we get from a huge bin of debris! I have a stable nearby and can get free muck from them. Is it safe? But I have no car so have to walk down the North Circular in London with a wheelbarrow full of horse poo. Not cool ;)

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28/02/2009 at 20:49

I did buy manure from the garden center last year, when I heard the stories of contamination I was frightened to use it so it has been stored at the end of the garden ever since, I think may be it is OK! to use although I would be very upset if it polluted my garden. I also wonder about council compost as I have seen some of the sruff that people put into the green waste skips, like some of the perenial weeds and I have had my garden badly infected with chickweed and many other very difficult weeds to get rid of.

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01/03/2009 at 11:25

I was affected last year by weedkiller in manure which I purchased from a garden centre. I lost my tomatoes and had to completely dig out the bed and get rid of the soil. This year I have just bought some 6X 100% natural fertilizer having checked with the producer that it is definitely weedkiller free and has been 200° heat treated as well. So fingers crossed it should be O.K. Kaycurtis I would not use those bags if I were you!!!

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02/03/2009 at 16:10

allotments sorry didnt know how else to get hold of you... we have a landshare site in Winterbourne Abbas. Any one who is interested in a plot is more than welcome we have 6 spare contact me at clarke.miss@yahoo.co.uk

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03/03/2009 at 15:57

If you want to test for aminopyralid in your supply here's how http://www.allotment.org.uk/garden-diary/321/testing-for-aminopyralid-in-manure/

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03/03/2009 at 20:21

Get some rabbits and feed them the plant scraps 'faster composting' I read you can make a 'tea' with rabbit manure and Good eating

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03/03/2009 at 21:01

Hi quite new to gardening so expect lots of questions over the forthcoming months. The first part of my project is the patio. I am starting to revamp a large old crazy paved patio area. The crazy paving is very old and was covered in weeds growing between the slabs, I have taken out all the crumbling cement, sand and weeds and covered with weed killer. I am now ready to re-infill the slabs. I am not going to use sand as the patio will have constant heavy duty use, so that children and dog won't be able to destroy my about to be started lawned garden/flower beds!!!! Does anyone know whether it will give a better finish if I use cement or patio grout... may seem like a silly question but I just don't want to get it wrong. Many thanks

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04/03/2009 at 18:32

please can anyone advise me as to the best use of a trailer full of horse manure that I have been given.Is it ok to use straight away by digging it into my heavy Herefordshire clay or do I need to let it rot down? If so,for how long should I leave it ?

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05/03/2009 at 14:58

I am a new gardener how long do I leave the lid on the propagator please

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05/03/2009 at 20:43

I open the vent when I see seedlings emerge, then after a couple of days put them in an unheated propagator with vents open. After a week or so, I take the lid off completely and let the little beasts fend for themselves. Sowing seeds is great! I put some lupin seeds in my heated propagator last Saturday and by Monday afternoon I had shoots! It's dead cheap to fill your garden this way too, and much more satisfying that buying pre-grown stuff from the garden centre all the time - not that I can ever resist a fine looking plant when I go there however! Enjoy your growing season!

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17/03/2009 at 09:44

Can you tell me if it is possible to combine a bin for compost with stable manure and garden compost, to save for a year to rot down? I could not find a separate emial site to ask this question. Jane Gaskin

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11/04/2009 at 10:19

i have one of the compost bins where you get from the council that have a lid and no bottome to it. how can i get the compost out of it easily, because it is getting heavy to lift?

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01/05/2009 at 07:44

I had manure from a local farmer delivered in March 09 and after all the hard work I have just discovered it is contaminated with the weedkiller aminopyralid, I made apoint of asking if he used any products containing the chemical and he assured me he didn't.My potatoes are looking distorted and some other crops are not looking to good, not sure what the futures holds. I don't think farmers are aware of the implications of passing on this product the domestic gardeners, I believe he has advertised manure for sale in his parish magazine.

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13/05/2009 at 15:41

Bob how upsetting! I suspect that you're right about some farmers not being aware of the actions this weedkiller has long after it was used. I can only suggest that you tell everyone on your site - in fact everyone you know about this dodgy manure. I'm laying off using manure for a year or two in the hope that the problem diminishes. I'm using good ol' blood, fish and bone, chicken pellets and my own compost for the time being unless I can find someone to supply muck that I feel sure of. But you asked all the right questions and still got stuck with it which is just rotten!

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13/08/2009 at 10:07

The best way to solve the problem is at source. If the herbicide in question is not relicensed, it would only leave the problem of an existing stock of contaminated manure, not a continuing repetition of what we have already undergone. I have a petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/aminopyralidban/ which I ask everyone to sign and get your MPs on the case!

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29/06/2011 at 21:37

I am just starting to grow veg in my garden can you tell me if horse manure is OK to use.If so when and how should I use it

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28/11/2011 at 18:38

Frances if the horse manure is fresh you should rot it down for a year or so first as it will be too strong. It's marvellous stuff though- far better than cow manure. Jane I can't see any reason why you shouldn't layer both manure and compostable garden waste together as the manure will work as an activator and speed up the rotting process.

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