Manure Aged animal manure is an organic material with an added bonus of soil nutrients. Animal manure must be aged for 6 months to a year, before it is applied to the garden. Fresh manure will burn your plants, may contain bacteria that can cause illness from contact and it stinks. You can add fresh manure to a compost heap and let it age there.
Cow, sheep and chicken manure are the most popular varieties, but there are several more. The manures to avoid because of their disease potential for humans are: cat, dog, pig and human manures.
Garden Soil Tips
- What Makes Great Garden Soil?
- Making Good Garden Soil out Of Bad Soil
- Figuring Out How Much Amendment You Need
- Clay Busters - Plants for Clay Soil
Organic Gardening Tips
Use caution when adding manure to a garden bed that already has plants growing in it. Make sure it has been well composted, so that it won't burn plant roots and also so that any weed seeds have been eliminated.
