fertilizer

[david922]

Does any of you all use cow manure in the garden,I`m planing on using this year,any help on this please.Thanks

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Inlaws have a big garden. We compost our barn manure, and we haul bucket loads out to their garden. Lots of it is pure black soil. Adds WEEDS to the garden though.

 

[novaman]

I wouldn't put any raw manure on a garden. I always leave a pile of manure out of the way and let it sit for a couple years to compost well. It is nice and black and I lay it in thick. It really seems to help with the water holding capacity. You will probably have a bunch of weeds to deal with, depending on how well the pile composted.

 

[ga.prime]

I use it. It's a very good soil amendment. Among other benefits it adds organic matter, fertility, and water holding capacity and retention. Get same weeds with or without it.

 

[john250]

I use it, but I'll throw a couple bags of triple 19 out there too.

 

[LRTX1]

I'd put it out raw, just till it in at least a month before you plant. It might be a little to "hot" to add at the last minute.

 

[Jogeephus]

It does wonders for your garden.

 

[skyeagle]

just put 6 truck loads on top then turn it in.Thay say E coli is gone in two to three months.

 

[cattler34]

I compost it myself. I have found that my garden is 10 times better after using compost. I have actually gotten really into to composting. Does anyone have a recommendation for wheel loaders? My garden and flowers beds have grown, and I need a way to move it easier.

 

[Double E]

I have used my garden as my feedlot for the last three years. This past spring, I took down fence and expanded my garden, the difference in just the appearance of the soil is obvious, and the produce seemed to do better in the old part, as opposed to the new. Even with the organic material, I still throw out a balanced fertilizer, doesn't cost much and probably helps a bunch. The steers are gone by the first of February, and I don't plant until mid April.this should take care of any nasties, and I till it in three or four times before I plant.

 

[gimpyrancher]

Bugs, big and small are the answer. You only get the best in proper compost piles. Manure is or should be one of the ingredients. The breakdown of the material is caused by bacteria, bugs and worms. Manure on your garden has some limited benefit raw. Added to a compost pile, it helps turn garbage into gold.

Adding chemical fertilizers will kill the bugs and good bacteria you introduced in the compost. Add the black gold from the compost pile and hold off on the extra fertilizer. I'll bet the yield improves. :compute:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Do others agree that chemical fertilizer will kill bugs? That doesn't sound true to me.

 

[iowafarmer]

Adding commercial fertilizers to your garden will not kill the bugs. There should not be a need to add commercial fertilizer to compost. By composting you loose a fair amount of nitrogen from the manure but properly composted manure kills off the weeds. Gardens are works of art. You have a small area with a diverse amount of plants with different needs when it comes to nutrients.

 

[novatech]

By bugs I assume you mean microorganisms. The non organic N is known to kill some micro organisms. The quantity killed would hardly be noticeable when a healthy soil microbial population exists. Those that die will be replaced in a very short time. When soil is healthy it contains a large amount of organic matter. The soil microbes feed on the organic matter changing it to a form that plants can use. Is is a slow process so the organics should be put into the soil a season in advance of the need. Synthetic fertilizers are water-soluble and can be taken up by the plant almost immediately.

 

[lynnmcmahan]

Do others agree that chemical fertilizer will kill bugs? That doesn't sound true to me.

I dropped a 50# bag of 13-13-13 on a rolly polly and it sure killed him.
Manure uncomposted equals a lot of weeds, some you have never seen

 

[pdfangus]

proper composting is more than just piling it up and letting it sit.
proper temperature needs to be achieved to neutralize most pathogens and weeds.
compost usually needs to be turned a time or two for best results and timing of the first turn is also important.
the pile should get to 142 degrees internally (yes use a deep thermometer, you can buy em at good garden stores) and then when the temperature begins to fall it should be turned.
it will then reheat.
chemical fertilizer does alter soil microbial activity. It does not stop it. The greater the soil organic matter and the wider the diversity and density of the macro and micro biota, the less the impact of synthetic fertilizer but also less need for synthetic fertilizer.
Multispecies cover crops on a garden plot also do wonders for building the soil. for best effect they need to be allowed to build sufficient biomass to put back into the soil. this means letting it grow tall before killing down or tilling down the cover.

if you have a good compost pile, or sufficient waste feed stock, composting is also a very good way to get rid of dead animals. We have a dairy farm that is running a trial on composting its mortalities now. So far they are very happy with the results.

 

[novatech]

proper composting is more than just piling it up and letting it sit.
proper temperature needs to be achieved to neutralize most pathogens and weeds.
compost usually needs to be turned a time or two for best results and timing of the first turn is also important.
the pile should get to 142 degrees internally (yes use a deep thermometer, you can buy em at good garden stores) and then when the temperature begins to fall it should be turned.
it will then reheat.
chemical fertilizer does alter soil microbial activity. It does not stop it. The greater the soil organic matter and the wider the diversity and density of the macro and micro biota, the less the impact of synthetic fertilizer but also less need for synthetic fertilizer.
Multispecies cover crops on a garden plot also do wonders for building the soil. for best effect they need to be allowed to build sufficient biomass to put back into the soil. this means letting it grow tall before killing down or tilling down the cover.

if you have a good compost pile, or sufficient waste feed stock, composting is also a very good way to get rid of dead animals. We have a dairy farm that is running a trial on composting its mortalities now. So far they are very happy with the results.

It would be nice if I could get enough greens to get the proper temps. Unfortunately most of what I get is brown.
People always talk about fertilizer hurting the microbes. Well nitrogen has an impact but when applied in moderation or several small doses rather than all at one time they will come back pretty quick. Secondly fruiting veggies don't need much, only the greens. I cannot see where the P and K would do much harm,but then again compost will supply more than enough.
I also agree that using a cover crop is beneficial to good soil health. Some of the microbes (example; mycorrhizal fungus Glomus) form a symbiotic relationship with the plants. They do not use or benefit from compost but need living plants to survive.
A good microbial system makes fertilizer work better therefore as you stated less is needed.