Free Horse Manure

Anyone in the Vancouver,Wa. area wanting Horse Manure this is the place http://www.healingwinds.org/ went and got a load yesterday and Nancy had plenty more for the taking.

Hey thanks for the heads up prman! Could you tell us more about it? As in, is it composted horse manure or fresh? Mixed with bedding? How do you haul it - do you need to bring your own bags and shovels?

A word of caution about horse manure--It's not as "hot" as manure from other critters, so weed seeds can zip right through the horse in viable condition. I learned this the hard way when I innocently put year-old (thought was OK - HA!) horse manure on a perennial bed years ago and have been battling progressively obnoxious Johnson grass ever since. This year I think I'll finally just bite the bullet and dig the bed up, Roundup the heck out of it and start from scratch.

How large is your perennial bed?

If it's not horribly large, why not substitute boiling water for the Roundup? It's a natural way to kill weeds.

I've been using it for about five years and have Never had a problem with weeds if I had I sure wouldn't be telling other people about it that's for sure. It's fresh but toward the back of the pile it's maybe half composted. I haul it in my pick-up and take my own shovel it's in the Brush Prairie area. It's mixed with straw and some saw dust. Nance hag offered to load it with her small tractor but I load it myself. If you call or e-mail her tell her Rick told you about it.

czechens wrote:A word of caution about horse manure--It's not as "hot" as manure from other critters, so weed seeds can zip right through the horse in viable condition. I learned this the hard way when I innocently put year-old (thought was OK - HA!) horse manure on a perennial bed years ago and have been battling progressively obnoxious Johnson grass ever since. This year I think I'll finally just bite the bullet and dig the bed up, Roundup the heck out of it and start from scratch.

I add horse manure to my compost heaps and let the piles really heat up. 140'ish, and don't have any issues with weed or grasses growing in my beds after allowing the manure to compost.

RoOsTeR wrote:

I add horse manure to my compost heaps and let the piles really heat up. 140'ish, and don't have any issues with weed or grasses growing in my beds after allowing the manure to compost.

+1

Between the Horse Manure and Worms my Vegetable Garden has never been better

Adding to my continuously lengthening "Things I Learned Too Late" list--Obviously, this is where I made my mistake. I just filled up a wheelbarrow from the manure pile (sat out there probably October through March), spread it over my garden and tilled it in. I didn't compost it, and Barb and Sal (the horses) evidently didn't either. So...starting over.
Thanks, donnainzone10, for the tip about killing weeds with boiling water. I can do that pretty easily and agree that this will be preferable to pouring on the Roundup.
I'm not trying to rain on anyone's manure--just reporting my own experience. Before manure: no Johnson grass. After manure: full frontal grass attack. At the present time, I don't have Johnson grass problems anywhere I didn't put the manure--other weeds, to be sure, but not that. Circumstantial evidence for free - Take or leave.
HAPPY 2013 GARDENING, EVERYONE! I'm setting up my grids with twine today.

Not raining on any ones parade here You are definitely not the first to have had this happen and you are right. Things pass through horses quickly, and weeds and grass' can be a big problem from their manure if not composted. I've done it my fair share that's for sure

In fact one way to seed pasture land is to feed the horses the seed mixture you want planted mixed into a little sweet feed for them. They will then scatter it through the pastures and fertilize it as well You can do this with sheep and cattle as well, any grazer that scatters its droppings fairly well.

Which is why pack trails in the high mountains have timothy grass growing along them

Believe me I've learned the hard way as well. Here's a little trick for ya czechens if you find your Compost Pile is not heating up because of an imbalance of "browns and "greens add some Alfalfa Meal 2-0.5-2 that will get it started.

Good Luck

Thanks for the alfalfa meal tip. I'm just getting started on composting (bins--mostly chicken litter and chopped up leaves, a few coffee grounds), so I'm immensely grateful for such helpful information and will definitely use it.
It's raining in Kansas City, or I'd be outside seeing what survived. The robins are back in abundance. - Yay! It's spring!