Question about using aged horse manure as my compost ingredient?

[pointer80]

Hello all, I am getting ready to mix my soil to fill my holes for my outdoor grow and was wondering if I can use 2 year old aged horse manure for my compost component? Basically I would use the aged horse manure plus peat moss and perlite,rice hulls as my base. I would then add all my other amendments to this. Thanks all.

 

[jetsgrower]

not sure but someone here knows something

 

[bobrown14]

2 year old - should already be composted pretty much totally no?? Looks like dead grass??

Take a pick of it.

Normally yes 2 years is way long enough usually 4-6 months is enough time.
If its been covered and is anaerobic (wet black mess) prolly need to let it dry out a little bit.

 

[pointer80]

2 year old - should already be composted pretty much totally no?? Looks like dead grass??

Take a pick of it.

Normally yes 2 years is way long enough usually 4-6 months is enough time.
If its been covered and is anaerobic (wet black mess) prolly need to let it dry out a little bit.

Thank you for the reply, I will get pics tomorrow. It has not been covered. It is sitting out in the field. One question, I was going to mix this with some bagged topsoil from the local box store and then use it in my soil recipe along with peat moss and a aeration material and then my other amendments. Should I do that or just use the strait manure with the other ingredients and no topsoil? Thanks in advance.

 

[pointer80]

2 year old - should already be composted pretty much totally no?? Looks like dead grass??

Take a pick of it.

Normally yes 2 years is way long enough usually 4-6 months is enough time.
If its been covered and is anaerobic (wet black mess) prolly need to let it dry out a little bit.

ok here is some pics of the horse manure, It is a little wet because of all the rain we have had. Another nice thing is they grow there own hay and is chemical free. They use this on there own garden also

 

[bobrown14]

Thank you for the reply, I will get pics tomorrow. It has not been covered. It is sitting out in the field. One question, I was going to mix this with some bagged topsoil from the local box store and then use it in my soil recipe along with peat moss and a aeration material and then my other amendments. Should I do that or just use the strait manure with the other ingredients and no topsoil? Thanks in advance.

That would work mixing. 2 years is a long time. Lots of soluble N already washed away from rain.


Yeah that looks beautiful... wow good find, its perfect. Try it both ways, mixing with topsoil and amendments and straight up. See how they grow.

 

[pointer80]

That would work mixing. 2 years is a long time. Lots of soluble N already washed away from rain.


Yeah that looks beautiful... wow good find, its perfect. Try it both ways, mixing with topsoil and amendments and straight up. See how they grow.

Thank's for the help. I am trying to build a great soil recipe on the lines of coot's recipe etc. but I just cannot find all the amendments in my rural area. I do have kelp and alfalfa meal, dolomite lime, along with barley malt and azomite and worm castings. I also started making my own castings this year just not ready yet. Also have comfrey growing and got one cutting so far. Hopefully by next year I will have all the amendments I need. Thanks.

 

[bobrown14]

Which Coots recipe are you using??

Here's the one I use:


Acadian Kelp Meal @ 1/2 Cup per cubic foot
Neem Cake and Karanja Cake 50/50 Mix @ 1/2 to 1 cup per cubic foot
Crustacean Meal @ 1/2 Cup per cubic foot
Malted Barley @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot (ground fine in a coffee grinder)

Gypsum Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Brix Blend Basalt @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Glacial Rock Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Oyster Flour @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot


Add this to 1/3 Peat moss (CPSM), 1/3 humus (your horse manure and EWC), 1/3 aeration (perl-lite or similar)

There's no Alfalfa - you can mix that in with your horse manure now and let it compost until your ready to mix you soil.

Dolomite lime is replaced with Oyster Shell Flour and Gypsum Dust. Dolomite ratio of Ca:Mg is off. We like more Ca to Mg - Dolomite is 2:1. A 7:1 ratio is much better. You will run out of Ca with Dolomite lime. You cant fix that easily. Best to start with better sources of Ca.

In this recipe Ca comes from:

Oyster Shell flour - can find this at your local feed store
Gypsum dust - can find this at your local feed store
Crustacean Meal - can find that at your local feed store

^^^ These are the main sources ^^^^
EWC & Kelp Meal - have Ca in it as well

The recipe above is from Coots 2018 - last year and is basically what I've been running for several years since about 2014. Can do this no-till if thats a thing for you.

Let me know if you need help finding any of these amendments.

Best to start at your local feed store - they may even have the rock dusts.

The Azomite is "ok" but I like to use paramagnetic rock dusts. These promote a better cation exchange capacity in the soil. Which is a good thing.

I ended up feeding my Azomite to my compost bin and the worms worked it into the compost. If theres worms in your manure - they likely is, sprinkle a few cups of Azomite on the pile with your alfalfa. Best of all worlds.

If you need help sourcing any of these inputs above let me know - I will point you in the right direction. There are many sources.

 

[pointer80]

Which Coots recipe are you using??

Here's the one I use:


Acadian Kelp Meal @ 1/2 Cup per cubic foot
Neem Cake and Karanja Cake 50/50 Mix @ 1/2 to 1 cup per cubic foot
Crustacean Meal @ 1/2 Cup per cubic foot
Malted Barley @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot (ground fine in a coffee grinder)

Gypsum Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Brix Blend Basalt @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Glacial Rock Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Oyster Flour @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot


Add this to 1/3 Peat moss (CPSM), 1/3 humus (your horse manure and EWC), 1/3 aeration (perl-lite or similar)

There's no Alfalfa - you can mix that in with your horse manure now and let it compost until your ready to mix you soil.

Dolomite lime is replaced with Oyster Shell Flour and Gypsum Dust. Dolomite ratio of Ca:Mg is off. We like more Ca to Mg - Dolomite is 2:1. A 7:1 ratio is much better. You will run out of Ca with Dolomite lime. You cant fix that easily. Best to start with better sources of Ca.

In this recipe Ca comes from:

Oyster Shell flour - can find this at your local feed store
Gypsum dust - can find this at your local feed store
Crustacean Meal - can find that at your local feed store

^^^ These are the main sources ^^^^
EWC & Kelp Meal - have Ca in it as well

The recipe above is from Coots 2018 - last year and is basically what I've been running for several years since about 2014. Can do this no-till if thats a thing for you.

Let me know if you need help finding any of these amendments.

Best to start at your local feed store - they may even have the rock dusts.

The Azomite is "ok" but I like to use paramagnetic rock dusts. These promote a better cation exchange capacity in the soil. Which is a good thing.

I ended up feeding my Azomite to my compost bin and the worms worked it into the compost. If theres worms in your manure - they likely is, sprinkle a few cups of Azomite on the pile with your alfalfa. Best of all worlds.

If you need help sourcing any of these inputs above let me know - I will point you in the right direction. There are many sources.

Thank you. I can get paramagnetic rock dust, The only things I can't find is neem cake and crustacean meal. I have a local place that has crab meal but it's $70/50 pounds and I hate to spend that much. I am going to see tomorrow if they will sell me a partial bag. That is the same recipe I am trying to work off of. I am digging my holes in the ground and filling them with this mix. Thanks.

 

[bobrown14]

Yeah I bought a big bag of crab meal once! Its attractive to some critters so you have to containerize it properly. Like in a bin with a lid.

I reached in to grab a handful one time and came out with more than I bargained for. Was a little yucky. I had to take shower. lol

Should be under $2 a pound closer to $1 if its a good price. But locally they had to pay shipping so you get that built into the price. Good stuff, wouldn't grow without it.

Crustacean meal = crab lobster whatever crab is in season they change the name - its all the same.

Neem Cake - you in Canada - only country where its a little difficult to get for now.

Its there but only a few places have brought it in. IF in Canada let me know I know some people there. lol

 

[pointer80]

Yeah I bought a big bag of crab meal once! Its attractive to some critters so you have to containerize it properly. Like in a bin with a lid.

I reached in to grab a handful one time and came out with more than I bargained for. Was a little yucky. I had to take shower. lol

Should be under $2 a pound closer to $1 if its a good price. But locally they had to pay shipping so you get that built into the price. Good stuff, wouldn't grow without it.

Crustacean meal = crab lobster whatever crab is in season they change the name - its all the same.

Neem Cake - you in Canada - only country where its a little difficult to get for now.

Its there but only a few places have brought it in. IF in Canada let me know I know some people there. lol

I ended up finding neen cake here in Michigan. A little pricey but name of the game I suppose lol.

 

[bobrown14]

I get mine from Ahimsa. I think they are in Michigan.

neemresource(dot)com/OnlineOrder.html


They have soap nuts too! Good stuff

Neem and Karanja cake in 5 # bags.

Buy the combo - 5#s of neem and 5# Karanja for $39. worth every penny

Ahimsa Alternative, Inc.
5123 W 98th St, #16
Bloomington, MN 55437