Composted Manure?

[hbridge]

HELP!

I am NOT okay with this, but DH thinks I'm crazy!

We just paid a FORTUNE For a new garden, including major stonework, ect.

The garden looked beautiful and we were both extremetly happy until the put the compost in (as the final layer, all plantings are in). We were told they were going to use composted leaves, ect. HOWEVER, the person who picked up the compost decided on composted horse manure and bedding! DH is psyched with this choice and so excited. I am NOT!!!!! Of course, it's in now and too late, but I don't want to even go near the new "sitting garden"! I need to water today and am too disgusted to even go near it!

I'm probably over-reacting, but the information I'm finding on the internet isn't helping. We have kids and dogs; I won't let either near this!

Help me figure this out! DH is very angry that I'm so upset about this! I spent too much time cleaning the poop from the neighbors dogs and horses out of my yard and off the street to be okay with anything having to do with manure!

[elliput]

Maybe I'm a bit dense here, but I am not sure what the problem is. Why is your DH happy with the choice of manure and why are you disgusted by it?

[brittone2]

As long as the manure isn't "hot" and was already composted, I would absolutely be fine with it.

We listen to the organic gardening guy (Mike McGrath of You Bet Your Garden) on NPR and someone just called in about using aged horse manure from his barn (he doesn't have horses, but bought the house and barn with manure still in the barn) in his compost. The gardening guy was super excited about it and said many gardeners don't consider it compost unless it contains some livestock manure. He urged the guy who called in to use 20% manure in his compost and spread it out over several years rather than using up all of that great stuff ;) in one year.

I grew up with horses, as did DH, so this doesn't freak me out.

http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/compostcollege.html

from the above: Compost Queasy? Make Some 'Leaf-only' Garden Gold
Now, a lot of you tell me you'd like to make your own compost, but you're not quite sure what should go into it. Well, let's start with Fall leaves--and let's end with them too! That's right, if you're worried that you'll include the wrong things or attract strange creatures of the night, just compost your leaves alone! Fall leaves are one of the two things (barnyard manures are the 'other') that can be successfully composted all by themselves.

[hbridge]

Thanks for your replies.

DH grew up on a farm and has no issue with horse manure. He sees only the benefits of the nutrients in the soil and thinks I'm crazy to be concerned. Our landscaper is very organic and natural which is why we like him.

I, on the other hand, do NOT want my brand new beautiful garden stinking like manure and, after Googling composted manure, am VERY concerned about parasites, e-coli, ect.

This is compounded by DC love of "natural plants". She has been known to harvest dandelion greens and other edible plants from around the garden. Combined with a new puppy and quite frankly, I'm concerned about the safety...

Maybe I just need to contact the landscaper to get more information on what was used, but any information on safety would be greatly appreciated.

[brittone2]

It looks like on the garden web they recommend it being aged at least 6 months. I would not want "fresh" manure on my garden for a variety of reasons, but aged and composted would be a-ok with me personally.

eta: Here's a NYT blog that might be helpful. They also mention that horse manure is probably not very likely to contain much e. coli. Looks like you can do a shorter "hot" procedure where the temp would build up quickly and kill off pathogens, or a longer slower aging process.
http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/manure-safe-or-not/

Composted manure should reach a temperature of 131 degrees for 15 days—a procedure that requires a pile of carbon (such as dry leaves) large enough to practically qualify as a landmark on the flatlands where I live. Specifically, the guidelines call for a mound that’s 3-feet cubed. If you’re prepared to quit your day job to become the stay-at-home parent to a needy compost pile, you’ll also want to study this University of Minnesota extension guide (http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG3296.html).



If you’re not ready to commit to that kind of responsibility, you’ll want to let your composting manure age for at least six months and perhaps a year. “It doesn’t take very much of these pathogens to make very much of a problem,” says Mr. Gillman.

[ABO Mama]

As long as the manure is composted, it's really fine. And your plants will love it!

[SkyrMommy]

We just had composted manure (horse & alpaca) tilled into the veggie garden and I spread it all over and around my flower beds. The manure had been aged a full year and spread in an area to not only dry but also kill off any weeds & seeds that were unwanted. My flowers and our gardens need those nutrients and I've never been worried about DD digging in it or helping in the garden, and once things grow she's known to snap off peas, grab a handful of lettuce or an asparagus stalk and eat away.

If the manure was fresh I'd be a bit worried about stink, but I don't know of any landscaper who would apply something like that to a clients year/garden. Check with your landscaper for more information on how long the manure sat. I'm thinking along the lines of PPs as there isn't anything to worry about & your plants should grow beautifully.

[daisymommy]

While "manure" sounds really nasty, have you ever had fertilizer put on your yard? Nearly everyone has. Its more or less the same thing. Some kind of animal poop.

[rin]

Composted manure is seriously the best thing you can put in your garden; full of awesome nitrogen and other things plants love. Honestly, it's really easy to tell if it's been composted long enough to be safe; if it hasn't, it'll be what's called "hot" (too much nitrogen and/or ammonia) and it will burn your plants and their roots where it touches them. If your plants are growing happily in the manure, then you know that the manure has composted enough to break down any of the compounds that would be dangerous.

We put composted manure (we've done mostly horse, goat, and steer) in our vegetable garden every year, and happily eat the fresh vegetables that come out of it. Some townships even compost the solid waste from the sewage treatment plants and use it for town-funded landscaping (parks, etc). Composted manure is totally safe and is honestly a fabulous way to not just have steaming piles of poo sitting around! I can promise you that most commercial crops are grown in soil that is periodically amended with manure.

Pet manure (dog/cat/etc) is totally different from the kinds of manure used for fertilizer: pet manure comes from carnivores, while fertilizer manures come from herbivores, mostly cows/steer, horses, and sometimes chicken. Their manure is hugely comprised of broken-down grass and other plant materials, and is nowhere near as nasty as dog or cat feces.

My point in all this is that you've almost certainly been eating vegetables grown in very safe composted manure and relaxing in parks maintained with composted manure for your whole life, so your garden shouldn't cause any concerns. Hope this is comforting. :)

[hbridge]

Thank you all for your replies. I guess I need more information about what "composted" means for this particular batch. This wasn't what we were told was going to be used and DH is super psyched for this, I have e-maile the landscaper for more information.

DH is NOT going to be happy, but for me to be okay with this I need to know what this stuff actually is!

I know I'm crazy, but there is so much horse poop in my neighborhood all over the streets I'm having trouble moving beyond the manure part...

[hbridge]

Thank you...

I just spoke with DH who informed me that the compost is at least a year old. THAT I'm fine with.

Compost is such a vague term and Google went on about parasites, having to wait 120 days until you eat things grown in the compost, ect.

I'm very conscious of feces born illnesses so I simply panicked.

You are all so patient, thank you...