Two weeks ago we hooked up our trailer and visited a local horse farm to get a huge load of manure. Every year they let us come and take a load from the two year old, composted manure pile. I feel so fortunate to be able to do so and am thankful for the farmers generosity.
My husband and I spent a day last week cleaning the gardens and covering them with a 3 in deep layer of the nutrient, rich compost. Now, many of you would say why not wait until spring just before planting. Well, I have done that many times in the past. This year I wanted to put down all my shredded leaves, garden scrapes, ground up eggshells. shredded egg cartons and the manure in late fall instead. I would like to compare how my garden grows by letting everything decompose during the winter months to enrich my soil.
I have found in the past that sometimes my young seedlings have struggled to adjust to the manure being put on the month before planting. I think that this will be a good test for me to see if they do better at taking off in the spring. Does anyone else put the composted materials on in late fall? I would be interested in your gardening experiences with manure.
This area where I have my raised beds. One has herbs, one strawberries and green onions, and I grow kale with them too. The larger one is for some of my root veggies, chards, and greens. Along side the house I have just planted my garlic cloves for next summers harvest. I actually put in 60 cloves this year.
As you can see, I still have one more Daikon radish to harvest and also fresh parsley that is still going strong. I just threw the compost around them, doesn't it look nice and rich? I am feeling really good about doing it in the fall instead of spring. Any thoughts?
Until next time, this is Sunscape...
Sun. Scape. Ing your day
Wow! Well organised. Plenty of work I guess...
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Tons of work, but I love every minute of it. Happy weekend
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i glad to see your garden, but How to spend so much time in the ministry?
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Lots of time to work in the gardens.
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Oh, so it's a lot better. Hope your cooperation is through Voiting
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I'm spreading horse manure on the garden now. Is it good to put lime down now or wait a bit? Learning a lot about growing things from you. Thanks..
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Wow, well I do not know about the lime, I have it to put down in the spring. Not sure what is better, I would have to research it. This is my first time doing manure in the fall. I am hoping it will be of great benefit. I learn something new every year and I have been growing for 50 + years. lol
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Soil all sand on long Island, always needs sweetening . I meant to ask local farmer about lime when they were available.
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Well, I am all sand too, I add peat moss, compost, and anything I can every year. Lime will be in the spring as I am too tired to play outside anymore this year after the manure spreading. The photos only show my veggie areas, I have a lot more gardens all around my home to attend to as well. Winter is a nice break and time to rethink what I will do different next year.
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You have a well organized garden scheme. Lot of work but pays off I bet.
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I do the same :)
welcome to the club
I prefer to do it early winter though no ice nor snow here yet :)
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Good to hear, we have only had a trace of snow so far. I was happy to have time to get it down and I am hoping the seedlings are stronger getting started in the spring.
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