Benefit to compost - manure on top?????

[WTNUT]

I have about 100 trees planted - 90 percent of which are between second leaf and sixth leaf trees. Many of these have had the dirt settle around them, and nearly all of which have a small pea gravel on top of the surface around the trees. At the time it was left over from a concrete job and I did not want to purchase larger no 6 or 8 stone to put around the trees. All trees are caged. My buddy has a couple of large horse training facilities with unlimited supply of horse turds. He has a few piles of manure that is very old and would be considered compost at this point. I need some help here. I could either just use the bucket of the tractor and get some quality soil to fill in around the trees. Or I could get manure/compost from the barn and put around the trees. Is there any benefit to getting the manure? I am not sure how much it would leach into the soil and help or hurt.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If I recall reading, horse manure is more acid than cow manure, so you may want to mix in some lime to neutralize it some. All the guidance I've ever received is to scratch the manure / compost into the ground to get the most out of it. When I plant trees, I mix mushroom compost in with the native soil and backfill with that. Maybe get some of both and mix it ??

 

[wiscwhip]

Horse manure harbors WAY more nasty weed seeds than cow manure, due to the way their stomachs work. Cows will break down the seed so it becomes unviable, horses just get it warmed up and fertilized on the way through and ready to germinate when it hits the ground. If you want a thistle invasion, use horse manure, otherwise, buyer beware on the "free" horse poo! The manure might be free, but fighting the weed infestation will not be. It is better if you compost it for a year or so, then it isn't as bad with the weeds.

 

[WTNUT]

Horse manure harbors WAY more nasty weed seeds than cow manure, due to the way their stomachs work. Cows will break down the seed so it becomes unviable, horses just get it warmed up and fertilized on the way through and ready to germinate when it hits the ground. If you want a thistle invasion, use horse manure, otherwise, buyer beware on the "free" horse poo! The manure might be free, but fighting the weed infestation will not be. It is better if you compost it for a year or so, then it isn't as bad with the weeds.

Understood. I will make sure I load from the 5 to 10 year compost pile. He has piled that crap up for decades. It is now a mountain range ha ha. He only started selling the compost within the last year, but since several of my horses have added to the pile and I pay board and training - well I tell him I own the horses and the $hit too so I am loading some for free!

 

[buckvelvet]

FYI, I have a garden in an old horse pasture, years of horse manure. Weeds are unbelievable. DO NOT use horse manure, I don't care if they are willing to haul it and spread it for you, WTNT don't do it man.

 

[dipper]

Weeds are unbelievable in my garden too, and I've never used any manure.
I'm also a guy who spreads tons and tons of the human stuff on my praire fields/ plots. If u wanna cherry pick the sexiest soil builders, ull have to pay for it. If ure goal is to build rich soil, u should be able to answer the question easily,

 

[tooln]

Whip hit the nail on the head. The only thing horse turds are good for is throwing them at someone.