too much manure ?

 

Having moved into our new build before xmas, I'm now trying to sort out
the garden. Firstly, I had a load of 'soil improver' (supplied by local
council using household waste / compost) rotovated into the soil - the
lawn has now been laid on top of this and is establishing well (although
I need an outside tap so that I can water it properly..). I have also
planted an Akebia and a Nelly Moser on a north facing brick wall
(following climber advise from you lovely people), and have a Japenese
Maple in a large pot ready for me to chose a good placing.

Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The lawn
man rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based)
into the area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this (as
best I can) and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

 


I'd try looking somewhere like the BBC Gardener's world site under veg
growing as some veg like manure and some don't.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

 


"NC"  wrote  ((snip))

You can't really overdo the manure as far at potatoes go, which go in shoot
up.
The rest don't want so rich a soil so don't put any more manure where they
are to be planted.
The brassicas (broccoli) like a bit of lime too, especially if you soil is
below pH7.(i.e.acid)
Garlic should have been planted in September or early October and I
personally wouldn't bother planting it now, you will only get small heads.
How about some early peas? Home grown ones are so much tastier than those
overly sweet frozen things, they freeze well, and it's the right time to
plant. Early Onward, Feltham First, & Kelvedon Wonder only grow to about 2ft
tall.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

 


NC wrote:

It depends of your soil to start with. You need to rotate your beds -
where you put your spuds this year, next year you lime and then put in
your brassicas or legume. Have you planned to do this?

 


<snip>

Potato - shoot up, don't mind 'raw' manure
Root crops, carrot, parsnip etc will grow in interesting shapes in 'raw'
manure. Called 'forking' so use
early types for golfball type carrots.
Fennel likes a deep tap root, since it grows quite tall. Doesn't like over
rich soil IMO. YMMV

Might be better stacking the manure somewhere (in a barrel?) and making a
'tea' to fertilise your plot.
Then when it has rotted down, preferably with other compost material, add it
to the beds in six months time.

I have also created a raised bed, filled it with fresh manure, covered that
with a bag of bought compost,
placed a sheet of glass over the whole bed and grew fresh salad in the
middle of winter with a Victorian
hot bed. Six months later it got dug in as part of the spring dig.

HTH

Dave