Jackpot! Cow manure / top soil?

[jhook1997]

I hit the jackpot today finding out that my neighbor has an unlimited supply of fully composted manure! He's been hauling it from his farm to where our properties join. There are HUGE piles of it and it's been there for more than two years.

This cow manure is at least 2 years old and fully composted. It crumbles into dirt! Absolutely no manure smell and looks like beautiful fine grain top soil.

Question: Do I need to mix it with other soil or can I just use it "straight" like top soil??? Either way I'm very excited but it would be great if I could fill my raised beds with it.

Input please!

 

[catjac1975]

I would spread it and till it in.

I hit the jackpot today finding out that my neighbor has an unlimited supply of fully composted manure! He's been hauling it from his farm to where our properties join. There are HUGE piles of it and it's been there for more than two years.

This cow manure is at least 2 years old and fully composted. It crumbles into dirt! Absolutely no manure smell and looks like beautiful fine grain top soil.

Question: Do I need to mix it with other soil or can I just use it "straight" like top soil??? Either way I'm very excited but it would be great if I could fill my raised beds with it.

Input please!

 

[desertlady]

Go for it !! can you bring some for me? Just kidding !

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's great stuff. My neighbor brought me two front end loaders full of the stuff this year, though it is not all 100% composted. I just throw the chunks in a pile to age and use the rest.

I would not use it by itself as topsoil in a raised bed. It does not have the texture you need for moisture control. It also does not have enough weight to hold the roots tight enough to support several plants in the wind, especially taller plants. I'd suggest putting a layer of maybe 4" to 5" thick and them mixing that in with your other soil.

That stuff will have a lot of seeds in it so be prepared for that. The stuff I get has burdock and lots of grass seeds. I still consider it the mother load.

 

[jhook1997]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Congrats on that great score!

I was just talking to a farmers wife yesterday who said that they had top dressed their entire lawn with a couple inches of composted manure. She said that the grass grew beautifully and looked amazing, however, when it rained, it really held the moisture and then you couldn't walk or ride on it with the mower because is was like a big sponge.

 

[Nyboy]

Lucky I just paid $100 for a truck full.

 

[momofdrew]

you need to share a bit of your harvest as a thanks for the great gift of pooooop