All about manure . . .

WHERE CAN I GET SOME MANURE FROM?

Ah, the 64,000 dollar question! You'd think, bearing in mind it is just poo, that farmers would pay you to take it away. In fact, even back in the days when all transport was horse-drawn, demand for manure always outstripped supply. Keep your eyes peeled as you drive round the countryside, ask friends with horsey hobbies, even search the internet. But don't expect anyone to give it to you on a plate ( . . ?)

You can buy nicely graded, well-rotted manure in clean bags in garden centres. But it ain't cheap.

Brown gold - get all you can

IT SAYS IN MY BOOK NOT TO USE MANURE ON THE GROUND FRESH -
I HAVE TO KEEP IT FOR SIX MONTHS FIRST. WHY?
When manure (or poo) first leaves the animal, the chemicals in it are in a strong, concentrated form. These can burn delicate young roots, leading to damage or the death of the plant. If you leave it, covered or in a bag so the rain is kept off, those chemicals will break down naturally into a form which will feed the plant rather than harm it.

If you buy ready-bagged commercial 'farmyard manure' from the garden centre it will be ready to use. Alternatively, you can put fresh manure straight on the ground during the winter digging, so that by the time you are sowing seeds or putting plants in, the manure has already matured. This works especially well with your cabbage patch, and it's a good idea to put fresh manure on during the autumn so that you can lime the patch in spring.

If you put manure on soil where your parsnips (or indeed carrots) are going, the roots will fork and you'll get this kind of result. Thank you very much to Michelle 'Crump' Adams for this splendid illustration of why it's not a good idea to put manure on your roots patch!try parsnips on an old horse paddock.