Manure envy
It’s funny what you start to covet when you become a gardener. Rather like when you move into your first home and you get excited about the arrival of the shiny new washing machine. No? Come on . . . . oh OK, that was just me then. But I bet there aren’t many gardeners out there that haven’t got excited at the sight of their own home made compost.
It wasn’t until I got my allotment 2 years ago that the quest for organic matter, and lots of it, really started. The problem I’ve found is there is never enough of the stuff. I have 2 compost heaps which take waste from the garden, the plot and any kitchen waste but it’s not enough by any stretch.
On allotments, manure has always been the organic matter of choice. My allotment site has an area of hard-standing where a local stable owner drops off bags of horse manure. It’s tends to be pretty fresh stuff and deliveries are quickly snapped up, barrowed off to plots where they await a degree of rotting before application. The amount of time allowed for rotting depends on the plot holder, with some of them pretty much putting it on in its raw, and very smelly, state. The whiff sometimes can be pretty overwhelming.
This summer’s awful weather though has meant fewer site visits and manure acquisitions and the spring and summer deliveries had built up so much that manure lady has stopped coming. Some of the pile that had built up had been there for a while and was really good stuff, well-rotted and with no hint, or whiff, of its origin. I spent some time back in September making inroads into the untouched manure. Occasionally I would get deep enough down to discover a seam of rich black matter which was quickly exploited. It was surprising how little of my plot I had managed to mulch, though. So last week, after clearing some more beds of spent crops I headed over to the pile, only to discover it had been raided. There was now only enough left for a few barrow-loads.
An empty manure pile
Persistent rain has turned quite a bit of the plot into a muddy mess and it was a slippery business transporting the manure from the pile to my plot. The grip on my wellies is so worn I was sliding all over the place. It’s also not wise to fill a wheelbarrow too full, especially when your centre of gravity is lower than most. A nifty little turning manoeuvre and the weight of the barrow nearly pulled me over into what was left of the manure pile.
Each trip took me past a fellow plotholder’s personal pile of manure. Hidden under a blue tarpaulin is a heap of truly wondrous stuff. Black, crumbly organic matter. Where he got it from initially and how long it has been there I don’t know, but when I first took on my plot, and was told about the communal manure pile, I was warned under no circumstances should I mistake the manure under the blue sheet for the communal pile. The ‘black gold’ was precious stuff and he would not be happy if anyone else helped themselves to it. And so the coveting began. I’ve got manure envy. The only time I’ve seen stuff look this good was at Charles Dowding’s farm.
Now the communal pile is bare I’ll have to look elsewhere for mulching material. I’m sure deliveries will start again at some point but this will be raw and not well-rotted. There is an alpaca farm about a 15 minute drive away and I have heard that it makes particularly good manure which doesn’t need a long time to rot down before it can be used on the ground, some even say it can be used fairly fresh without damaging plants. The problem is we don’t have a trailer and I don’t want the car to stink of alpaca poo; I fear it is a smell that would be hard to shift.
It’s not just a new source of organic matter that I’m now looking out for. Friday was a sad day as I discovered my wellies of seven years have sprung a leak. Hosing them down after a squelchy visit to the plot, the tell-tale sign of the wet sock inside told me it was time for a new pair. They’ve served me well and will remain in the shed for outdoor paint jobs but their days on the plot are numbered as I search for their replacement.
We have stables nearby who are only too grateful to offload some of their ‘compost’. It’s good stuff too, well rotted, and there’s no problem transporting it in the car as it doesn’t give off any whiff at all. There’s loads of designer wellies out there on the market now, I wonder what you’ll opt for.
I’m looking for some that are smart enough, well initially anyway, to wear into town if wet but practical enough for the plot.
Good homemade compost or well-rotted animal manure spread over the allotment beds is the equivalent for me of linen sheets washed, dried in the sun, ironed.and spread over the bed I sleep in. I get an equal amount of pleasure from both activities and a feeling of complete nourishment at so many levels. So yes I really recognise your manure envy.
Oh I so agree. The pleasure of bedding drying in a gentle breeze and that lovely fresh smell and then the lovely neat look to allotment beds that have their own duvet of manure/compost.
We are lucky living in the country, as we have a livery stable just up the hill from where we live and can help ourselves to well rotted 3 yr old manure which doesn’t smell at all. I suppose we ought to go more often, but plants grow so well in the heavy clay that we usually leave it a few years between visits. Hope you manage to find another source for your allotment, even if it comes from an alpaca !
We’re rural too but I don’t know of any stables not being a horse rider. I’ve found some on the internet though that are local so I just need to give them a ring.
I applaud your persistence in retrieving the last scraps of manure for your beds! Although I have readily available well rotted horse poo to collect from my local city farm, I vividly remember visiting a friend’s allotment where there’s a 15 foot high wall of rich, dark brown leaf mould/compost for the plot holders’ use. Trust me, that’s a sight to strike envy into the heart of any gardener! The plots back onto a private mansion in Highgate and the house gardeners chuck all their grass clippings and leaf sweepings over the fence, thereby creating the wonder wall. Needless to say, there’s a very long waiting list for those plots!
You also have my deepest sympathies for the plight of your wellies; my treasured neoprene-lined wellies have also just split after 6 years of service; i’m going to patch them up as I despair of finding a suitable replacement…
Now that is compost envy. 15 ft high, you’d need crampons to scale that
Extreme compost retrieval. It certainly seems like there are a lot of new wellies needed, having read the comments here.
Oh WW – slippery paths must be the bane us of allotmenteers everywhere – just getting to my plot at the moment has become an extreme sport. Good luck with the manure search. Sad to read about the plight of your wellies – hope that you can find satisfactory replacements imminently. Perhaps you could eventually plant up your old wellies and give them a place of honour on your plot as they have served you well
I slipped in the garden yesterday, one leg went one way and the other another. I stayed upright fortunately but think I might have pulled a muscle around my rib cage.
I like the idea of planting up the wellies. Wonder what I could put in them? Will give that some thought over winter
I so would share out of my compost pile! It just got a good stir from the husband and that beautiful black gold came to the surface. With the addition of the horse and donkey to the property, I have been wheeling poo of that origin to the pile. Oh, it will be a good mix by Spring!
And so sorry about your Wellies, I lost my favorite garden shoes this Spring (the sole came right off one foot) this Spring, and I have yet to find a suitable replacement. I have put a colorful pair of Wellies on my Christmas list this year. Just maybe I will be looking stylish for the garden in the Spring.
Hi Stacey, Sounds like your manure pile is amazing stuff. Maybe you could airfreight me some
I hate it when I get so attached to a piece of clothing or footwear that is comfortable and then it falls apart. Trying to find a replacement isn’t always easy. My new wellies will be my birthday present and not long to wait, fortunately.
Snap! My short gardening boots have split too. I DO understand the compost lust and you’re right there is never enough! Christina
What do you do for organic matter there? Is it easy to come by?
Uncovering our first batch of crumbly home-made compost was very satisfying. Even if it was an unwitting source of thousands of borage seedlings, oops.
I had to replace my wellies recently too after mine had some rather terminal holes. My new ones are much more robust, but amazingly comfy.
Can I ask what make? I’m thinking of more Hunters as they’ve served me so well but always on look out for recommendations.
Heh, well having only had diy-centre cheap boots before, I did a bit of reading around to find something more durable without breaking the bank, and found that welly-selection was a bit of a quagmire!
Eventually found some Superlite Field Mid-Cut boots for a bargainous £25 on ebay. They’re another beast entirely from previous boots – very lightweight and robust, roomy – plenty of space for thick socks and tucking in trousers – and easy to slip on and off, though they look (to me) massive.
Thanks I’ll look into it.
Loved reading this. As for finding another source of manure, are there any sheep farmers in the area? Sheep manure is some of the best fertilizer around, can be used right away, AND it smells less than other manures because the sheep use the sulfur (which is part of the cause of the stink) to make their wool. (How neat is that?) Yes, I’m biased, but the stuff really is great!
Thanks for that tip. We’re not short of sheep here in Wales. The problem is more whether you can get a farmer to deliver it for you and for how much. I didn’t know that about the sulphur, fascinating.
Homesickness is a strange thing. I live in the middle east now, where soil is a luxury, let alone compost. I don’t miss gardening as much as i expected, but you have made me homesick – for compost! Oh, how I loved the duty and beauty of turning garden and kitchen waste into that wonderful black crumbly magic potion. Even evicting the slow-worms from their warm repose was a toil of pleasure! Enjoy every spade load, and reflect on what a luxury is a good covering of humus on our hot dry planet! Here we have plenty of hummus, but alas, ho humus.
PS – aren’t alpacas and llamas different beasties!?
I believe alpacas and llamas are different creatures and have suitably corrected my faux pas.
It had been a long day.:(
Sorry to have made you homesick. Much as I love hummus I’m sure I would miss rich, crumbly soil. Soil and organic matter are fascinating and often not appreciated enough. I’m hoping for another half plot at the allotment and I’ll devote some of it to a manure pile if I can track some down.
Well enjoy the richness of the soil and all the blessings that it brings! I am off to somewhere green and wet while the muslim world celebrates Eid Al-Adha.
Chicken poo….
Says it all really!
I have used bought in chicken manure before in pelleted form which is good but not as a mulch. I don’t have a ready supply of the proper stuff either. You wouldn’t think I lived in a rural place. Still I’ve got a list of stables so I just need to give a few a ring.
I’m on the hunt for well rotted manure too! The old guys on the allotment site seem to do all the deals between themselves and ignore the rest of us. I’m joining forces with another woman on the site to get a trailer load delivered, then I can have my own pile hidden away under tarpaulin, like the rest of them do!
Wellies do seem to be in high fashion at the moment which is a bit bonkers! So you’ll have plenty of choice of colour and pattern.
The older guys might have 30 years on me but they can shift some manure.
I think I’ll go for a fairly traditional pair. They have to multi task being smart enough to wear into town if it’s wet but also practical enough for the plot.
I’m sure that you’ll be pleased to know that I found myself nodding in agreement whilst reading this post.
Like you I’m having to buy new wellies. xx
Certainly seem to be lots of people out there needing new wellies. I suppose they’ve all had a lot of wear this year.;)
This is an apology in advance as I’m writing a post on seaweed. It is one of the hard facts of life some of us have too much of something and most people don’t have enough.
I’m not sure I should add this – but I wear Muck Boots – lovely insulated robust wellies!
I’ve heard good things about muck boots and the idea of insulation appeals. I hate cold feet.
I saw loads of seaweed on holiday recently and said to Wellyman we should bring some home and then we smelt it. It was potent stuff. I think we might have passed out if we’d put it in the car.
Seaweed is definitely pungent!
I suffer from icy feet too and the muck boots have certainly helped to keep the toes snug.
I’ve just got some Superlite Air Tunnel 360 Wellies from Go Outdoors.They are very comfy and have a good grip on the sole. Have a look at Superlitewellies.co.uk