Posted by ChrisinMO on May 12, 2009 at 11:53:16 from (75.120.189.146):
In Reply to: Best manure choice?? posted by bruster on May 12, 2009 at 11:28:10:
Sorry that I don't know where you're located.
As for manure, you're going to get weed seeds in any and all of it, especially if fresh. Composting the manure can help, especially if you can get the compost pile really heated up well. I've used manure in compost, even when I knew there would be weed problems. I figured that the enhanced fertility was worth the trade off on weeds. The only requirement is to make sure to stay on top of the weeds as soon as they germinate. Let them get going and they'll make a crop of their own.
Something you can do about the clay, to some degree, is planting cover crops. Buckwheat is known to smother weeds and I've heard that it also helps loosen up compacted soils. Sweet clover can really break up hard pans, especially if you let it get growing the second year and only till it in after full bloom. The best way to handle soil compaction in a garden is to add organic matter and then don't fool with the soil any more than necessary. The earthworms and bacteria, et al, will loosen things up in due time as long as you keep them fed.
There are some things you can add to the soil in place of manure, without all the weed problems. Mulching with grass clippings will help smother weeds and add fertility to your garden. Mulching with shredded leaves in the fall will protect the soil in winter and gradually rot into the soil, enriching it. If you don't have a shredder, just spread the leaves on the garden and till it in during the fall to keep the wind from blowing them away.
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