Tammy- LOL Congratulations!

I think it's better to use aged horse manure, but it sounds like yours is partially aged. The best is when it's drying and gets flaky...can you tell I have horses and garden? :)

If you haven't tilled it in yet, you might let it dry a little first. If you've already tilled it in, don't worry. Just don't use fresh manure on plants (like spinach) that are already growing in the bed... if fresh manure gets on the leaves, it could have e-coli issues.

Great job on the garden! I can't believe how fast you're getting all this done. If it ever stops snowing, you are my inspiration :)

Thanks lavender_lass. The only thing similar to the spinach i would be growing is lettuce. But I think for this year I might just grow it in a couple of pots.I think we are pretty much done with the winter weather now. For the next week the low is to get about 40°, so thats not too bad. Most of the manure is kinda flaky, and the odor is only mild. Enough to keep my "girly" 4 yo DGD away tho,lol. She was screaming over earth worms today. I havent worked it in yet, but will prob get to it this weekend. I worked on another bed that is so dry and hard I could hardly shovel it.But I loosened up some of the top layer and then tried to work in some of the manure around my hosta's, Montauk's, and Heuchera. I looked at my terraced bed full of wild onion, and just didnt have the energy to tackle it. Thats the problem with such a big bed, its just looks too daunting. I am hoping with the w/s I can get it too full for weeds.
Tammy

Only a gardener would understand the excitement that horse manure can bring! I can understand a 4 yr dgd screaming at the icky things. My 13 yo son doesn't even like to come into the garden because there's too many gross things in it.

I hear you on the wild onion. Right now it's my best crop in the paths and perimeter beds. I have one area of the garden that is clear of it. A little at a time...I figure I have until May to get it all outta there.

I have never had this much onion before. My beds are full.
Tammy

We did the rototilling in the area that's going to be the potager...former home of the horse corral and part of the pasture. When we got to the area where the corral has been the past five years, the manure was so light and fluffy underneath it looks like compost. Even our friend who was helping us was amazed (you can always spot a gardener) LOL.

Anyway, this is too nice to keep all in one area, so I'm spreading it out in all my flowers beds, especially for the areas where I'm planting my roses. After we finish that, we'll dig it up again and rake everything out, then lay out the potager. It's a little bit of a setback, but well worth it for the great fertilizer!

lavender_lass, you should be able to grow diamonds in that soil. I have gone thru one truckload (3 dozer scoops) and waiting to get another truckload. All I have left is about a wheelbarrow full. I am transplanting w/s seedlings and a couple of scoops of manure is going into each hole. Also been redoing, and remaking some other beds with lots of manure added. These beds were just partially done, things thrown into poor soil. Not much to look at. Now they have penny black edging the front of the row, and other flowers and hosta's behind.
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Tammy

Tammy, it's so much fun to see your photos and envision the setting for your new potager. Who does your edging? It's so neat and tidy. Hubby just rented a machine to do our beds. It wasn't self-propelled so the slopes were tricky.

Thanks Laura. Thats a real compliment coming from you. WEEELLL, I didnt have any real slopes to work with, but those edgings were done by manpower, or I should say GIRL power. It was just me and a shovel. With all the gardening I have been doing the past 2 weeks, I have the hands to prove it. Darn blisters!
Tammy

Tammy- Your beds are beautiful, but I also love your arbor, fence and porch! They are so pretty. I can't wait to see more pictures :)

Thanks lavender_lass. I will try to get more posted on my blog.
TAmmy

I comaplined I was down to about a half wheelbarrel load of manure, well thanks to my son, he just went and hauled me in a trailer load of well aged horse manure again. This time 4 dozer scoops. Its a good think they just live 2 houses down from me.He said it was probably close 2 ton. Woopppieee!
Tammy