This Week in the Garden: Your Questions Answered, Week of April 20
Question:
I’m getting my vegetable garden ready, can I add manure?
Answer:
Manure can be used as a soil amendment in the home garden, which helps improve soil structure and drainage, adds organic matter, and provides some nutrients. However, do not apply fresh manure in the spring. When applying fresh manure where you are growing edible crops, application should be made about 4 months in advance, meaning fall is a great time to apply fresh manure.
Composted or aged manure can be spread now. It is best to wait a least one month before planting crops so the microbial activity it stimulates won’t interfere with seed germination. Composted manure is defined as manure that has undergone the composting process, in which microorganisms decompose biodegradable organic matter under aerobic conditions (in the presence of oxygen).
Learn more:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/…/using-manure-in-the…
Have a question of your own?
Reach out—we may feature it in an upcoming post!
You can reach Julie, your local horticulture educator at 262-741-4958 or julie.hill@wisc.edu or use our online form: go.wisc.edu/PlantQ