Ms Marple Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 We have just emptied most of a large compost bin that I use for chicken poo and NEdzbedz bedding. It looks very crumbly and dark but smells strongly of ammonia. Can I dig it into this year's vegetable beds or is it too late? Very amateur at this stuff so all advice welcome. We are not sure whether to experiment with it or leave it to put on the beds in autumn, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I'd use it. dig a trench about a spade and a half deep put the muck into the bottom then cover with the soil from the next trench as you would if double digging. I'm still mucking my allotment beds with 18 month - 2 year old farm yard muck that still has straw in it which I'm hoping will help to hold moisture I'm only digging a spade deep through any deeper and I'm in to sub soil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Chicken manure is 'hot' - so it needs to rot down for quite a while. You can use it around established shrubs, but it will burn any tender seedlings and you can't sow directly into it. I'd either rot it down for a bit longer, or use it as sjp suggests, so it's not in contact with anything too delicate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 We use the bark chippings that have been in the runs as a mulch around our raspberries and in the bottom of our potato trenches. They hold the moisture well in our sandy soil but we do get more scab on the potatoes as a result of the change in PH. They can be used as a mulch around anything quite robust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Not sure if you are already, but would be better if you mix the chicken bedding with other green rubbish (grass clippings, veg peelings etc etc) as that will help as well, if at all possible? The chicken manure will really help breakdown the green waste, and vice verser. Stir regularly (every few months if possible) and you should get a good compost that will be ready quicker - say 6-8 months depending on what you want to use it for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I'd use it now - either dig it in or as a mulch round robust things like soft fruit, and as has been said, keep it away from soft tender leafy things to avoid scorch. I've just dug 2 bins into our veg beds - another 4 to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
