DH and I are having a sheep manure compost disaster... we used steer manure compost for most things, but then we couldn't get anymore, so I bought sheep manure compost, which I then had DH use to plant all of the berry plants we had just gotten (and unfortunately I had him use a LOT of it). Anywhooooo, it promptly killed all of the berry plants. We also sprinkled it on the top of the soil in the vegie and potato gardens (lightly), and now it seems to be adversely affecting those as well (yellowing leaves). Can anything be done to help the poor plants? Now the sheep compost has leached into the soil, so there is no "digging it out". Help!!! DH thought I knew what I was doing.. I've lost my credibility, LOL!
By the way, this was composted sheep manure, not fresh manure, so I would have thought it had had enough time to "calm down", but apparently not.
Thanks in advance,
Brenda
Compost problem, need help please!
Boy, you sure wouldn't think it could be that strong. My guess would be to water it a lot. But this hasn't hapened to me so I'm only guessing.
Thanks for the thoughts... it's so dry here right now that extra water can't really hurt. We will try.
Sound like just too fresh, most animal manure takes about a year to decompose depending on temperature
bacteria and other organisms. I never tried sheep manure though.
pajonica
Oooops, just found this thread... I remember in Spain we used goat/sheep manure because it was the next HOTTEST after chicken manure. Perhaps yours wasn't broken down quite enough....
Ultimately...what happened?
Well, we lost almost all of the berry plants that we had bought, one is still growing. Washed it through most everything else. Learned to NEVER use sheep manure compost again!
I seem to remember reading somewhere here in Dave's Garden that if sheep have grazed where a fungicide has been sprayed, the fungicide can show up in their droppings, which, in turn, will kill your veggies.
But I could be wrong...
How can a fungicide (in residual form) kill plants?... Perhaps an herbicide?
Yes - that should be "herbicide" - sorry about that :(
AH, of course. Must be a really killer herbicide. I know Round Up won't do that.
Here's a link from the Rachel Carson Council.
http://www.rachelcarsoncouncil.org/uploads/articles/AGardenerAlerttoKillerCompost11-5-08.pdf
It was the dangers of clopyralid that I read somewhere here on Daves Garden
My guess is that its the clopyralid or something like that. I used sheep manure in various states of being composted for years when we raised sheep and never had trouble with it burning stuff. Matter of fact, I had some of my best gardens ever then.
Sorry about the berry plants. I know how frustrating that is.
Kathy