Lawns and Manure
Lawns and manure, be it poo, dung, cowpat, whatever you want to call it, manure can be a great source of nutrients to give your lawn a natural boost. There are a few golden rules to follow when using nature’s number 2’s on your lawn to avoid offensive odours and harm to your lawn.
Can I use fresh manure?
Fresh manure that is straight from animals is not suitable to use on lawns and gardens as manure holds a high level of nutrients that can burn your plants. It can contain many pathogens that may harm your lawn as well as a more potent odour. If you happen to be able to find fresh manure, best to wait at least 6 months before spreading it.
Watering manure in
After you have applied manure or a pellet manure product, give the lawn a good watering. This will help the manure get into the soil profile where it can be used by your lawn.
The best time to apply manure
The best time to apply this is just after you have given the lawn a mow, giving the pellets more time to break down over a longer time period before the next mow. However, if the lawn is due for its next mow but the pellets are still visible, leave the catcher off the mower.
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| Chicken and poultry manure
Chicken manure contains a high amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that is great for supporting root development and new green leaf growth in lawns. If you happen to have a few chickens at home and are wanting to spread their manure out onto the lawn and garden, it is best to compost it first for at least 6 months. Dynamic Lifter If you don’t have any chickens, Dynamic Lifter is a chicken manure product that can be picked up at your local garden centre that has already been aged and is in a pellet form. |
Goat and sheep manure
Goat and sheep manure are both becoming popular options to use. Similar to chickens they contain a good amount of nitrogen to help support new green leaf growth but have less of an odour than cow and horse manure. They both excrete dry pellets that are easy to collect and usually don’t attract bugs and insects like other manure. Some local farmers may let you use and collect this manure from their farm. It is best to either give them a call beforehand or have a chat with them in person to see if they are happy for you to use it. Make sure you have a bucket and spade handy! However, if you aren’t lucky enough to have a farm nearby, both goat and sheep manure can be bought at your local garden centre or hardware shop.
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Horse manure
Although horse manure is one of the smellier manure options, it is readily available from farmers and horse stables. It doesn’t contain as many nutrients as sheep and poultry, however it is still a good option if available. With horse manure, it is even more important to make sure it has aged as it can carry seeds that are still able to grow when put on a lawn or garden bed. This is because a horse only has one stomach chamber to process its food. Other animals like cows and sheep have multiple stomach chambers allowing them to process food better. So, to help stop the spread of weeds from horse manure, make sure it has aged in a hot compost before applying it to the lawn. |
Cow manure
Cow manure does have a lower nutrient level compared to other manures and can be a more odorous option. Although it doesn’t contain as many nutrients, it is a good all-round soil conditioner.
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Dynamic Lifter ready-to-use pellets contain a good amount of phosphorous which is great for further root establishment and development in lawns.
When using Dynamic Lifter, it is best to use it when the lawn does not need to be mown as frequently, so the cooler months are best.
You can find more information on fertilising options to use on your lawn here.
