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FAQ #13381

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We have a garden plot with sandy soil and want to amend the soil to retain more moisture. A local racetrack will provide well-rotted manure if we haul it away. Can horse manure infect our vegetables with a disease that will make us sick if we eat them? How do we tell if the manure is well rotted, and what will it do to the vegetables if it is too fresh?

Related resource areas: Gardens, Lawns & Landscapes

Compost is the gardener's black gold. Well-rotted manure is an excellent additive, and vegetables grown in it will not make anyone sick. Always wash any produce before eating, and wash hands after working in the garden.

Well-rotted manure smells like humus or rich dirt. If the manure is too fresh, it will be full of viable weed seeds and smell like ammonia. The weed seeds will sprout in your garden. Your vegetable plants will grow very tall because they are getting lots of nitrogen; they may produce more leaves than vegetables.

Put down about 2 to 4 inches of well-rotted manure per season.

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