Fresh Chicken litter on the garden

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kathy_ann Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b) Feb 05, 2009

We're getting a load of chicken litter , (filling up the back of the truck with it) fresh from the houses. Think it will be ok to put it on the garden now? Will be planting it the middle of march, but peas perhaps the first part of march.

DH thinks it will need to dry out some first. But our garden is huge and this load won't be even be enough for just a thin layer all around. Then he'll disk it in. What do you think? Safe enough to do it and then plant in 6 weeks?

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Stephen_Albert Kenwood, CA Feb 05, 2009

Raw chicken manure on garden soil is not a good idea -- especially since you are planting in a month. Raw manure releases soluble nitrogen compounds and ammonia which will burn plant roots. Let it compost for 3 to 5 months under a plastic tarp. Or add it to the compost pile. Or make it into manure tea.

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kathy_ann Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b) Feb 05, 2009

Ok, we'll do this then, thanks

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Hemental Waynesboro, MS(Zone 8a) Feb 06, 2009

I have no problem bringing in a spreader truck in Jan.and disking it in right away,however I usually plant in Apr.and May
I try not to get it in the area where early peas are planted
I have done this for 30 years and would not do otherwise as long as I have a source of litter.
What ever you do,do not let a pile of it get wet,or you will have one big mess
One year I had it put in a pile and it rained before I could spred iit in my daylily beds
It stuck to the shovel and I could not do any thing to it until I covered the pile with a load of dirt.

Post #6101370
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kathy_ann Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b) Feb 06, 2009

yuk, thanks , We are going to cover it, but I suppose we'll just let it sit till this fall cause we plant alot of our colder crops the end of feb or beginning of march around here.

Wish I had a sourc e of chicken litter all the time, this is a one time deal for us. They don't like to sell it as they use it all. I'd love to find a place around here, there are plenty of chicken houses, I may just have to shop some for some litter

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