Hi Allan Chicken litter is strong on nitrogen so it will make any crop you plant grow rapidlyand hence prone to insect attack . Before spading in spread some humic powder over chicken manure and also spray with some molasses. This will soak up some of the excess nitrogen and hold it for next year. Humic powder is a good alternative if you are low on compost. if you are able to mix it with the chicken litter it will allow you to spread the litter further. Cheers Tony Robinson New Zealand ----- Original Message ----- From: "A Balliett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2002 10:09 PM Subject: Incorporating Manures During the Growing Season
> I probably need someone to slap me silly on this one, but maybe not. > > I'm managing a 163 share CSA this season and, for a variety of > reasons, have been operating with a compost deficit all season. Now > we're coming to plantingtime for the fall crops and I'm wondering > about incorporating all that beautiful chicken litter that's accrued > in the coop since this spring in beds before planting. > > As you know, my motto has always been 'compost, compost, and more > compost,' but this year it's gone faster than I can make it plus a > friend here in VA is growing circles around me thanks (in part, I'm > sure) o the poop he incorporated last fall > > What say? I'm talking maybe two pickup loads into two 400 sq ft > raised beds, spraying with BC and Field Spray, spading in, and > letting it sit for, say 3 weeks before planting brassica's into it. > > It's the devil talking, I'm sure, but I can find the time to > incorporate the litter but am not likely to find the time to make an > appropriate compost stack out of it until the fall. > > Advice, please. > > Thanks > > -Allan > >
