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Apr 12, 2013 3:46 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Gunny Mike Tomlinson
Yuma, AZ Elev. 100' +/- 5' (Zone 10a)
The more I learn, the less I know.
Hi All,
I am new to gardening, but now that I am totally retired I can spend time doing something that I will enjoy doing and is still productive. I have spent most of my life in one kind of uniform or another, mostly military. I have grown a few things over the years mainly by accident. Now I want to grow food. I have some small elevated beds that have a few vegies in them and are doing okay as far as I can tell.
Here is a typical beginner question. How long do I let horse manure set out in the heat before using it in the garden? And does it help to break up the road apples? I have two spots where I keep the manure. One is a great big pile and the other is a piece of open ground where I spread it out to dry. Which would be best?
GySgt USMC Retired
See what Mrs. Gunny does at: http://www.saddlesofjoy.com
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Apr 12, 2013 8:09 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Welcome! Gunny ! Sorry I cannot advise you on this issue but somewhere on ATP someone will have the answer. Smiling
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Apr 12, 2013 8:17 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Gunny you might want to try the Edibles and Preserving Forum on ATP. I bet they can answer your question and give you lots of advise on growing vegetables ! Thumbs up
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Apr 13, 2013 9:21 AM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Welcome, Gunny!

As a horse owner and gardener... Big Grin .... I put the manure directly into the soil. I am guessing that it is not a "hot" manure, like chicken or steer (at least steer seems to contain a lot of salts, which burns - I think horses mainly excrete salts in urine and sweat). As to the road apples - if you get it fresh or soak the dry manure, it's easier to break them up. Once it dries in that shape I usually just bury it down into the ground - it will break down at some point, especially if it is in an area that is being watered, like a garden. The burying I do is mostly for aesthetics and fly control, although flies will go for anything wet.

Hope this is helpful, hope to see you post a lot!
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Apr 13, 2013 11:27 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Gunny Mike Tomlinson
Yuma, AZ Elev. 100' +/- 5' (Zone 10a)
The more I learn, the less I know.
Thanks for the help. Only trouble is the burying part. Can only sink a shovel half the distance of the blade into this clay, anything deeper requires a pick. When this clay is dry its harder than stone and when wet will take the boots off your feet. Seems to be no middle ground. Did I mention heavily compacted too. Guess I'll just have to layer it to get something going. Have all kinds of bad alfalfa hay I can sandwich the manure into then again will have to wait for breakdown to happen before making a seed bed. Oh well, just another experiment to workout.
GySgt USMC Retired
See what Mrs. Gunny does at: http://www.saddlesofjoy.com
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Apr 13, 2013 1:16 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
Welcome! Gunny.

Check out the All Things Gardening and maybe the Texas forums, Dave is a master gardener and hangs out there, along with a few others that may be able to help you. There is also the Farming forum, they may have a few good ideas for you too. nodding
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Apr 14, 2013 9:43 PM CST
Name: Susie
Phoenix AZ (Zone 9a)
Southwest Gardening~ moderator/ATP.
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Level 2 Region: Southwest Gardening Roses
Birds Hummingbirder Garden Art Dog Lover Daylilies Region: United States of America
Try the "lasagna" method of breaking up the soil..... layers of cardboard and soil... repeat. Takes time but it does have a good result of breaking up the clay. Compost... oh, and get out the pick.
“Don't give up too quickly"... unknown, I heard it somewhere.
~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER
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Apr 15, 2013 8:05 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Gunny Mike Tomlinson
Yuma, AZ Elev. 100' +/- 5' (Zone 10a)
The more I learn, the less I know.
Thanks for the help. Guess I'll see what Dave has to say if I can find him. I have had some little luck with three sister plantings plantings in old solarized tires as hills using compost on the bottom and wood chips on top. So far they're doing okay. I still have some time before the main planting season starts in Sep. Now to figure out how to do this.
GySgt USMC Retired
See what Mrs. Gunny does at: http://www.saddlesofjoy.com
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Apr 15, 2013 7:41 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Greenwood Village, CO (Zone 5b)
Garden today. Clean next week.
Heucheras Bookworm Region: Colorado Garden Procrastinator Region: Southwest Gardening Container Gardener
Enjoys or suffers cold winters Sempervivums Annuals Foliage Fan Herbs Garden Ideas: Level 2
You can find him by going to a place he has posted such as:

The thread "Starting to think about building a greenhouse here" in Greenhouses forum

And either ask him a question there or click on his name and send him a tree mail.

Or go to tree mail and choose send an email on the right hand side and then just type in Dave.

That should get his attention

Good Luck with your road apples Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing
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Apr 18, 2013 12:11 AM CST
Name: Becky (Boo)
Phoenix, AZ 85022
finding joy one day at a time!
Charter ATP Member Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Art Purslane Garden Ideas: Master Level
Region: Southwest Gardening Enjoys or suffers hot summers Region: United States of America Birds Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Welcome! Gunny~ Dave will surely answer you!
ALL THINGS PLANTS ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~
MY CUBITS ~ Trust in the Lord ~
MY WEB SITE ~ Joyful Times Today
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Apr 18, 2013 4:15 PM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Oh yeah, definitely on the "lasagna method". If no one brings up that particular phrase, google it.

And, of course, raised beds might be your best bet.
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Jul 24, 2013 10:12 AM CST
Name: Crista Abel
Gilbert, Arizona
Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Hummingbirder Purslane Region: Southwest Gardening
Vegetable Grower
How's your garden going Gunny? I used to live in Yuma and we had a terrific garden down in the valley! I've since moved away and my folks moved out east of MCAS where it's all sand.....and terrible for gardening unless you have raised beds.
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Jul 25, 2013 11:34 AM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Oh, Crista - I love your avatar.
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Aug 5, 2013 10:18 AM CST
Name: Crista Abel
Gilbert, Arizona
Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Hummingbirder Purslane Region: Southwest Gardening
Vegetable Grower
Thanks Sheryl, that's my dog, Remus, and cat, Tommy. They love each other! Remus has gone blind over the past few years due to progressive retinal atrophy (like macular degeneration in humans) and Tommy has slowed his pace so that Remus can follow him.
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Aug 5, 2013 10:22 AM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
That's great, they look like true buds. And it looks like Tommy has *very* clean ears, lol....
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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