Horse manure, what do I need to do ?

[fitzsie]

A good meaning friend gave me four bags of horse manure for the garden. When I had a look at it ,I found that a lot of it was mixed with wood shavings of different sizes. Some of it was straight from the fields so no shavings at all.
What should I do with them as have never used this on a garden before?
I have fruit bushes including rhubarb. I also have a greenhouse which is in sun throughout the whole day and the soil is very fine and dusty as a result. ( Not been looked after by previous owner). Can I use any of the manure for the greenhouse ?

Any tips appreciated.

PS I have managed to separate some of the manure from a lot of the shavings as I'm sure I read it doesn't rot down very quickly.

[fitzsie]

[Digeroo]

Wood shavings can take some time to rot down and is supposed to take nitrogen from the soil.  I use this kind of stuff for my paths.  The horsy bits wash down and the plants beside the paths seem to love it, and the shavings prevent the weeds germinating. 

[goodlife]

You can use it almost anywhere you like it... Rhubarb would love it as well as fruit bushes, and you only have to load it on soil surface and let the nature do rest of it 
You are right...shavings are slow to rot down, but as long as they are used as mulch and not dug into soil, they are not that big issue..just look bit 'odd'.
If you want to use your manure in GH borders....just load it on surface....make sure you water it VERY thoroughly and cover it all with plastic/cardboard..it will rot down over winter and rest of it you can, if you feel need for it, dig in early spring...ready for planting ...just keep checking that the manure is kept moist under covers and it will soon turn into 'good stuff'.

[chriscross1966]

I'm with goodlife on this, horse manure isn't anythng like as "strong" as pig or cow so it can be used straight away as a mulch, especially at this time of year. Woodshavings is good in one way, a lot of the straw bedding seems to be contaminated with weedkiller and can give some plants (especially tomatoes, beans and potatoes) a hard time before it fades (takes a couple or three years if you get it, it's a pest)... I'd be spreading it straight on there as a mulch for things lie rhubarb, asparagus once it dies down, raspberries etc... once we've had some rain then the winter brassicas would be a good place to put it.... you could also make a winter salad warmbed if you have a cold-frame spare and fancy digging a hole.... go down about a foot, pack it with your fresh horse poo, put a couple of inches of soil on it and cover with a cold frame, sow it with winter-hardy lettuces, spring onions and pretty much anything that's green and leafy, even things like fennel... treat it as a source of salad leaves through the winter, the manure will keep the temperature up a few degrees the whole way through.... you need to keep an eye on watering as the frame will keep it drier than normal....

[fitzsie]

Thanks guys, guess I know what I'll be doing this week !

Love the idea of the old frame. Haven't got one at mo, had planned on getting one next year so something to think about next winter.

cheers everyone