Market Farming

["Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>]

>Contacted the stable where dd takes riding lessons.  Their manure/sawdust
>piles are 3-5 years old.  Now I'm wondering if the nutrients haven't
already
>leached out & microbial activity deceased.  I could have it tested.
>
>Liz
>Morningstar Gardens
>Pollocksville, NC
--


    Plain sawdust has few plant nutrients in it anyway. It's real value is
that it feeds microorganisms. The byproduct of their feeding is humus, which
contributes to soil tilth, but only after a looong time. On the other hand,
the nutrients contributed by the horse manure are probably still there for
the most part.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center