How to use Horse Manure in the Garden

Horse manure makes an extremely good soil improver for the garden. Often combined with stable bedding and allowed to rot down for a couple of years, horse manure is perfect for digging into planting holes or spreading onto the surface of bare soil. Fresh manure mustn’t be used directly on the garden as it can actually remove nutrients from the soil and scorch plants, but it can be added to compost heaps.

Horse manure is the waste (excrement) that comes from horses. It’s often mixed with stable bedding. In stables, the floors are covered with a layer of organic material to absorb the waste that horses produce. Bedding material varies and may be straw, elephant grass (Miscanthus), wood shavings, pulp or pellets. If sourcing manure direct from a local supplier, find out the type of bedding material used, as this affects how long the manure should be left to rot down before using.

Horse manure is good for gardens because it contains nutrients that help to feed ornamental plants, fruit and vegetable crops. Rotted or composted manure combined with horse bedding is high in organic matter, which acts like a sponge in the soil, holding on to nutrients and water for plants to use, and improving the structure of all types of soil. Horse manure is often regarded as more nutritious than garden compost as it’s likely to contain more nutrients and organic matter, however this is a broad generalisation as compost quality varies, depending on the type of waste material and composting method used.

When using horse manure, ensure it’s well rotted or composted, and at least six months old. If the horse bedding is wood-based, manure should be