pig manure

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jane E
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I have some beautifully crumbly well rotted pig manure, which I have been using as a mulch on my flower borders. Am I right in thinking that the copper in pig feed would make it undesirable for using on my veg. plot? Does anyone have a definitive answer to this?
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richard p
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cant be many folk on here aware that pig food is high in copper :D however it wont be a problem on the garden used normally. next door used to have thousands of pigs so we are familiar with the product :D
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Johnboy
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Hi Jane,
Just to clarify the situation what dose the analysis on the feed bag say. How much copper?
I suspect that it may be a trace element and no more.
If that is the case I would use it. I use pig manure on my comfrey and it thrives.
JB.
jane E
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Thanks Johnboy. It is a trace. Someone said to me that I wouldn't be able to use it on fruit and veg., but if you with your experience have not heard this, I suspect I'll be OK. It seems a shame to waste it. It's over a year old and originates from an indoor spell from my first pigs. It's as crumbly as horse manure and goes on as a mulch beautifully. My pigs are inside at the moment because I got them in the cold weather. Perhaps next year at this time, it'll be their manure I'm using!
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Geoff
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I know she is yet another recent convert to veg growing but Pippa Greenwood's preferred manure is pig if that is any help.
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Johnboy
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Hi Geoff,
Dr Pippa Greenwood is the most qualified of all the gardening broadcasters now and any of those in the past. Many years ago she ran a vegetable programme based in Birmingham which was very good. If she had been chosen instead of the ubiquitous Monty Don the Gardening World programme would be meaningful instead of a load of 'old pony'.
JB.

Jane E,
Pig manure got it's bad name back in the days of swill feeding but now Pigs are vegetarian by law nowadays the hullabaloo should have faded by now but somehow like 'whatsit' it sticks! I especially use pigs manure to dose my Comfrey once a year. I use pigs slurry. I also have several tons of it ready to go out on the land shortly. Because of the stench we only spread enough that can be ploughed in within four hours and is never left spread over night.
If yours is a friable as you say there should be no odour. Use it and enjoy the enhanced produce it will give you.
JB.
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