If you've got a bag of Puckamuck and you're wondering where to use it, you're in the right place.
Puckamuck is well-rotted, peat-free horse manure and soil conditioner that adds valuable organic matter to your garden soil. But which plants particularly enjoy well-rotted horse manure?
From vegetables and roses to fruit bushes and established garden plants, there are plenty of places where Puckamuck can be put to good use.
Which vegetables like well-rotted horse manure?
Many hungry vegetable crops benefit from soil that has been enriched with plenty of organic matter.
Vegetables that can benefit from well-rotted horse manure include:
Potatoes – Adding well-rotted manure to the soil can help improve soil structure and create good growing conditions.
Courgettes and pumpkins – These hungry plants appreciate rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of organic matter.
Squash – Like pumpkins and courgettes, squash can benefit from well-conditioned soil.
Sweetcorn – Another hungry crop that appreciates fertile, moisture-retentive ground.
Cabbages, broccoli and other brassicas – Preparing the soil with well-rotted manure before planting can help improve its condition.
Runner beans – Organic matter can be particularly useful for improving moisture retention in the soil.
Do tomatoes like horse manure?
Tomatoes are hungry plants, but it's important not to overdo rich organic material.
Well-rotted manure can be incorporated into the soil when preparing a bed for tomatoes, but once the plants are growing and producing fruit they will have their own feeding requirements.
Think of Puckamuck primarily as a soil conditioner rather than a replacement for every type of plant feed.
Do roses like well-rotted horse manure?
Roses are another popular choice for gardeners using well-rotted horse manure.
Puckamuck can be used to add organic matter to the soil around established roses or as a mulch around them.
When mulching, leave a little space immediately around the stems rather than piling the material directly against the plant.
What about flowers and garden borders?
Puckamuck isn't just for the vegetable patch.
Well-rotted horse manure can be useful in established flower beds and borders where the soil would benefit from additional organic matter.
It can be worked into the soil when you're preparing a bed or applied to the surface as a mulch.
This is particularly useful if your soil is difficult to work, dries out quickly or simply needs a bit of TLC.
Can I use Puckamuck around fruit bushes?
Established fruit bushes can also benefit from organic matter being added to the surrounding soil.
A surface mulch can help improve the soil while also helping it retain moisture.
Again, avoid piling mulch directly against stems or trunks.
Are there any plants that don't like horse manure?
This is an important question because more isn't always better in gardening.
Some plants naturally prefer poorer, freer-draining soil and don't need heavily enriched conditions.
Mediterranean herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme and sage, for example, generally prefer relatively lean, well-drained soil, so they aren't where we'd be piling on lots of rich manure.
It's also worth being careful when sowing seeds or planting very young seedlings. Rather than putting them directly into rich manure, use an appropriate growing medium for germination and young plants.
And remember that individual plants have different growing requirements. If you're unsure, check the requirements of the particular plant before adding any soil conditioner.
How much Puckamuck should I use?
Wondering when is the best time to use it? Read our guide to when you should put horse manure on your garden for advice throughout the gardening year.
If you're mixing Puckamuck with your existing garden soil, our general recommendation is approximately:
20% Puckamuck to 80% existing soil.
If you're using Puckamuck as a mulch, a layer approximately 1.5–2 inches deep can be spread over the surface.
There's usually no need to completely replace your existing garden soil. The idea is to improve and condition what you've already got.
Why does adding organic matter matter?
Healthy soil is at the heart of a healthy garden.
Adding well-rotted organic matter can help improve soil structure and moisture retention, creating better conditions for roots and the many organisms living within your soil.
And worms can help do some of the work for you, gradually incorporating organic material into the soil.
So, where should I use Puckamuck?
Think vegetable beds, allotments, roses, fruit bushes, established flower borders and other areas where the soil would benefit from additional organic matter.
Puckamuck is well-rotted, peat-free horse manure and soil conditioner that's ready to use around the garden.
So rather than letting your soil become tired after season after season of growing, give it a little Puckamuck.
Your plants – and your worms – might just thank you for it!
Happy growing!
Puckamuck – proper muck for proper gardens.