Gardening with muck heaps

[Lacuna]

I'm trying to circulate 2/3 muck heaps with my two ponies.

At the moment I've left one alone for about 3 months soo far and have added some spoiled hay (mud and hay mulchy mess really), but no more muck since November. I was hoping to plant something on it but can't decide what. Its in a relatively shady spot, north facing so would anyone have thoughts about what I can put in there.

 

[rextherobber]

I stick a few marrows/courgettes in, it's a bit too shady really but they do ok

 

[honetpot]

I used to put my heap in bins made of pallets, lined with plastic, this keeps the heat in. I also used to stand on the bins to compress it and water it if dry. The quickest to rot down is chopped rape, aubiose, hemp or straw pellets. They only take about three months. I used to deep litter aubiose and just spread it on the garden, to a depth of about six inches, the worms just take it down.
I have a large heap now that is stacked, and when its taken away about the bottom three feet is completely rotted, which takes about six months. If you are planting into it don't underestimate how dry the heap gets.

 

[Spottyappy]

We have successfully grown potatoes and sweetcorn in ours.

 

[SEL]

Squash and pumpkin like rotted horse poo

 

[GSD Woman]

Timely thread for me. I'm turning over my muck/compost bin and will use the finished stuff in the raised bed I'm making. I have had tomatoes pop up in a shady muck heap in the past.

 

[Highmileagecob]

If you are using it straight-as-it-comes from the heap, it may be a bit too rich for most plants. It is usually added to poor soil to add nutrients. Rhubarb, pumpkins and squash, potatoes possibly courgettes will all do ok, other plants may produce loads of leaf but not much in the way of fruit or flowers.

 

[missmatch]

Spotty Dotty - Podophyllim loves shade and rich soil. She’s also a beautiful plant.
Dropteris, hellebores. Lamium and persicaria will also thrive there.