How Thick Should Cow Manure Be Spread in My Garden?

Cow manure makes an excellent fertilizer and helps amend poor soil.

Quality of Soil and Type of Plants

How thickly you spread a cow manure in your garden, or any compost, should be based on what you're fertilizing, as well as the quality of the soil you're amending. Tough, clay-filled soil will likely require more manure than soil that is already porous and rich.

All Soil Can Lose Nutrients

Even the finest soils will lose nutrients over time. Crop rotation will quickly leach the nutrients from the soil, as will microorganisms living in the dirt and long-term, personal gardening.

Bottom Line

It's a good idea to spread cow manure on your garden, to maintain the soil's fertility. According to the University of Connecticut's Animal Sciences Department, manure should be spread 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. The fertilizer should then be integrated thoroughly into the soil. If your soil is extremely poor, you can repeat the procedure a few times. It's best to spread manure in the spring and fall.

References

• University of Connecticut: How to Properly Manage Manure

Resources

• University of Minnesota: Managing Manure by Composting
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Utilization of Dairy Manure as Fertilizer