Manure as a medium?

Hey, i live in the uk and have recently finished digging out a grow patch fit for 26-35 plants. The soil in my area is PACKED with clay (countless blood blisers digging it lol), so i decied iwas going to use very little, if any of it as a medium for my plants...

Now, i know how to compost organic matter, and i'm familiar with what nutrients cannabis needs and when, but im still stumped. I have access to plenty of fresh cut grass, weeds ect to compost, but even more horse and cow manure!

Simply, my question is how much composted manure can i use in my organic mix without burning the plant roots? Is it possible to use composted manure as a medium?

Thanks guys!

Mr Spock said:

Is it possible to use composted manure as a medium?

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I would assume that composted manure would not work alone as a medium for marijuana -- the ammonia and salt levels in are still huge and would kill your plant if used alone. Use it as an additive to other composted organic matter rather than the immediate medium.

My two cents, friend -- pasturize it, get some spores, and make a mushroom patch...

Thanks man, you know i was hopping to give mushrooms a shot as my next project =) Could i use a mix of like 25% manure/castings, 60% organic compost and 15% perlite with clay pelets? (with a little bone n' blood meal when the time is right of course!)

Depends on the depth of your garden, really, I've never broken it down to percentages before but it sounds about right. I think I put about 3 inches down my first year over the entire area and I generally put down another inch or so twice a year now.

If you've got that much clay then definately use perlite, pelets, and peat moss if you can get it in there. You're going to compost the manure first right?

Yeah, manure thats been composted for a good 9 months to a year, through most weather conditions =P. I've dug out holes that are 3x3x3 (9 square feet give or take), just need to fill em with something!

An easy compost set up takes only a ten foot section of 5 or 6 foot wire fencing with 2 or 3 inch squares. Roll it into a loop and tie wire it together. Pick a shady area and bury it about a foot or so nice and level straight up. Then fill it green (grass cuttings) brown (manure, fall leaves), green, brown, etc. Keep filling it as it decomposes and compacts. In less than a year you will have perfect soil at the bottom. Clip a section open at the bottom and remove. No fuss, no muss.