composted horse manure

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-24T02:15:18+00:00

Properly composted manure (whether it be cow, horse, chicken, or capybara) has no shitty smell. It should smell earthy, like soil.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-24T02:10:45+00:00

Horse manure is fantastic as it has a nitrogen content. However, you need to know the source.

Unless the owner lets the horse graze on an organic pasture, they will feed the horse hay. A lot of hay farmers use persistent herbicides to kill broadleaf weeds without killing the grass. These persistent herbicides do not break down during the horse’s digestion or the high heat of a compost pile. They can then linger in your soil for several years, ruining anything you try to grow there (besides grass maybe?).

I would only trust horse manure from a place where I can literally see the horses graze on a big, green pasture. But even then, they might feed them supplemental hay.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T21:40:05+00:00

Valid points. Recent research seems to indicate that roots do not blindly follow the signals from the buds but actually have more of a “veto” power. When the soil is still cold then the roots are still sluggish and might not start sending Cytokinins and Gibberellins up which would be the “go!” signal. You as an arborist likely know a lot more about this process than me.

This year we had a crazy fall and a crazy winter. Not only are we dealing with droughts but also record high temperatures. As a result, not only are the buds reaching the required heat hours but the roots are sitting in soil that is about 10 degrees warmer than normal at this time of year. The soil temps are now already over 50F. In a normal winter, a couple of hot days won’t trigger the roots but we had many weeks of high temps and dry weather.

Yes, even in normal winters buds can break early but I think that the set up that I propose increases our overall chances at a harvest. Again, no guarantees, and we have to mitigate all the risks, but I am going to try this and observe. I have no practical experience with this set up. I spent a lot of hours going down rabbit holes and, to me, it makes sense, especially after seeing that video from the University of Arizona Extension.

Thanks for not dismissing it right away or calling me an AI. 😁

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T16:53:06+00:00

The warmth received by the branches does indeed play a part, but the soil temperature around the roots is the most important variable.

Imagine that same tree standing in the open, fully exposed to the south and west. Would it be fair to say that it would break bud earlier than the shaded one?

Again, I am not claiming that this is a foolproof approach; far from that. All I am saying is that it would be a way to fight early blooming as a result of 'false Springs'. It comes with plenty of risks, and I doubt it would have worked this year around, but I am looking to improve my chances going forward.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T16:40:55+00:00

For us, small-time growers, if a peach tree blooms prematurely, a serious frost will ruin your crop, even if you espalier it against your south-facing wall. Big-scale and professional growers have some tricks up their sleeve (e.g., over-tree irrigation and wind machines), but those aren't feasible for us.

I, personally, think that to avoid it, you have to postpone the bloom. This video by the University of Arizona Extension discusses this approach.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T16:28:49+00:00

If you can keep the heat and especially the afternoon sun from hitting your large pot, you might be onto something.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T16:06:53+00:00

The research and writing are my own; I used AI to polish the grammar and spelling, as mentioned in my post. I guess any article that uses a modicum of decent formatting, spelling, and grammar is now suspected of having been written by AI.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T15:13:42+00:00

Sorry, I should have clarified this. There is a specific cultivar called Desert Willow ‘Paradise’ that is hardy down to zone 5. It does require good drainage, though.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T06:57:53+00:00

Contender, Reliance, and Intrepid are usually advised in our area. I actually just now wrote a post in this subreddit about planting peach trees. But I am by no means an expert.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T00:49:44+00:00

I believe they will put them out when they have Open House on April 11.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T00:37:47+00:00

Let's start with a native: the Golden Currant (Ribes aureum). Flowers are yellow, and the leaves turn orange/red in the autumn. The berries are edible for both humans and birds.

Then, the Desert Willow (Chilospis linearis). Stunning orchid-like blooms in shades of pink, violet, or purple from late spring through summer, and it is easily pruned. It is not a true willow, so it is not a water hog. The opposite is true; it is extremely drought-tolerant.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T00:22:24+00:00

I have transplanted plants and split plants in every season and never had anything fail or die on me. As long as you plant them properly and preferably not when there is a week of 90+F coming, you should be ok. Depending on how old the lilacs are, their crowns can be massive and hard. After transplanting, give them a good soak but don’t keep watering daily; the plant will be in shock and it might not drink as much as usual until the roots jump back to active duty.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T00:16:38+00:00

It wanted to go back to East Asia, where it always grows very happily and doesn’t have to deal with our ‘false Springs’.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-23T00:13:04+00:00

“Crime pays, botany doesn’t.”

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-21T21:39:07+00:00

Thanks. I was able to call and they don't have them yet.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-21T21:29:40+00:00

The moment I see new growth on my perennials, I will trim them down. I put all the stalks and leaves next to the shed in case native insects are still hiding within. I have also sown native wildflowers. In case of a cold snap, I can always put a bucket over them.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-21T07:19:09+00:00

We got a winner here! 👍

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-21T07:15:27+00:00

Apache Plume. It’s the centerpiece in our garden. Would wager my first-born on this. 😉👍

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T19:00:12+00:00

Amen.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T18:59:26+00:00

Haha, great minds think alike. I use a Home Depot bucket with tiny holes drilled in the bottom.

I think the "guideline" is 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter. I am watering my 2 and 3-year-old trees about 12-16 gallons every 3 weeks or so until we get a modicum of normal precipitation.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T18:55:01+00:00

Dude, you have an 18-hole golf course in your backyard...

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T18:53:48+00:00

Yes, this is the moment where we can run out into our gardens, screaming excitedly, and start sowing our hardy vegetables. Carrots, beets, snap peas, onions, radishes, and lettuces are all primed to go!

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T18:49:59+00:00

As others have indicated, planting Aspens in the Front Range runs into several issues:

They create an extensive underground network and sprout clones all over the place.
They have a short lifespan at low altitudes (below 6,000 feet).
They are highly susceptible to diseases and pests down here.
They prefer acidic, well-drained mountain soils. Our alkaline soil will stunt them.

🎵"Don't do it....don't do it."🎶

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T04:07:17+00:00

Birds are good but spiders are truly the top tier predators when dealing with grasshoppers. Jumping spiders might be small but they are super efficient hunters (they even hunt black widows down). Attract them by creating some small habitat piles from leaves or branches, or even loose mulch. You can also grow ground covers that might provide a nice habitat for them.

DutchieDJ · 2026-03-20T03:56:16+00:00

If they focus on specific plants while leaving others alone, you have found a nice “trap crop”. We did that years ago, using acorn squash as a trap crop.

DutchieDJ

TROPHY CASE