The question is: What is good manure?
The answer Is:
Initially manure will smell like manure and obviously have straw or other bedding material in it.
When it is well rotted, composted in other words, it should not smell of manure. The straw should have gone and generally it just looks like dark, rich soil.
I use raised beds are ideal for the ‘no dig’ system.
Make the beds wide enough for you to reach across so that you do not have to walk on them.
Also make them high enough that you do not have to bend down to far.
Raised beds are a win-win situation for the’ no dig ‘method
I cover my empty beds ( I have 19 of them ) with thick grey sheets of plastic.
Doing so, helps keep the weeds down, by not letting weed seeds that are blown about by the winter winds settle on the beds. Hopefully making them be weed-free when it is time to plant in spring.
The inorganic winter covers work best for raised beds because the soil beneath the covers does not get rained on and are keep warmer because they are not open to deep frost of winter.
Organic Matter ( Farm yard Manure )
I dig organic matter into my beds every three years.
I do this because:
Organic matter provides nutrients for plants and other organisms in soil.
Organic matter also acts like a sponge, with the ability to hold water.
Soil with good structure needs input of additional organic matter.
Digging increases oxygen into the soil, which will
Speed up the breakdown of organic matter making it more available to the crop.
