Hedge Care: POULTRY MANURE

Poultry Manure is another agricultural waste product that gets a second life in our gardens.

Like Mushroom Compost it is alkaline in nature but, as untreated guano is fundamentally unpleasant, it is sold in a processed form as pellets or powder. It has the advantage of being an organic fertiliser, though does not offer the range of nutrients provided by proprietary – and synthetic -brands.

Nonetheless, it is a good source of slow-release nitrogen and can be a useful top dressing for fruit, vegetables and even lawns – though should not be used on ericaceous plants.

It is not the fertiliser of choice for hedging plants, though if you already have some, it can be mixed with regular garden compost and used as mulch. As with Mushroom Compost, it should only be used on alkaline tolerant hedging plants:

Box (Buxus sempervirens)
Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’
Euonymus fortunei Emerald n Gold
Griselinia littoralis
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lonicera (Lonicera nitida)
Photinia Red Robin (Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’)
Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Rosemary ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright
Thuja plicata atrovirens AGM
Yew (Taxus baccata)

View Our Recommended Hedges