Explore the pros and cons of using horse bedding pellets for composting
Composting horse bedding pellets and manure is easy to do, and is something every horse owner should be doing on a regular basis!
Find out the pros and cons of composting horse bedding pellets, the benefits of composting, the composting process, and tips to ensure successful composting.
Horses produce a lot of manure every day.
When they’re out in the paddock, nature in the shape of dung beetles and the elements generally take care of it. Manure produced by stabled horses though requires a lot more maintenance.
When you add soiled stable bedding to the mix, it can amount to many wheelbarrow loads a week.
Over time, that can add up to many piles of ‘s—‘ unless you’ve found a way to successfully recycle it. That where composting comes in. Composting stable manure and bedding reduces waste.
Furthermore, bedding materials like horse bedding pellets can significantly improve the compost and create a valuable mulch and fertiliser for gardens and farms.
Benefits of composting horse bedding pellets
Horse bedding pellets are made of compressed sawdust derived from waste timber products, and are a very good source of carbon, an essential element in the composting process.
The pellets are affordable and can be purchased at most feed stores or produce stores.
You can add them as is to your existing compost, or recycle them after they’ve done a stint as horse bedding! Either way, using them for composting comes with several benefits:
Horse bedding pellets are designed to absorb moisture and odours. Using them in your compost pile will therefore help keep it fresh and clean.
Horse bedding pellets break down quickly and help speed up the composting process overall. Your compost will therefore be ready for use in a matter of months. This is much quicker than traditional composting methods, where it can take up to a year to create usable compost.
The composting process
Composting horse bedding pellets is a straightforward process. Some people sprinkle them over the top of the compost but making them part of the compost pile itself produces even better results. Here’s how you do that.
If you are composting stable manure that’s come from a stable where the pellets are used as bedding, most of the hard work is already done for you. It will be a nice mix of sawdust, manure, and possible hay stalks as well. Composting this is just a case of leaving it in a pile, adding a bit of water every so often, and letting nature take its course. After a few months you’ll have a beautiful pile of beautiful, rich organic mulch and fertiliser.
Alternatively, if you’ve bought the bedding pellets to add to existing compost you’ll need to add them in alternating layers with nitrogen-rich materials like horse manure or grass clippings.
As the compost pile heats up, microorganisms break down the organic matter, creating a nutrient-rich compost. Monitor the temperature of the compost pile. Ideally it should reach at least 60 – 70oC. Don’t be tempted to use it whilst it’s hot like this as you’ll burn your plants. Wait until it’s cooled down; that means all the organic matter in it has been broken down and it’s ready for us.
Tips for successfully composting horse bedding pellets and horse manure
Composting horse bedding pellets is an easy process, but there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure successful composting:
Add nitrogen-rich materials to your compost pile to balance out the carbon-rich horse bedding pellets. This is where using stable manure with the bedding already mixed in is ideal.
Keep the compost pile moist, but not too wet. Too much moisture can cause the pile to become anaerobic, slowing down the composting process.
Turn the compost pile regularly to ensure proper aeration.
Monitor the temperature of the compost pile to ensure it reaches the desired temperature of 60 – 70o Celcius.
Frequently Asked Questions About Composting Horse Bedding Pellets
Can I compost horse manure and bedding together?
Yes, horse manure and bedding can be composted together. In fact, it’s an ideal way to do it. If you own a horse, and you use horse bedding pellets as bedding, you can literally shovel it straight from the stable to your compost pile.
How long does it take for horse bedding pellets to break down?
Horse bedding pellets break down quickly and can be used compost or fertiliser in a matter of months.
Can I use composted horse manure on my vegetable garden?
Yes, composted horse manure can be used on vegetable gardens. In fact, many vegetables thrive in it. However, it’s important to allow adequate time for the compost to break down before using it on your plants so as to avoid burning them.
Always do your research when using nitrogen rich products like horse manure compost for veggie gardens because some vegetables don’t like a lot of nitrogen. Potatoes are a case in point.
Why is horse manure and bedding pellets such a good mulch and fertiliser?
Horse manure is chock full of a number of important minerals, and a few vitamins as well because…
Horses are grazers, not ruminants. Their digestive system is designed to metabolise large quantities of bulk fibrous roughage, which turns into excellent organic matter for compost. Horses are also not particularly efficient at extracting nutrients from their food, and so a lot of the excess ends up in their manure. That’s expensively wasteful news for horses and their owners’ hip pocket, but great news for compost and gardeners! Bedding pellets, being wood, contain a lot of carbon, and when you add that to the nutrient rich horse manure, you have a recipe for rich, organic compost.
Key Takeaways About Composting Horse Bedding Pellets
Composting horse bedding pellets is an affordable and environmentally friendly way to recycle your horse’s manure. If you’re using horse bedding pellets as stable bedding, it will add valuable carbon to your compost, and produce a rich, organic fertiliser your garden will love!
