Will rabbit poop burn tomatoes?

stormymater · May 13, 2011

I need to plant in really sandy soil this year - new plot. I am worried about lots of root knot nematodes - have access to lots of rabbit poop - want to use it to give big organic boost to the poor poor soil - question is - will rabbit poop burn plants like chicken poop?

**coronabarb** · May 13, 2011

No, it will not. Rabbit poop does not contain the urine components like chicken poop does. (chickens do not urinate...it is all contained in one package...that's the white part) I would prefer to hose down fresh rabbit poop before putting it in a garden to remove any urine (rabbit urine is really strong). Even better would be to compost it for a bit to break down some. I've sprinkled it on potted plants with no problem.

sprtsguy76 · May 13, 2011

I'll second what Barb says. Is it aged at all? If so you will be fine and even if its not you should be ok. Fred Hempel who is a TV member and a friend here was kind enough to give me 4 large bags of rabbit manure, it has done wonders for my soil and my plants. I turned some soil over the other day where I had added some of the rabbit manure a few months ago and to my surprise there were huge fat earthworms everywhere.

Damon

stormymater · May 13, 2011

Well, YAY! The pile beneath the hutches is sedimentary - oldest on the bottom - fresher on top - so it'll all get mixed when I shovel it into the wheel barrow. This plot is super sandy & acidic so I have spread hundreds of pounds of dolomitic lime & judicious amounts of aged chicken manure earlier in the spring. The holes are sooo sandy I wanted to boost the organic matter b/c not all the varieties I am planting have innate nematode resistance (errr tolerance).
Fortunately my friend who lives next to the field has rabbits who poop a lot it seems & he has generously offered as much rabbit & aged chicken manure as I want. I'm a little afraid of the chicken manure so have been skimpy according to my friend.

Another friend has offered aged goat manure - I just have to drive to it & load it in the truck. I suspect the goat poop would be the most benign but the rabbit poop is the closet & safer than the chicken poop.

BTW- did you know fire ants LOVE poultry poop? I was slinging it & thinking the stuff was mighty hot & stingy; then I noticed it was the little itty bitty fire ants biting my hand that were so hot & stingy.

sfmathews · May 13, 2011

I've used it fresh on nearly everything w/o any burning of the plants. I will even use a few pellets in the mix when I'm potting up.

tjg911 · May 13, 2011

rabbit and llama manure are safe to use the minute they leave the critter. don't try that with any other manure that wasn't aged for a few months.

muskymojo · May 14, 2011

I agree. Rabbit manure is safe without being aged, and it's great stuff.

I've never rinsed it, but I guess that makes sense.

stormymater · May 14, 2011

ok - one more question - how about goat manure - aged is fine? How aged is aged? After planting 23 plants I am lower in rabbit poop than I would like (have at least another 120 plants to go - ho, ho, ho!)

Cow manure - aged is better,right? How aged is aged?

I have a source for aged goat manure (several years old) & fresh beef cow flops - go for the goat first?

Mark0820 · May 14, 2011

Personally, I would stay away from fresh cow manure. The aged goat manure should be fine.

It sounds like the chicken manure you have access to is aged also. I would think aged chicken manure would be fine. I wouldn't use fresh chicken manure. By aged, I mean it looks more like compost than manure.

beefyboy · May 14, 2011

I have used my rabbits manure on everything for the last 8 years and my tomato plants love me for it. Always used it fresh and it will never burn since it is basically pure Alfalfa.

mjc · May 14, 2011

Basically, any critter that puts out little 'pellets' is safe to use 'fresh'. Some, like rabbits can be used in large amounts straight from the critter, others not a long composting period is needed. Most large animals (cows, horse, etc) should be composted at least 3 to 6 months. Carnivore poop should be HOT composted at least 1 yr. Also, the amount, if any, of bedding needs to be considered as to whether to use it fresh or compost it.

organichris · May 14, 2011

Yeah, I wouldn't have any problem using it fresh even if there was a bit of urine in there.

I've been using sheep manure this year, and of course there are some pellets in there, even though it is somewhat aged. But it works wonders.

Tom C zone 4/5 · May 14, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormymater

ok - one more question - how about goat manure - aged is fine? How aged is aged? After planting 23 plants I am lower in rabbit poop than I would like (have at least another 120 plants to go - ho, ho, ho!)

Inasmuch as this is your first go with manures. hows about stirring it into soil, letting it get watered/rained on once before adding tomato plants.

Its hard to burn new plants with combined dirt and goat manure (or rabbit for that matter).

Quote:

Cow manure - aged is better,right? How aged is aged?

Unlike rabbit, goat, camelid, cattle don't make the same nice little bullets. It (cow poo) should no longer be hot.

Quote:

I have a source for aged goat manure (several years old) & fresh beef cow flops - go for the goat first?

I'd go for goat poo first, it and rabbit are favorites of mine for the garden

tuk50 · May 20, 2011

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/c...t_content.html
this might help.....

brokenbar · May 21, 2011

I have a friend who is a famous grower of Iris and he will drive 100 miles to get his favorite manure, rabbit or his 2nd favorite, goat, I always wished I had had access to either of those. Now that I am in Mexico, I am going to scout around and see if either are available. Virtually weed-free, comes out of the manufacturer "ready to use" (

) and breaks down very quickly. The worms love it!

May 13, 2011	#1
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	Will rabbit poop burn tomatoes? I need to plant in really sandy soil this year - new plot. I am worried about lots of root knot nematodes - have access to lots of rabbit poop - want to use it to give big organic boost to the poor poor soil - question is - will rabbit poop burn plants like chicken poop? Last edited by stormymater; May 13, 2011 at 12:22 AM. Reason: rabbits are not chickens - time for bed

May 13, 2011	#2
coronabarb Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7 Posts: 2,821	No, it will not. Rabbit poop does not contain the urine components like chicken poop does. (chickens do not urinate...it is all contained in one package...that's the white part) I would prefer to hose down fresh rabbit poop before putting it in a garden to remove any urine (rabbit urine is really strong). Even better would be to compost it for a bit to break down some. I've sprinkled it on potted plants with no problem. __________________ Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal

May 13, 2011	#6
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	rabbit and llama manure are safe to use the minute they leave the critter. don't try that with any other manure that wasn't aged for a few months. __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

May 20, 2011	#14
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/c...t_content.html this might help..... __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

May 21, 2011	#15
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	I have a friend who is a famous grower of Iris and he will drive 100 miles to get his favorite manure, rabbit or his 2nd favorite, goat, I always wished I had had access to either of those. Now that I am in Mexico, I am going to scout around and see if either are available. Virtually weed-free, comes out of the manufacturer "ready to use" () and breaks down very quickly. The worms love it! __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time."

May 13, 2011	#3
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	I'll second what Barb says. Is it aged at all? If so you will be fine and even if its not you should be ok. Fred Hempel who is a TV member and a friend here was kind enough to give me 4 large bags of rabbit manure, it has done wonders for my soil and my plants. I turned some soil over the other day where I had added some of the rabbit manure a few months ago and to my surprise there were huge fat earthworms everywhere. Damon

May 13, 2011	#5
sfmathews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 398	I've used it fresh on nearly everything w/o any burning of the plants. I will even use a few pellets in the mix when I'm potting up.

May 14, 2011	#7
muskymojo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Minneapolis Minnesota Posts: 25	I agree. Rabbit manure is safe without being aged, and it's great stuff. I've never rinsed it, but I guess that makes sense.

May 14, 2011	#9
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	Personally, I would stay away from fresh cow manure. The aged goat manure should be fine. It sounds like the chicken manure you have access to is aged also. I would think aged chicken manure would be fine. I wouldn't use fresh chicken manure. By aged, I mean it looks more like compost than manure.

May 14, 2011	#10
beefyboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pt. Charlotte fl Posts: 329	I have used my rabbits manure on everything for the last 8 years and my tomato plants love me for it. Always used it fresh and it will never burn since it is basically pure Alfalfa.

May 14, 2011	#11
mjc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: WV Posts: 603	Basically, any critter that puts out little 'pellets' is safe to use 'fresh'. Some, like rabbits can be used in large amounts straight from the critter, others not a long composting period is needed. Most large animals (cows, horse, etc) should be composted at least 3 to 6 months. Carnivore poop should be HOT composted at least 1 yr. Also, the amount, if any, of bedding needs to be considered as to whether to use it fresh or compost it.

May 14, 2011	#12
organichris Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 630	Yeah, I wouldn't have any problem using it fresh even if there was a bit of urine in there. I've been using sheep manure this year, and of course there are some pellets in there, even though it is somewhat aged. But it works wonders.