Q: I would like to know where can I obtain free manure. Have you, or others you know, tried manures from the Atlanta Zoo? While on the subject, how long does it take for manure to be usable in the garden?

A: The public relations manager at Zoo Atlanta says that it is zoo policy not to make animal manure available to the public. It would be a monumental job to keep the manure from meat-eaters away from that of the elephants and giraffes.

Manure is a wonderful soil amendment but it does have a few problems. Weed seeds in the manure are much more of a problem than its odor. Fresh manure from horse farms has thousands of weed seeds in it. Try always to specify that you want manure that has weathered outdoors for several months so weed seeds will be minimized.

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