what is this and what did i do wrong?

[hunterjumper999]

This year i transplanted my non composted horse manure into the garden a few months prior to planting. I spread 5 dumpcart loads ( lawnmower trailer size cart) of poop and chicken bedding ( shavings, poo, duckwater) . I spread thinly over the entire surface of the garden and then let it 'weather' for a few weeks. then I had the whole thing plowed, tilled and then made rows. About a week later I planted and watered and then THIS grew! it totally took over, grew waist high and killed everything ( by choking out the light)

and closer

what did i do wrong and how can I avoid it again?

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I dunno but IMO it could be what the chickens or ducks ate and passed through their system.

 

[wifezilla]

It's some kind of squash or melon. What kind of treats did you give your critters last year?

As for how to prevent volunteers, you could cover the area in black plastic after spreading the compost to solarize the soil and kills of seeds.

 

[bid]

If it wasn't there before you cleared the garden spot, I suspect the non composted horse manure or the duck and chicken manure or maybe both. Have you seen it anywhere else on the property? It kind of hard to tell in the photo, but it brings to mind barnyard grass or johnson grass, although both grow much taller than waist high.

 

[vfem]

I see squash in the first picture, the second one appears to be a watermelon....

unless you are talking about the grassy weeds... that is crab grass!

 

[journey11]

Non-composted horse manure....you are looking at some type of hay grass there, maybe orchard grass. Horses don't digest their roughage as thorougly as cows do and their manure is notoriously seedy.

That doesn't stop me from using it however. You just have to be ready to mulch well or pull weeds until you pass out! Or if you can put it in a compost pile first and get it good and hot (steaming) before applying to the garden, the heat will kill most weed seeds. That's kinda hard to do though.

 

[hoodat]

Mow it before it makes new seed and then till the stubble under. The stubble makes good green manure to inprove your soil and you can compost the cuttings or dry them and use for mulch.

 

[Ariel301]

I get grass like that in mine too, because I use dirty goat bedding as a mulch. In mine at least, it is bermuda grass, because that is what our bedding is, and it seeds itself like crazy. I try to keep it contained to the walkways only, where I trim it daily and feed a couple five gallon bucketfuls every evening to the chickens and ducks. If it is bermuda, once you get that stuff growing, it is nearly impossible to get rid of. There is a reason it is a popular grass for golf courses lol.

 

[hoodat]

I get grass like that in mine too, because I use dirty goat bedding as a mulch. In mine at least, it is bermuda grass, because that is what our bedding is, and it seeds itself like crazy. I try to keep it contained to the walkways only, where I trim it daily and feed a couple five gallon bucketfuls every evening to the chickens and ducks. If it is bermuda, once you get that stuff growing, it is nearly impossible to get rid of. There is a reason it is a popular grass for golf courses lol.

When I had a nursery I used to have people come in looking for fancy grass seeds. My advice was always,"In San Diego County no matter what grass you start with you will end up with bermuda in a few years. Might as well save your money and plant it to start with".