So I've put raw horse dung on my garden

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

How badly have a screwed up.

I'm new to gardening and I have a bit of a habit of acting first and thinking later.
Heard horse manure is good for boarders so I picked up a few free bags. Chucked it on an old boarder, colleague mentioned this is a bad idea but didn't have time to elaborate.

Have I really screwed up?

Move it next to your compost heap and use it in the autumn.

Well-rotted manure is preferable, but honestly it's not the end of the world to have put it on fresh. Try to mix it into the soil rather than leaving it on top so it breaks down faster. In theory the fresh stuff can scorch delicate roots but if it's an old border with well-established plants in it then they'll survive.

No, you haven't really screwed up.

Thanks for the replies

No compost heap yet, so can't really do that. Compost heap is on the list of stuff to sort out.

Glad to head I've not completely screwed up. There's no chance I've scorched the roots. The bed has been empty of two years, not even weeds have grown there in that time.

I stuck in the dung to try and get some nutrients back in the bed.

Then it sounds okay.

That's actually not a bad way of preparing an empty bed, OP! Just leave the manure for a bit to rot down (you might need to turn the soil) and it should be ready for planting in a couple of months.

Yes, I would suggest digging it in well, and breaking up any large lumps.

Ooh my grandad used to come and take all the oldest manure from my dad's manure heap for his borders. He had lovely borders and was really greenfingered so i'd say youre doing the right thing.

Thanks all - been thinking about this bed for a while. An old ivy used to grow there. I killed and removed the old beast thinking the soil would bounce back but in two years nothing has grown there.

It's a really small bed surrounded by patio, it really needs some tlc.

I'll get digging.