Garden fertiliser

[ineedaholidaynow]

I need to improve the condition of the soil in a flower bed. I bought some chicken manure pellets but Ddog has gone loopy just over the smell of the box, so I daren't spread them otherwise he will have a field day in the border!

Can anyone recommend a non-manure type of fertiliser that Ddog won't be interested in?

The pellets will fertilise any plants in the bed, they will not improve the condition of the soil.

You need to dig over the bed with compost, well rotted farm yard manure, and depending on your soil type grit to improve drainage

I would keep the dog inside and sprinkle the pellets around the base of the plants just before it rains. Keep the dog in and the pellets will disolve and wash in, the garden will smell the next day.

If you spread the pellets liberally as a way of trying to improve your soil you will potentially damage/ your plants.

Another thing you could do, is sprinkle the pellets around the base of your plants, then cover with compost and water well. Again keep the dog in for the duration, the smell will be less.

If you want to improve your beds, maybe wait till autumn and then dig over and add compost/manure/ grit etc and let the worms and bugs do their work over winter pulling the goodness down into the soil.