Hi
I live in zone 5, Ottawa. I need cow manure but all I see available online now is cattle manure with spagnum moss/peat. Is this okay for my perennial flower bed?
Hello and thank you for your question.
Yes cow manure enhanced with peat moss will be excellent for your perennial beds. Cow manure is very heavy and I believe the peat moss is added during the composting process to make the mix a bit lighter and to help with the composting process. Both peat moss and manure add organic matter to soil, increase water-holding capacity and improve soil structure, making soil more friable. Composted manure can suppress plant diseases through inoculation of plants with beneficial bacteria, yeasts and fungi, which are lacking in peat moss. The peat moss is more acidic than the manure but not enough is added to the manure to substantially change the Ph of the resulting product. All companies I looked at advertised that the composted manure was suitable for lawns, flower beds and vegetable areas. The following link will give you more information about the qualities of both ingredients.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/peat-moss-vs-cow-manure-37732.html