Q. Approximately what is the analysis of manure, and how long should it age?

I had the unfortunate experience of turning under a pickup-truck load of chicken manure in my 50-by-80-foot garden one spring. I tilled it four or five times. My germination rate was fantastic – I had corn, several squashes, peas, tomatoes and several other veggies.

When the corn got to be about 2 feet tall – which happened in about a week – half of my plants died. They must have hit pockets of that fresh, ammonia- and fly-laden chicken poop. What made it through to the end of season was the biggest, best-tasting food I’ve ever had. The following year was an excellent year for gardening in that garden. My chicken-farming neighbor (30,000 layers) explained that he puts the fresh manure on his fields in the fall, and by spring, its strength is just about right.

Back to the question: What about cow manure? Assuming it’s in a big pile, would one year – over winter – like that be sufficient? I have used horse manure that was only a few months old and it was fine. My girlfriend plants right in the manure pile and gets back the best tomatoes, squash and fingerlings.

And the analysis: I’ve heard it’s about 2-2-2. Does that sound reasonable? This year I’m using bagged composted manure. My perennials love it. – R.M., Corinna

A. It’s hard to say precisely what period of time it takes to convert a fresh manure pile to a material that is safe to apply to plants. One must remember that not all manure is created equal: The rate of composting is dependent on a variety of factors, including, mainly, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen within the pile and the frequency of pile rotation.

Carbon may come from sources like bedding, sawdust, straw and hay mixed in with the manure. Nitrogen comes mainly from the manure itself. Aerating the pile through the physical rotation of the material helps keep the biological process of composting in gear.

In general, a pile that simply sits is going to compost more slowly than one that is “turned over” regularly. However, it is probably safe to say that in one year’s time, fresh manure would be safely converted to a useable material.

The resulting compost may exhibit a range in nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium or N-P-K analysis. Nutrient values of manures can vary greatly, depending on the diet of the animal and the nature of the bedding material used. In general, according to the Rodale Institute, dairy-cow manure has an analysis of .25-.15-.25. Chicken manure has 1.1-.80-.50, horse manure, .70-.30-.60, rabbit manure, 2.4-1.4-.60 and sheep manure, .70-.30-.90.

One note to keep in mind is that composted manure adds invaluable organic matter to the soil. Even if the nutrient analyses seem comparatively low to synthetic fertilizer formulations, the organic matter content of manure adds to the benefits of using the composted material in the garden.

Q. I started to grow a plant from the top of a pineapple that I cut from one we bought at the grocery store. 15 months later it is a healthy looking plant with two main bunches of shoots that are about three times as big as the original top. Any ideas on if it will bear fruit or how I should continue to take care of it? It sits in a window with southern exposure and has been watered several times a week. I have fed it infrequently with some Shultz’s plant food. – B.F., Islesford

A. Good news: At 15 months, your pineapple plant is well on its way to being mature enough to reproduce. Pineapples typically begin to bear fruit from 15 and 23 months after propagation is initiated. Here in Maine, though, getting your plant to flower and fruit might be tricky business. First, fertilizing it with plant food is wise. Fertilize every other week at a rate indicated by your fertilizer source for small shrubs and woody plants.

Like many other plants, the internal chemical processes associated with flowering are stimulated by the light levels to which the plant is exposed. A pineapple plant should be exposed to 10 to 11 hours of daylight, perhaps for several months, to initiate flowering.

During summer you may need to limit daylight by moving the plant from a sunny area to a dark closet. During the winter months, you may need to offer the plant supplemental light through “grow lights.”

According to a resource at the University of Hawaii, pineapple plants require about 6 months to develop a mature fruit. The grower will observe that the color of the outer coating will change from green to rich gold. The color change of the shell occurs first at the bottom of the fruit and moves upward. During this change, the fruit becomes sweeter and the color of the flesh changes from white to yellow and becomes ready to eat.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, 512 North Ridge Road, Montville 04941, or e-mail dianagc@midcoast.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.