Can you grow veges in pure manure?

by Tim Daugherty
(Blackwell, Missouri)

I just renew my interest in gardening last year after a 17 year hiatus. I was fortunate enough to get a steady supply of 3 year old horse manure which I filled my raised beds with. My plants really took off, had some pretty decent crops (pumpkins, pole beans, bush beans, squash and gourds) My potatoes didn't fare too well and neither did my onions. In fact, my onions sprouted, grew to about ten inches tall, then they started disappearing. Thought the neighbors were helping themselves, but then found out the bulbs were rotting and the critters were getting the tops.

My question is this - I have no other fill in my raised beds except for the manure. Do I need to add soil as an additive, is the straight manure lacking in the necessary soil particles to maintain good growth?

If I can get through being techno challenged, I will try to download pics from last years garden. Am really proud of the size of my plants, but not of the results on certain items.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanking everyone in advance

Blackwell Tim