Where can I buy 5 kinds of compost in Houston??

I have my vermiculite and my Pete Moss. I'm missing my 5 blends of compost. I struggle to find compost. I live in Humble, TX which is just outside of Houston. WalMart has a Earthgro - Organic Humus and Manure... but the ingredients say no more than 90% Humus and no less than 10% Manure. This doesn't help as I feel there are only traces of manure. Lowe's does have a bag of cow manure for $4.77... which seems expensive for 40lbs. The only other things I can find out Garden Center, Lowe's, Home Depot is Organic Compost... which doesn't tell me what's inside.

What I've found:
1. Cow Manure at Lowe's for $4.77 for 40lbs.
2. Mushroom Compost at Cornelius Nursery for $7.99 for 40lbs. Doesn't give a breakdown of what's in the bag.

So I have two things I can use to mix into my compost, but can't find the remaining 3 I need. Please help

Wow you live so close to a huge city I am suprised you'er having trouble. You'er right I would not use theb 90% peat stuff. The peat moss you have is it composted (black and crumbley) or mossy looking? I used the mossy stuff my mistake the first time I made MM . The first place I would look is your local ag. extenction office they can be very helpful. Then freecycle and craig's list you might be in luck this time of year. Some nurseys carry it in bulk as well then you can always order it on line if all else fails.

funny I am in houston and having a really hard time too. last year I remember seeing all kinds of stuff and wondering what it was for. Now this year that I need it and most stores are not selling any of it. I have been only able to find cow manure and cow compost with really high levels of peat in it. I have asked and most store employees said they are not going to have it this year

I did find a place that make thier own garden compost may use that a 1 of my 5 sources

I'm having a bit of the same problem up north as well... I was able to find cow manure, mushroom compost, and peat humus, and that was it...

You might try some of the outlying garden centers and feed stores to see if they have what you're looking for or could order it for you.
Also, placing an ad on Craigslist or your local "Freecycle" group (Yahoo group... one nearly everywhere in the U.S.) might put you in contact with sources for the compost OR, if you plan to start a compost bin of your own, the manure to use to get a good blend going. (I've found rabbit and alpaca manure that way) Also, you might contact some of the horse barns or riding facilities about horse droppings for your compost bins, or to see if they have any that they have composted.
The county extension office might be a good source for locating some of these things too. Just call and ask if they have any resources they could pass along.

newstart wrote:funny I am in houston and having a really hard time too. last year I remember seeing all kinds of stuff and wondering what it was for. Now this year that I need it and most stores are not selling any of it. I have been only able to find cow manure and cow compost with really high levels of peat in it. I have asked and most store employees said they are not going to have it this year

I did find a place that make thier own garden compost may use that a 1 of my 5 sources

NEWSTART: Where was it you found the above mentioned garden compost? Probably not a bad idea to use that as one of my 5 composts too.

curio wrote:You might try some of the outlying garden centers and feed stores to see if they have what you're looking for or could order it for you.
Also, placing an ad on Craigslist or your local "Freecycle" group (Yahoo group... one nearly everywhere in the U.S.) might put you in contact with sources for the compost OR, if you plan to start a compost bin of your own, the manure to use to get a good blend going. (I've found rabbit and alpaca manure that way) Also, you might contact some of the horse barns or riding facilities about horse droppings for your compost bins, or to see if they have any that they have composted.
The county extension office might be a good source for locating some of these things too. Just call and ask if they have any resources they could pass along.

Great Recommendations. Thank you. I did find the following on craigslist (see link below). It appears to be what we're after. However, it's quite expensive. My garden is 4ft x 24ft.

http://houston.craigslist.org/mob/2807258559.html

that sounds good but pricey.

NEWSTART: Where was it you found the above mentioned garden compost? Probably not a bad idea to use that as one of my 5 composts too.[/quote]

http://www.thegroundup.com/

check out this website. its the location I was talking about. they have 2 locations hope it helps

After 2 weeks of searching all over Houston, I have found MM. I went to Kingwood Garden Center (not affiliated with Houston Garden Center) and found MM. http://kingwoodgardencenter.com/

It is in a bag by Lady Bug called Square Foot Gardening. John, the owner of Lady Bug got together with Mel Bartholomew and John got permission to bag MM for us here in Houston. However, it is very expensive. $20 for 2 cubic feet. It is everything you need (vermiculite, compost, peat moss). Lady Bug also has a bag called Revitalized Compost at $12 for 1.5 cubic feet. This is what I bought. It is the 5 blends of compost without the Vermiculite and the Peat Moss.

Here is what I bought and where I bought it and for how much:
1. Vermiculite - vermiculite products inc. located right here in Houston. http://vermiculiteproductsinc.weebly.com/index.html. It's called their #3 bag of course vermiculite for $15 for a brown bag of 4 cubic feet.
2. Peat Moss - Lowe's for $10 for 3 cubic feet. I don't know the quality of this stuff.
3. Lady Bug - Revitalized Compost (5 blend copost) - Kingwood Garden Center for $12 for 1.5 cubic feet. I also found it at Wholefoods for same price/size. (see attached picture of bag). They say it is Mel's 5 blend compost.



For $45 you can fill your 4x4 box with the above products I purchased.

That's excellent. It takes me $60 to fill a 4x4.

Kay

wsdival:
I'm so glad you posted this. I read about the Ladybug compost online and then went to pick some up at the store. They asked if I wanted the potting soil or the revitalizer. I had no idea. I didn't remember it being called revitalizer when I saw it on the stores website and when I got to the store they didn't know the difference or what was in it. I assumed the potting soil had some type of peat and something like vermeculite and I already had that at home. I chose the revitalizer and as it turns out I guess I made the correct choice; could be the first time that has happened.

I thought it says on the bag that it is horse ( or cow) and turkey manure combined with humus. I guess humus gives you the remaining 3 types? I used this for some containers I added this year.

H_TX_2 wrote:
I thought it says on the bag that it is horse ( or cow) and turkey manure combined with humus. I guess humus gives you the remaining 3 types? I used this for some containers I added this year.

This would count for two types;keep hunting.

After a closer look their potting soil contains 5 types of compost. That must have been what I read before going to the store.

What is the difference between finished compost and humus?

My beds are already up and I am in my second year of gardening. Last year I was buying everything before I really knew what I was doing. I bought the book as I purchased everything else. As a rookie I purchased 2 different types of peat and 2 different types of composted cow manure. I didn't add the vermiculite until I began my fall garden. This year I added mushroom and cotton burr compost to my boxes. I will also be looking for some worm castings also very soon. Last year I had lots of green and not a lot of fruit probably due to the large amount of nitrogen. I am hoping for better results this year.

This thread has some links that explain what humus and peat are...
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t9757-peat-moss-and-peat-humus

Well it sound like you have 4 different types of compost in your beds right now, that's good! If you find a fifth compost you can topdress the garden with it, then incorporate it at the end of the growing of each square.

Hi,just started square ft gardening and also having trouble finding 5 different composts here in houston without sand and fillers .I'm a little confused about the Lady Bug brand of mixed compost do i just buy that as the source for all 5 different kinds of compost or does it just count as one because it came from the same bag and supplier?Also if anyone tried it is it any good or keep on looking?Thank you in advance.

Here is some free compost in the Houston area.
http://houston.craigslist.org/search/gra?query=compost+manure&srchType=A&zoomToPosting=&minAsk=&maxAsk=

You will need to look for different types of compost not different brands. Some examples of different composts, are sheep, goat, horse, cow, mushroom, chicken, llama. Stay away from anything that says soil on the bag. I strongly suggest trying to get your compost from any local farmers if you can. I myself steer clear of any municipal compost.
Lady bug compost could have a list of various ingredients but in reality it could have 95% shredded bark or peat.

Keep looking you need 5 or more types of compost.

Great link thank you!

Ladybug does have a square foot gardening mix using coir fiber instead of peat. I bought one bag from my feed store in the Spring. The plants in that one box I used it in did well, no worse or better than the boxes where I mixed my own.

Hi,finally found a place that has several different kinds of compost
how does this look?Trying to make 16 cu ft of compost I got ,
1 cu ft chicken compost ingredients just says 100% chicken compost.
3 cu ft lady bug all american turkey compost.
3 cu ft lady bug revitalizer compost made of humus compost,turkey,cow horse ,small amount of granite sand and hummates.
1 40 lb bag leaf mold compost.
1 40 lb bag mushroom compost.
2 cu ft Back to Nature cotton burr compost top dressing and mulch ingredients say 100%cotton burr.
and
2 40 lb bag fine textured cow manure and carbon source. Ingredients say 100% fine aged cattle manure.It was the store kind and the guy said it was only cow manure it was very loose feeling a lot like black sand but not so heavy .This one I feel kind of weird about it .Does it sound right or should I try to take it back?
still short of 16 cu ft think of getting black cow manure and eco scraps white compost made of 25 fruits and vegetables .Does this look right?We don't have a truck so I have to settle for the bagged stuff .I would love to hear what you think and Thanks in advance.

Does it matter if use more of one kind then others like if I fill in the rest the amount needed with Black kow manure mostly and a couple bags of the eco scrap white compost made of 25 fruit and vegetables?

HOUSTONMOM wrote:Hi,finally found a place that has several different kinds of compost
how does this look?Trying to make 16 cu ft of compost I got ,
1 cu ft chicken compost ingredients just says 100% chicken compost.
3 cu ft lady bug all american turkey compost.
3 cu ft lady bug revitalizer compost made of humus compost,turkey,cow horse ,small amount of granite sand and hummates.
1 40 lb bag leaf mold compost.
1 40 lb bag mushroom compost.
2 cu ft Back to Nature cotton burr compost top dressing and mulch ingredients say 100%cotton burr.
and
2 40 lb bag fine textured cow manure and carbon source. Ingredients say 100% fine aged cattle manure.It was the store kind and the guy said it was only cow manure it was very loose feeling a lot like black sand but not so heavy .This one I feel kind of weird about it .Does it sound right or should I try to take it back?
still short of 16 cu ft think of getting black cow manure and eco scraps white compost made of 25 fruits and vegetables .Does this look right?We don't have a truck so I have to settle for the bagged stuff .I would love to hear what you think and Thanks in advance.

What store did you find all of these composts at?

Southwest fertilizer on Bissonet and Renwick in southwest Houston.

I don't remember hearing about the ecoscraps white compost before. Has anyone here used it before? I see some of the Home Depots carry it. Sounds like it would be great to use as one of the 5 composts, especially for those of use who have livestock to help balance out the manure based compost. And to add when building new beds.

http://ecoscraps.com/

By the way according to the HD website one of my local HDs has it in stock but it is not shown on the ecostraps location list.

Hi,will it affect your the MM if use use more of one kind of compost then the four others or do you have to use equal parts of all five different kinds?
Ex was told not to use too much poultry compost or it would burn the plants.Can you use a lot more cow manure then the other composts or will that throw off the balance?