Is Bumper Crop considered a compost?

I am brand new to SFG. I am so very excited but also confused...I have been to the 2 nurseries in my area and have been told both times that the combination of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite will not work. Obviously, it will. I was lectured at both garden centers about what they do recommend using but both garden centers gave completely different recipes (I guess everyone has their own way).

I still want to do the SFG because of all the wonderful feedback but I am a little confused by purchasing the compost. I don't feel like I could completely trust the people who helped me because after reading other posts there is a lot of conflicting information. For example, I purchased Milorganite today as one of my composting materials and I saw on here that it is NOT one. The same gentleman told me that Bumper Crop is a compost...is it? It contains peat moss so I didn't know if that would count as a compost. I do have chicken manure because I insisted on buying it but thats it. I want to do this right the first time

Hi -

There are many types of compost sold in stores ... not all are good for your area as the retailers don't care what they send or if it's relevant.

Mushroom compost is great ... poultry and steer manure (as well as horse, if available) is good to enrich your soil.

Your best bet, though, is to start your own compost pile ... it uses green stuff, brown stuff, and your local soil ... which makes it more compatible to your area ...

Bumper Crop is peat moss mixed with composted shellfish, composted kelp, and composted chicken and cow manures. I've never used Bumper Crop, but I do use a somewhat similar product called Chesapeake Blue (composted wood dust and crab). Bumper Crop sounds like a great amendment and a perfect component to your bed.

Based on your user name I assume you're in Virginia... If you're in northern VA, I can suggest a couple of garden centers with good compost selections. My best tip for compost is to look to the future and begin making your own, if practicable.

Milorganite... I'd love to hear people's thoughts on that product. My parents and grandparents are fans of it for their lawns. I can't bring myself to use it though.

Jiro wrote: Based on your user name I assume you're in Virginia... If you're in northern VA, I can suggest a couple of garden centers with good compost selections. My best tip for compost is to look to the future and begin making your own, if practicable.

I am in VA but not near NOVA. We live in Yorktown. Thanks for all of your help! I will use the bumper crop as one of the composts!

Jiro, I'd love the leads on NOVA compost. I'm trying to find non-animal based and have only found leaf/hummus as an alternative. Got a couple yard composts off Freecycle in Arlington as well.

Also interested in Milorganite. Asked at the garden center and the guy said it was too concentrated to use as compost. But maybe I could use less to diversify what's looking like a pretty mono set of compost? I'll cross-post this question on a thread I started on compost.

vthokie wrote:

Jiro wrote: Based on your user name I assume you're in Virginia... If you're in northern VA, I can suggest a couple of garden centers with good compost selections. My best tip for compost is to look to the future and begin making your own, if practicable.

I am in VA but not near NOVA. We live in Yorktown. Thanks for all of your help! I will use the bumper crop as one of the composts!

I'm on vacation in Williamsburg.