If anyone in the central NJ area is looking for Mel's Mix components...

I found three sources:

Ferris Farm-Agway in East Brunswick had vermiculite (best price, 19.99 for 4 c.f.), leaf compost, cow manure compost, dehydrated cow manure, mushroom compost, and Chickity Doo Doo. Great prices for everything.

The Gardener's Nook (part of Spooky Brook Landscaping) in Somerset had manure compost, mushroom compost, Chickity Doo Doo, and shrimp/seaweed compost--again, great prices on everything. The SUPER nice and helpful proprietor said he could order the big bags of vermiculite if anyone needed them.

The Belle Mead Co-op in Hillsborough had bulk leaf compost, manure compost, Chickity Doo Doo, lobster compost, and worm castings. They also had vermiculite, but in smaller, less cost efficient bags. They do, however, deliver within what seems to be a 10-mile radius.

Just wanted to get that out there in case anyone is looking and so the search engines can find it. The info I found while searching for vermiculite was so helpful to me.

Happy gardening!

NowWeAreFour wrote:I found three sources:

Ferris Farm-Agway in East Brunswick had vermiculite (best price, 19.99 for 4 c.f.), leaf compost, cow manure compost, dehydrated cow manure, mushroom compost, and Chickity Doo Doo. Great prices for everything.

The Gardener's Nook (part of Spooky Brook Landscaping) in Somerset had manure compost, mushroom compost, Chickity Doo Doo, and shrimp/seaweed compost--again, great prices on everything. The SUPER nice and helpful proprietor said he could order the big bags of vermiculite if anyone needed them.

The Belle Mead Co-op in Hillsborough had bulk leaf compost, manure compost, Chickity Doo Doo, lobster compost, and worm castings. They also had vermiculite, but in smaller, less cost efficient bags. They do, however, deliver within what seems to be a 10-mile radius.

Just wanted to get that out there in case anyone is looking and so the search engines can find it. The info I found while searching for vermiculite was so helpful to me.

Happy gardening!

This is just awesome! I work in New Jersey a few days a week and I could easily stop in those stores you mentioned to pick up some extra compost. Thanks for posting!!

I'm having a hard time getting vermiculite from Ferris Farms this year. Apparently, the bags they stored it in over the winter disintegrated, and now they're bagging on demand (supposedly). But I stopped in last Friday and asked them to bag some for me and give me a call when they'd bagged it, and they haven't called yet. I also didn't see the "Chickity Doo Doo." I'll call back today and push them on the vermiculite. Last year I didn't have any issues at all.

Also for central Jersey folks - I'm a member of Rutgers Gardens this year. They have an amazing plant sale in mid-May that I'll be going to. Is anyone else going?

moswell wrote:Also for central Jersey folks - I'm a member of Rutgers Gardens this year. They have an amazing plant sale in mid-May that I'll be going to. Is anyone else going?

That sounds like a good idea to me. I might just have to go to that. Thanks for the heads up.

As far as vermiculite goes, Bartell Farm and Garden Supply in Clark has vermiculite for $22.95 per 4 cubic foot bag. I'm not sure if you're anywhere near that but maybe you can check it out.

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:

moswell wrote:Also for central Jersey folks - I'm a member of Rutgers Gardens this year. They have an amazing plant sale in mid-May that I'll be going to. Is anyone else going?

That sounds like a good idea to me. I might just have to go to that. Thanks for the heads up.

As far as vermiculite goes, Bartell Farm and Garden Supply in Clark has vermiculite for $22.95 per 4 cubic foot bag. I'm not sure if you're anywhere near that but maybe you can check it out.

No, it's not really very close to me, but Ferris Farms usually comes through. Have you seen the list of plants Rutgers Gardens is offering this year at their sale: http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/SFFVegetableandHerbs.htm

I'll go to the members-only Preview reception and sale that Thursday night. It gets to be quite the madhouse. Last year, I was waiting in line Friday morning right as they opened up the sale, and there was a huge line!

Moswell,

I have been going to Ferris Farms for a couple of years now for composts and this year Vermiculite. I went there a month ago.

I haven't been to the Rutgers Garden Sale but hope to go this year. I have in the past gone to the Rutgers AG day where they sell vegetable plants, etc. on Cook Campus. I believe that is the end of April.

moswell wrote:

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:

moswell wrote:Also for central Jersey folks - I'm a member of Rutgers Gardens this year. They have an amazing plant sale in mid-May that I'll be going to. Is anyone else going?

That sounds like a good idea to me. I might just have to go to that. Thanks for the heads up.

As far as vermiculite goes, Bartell Farm and Garden Supply in Clark has vermiculite for $22.95 per 4 cubic foot bag. I'm not sure if you're anywhere near that but maybe you can check it out.

No, it's not really very close to me, but Ferris Farms usually comes through. Have you seen the list of plants Rutgers Gardens is offering this year at their sale: http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/SFFVegetableandHerbs.htm

I'll go to the members-only Preview reception and sale that Thursday night. It gets to be quite the madhouse. Last year, I was waiting in line Friday morning right as they opened up the sale, and there was a huge line!

I just looked at the list of plants that Rutgers will have on sale and I'm amazed The plant selection looks tremendous. I'd be a fool if I didn't go. Thanks for the heads up on this!

Dunkinjean wrote:Moswell,

I have been going to Ferris Farms for a couple of years now for composts and this year Vermiculite. I went there a month ago.

I haven't been to the Rutgers Garden Sale but hope to go this year. I have in the past gone to the Rutgers AG day where they sell vegetable plants, etc. on Cook Campus. I believe that is the end of April.

Yeah, I'm a little annoyed at Ferris Farms this year, but I'm sure all will be right in the end. I work at Rutgers, so the last thing I want to do is go to Rutgers Day on a Saturday to get my plants. If you're planning on going, Rutgers Day is April 28 this year.

I wish we could all meet up at the Rutgers Garden sale, I think that would be fun. But unfortunately I'm headed down to Delaware on that Friday for my brother's wedding that weekend. I mean, it's not unfortunate that my little brother is getting married, it's just unfortunate it's the same weekend as the plant sale. Anyway, that's part of the reason I joined this year, so I can go to the pre-sale! Also, I visit every weekend spring through fall to walk through the woods with my dog, and figured I should give back to the place that gives us such enjoyment.

WOW ! Great selections - thank you for the heads up !!

Chickens are pretty easy ...
- their bedding goes in the compost - so you have a year-long supply
- the compost goes into the sf beds
- huge harvesting - and the weeds and leftovers go back to the chickens
- amazing fresh eggs (no Easter coloring needed because our 'Ameraucana's' lay pink, blue and green eggs)
- At the end of the garden season, the chickens are happy to clean out the beds for you too !!!

Newbie here. Just left Ferris Farms and picked up the Vermiculite and peat moss. (they did need to re bag the vermiculite took them about 15 min) I was unsure of the conversion of 40lb bags to CF for the compost but since the car was full I will make a trip back before the weekend. It our first venture into square foot gardening any help is much appreciated especially in regards to Mel's Mix. For others in the area the Agway in Englishtown carries the vermiculite too.

mcricc2!

I will let those who are in your area respond. Have you read the All New Square Foot Gardening book (2006)? It definitely lays out the steps to get started with your SFG. This forum is a great accompaniment to that book.

For purchasing purposes, a 40 lb bag of compost is usually about .75 cu ft. Many members mix using a single measuring tool (lots of members use a five gallon bucket (which is about 1 cu ft)). Pour one bucket of each of your five composts into a pile and mix. Then add 5 buckets of fluffed peat, and 5 buckets of vermiculite and mix. Be sure when you fill your bed that you do it in layers and water each layer thoroughly. Once you get the peat hydrated, it should stay moist for you fairly easily.

Let us know how you progress We like pictures! Happy to have you here!

There's an Ace Hardware store at 26 Westfield Ave in Clark that has duck manure compost....if anybody's interested

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:There's an Ace Hardware store at 26 Westfield Ave in Clark that has duck manure compost....if anybody's interested

Triple t - I logged in and thought your posts were my own for a second with that avatar of yours! That was my avatar for a few months around Christmas.

UnderTheBlackWalnut wrote: mcricc2!

For purchasing purposes, a 40 lb bag of compost is usually about .75 cu ft. Many members mix using a single measuring tool (lots of members use a five gallon bucket (which is about 1 cu ft)). Pour one bucket of each of your five composts into a pile and mix. Then add 5 buckets of fluffed peat, and 5 buckets of vermiculite and mix. Be sure when you fill your bed that you do it in layers and water each layer thoroughly. Once you get the peat hydrated, it should stay moist for you fairly easily.

Welcome mcricc2. I'm another central NJ person - glad you were able to get your vermiculite. I picked mine up Friday, finally, and spent all day Saturday in the garden (well, three hours anyway)! I use the method Undertheblackwalnut mentioned, except that I mix the composts together and put them aside, then work with a five gallon bucket each of mixed compost, peat moss, and vermiculite. Working by myself, I find that trying to turn and mix approximately 200 lbs of compost and five 5-gallon buckets of peat and vermiculite is a bit tough (or rather, impossible, for me). It may take me a bit longer to get it all mixed, but I get the job done!

moswell wrote:

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:There's an Ace Hardware store at 26 Westfield Ave in Clark that has duck manure compost....if anybody's interested

Triple t - I logged in and thought your posts were my own for a second with that avatar of yours! That was my avatar for a few months around Christmas.

"A Christmas Story" was brought up in another thread and I thought I just HAD to change my avatar to this one.

@moswell, Thanks for spreading the word about the Rutgers sale. I never knew! I'm planning a native wood scape to replace my dysfunctional front lawn (super shady) and they are the perfect resource AND now the perfect retail, too!

@Too Tall Tom's, Thank you for the tips on Bartell's and the Ace Hardware in Westfield. Both are just a few miles from me, so they'll definitely be getting a visit. I mean, duck compost, how cool is that!

I may also have to go down to one of the other places for some other compost varieties. I need to top-off the settling Mel's Mix in my 4 boxes and I had built a 2' x 7' box in 2010 that has not been filled yet. I'm just glad that I won't have to drive to Timbuktu for Chickity Doo Doo!

trukrebew wrote:
@Too Tall Tom's, Thank you for the tips on Bartell's and the Ace Hardware in Westfield. Both are just a few miles from me, so they'll definitely be getting a visit. I mean, duck compost, how cool is that!

You're welcome trukrebew. \

That Ace hardware is actually in Clark. It's at 26 Westfield Ave. Unless they moved that pallet, you should find that compost outside on the right side of the store.....maybe about halfway down the side.

Those bags aren't actually marked as "duck compost". It says something about "various animal manures" but when I contacted someone at the manufacturer, Long Island Compost, and asked them what kind of manure it was, they told me it was duck.

I found another source for Long Island Compost's composted animal manure(which is made with duck) at a landscape supply center in Scotch Plains....slightly north of central NJ.

Here's their website....

http://www.theyardnj.com/index.html#

Oops, I forgot to come back and look for replies here! I'm really glad my post could be of some help I know Ferris was bogged down before Easter trying to get Easter orders filled and the right plants on display, etc. We gave them a week's lead time on the vermiculite, and they still only had half (which was OK, because it turned out that was all my husband could haul!). They've been very helpful since, though!

Also, we... uuumm...may have cleaned them out of Chickity Doo Doo and vermiculite at the time. We went a little over the top with the amount of bed space we built--it's our first time SF gardening Hopefully they've restocked by now!

I'm hoping to get to the Rutgers plant sale, but I really should NOT be buying anything more. We'll see how my seedlings do between now and then.

I'm wondering if, in addition to the plants, bagged compost can be bought at the Rutger's plant sale.

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:I'm wondering if, in addition to the plants, bagged compost can be bought at the Rutger's plant sale.

I don't remember seeing it before triple T.

moswell wrote:

Too Tall Tomatoes wrote:I'm wondering if, in addition to the plants, bagged compost can be bought at the Rutger's plant sale.

I don't remember seeing it before triple T.

Well it was just a thought. Thanks