Commercial Compost

Brandonsgma 4/29/2010, 9:52 am

I am just starting my SFG and am buying the items for my mix. I am having a hard time finding anything just labeled compost. Can anyone suggest any brands or places to buy them in Columbus, Ohio. Is compost and manure ok? How about the products with all the other additives?

I really need some answers, as soon it will be too late to get my garden in.

Thanks.

Brandonsgma

Bec 4/29/2010, 10:02 am

Brandonsgma,
Good sources of compost are aged cow and chicken manure (I'm not sure about horse), worm castings, mushroom compost, and bat guana. I'm sure there are more but I can't think of them right now. Then, start a compost pile for future gardens. I hope that helps.

Rebecca

**timwardell** 4/29/2010, 10:35 am

If you use manure make sure it is "composted manure" as opposed to fresh manure. Composted manure has been aged (composted) and will smell like earth. Fresh manure smells like animal poop and will burn your plants.

Lowe's and Home Depot both carry different brands of generic compost. It's typically in a 2 cubic foot bag and says "garden compost" or "organic compost" (which is redundant since compost is by definition organic as it is made up of formerly living/organic things).

A combination of composted manures and generic compost from the big box stores should allow you to have five different kinds. In Texas cotton burr compost and mushroom compost are also readily available (in addition to the ever present composted cow manure - lot of bs in Texas).

aspiegardner 4/29/2010, 12:12 pm

home depot has 3-4 types of compost

walmart had 4 types last year and ours had 7 types the other day

ace hardware has 5 including mushroom, steer, pig and a thing called humus with compost, a basic type

I used mushroom, steer, basic, pig and another last year

Retired Member 1 4/29/2010, 5:47 pm

None of the composts I purchased actually said compost.
Scotts humus and manure (has forest products, an unspecified manure, plus poultry litter)
Cotton burr soil conditioner
Cow manure (I found several brands)
Steer manure
Bat guano

They all work fine.

BTW, our Home Depot does not carry any kind of compost or manure. I envy those close to a HD that does. Thankfully the hardware stores in this area carried one or two.

Brandonsgma 4/30/2010, 9:34 am

Thanks to you all for your suggestions. I will go out and get some from all the stores.

Bsgma

Judge Kemp 5/3/2010, 11:53 pm

Finding compost varieties was tougher for me than finding coarse vermiculite.

In the end, I found worm castings ($18.00 for a 40 lb bag--only one, thanks), Cotton burrs, forest products, mushroom compost (just came in to Menards last week--two bags gave me 1/2 cu ft at $8.00), composted manure and humus, and municipal compost from Omaha (www.omagrow.com). I know municipal compost can be an issue with non-organic lawn treatments, but I'm not too concerned with it being just a small percentage overall.

I was able to find them in such fits and starts that none of my beds has more than a few varieties and none have the same mix. I decided early on to buy a composter, and did so. It will be much easier next year as I make my own compost. Commercial Compost Icon_biggrin

miinva 5/4/2010, 10:15 am

We found mushroom, leaf, cow, and shrimp compost at a local greenhouse. Maybe you could google greenhouses in your area? This place is amazing and has a lot of interesting products. It's in the middle of nowhere but all of the locals love it!

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