Black Kow Compost, Peat Moss & Vermiculite?
wjhunter
19 years ago
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Ray Scheel
19 years agoRelated Discussions
peat moss and compost cow manure?
Comments (3)It's a good start. I would definitely add in some vermiculite or perlite with the peat though. If you have an Agway near you, you can get a 3cu ft bag of vermiculite for 23 bucks. Dont ever buy vermiculite from one of the box stores, absolute rip off......See MoreSkip the vermiculite and peat moss?
Comments (8)I think the vermiculite is really to help retain moisture, especially in raised beds ( more exposure to wind drying ) which are on hard bases ( no water available to draw up ). I'd try it out for a season and see how you go - if you're heaping beds on top of existing soil I reckon the above advise will see you right. I've never had a problem with just compost. Best of luck. D...See MoreWhite Larvae (Meggots) Apear in seedling medium of compost+Peat Moss
Comments (4)Well, it's some kind of fly or gnat larvae. Not something you want to have. I wouldn't mix any compost with seed starting media. There just isn't any need. Seeds have all the energy they require to sprout and get off to a good start. Your mix looks "muddy' and not very well draining. A mix of peat, vermiculite and/or perlite would work much better....See MoreBlack Kow Composted Manure
Comments (140)Edit: A big thanks to daninthedirt for going straight to the source. My analysis below is not meant to take anything away from that. Let me say first that I don't doubt Black Kow is running tests as they say - no reason to question that. If they're not finding it, they're not finding it. I would buy their product. However: The herbicides creating most concern are (chloryralid or aminopyralids). These herbicides were mainly used on lawns on the west coast. So the residues have usually been found in yard waste composts. My understanding all along was that they were used mostly on AG crops like hay, and not so much on residential yards. This seems to contradict that. Recently I found a resource for ag pesticide usage rates - USGS. No wonder I didn't find it looking at USDA and EPA. The latest map they have for clopyralid is 2018. https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/show_map.php?year=2018&hilo=H&map=CLOPYRALID The highest usage area is (was) a swath from the Dakotas southeast to KY and OH. Remember this is ag usage so it doesn't say anything about residential use. It does suggest the most likely area to find it in manure is the upper Midwest. Picloram has a lower usage rate overall but it's centered in a north-south band from TX as well as some to the east through the southern tier and into the Carolinas. https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/show_map.php?year=2018&map=PICLORAM&hilo=L Aminopyralid distribution looks similar to Picloram only a bit more intense usage. https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/show_map.php?year=2018&map=AMINOPYRALID&hilo=L Now, maybe the usage on lawns in the West was much higher than ag use anywhere. I don't know. It does beg the question: if they're selling manure, wouldn't you expect to find manure in their product and not yard waste? Their statements seem to steer you in that direction. But it's clear these herbicides are used agriculturally in the Midwest and Southeast. Again, I'm sure they are concerned about it because it can potentially ruin their product, cost them a lot of money and make their customers mad (which threatens the whole business). I'm just seeing a disconnect in the messaging. I guess we are to assume that the amount of time they are composting their manure is enough, but they seem to be careful about not claiming that straight out. Put me down as cautiously optimistic and healthily skeptical....See MoreRiff
19 years agoplaysndirt
19 years agowjhunter
19 years agomagnolias4ever
18 years agochrislyn
18 years agoJacque_E_TX
18 years ago
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