Lowe's sells a regular compost for about 4 -6 bucks. I like the stuff and my plants love it. It comes in a whit bag w/a large blue log on it.

I used to love Calloways. Any more, I just think of their proces and hit the gas when I go by. I've heard good things about the Lowes compost in the past. Thanks for reminding me, I'll need some.

Anyone know who sells big bags of shredded pine bark mulch? HD landscape center used to, haven't looked at the regular HD store here.

c

Is the stuff at lowe's organic? I guess I didn't even think about the big box stores....

I ended up at Elliot's Hardware on coit. They have organic compost at $4.99. I got the last 3 that were out. :) They also have a good selection of mulches right now.

I used to shop at Calloways because I could get the compost and mulch at reasonable prices. Now I can buy my plants at North Haven since I don't have a reason to go to Calloways anyway. I've always thought NH has better plants, but their soil amendments are too expensive.

I highly recommend Earth Finest Compost at Lowe's. $3.12 for 2 cubic feet bag (I think?, it'a big bag). Made by LETCO. One of better compost companies around.

OK, I've got to ask...and this might be silly.
Wouldn't compost by nature of being compost be organic? Or, what would make it not organic? I'll bet someone knows this answer, but I'm cratchin; my head...
c

compost is about 99.9% organic matter. They eventually will break down to humic acid, the most advanced state of compost. That may take several years. You can have a huge pile of leaves and have almost nothing after 2,3 years but very nice soil as a result.

I think "organic" in this sense would be compost made of plant matter that hasn't been treated with non-organic fertilizer/pesticides/etc.

I really think Calloway is way overpriced. I mean I can do same stuff for a fraction of price. The prices there scares me!

Living Earth in Plano is awesome. You can google them to find out exactly where they are. They will sell you a truck load of premium compost and various mulches too. If you don't need that much they told me that they sell bags at the Lowe's across the street. Hwy. 75 and Spring Creek Pkwy.

If I had a big truck, I'd go to Living Earth place nearby all the time to get truck load of whatever I needed. They are that good.

I would definitely go for a cubic yard(by the truckload). The city of Plano and Living Earth both sell it for around $30 per cubic yard. The Living Earth compost might be the better product.

I appreciate your comment related to our CallowayÂs Organic Compost, because it is always important for us to know how our customers feel about our products.

While working with the Texas A&M University Agriculture Extension Service, we became informed that most compost products offered are not "fully" composted. Unfinished compost greatly reduces the benefits provided to the soil and ultimately the plants.

When we put our name on a product, it is imperative that it be only the best, and true to name. We searched long and hard and found a premium supplier that guarantees 100% "fully composted" organic compost.

Compost is the end product of a complex feeding pattern involving hundreds of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi and worms. Our supplier uses pine bark, ground and screened to allow only fine particles to be included. The bark is then composted over 90 days. It is turned weekly, depending on temperature and moisture. Water is added as needed to cool the composting process as too hot of a temperature will kill the decomposing microbes. This process results in a fully aged, composted material that is dark brown, crumbly and has a rich humus fragrance. It is designed to be mixed into our native soil in preparation for a vegetable garden or as a component of the "Earthkind" gardening program. Benefits include breaking up clay soils for improved texture, retaining moisture in sandy soils, improved aeration so roots can breathe and develop, stimulated growth of beneficial micro-organisms, balanced soil ph, and increased garden yield.

CallowayÂs Nursery is committed to formulate only the finest soil amendments and plant foods. Used as directed, we are convinced they will out-perform all others. If you take reasonable care with your purchase, yet are dissatisfied in any way, return the product with receipt. We will refund your money in fullÂwith a smile. I understand you can not return compost once used, however we believe in our soil amendments so strongly, they are guaranteed!

I hope we can continue to earn your business and have you support our intention to supply top quality plants and soil amendments so that our customers can enjoy great Success in the Garden!

I wish you a wonderful spring season in the garden.

Sincerely,

Marce Edmond Ward
Vice President, Merchandising
Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional
Calloway's Nursery, Inc.

Wells Brothers in Plano on Ave K between Spring Creek & Parker carries Living Earth compost in bags and lots of other organic products reasonably priced. I also like Rohde's in Garland (hidden on Wall St. near 635 and Garland Road), but they're a little more out of the way if you're in Richardson. I'm not sure if they have Living Earth products, but they have a cotton burr compost that I've had good luck with, and their prices are good.

And with respect to Ms/Mr Ward, I have not personally noticed a difference with Calloway's products being more of less fully composted than others, and have had great success with others. I have found the cotton burr compost sold at the two businesses I mentioned comparable to the brand sold at Calloways, and they cost about half as much. ($10 dollars a bag vs $4-6 at they other stores.) I don't work for either of these establishments and have nothing against Calloway's (been visiting weekly waiting for your Satsumas to arrive:)--just a gardener on a budget sharing my experience.

Well, personally, I like Calloways.
Quality plants that are well taken care of. A little higher priced than the impersonal big box stores, but the plants look a lot better too. The big box stores also often mislabel their plants, and that's never been a problem for me at Calloways.
I have used the Cotton Bur Compost sold at Calloways for years, and it is a superior product. It's not a private label for them, I believe the national brand is 'Back to Earth'. I've tried cheaper brands of cotton bur compost purchased locally and none of them held a candle to the Back to Earth that I get from Calloways.
I will get a bag of the "new" Calloways Organic Compost & see how I like it. I have a small garden, so the expense isn't that prohibitive, if I think the product is good enough.
I'm glad to hear they changed it, because the "old" Calloways Organic Compost did not do well for me. It was never really composted ... it took years to break down enough to be a benefit for my soil. It was probably my least favorite product that Calloways sold.

By the way, the so called "compost" that I've bought from Lowes & Home Depot in the past have been pretty much worthless, so it's a good thing it's cheap.

Randy

It's encouraging to see Calloway's folk reading the forum. Nothin' like feedback from customers to benefit both business and customer!

I have no doubt that Calloway's fully composted $10-a-bag material is superior. The simple fact of the matter is that I can't afford it. My plants might have loved it, but they're going to have to get by on simple mild affection for the inferior compost I heap on them. That's part of why I opt for tough, hard-to-kill plants like salvia and turk's cap.

Thank you to Mr. Ward for explaining the composting process their material goes through. Maybe I'll stretch my gardening dollars a bit to get some for my gardenias or other more delicate beauties! The rest of my beds will have to get by on stuff from my own compost pile.

I always use Calloways when I need to replace a mature plant that I have lost or don't like anymore, and I need something with immediate impact. They can't be beat for that. I am, as many others are, getting into the more drought resistant and natives and I hope Calloways expands their offerings on natives - especially shrubs. I'm still befuddled as to why organic products cost so much. Seems to me they ought to be cheaper than chemicals.

I like Calloways because they tend to have plants that you wont find at big box stores. However, I am very satisfied with Earth Finest Compost (LETCO) at Lowes. Probably the only true compost you'd get at big box stores....