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Cole_Robbie · November 11, 2014

I'm going to try to make my own grow mix for next year. I have access to a field of composted cow manure that has proven to be an excellent soil amendment. It has a lot of decomposed hay in it, so it's fluffy already, but I will probably mix something in with it for aeration. Perlite is the obvious answer, and I'll do that for any bedding plants I sell. For large container plants of my own, I would prefer something I can get for free.

I have access to pine needles. I've read it's a myth that they acidify soil. I think a container tomato would be done long before any of the needles decomposed. I can't find anything about anyone using them in grow media, though.

I also have a lot of old hay sitting around, and I might try some of it as well. All I need to add to the manure is a little bit of aeration.

November 11, 2014	#1
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Pine Needles in Media? I'm going to try to make my own grow mix for next year. I have access to a field of composted cow manure that has proven to be an excellent soil amendment. It has a lot of decomposed hay in it, so it's fluffy already, but I will probably mix something in with it for aeration. Perlite is the obvious answer, and I'll do that for any bedding plants I sell. For large container plants of my own, I would prefer something I can get for free. I have access to pine needles. I've read it's a myth that they acidify soil. I think a container tomato would be done long before any of the needles decomposed. I can't find anything about anyone using them in grow media, though. I also have a lot of old hay sitting around, and I might try some of it as well. All I need to add to the manure is a little bit of aeration.