Black Kow Compost

luigiwu · April 20, 2014

I think some people use it here and I came across it for the first time today. Do people like using this stuff? How does your mixes with Black Kow perform for you?

I would be mixing it with mostly peat/perlite and other amendments for my SIP containers.
Thanks!!

**mdvpc** · April 20, 2014

If it has any manure in it, be careful-a lot of the manures have herbicides that our folks have bought and it killed their tomatoes. I don't use anything that has manure.

PA_Julia · April 20, 2014

Deleted by me due to not being compost but manure.

newatthiskat · April 21, 2014

I have used and do use Black Kow. I can not speak for others but I never had any problems with it

feldon30 · April 21, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigiwu

I think some people use it here and I came across it for the first time today. Do people like using this stuff? How does your mixes with Black Kow perform for you?

Black Kow Composted Manure is a fantastic product and I recommend it to anyone. I have used at least 20 bags of it over the last years I was gardening in Houston and got very good results. I cannot say I have ever heard of anyone finding herbicide in composted cow manure.

luigiwu · April 21, 2014

Sorry guys, Feldon got it right, - the bag says COMPOSTED COW MANURE.
as MDVPC saidm I guess I have heard the issues of people using pesticides etc for their cow's healths and just am a little worried about it being in the manure. I might get a couple of bags to test - perhaps its just not meant for container gardening.

Father'sDaughter · April 21, 2014

While I couldn't find the Black Cow brand around here in the past, I have used another brand (don't remember which) of composted cow manure combined with Miracle Grow Potting Mix (NOT the Moisture Control version) in my grow bags for tomatoes and peppers. I learned about the combo in a post by nctomatoman (Craig L.) who uses grow bags, and it's been working out great for me.

Sun City Linda · April 21, 2014

Neither manures nor compost of any kind are recommended for Self Watering Containers, (SIP). They break down more quickly than peat and adversely impact the wicking action of the mix. The best mixes for SIPs are mostly peat, with perlite and sometimes bark chips. When I grow in regular containers, I mix in composted cow manure, but I never add it to my Earthboxes.

Father'sDaughter · April 21, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

Neither manures nor compost of any kind are recommended for Self Watering Containers, (SIP). They break down more quickly than peat and adversely impact the wicking action of the mix. The best mixes for SIPs are mostly peat, with perlite and sometimes bark chips. When I grow in regular containers, I mix in composted cow manure, but I never add it to my Earthboxes.

Sorry, missed that in the original post. I only have experience with regular container growing.

luigiwu · April 22, 2014

I am not liking the Miracle Gro that I've purchased a month ago as there seems to be an overwelming amount of large-ish twigs and bark-y pieces. With my SIP container setup, I usually can just add some amendments and be good to go.
So instead I was going to make my own potting mix using 2 parts peat and 1 part compost and amendments.

SunCity Linda, I didn't know compost was not recommended at all. Interesting.

Goldie321 · April 23, 2014

I use Earthgro Potting Soil and mix some Black Kow in with it. So far, results have been good.

cubdriver · April 9, 2016

Black Kow's website had a tutorial (video and PDF) of growing tomatoes right in the Black Kow bag (on its side). http://blackkow.com/_pdfs/bk_tomato.pdf

Seems like a space consuming messy way to to do it. Pros and cons of using "pure" Black Kow?

sj

Goldie321 · April 9, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubdriver

Black Kow's website had a tutorial (video and PDF) of growing tomatoes right in the Black Kow bag (on its side). http://blackkow.com/_pdfs/bk_tomato.pdf

Seems like a space consuming messy way to to do it. Pros and cons of using "pure" Black Kow?

sj

Also an expensive way to grow them. This year, I'm recycling last year's container soil (which was a mix of a cheap garden soil, & Black Kow) and cutting it with Sta-Green Garden and Vegetable soil with fertilizer. Gave my transplants a nice starter boost. Added a small amount - about a teaspoon - of Jobe's Organic Veg. and Flower (2-5-3) and they are doing well. Will add more as they get bigger. Last year I made the mistake of using their tomato and veggie fertilizer with a nitrogen level of 10. Plants got huge, but not much fruit - eggplants did especially bad. Six foot eggplant plants but only a few eggplants.

fonseca · April 10, 2016

Black Kow is probably the best compost on the market that is widely available. I've been using it for a decade. Grab a handful, it smells nice and earthy, rich black in color with no sand or forest product in it. There is a cheaper brand with bags half the cost: that stuff smells bad and is loaded with sand and bark.

The company that makes Black Kow also sells a quality mushroom compost at a similar price. I always mix these two 50/50. You might be lucky enough to have locally-produced mushroom compost available by the yard at a significant savings.

I grow in sub-irrigated containers with 20-30% compost in the mix, container sizes range from 5 gal to 100 gal. It can be done with excellent results. But it is more work for sure. I empty all my SIPs every year and mix in fresh compost and peat. But I would need to do this anyway to make sure the weed fabric I use as a barrier between soil and reservoir is still good. The last thing I want is tomato roots getting into the reservoir.

I use a compost-less mix in the mesh baskets that act as wicks (100 gal stock tanks use builder's sand for wicking), which transitions to a mix with roughly 1/3 compost. I add organic fertilizers like alfalfa and fish bone meal as well, and I don't have to fertilize all season. Plants will get a few waterings with weak liquid fish/seaweed, and AACT maybe once or twice. That's it.

I keep growing in the same mix through the winter with lots of different greens and brassicas, so I can usually tell when nutrients are starting to run low. The volume of the mix will have shrunk down several inches by this time.

Keowee · April 21, 2016

Locally, I've noticed that Black Kow from Lowe's is better quality than from Home Depot -- the bag design (particularly the font "Black Kow" is written in) is a bit different, as well. The bag I got from Home Depot last week seemed like a 3:1 ratio of compost to sand. The Lowe's bags had virtually no sand. YMMV.

April 20, 2014	#1
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Black Kow Compost I think some people use it here and I came across it for the first time today. Do people like using this stuff? How does your mixes with Black Kow perform for you? I would be mixing it with mostly peat/perlite and other amendments for my SIP containers. Thanks!!

April 20, 2014	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	If it has any manure in it, be careful-a lot of the manures have herbicides that our folks have bought and it killed their tomatoes. I don't use anything that has manure. __________________ Michael

April 20, 2014	#3
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	Deleted by me due to not being compost but manure. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013 Last edited by PA_Julia; April 20, 2014 at 08:50 PM.

April 21, 2014	#4
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	I have used and do use Black Kow. I can not speak for others but I never had any problems with it

April 21, 2014	#7
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	While I couldn't find the Black Cow brand around here in the past, I have used another brand (don't remember which) of composted cow manure combined with Miracle Grow Potting Mix (NOT the Moisture Control version) in my grow bags for tomatoes and peppers. I learned about the combo in a post by nctomatoman (Craig L.) who uses grow bags, and it's been working out great for me.

April 21, 2014	#8
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Neither manures nor compost of any kind are recommended for Self Watering Containers, (SIP). They break down more quickly than peat and adversely impact the wicking action of the mix. The best mixes for SIPs are mostly peat, with perlite and sometimes bark chips. When I grow in regular containers, I mix in composted cow manure, but I never add it to my Earthboxes.

April 22, 2014	#10
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	I am not liking the Miracle Gro that I've purchased a month ago as there seems to be an overwelming amount of large-ish twigs and bark-y pieces. With my SIP container setup, I usually can just add some amendments and be good to go. So instead I was going to make my own potting mix using 2 parts peat and 1 part compost and amendments. SunCity Linda, I didn't know compost was not recommended at all. Interesting.

April 9, 2016	#12
cubdriver Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Kansas City, Mo Posts: 2	Black Kow's website had a tutorial (video and PDF) of growing tomatoes right in the Black Kow bag (on its side). http://blackkow.com/_pdfs/bk_tomato.pdf Seems like a space consuming messy way to to do it. Pros and cons of using "pure" Black Kow? sj

April 10, 2016	#14
fonseca Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 205	Black Kow is probably the best compost on the market that is widely available. I've been using it for a decade. Grab a handful, it smells nice and earthy, rich black in color with no sand or forest product in it. There is a cheaper brand with bags half the cost: that stuff smells bad and is loaded with sand and bark. The company that makes Black Kow also sells a quality mushroom compost at a similar price. I always mix these two 50/50. You might be lucky enough to have locally-produced mushroom compost available by the yard at a significant savings. I grow in sub-irrigated containers with 20-30% compost in the mix, container sizes range from 5 gal to 100 gal. It can be done with excellent results. But it is more work for sure. I empty all my SIPs every year and mix in fresh compost and peat. But I would need to do this anyway to make sure the weed fabric I use as a barrier between soil and reservoir is still good. The last thing I want is tomato roots getting into the reservoir. I use a compost-less mix in the mesh baskets that act as wicks (100 gal stock tanks use builder's sand for wicking), which transitions to a mix with roughly 1/3 compost. I add organic fertilizers like alfalfa and fish bone meal as well, and I don't have to fertilize all season. Plants will get a few waterings with weak liquid fish/seaweed, and AACT maybe once or twice. That's it. I keep growing in the same mix through the winter with lots of different greens and brassicas, so I can usually tell when nutrients are starting to run low. The volume of the mix will have shrunk down several inches by this time.

April 21, 2016	#15
Keowee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: SC - 8a Posts: 42	Locally, I've noticed that Black Kow from Lowe's is better quality than from Home Depot -- the bag design (particularly the font "Black Kow" is written in) is a bit different, as well. The bag I got from Home Depot last week seemed like a 3:1 ratio of compost to sand. The Lowe's bags had virtually no sand. YMMV.