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A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.

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Old January 19, 2017   #1
My Foot Smells
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Default Rice Hulls ??

Saw where some suppliers are selling rice hulls (new this year). Never heard of this. The below mentioned is from Riceland (sold by supplier a..m. leonard for like 70$ usd), which is just over yonder from my shack. I'm sure I could get tractor trailer loads for free.

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PBH Nature’s Media Amendment is a uniquely processed rice hull product from Riceland Foods, Inc. with multiple uses in the greenhouse and nursery environment. For greenhouse production, it is the perfect replacement for perlite in the growing mix. In nursery stock, PBH is used as a container topdress to prevent airborne weed seeds from reaching the growing mix. Highly compressed when packaged in your choice of a 30-cu.-ft. bag or a 50-lb.-bale, PBH Nature’s Media Amendment lowers freight costs, generates less waste and minimizes storage and handling. It is a natural by-product of rice and a renewable resource with much to offer greenhouse growers, nurserymen, consumers and the environment. PBH is OMRI Listed® and WSDA registered.
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Old January 19, 2017   #2
pmcgrady
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My best friend (now passed away) used rice hulls at his cattle feedlot to mix in feed as a filler. He bought semi loads of it from Anheiser Busch cheap, it's a left over by product from brewing beer. As I remember the piles they dumped became quite hot, like a hot compost pile... enough to burn plants. If left to compost it would be a good soil builder.
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Old January 19, 2017   #3
My Foot Smells
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interesting. sounds like it might make a nice additive for buckets and baskets.
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Old January 19, 2017   #4
zeuspaul
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Rice hulls is a primary ingredient in Kelloggs Amend, Patio Plus and Growmulch.
http://kellogggarden.com/products/kellogg/soils/
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Old January 20, 2017   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zeuspaul View Post
Rice hulls is a primary ingredient in Kelloggs Amend, Patio Plus and Growmulch.
http://kellogggarden.com/products/kellogg/soils/
interesting. might have to investigate, Riceland is big in Arkansas. already have a free unlimited supply of perlite but it is powder and not rock.
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Old January 21, 2017   #6
maxjohnson
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I think it's very attractive as top mulch although not exactly effective as wood chips. For mixing I think it's very good, although it does breakdown overtime which is a good or bad thing depends on how look at it. I would use it if you can get it cheap locally, but personally I wouldn't spend a lot of money to get it shipped. Although I would make sure it is organic.

Last edited by maxjohnson; January 21, 2017 at 12:38 AM.
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Old June 3, 2020   #7
greenthumbomaha
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I mixed 50/50 rice hulls with regular potting mix and it was a disaster. I tried to use it for seed starting and it stayed so wet and heavy that nothing germinated and I had to start over. I tried to use it again for potting up and it wasn't great in the beginning but the plants finally started growing.
So .. if you have used it, did I use too much? Using for container mulch would be great since I have 50 lbs!
It was from AM Leonard with free shipping. Hopefully organic!

- Lisa
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Old June 4, 2020   #8
Father'sDaughter
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It's very popular with container growers in hot climates as a top mulch in order to keep the potting mix from drying out too quickly. As others have found, holds too much moisture to use as an amendment if container growing.
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Old June 6, 2020   #9
Tracydr
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I would first do a plant or two. I tried using them one year in AZ. I used them just as a mulch In a couple of but nothing would grow for a long time.
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Old June 17, 2020   #10
greenthumbomaha
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I have a few container plants that dry faster than the others. I's been soo hot this month and need multiple waterings per day. I should have gone for it.
Tracydr, when you applied the hulls, were the container plants small or already established? Maybe there is a trick to timing.

- Lisa
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Old June 17, 2020   #11
Tracydr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha View Post
I have a few container plants that dry faster than the others. I's been soo hot this month and need multiple waterings per day. I should have gone for it.
Tracydr, when you applied the hulls, were the container plants small or already established? Maybe there is a trick to timing.

- Lisa
I applied it to raised beds and a patio in-ground area. I wonder if they were pH adjusted in some way. They were sold as horse stall bedding and I just needed something as mulch to help with moisture and heat but nothing would And they were previously good beds.
I had such high ph there anyway that I always suspected they had lime or something else added for odor control for horse bedding.
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