Garden Grow Tips - Plant, Flower, Vegetable, Seed, Herb and Gardening Help

We've done a lot of testing in the last couple years on creating great soil for plants, shrubs, vegetables, and seeds. Some tests we've done were planting directly in slightly aged steer or chicken manures. Other tests planted directly in blends of "compost" purchased from stores such as Lowes and Home Depot. We found that manures purchased by the bag are usually priced lower per square foot than "compost" mixes. They are also richer generally in nutrients for plants. But, they are also heavier and hold more water. They can be too heavy on their own and difficult for the plant to grow in. They can also be too fresh, or "hot". We found that "compost" blends are usually not aged much if at all. They are generally comprised of shredded tree branches and chips, manure, forest humus, bat guano, etc. Although the additional ingredients beyond wood sound terrific, they do seem to make up a small amount of the mix. Planting directly in a purchased "compost" mix is ok for plants and seeds in many cases, but we have found the nutrients a bit lacking for plants. The mix may be so rough that it does not retain water well. We have found it best to combine 1 part steer manure with two parts "compost". Or, we would combine 1 part chicken manure in more rare cases (more expensive) with 5 parts "compost". This way the manure is not too "hot", but does benefit plants. When planting seeds, it is generally best to find a light, sterile mix if possible. The reason we like combining "compost" with manure is that the "compost" is fairly light in many cases, due to many openings between small pieces of ground wood and other items. Manure helps break down the wood, bring in worms and other insects, retain moisture, and add nutrients.