question about store bought manure

[annastasia76]

I can't remember the brand name of it, it's a yellow/white package sold at homedepot, lowes, and walmart, actually the only brand of manure I have seen for sale ever.

The question is, how do I know if it's organic, or how long it has aged, and if it's safe, my fear is that more than likely it has come from some dairy farm where they feed the cows all sorts of chemicals but I don't know for sure. I remember searching for info on it last year but didn't find anything in a google search.

Edit: I think this is the brand
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Earthgro-1-Cubic-Foot-Steer-Manure-Blend/16904046

actually on walmart's website it shows all sorts of other stuff, I wish that our store carried them, I've only ever noticed the manure, but then maybe I wasn't looking very well, I'll check next time I go.

I hope you don't mind if I just keep adding questions here rather than starting another thread, but if you think I should start another thread please let me know.

What about this Mushroom compost, do you think it's any good, it's not at my store but one that's a little further away
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Greensmix-1-Cu-Ft-Mushroom-Compost/16782595

what is soil conditioner

[dustyrivergardens]

the manure brand is regional I think back east its called black cow anyway the manure can be a little salty but usually not bad I have only seen one recall locally. The mushroom compost I love and use it a lot. A basic mix is half compost 25 percent peat 25 percent vermiculite or perlite. I add rock dust to this mix. Azomite or just volcanic sand greensand or such. and no I really don't think that band is organic...

[ruggr10]

I've used the walmart cow manure. Seems like it has a lot of sand to me.
I won't buy it again.

[annastasia76]

I've never gotten it with sand in it, when I've purchased it in the past it actually looked like it was still in chunks of poo, which tells me that it's not composted much but I don't know how composted it needs to be.

[annastasia76]

usually is smells reaks it smells so strong

[hit or miss]

The simplest test for any composted material is the sniff test. If it smells like good, fresh earth it's a good product. If it still smells like junk, don't buy it! I can't imagine that organic cow manure compost is very easy to come by.

[greenstubbs]

If your outside the city and have access to a truck. Just kindly ask the owner of a horse, cattle, etc. ranch if you could take some dump off their hands, they might say take all you want. And who knows, they may pay you to take it!. But at alittle over a buck@bag is kinda hard to resist. I've used it to dump in my compost pile to help breakdown all my grass clippings as thats mostly what goes in mine pile.

[mattie g]

I used bagged mushroom compost from my local nursery last year, and if the results of my tomatoes are anything to go by then it was a wonderful product! It's not the same product as the one you linked to, but the stuff I got was well worth it.