Black Kow Compost vs Earthgro Compost: Similarities and Differences

[@dawsonian2000]

Thank you Tanaka Homestead for educating me on the differences between Black Kow and Earthgro composts! Now, I know that I made the correct decision in purchasing the Black Kow for growing my garlic for the 2024/ 2025 season! Awesome! Thanks and God Bless!

[@h.s.thompsonduke8105]

My grandmother used only Black Michigan Peat, Holly tone, bone meal, and garden compost (Coffee grounds, kitchen scraps, leaves, etc...) That works for me too.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Nice! Sounds like your grandmother had it figured out:). Smart woman!

[@theresasoaft2201]

Black Kow is an excellent product! I recused my unproductive spring garden with it and yielded a wonderful fall harvest!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I agree! I have never had any issues with it and I get really good results❤️👩‍🌾

[@rudolf462]

I believe my Black Kow was contaminated by Grazon. Good reason to keep those bags, or not, since it took me a while to figure it out.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no, I am sorry to hear that. I have not experienced this type of thing with Black Kow. I have personally reached out to them about their composting process and it seems pretty legit and thorough. It is so hard nowadays. You always hope that livestock owners have a good understanding of where their hay is coming from and how it is treated and then you hope the hay producers are informing the farmers of what the hay has been treated with, if anything at all. It has been suggested that you should test your compost before using it, but this takes time and planning. Do a 50:50 mix of Black Kow (or any compost) with potting mix and then fill a couple of pots with just the potting mix and then plant bean seeds looking for growth. They suggested a slightly different way of doing this when I contacted the Black Kow company, but it was very similar. Thank you very much for sharing.

[@MrSymbolic7]

That was my main concern as most cow manure is contaminated with Grazon these Day's !

[@markm8188]

I believe it was Black Kow compost that killed some of my new blueberry bushes planted last spring. That changed my perspective on using materials that are not local. I'm much more careful who I buy from and I ask questions. I won't buy from a second or third source.

[@phatthony6780]

@@markm8188yes it killed them, because it’s not a low PH product. Blueberry’s have to be grown in low PH soil. They like it acidic.

[@FatcatandFriends]

Thank you for bringing attention to the importance of wearing gloves! A couple years ago I had a tiny cut in my finger & within 2 days, it became tremendously infected. It landed me in the hospital for a week AND I had to have emergency surgery to remove the infected tendons.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh my goodness that sounds terrible and very scary! All it takes is a small opening in your skin! I have hand eczema and I often have tiny cuts and what not on my hands. I do not want to risk infection, so the gloves are worth it! Thank you for your comment!

[@kenbrou2250]

Thanks! Worth the extra money for black cow.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

It has worked for me so far:). Thank you for watching!

[@imlew7853]

I never used bagged manure compost by itself. Earthgro is a bit cheaper than a bag of top soil. So amending Earthgro with my homemade compost and organic fertilizer work like a charm for my heirloom vegetables. Either black kow or earthgro, their nutrients can only last for couple of weeks and have to be replenished more often once the fruiting starts. I live in north central Florida where sandy soil dominates. So steeping and top dressing with earthgro mixed with additional organic water soluble fertilizer to amend my 1 acre lawn saves a ton.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

You are not the first person to tell me that they amend Earthgro with fertilizers and compost. It really sounds like a great idea! I certainly may consider this in the future. Thank you so much for sharing this information. Happy gardening👩‍🌾

[@CH-hm8ud]

I am in central Fl, I do the same thing, I use scraps too. I have no complains about my vegetables.

[@zemtek420]

I tried both and I had the same conclusion. I only buy the earth grow when I want to do yard patching but anything that I am growing food with its Black Cow all the way. Black Cow is one of the main ingedients in my living soil mixture.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I have heard people doing similar things. Very smart way to use both composts. Although I have tried many different types of compost, I do tend to use Black Kow the most. Thank you for sharing:)

[@zemtek420]

@@tanakahomestead8820 same here. Black Kow a much better product for growing food in. I forgot I actually did a video on this on my The Naked Bud channel where I compaired the 2.

[@drea4195]

Good information, thanks! I haven't seen Black Cow sold in my area but I will be on the lookout for it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Sounds good! It has worked well for me all of these years😊happy gardening!

[@rozsmith6850]

I've been using Black Cow on my organic veggies for years, with great results. You really do get what you pay for!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I agree! I have also been using it for years and have always had great results:)

[@dadmezz4024]

Thank you for the comparison. I also have sandy soil in North Central Ohio that I cover in natural wood chips for 20 years for yard plants. Everything grows like crazy,, even fruit tree cuttings will root. Started vegetable garden with sandy soil with decaying wood and leaves two feet deep. First year everything grew well. Plan to top dress with cheap bag compost with manure thinly then cover with leaves to retain moisture. Thinking a little bagged product is safe and will go a long way safely for moisture retention, low fertilizer, add some natural bio to the soil. Love being outside in my latter senior years.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

It sounds like you have a good handle on things and know what you are doing! That is the beauty of gardening...that you can do it for as long you want! Thank you so much for sharing. Happy gardening:)

[@Anythingforfreedom]

You’ll have to do a garden update with the size of your plants in each.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

It is sad to say, but Hurricane Ian wiped them out🥲I will definitely do something similar in the future:) Thanks for watching.

[@KatherineRoseArt]

I would have liked to see the results of growing plants in each one.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

There is another video for this:) check it out. It is the update video❤️👩‍🌾

[@joeltankard1894]

I do appreciate the comparison.

[@joshkadet4595]

The Black Kow I bought this year (Home Depot in the NE) is mostly sticks.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no that is so disappointing. I would totally reach out to the company and ask them about that. I am sorry to hear that happened to you.

[@judys5767]

I have used Earthgro for years in flower beds, and the Earthgro has greatly improved the quality of the clay soil in my yard. When I moved here, I never saw worms in the clay soil and today worms are prolific. My Earthgro has always been like dirt, and I recently spread in two beds and is smooth and appears to be dirt.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Nice! I could of had a bad batch, who knows. Many people have said they use Earthgro in their garden with no issues. Sounds like it is working well for you too! Do what works. Thank you for sharing this:)

[@memberson]

I used to use Black cow I called the company for weeks to ask them the feed that the cows are getting where does it come from and does it contain certain chemicals you cannot. Get anyone on the phone to answer those questions they will not answer those questions because I believe. What goes in comes out and if cows are being fed. Certain hormonal types of chemicals then it stays in the feces. Using grass and leaves as a compost is a much better way to go

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Very interesting! All valid points and I certainly did not realize this. I will look into this as well. What compost do you prefer? Do you just use homemade compost? Thank you for your input🍆🥬🍊

[@ericwilliams1124]

​@@tanakahomestead8820I'm finding that's what's best. Recently I've been seeing what I planted did best in my own compost.

[@johnliberty3647]

I have had small signs of grazon distortion in plants where I mixed black kow into my potting mix. Earth gro compost never had this result. I am just getting rabbits and making my own.

[@ross9128]

Organic farm manure only!

[@youngjmaryland3729]

They ain't tryna answer that bs 😂😂😂 buy it or make your own

[@gthumbus]

so if a cow eats non organic grains and hay is the manure still organic or does the manure have to come from cows that only eat organic? i know i could get all the horse manure i want for free from a house rancher that lives close but the meds and non organic feed shows up in the manure of the horse when tested, but a cow does have more sections in it's stomachs than a horse. i wise someone would test this because i would love to use it but nether one says for organic food production.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

This is a really in depth and I think it tough to answer...BUT, I do think for something to be classified as organic, even the poo from a cow, it needs to come from a cow that has not been exposed to antibiotics, steroids, or other chemicals via feed or pasture. Don't quote me on this:). There are other considerations for something to be classified as organic too. All you can do is the best that you can. It is really hard though. You hope the companies you are purchasing from are forthcoming and honest. Thank you so much for your question. Happy gardening.

[@gthumbus]

@@tanakahomestead8820 thanks for the feed back. yes i stopped saying i grow organic after finding out that some of the fertilizers that are certified organic still can cause birth defects and cancer. now i advertise my veggies as all natural, and try to stay as close as i can to natures way. keep up the great videos.

[@radolfkalis4041]

It says organic on the bag, but small print on a different part if the bag, it is not for organic gardens. Which is it?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

You are talking about the Earthgro compost right? Yes, I do agree it is very confusing. Maybe they are saying the leaves, grass, and forest products are organic and the manure is not?

[@GeorgeTropicana]

Well those are two different things so wtf are you even going on about

[@thegraciousgardener92]

I've had 10 bags of black kow years ago that looked like the bag you opened. I just purchased 20 bags from home depot to set up my garden this year and 10 of those mags look worse than the earth grow, literally dry mulch visible pieces of wood. If I'm going to get product like that anyway I might as well switch to earthgro. Even last year black kow was trash and when I contacted the company by email they never replied back. I should do a video opening 1 of the bags.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I am pretty shocked by this and I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. I agree, if you pay that amount of money and then have a bad experience, it is totally not worth it. I am surprised they did not respond back to you. I have written them before and got a prompt response. I personally have never experienced any issues, but I heard of others having bad ones. Yes, I do know of many people who buy the cheaper stuff and then just amend the soil. That is always an option too. Thank you for your comment.

[@leeratliff7588]

I had the same experience recently. I bought Black Kow at Home Depot for the first time based on its reputation as a high quality product. It was full of wood chips, twigs, and partially composted plant matter. I was very disappointed. It was definitely not 100% composted manure. I’m surprised to see this video and see that the bag looks as good as it does. I wonder if Black Kow has changed their composition recently. Still the same high price though.

[@rgarden-of6hf]

From context black cow seems to be fully composted material with a temp log over a period of time allowing it to be organic certified. I have my doubts about how long or with how much rigor the other is composted. Probably going to pick some up and use it as starter bedding for a worm composter.

[@rgarden-of6hf]

Diego footer and No Till Growers have great content on explaining different kinds of compost and how they are classified.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you for your comment. On the Black Kow website they have a section on how it is made that I thought was pretty neat:) www.blackkow.com/how_it_s_made

[@calledbyhisname899]

I noticed on Tractor Supply the Earthgro says "Not for container gardening". So that's a big factor for many of us.

[@ReapingTheHarvest]

I didn't notice that. I tried using it in containers though and they did terrible. Even with perlite it was just too thick and clumpy

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh goodness, I am going to have to take a look at the bag. I do not recall seeing that, but I certainly could have overlooked it. Thank you for your comment:)

[@joecalio6489]

I think you guys are confused.. you can't use any compost alone in containers, it's too broken down.. it's almost a mud when it gets wet. Get a bag of peat moss, I like the sunshine brand. Under $25.00 for 3 cubic feet, but it expands to 6 cubic feet when unpacking.. I toss in 1 bag of composted steer manure, 1 bag of composted chicken manure, bone meal, blood meal, Epson salt, worm castings, and extra perlite.. you end up with close to 9 cubic feet of good container soil for around $40.. the compost just contains the beneficial microbes (fungus/bacteria) that consume the blood and bone meal, etc.. their excrement feeds the plant..you don't need too much compost..

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@joecalio6489 oh I think I misunderstood what was said by the initial comment. Yes, I totally agree. Don’t use compost alone in containers. I do an equal mix of soil, compost, and peat moss:)

[@stevenwood7131]

I have hydrophobic soil. I mixed earthgro/kellog raised bed soil and peatmoss. Yes I know peatmoss can be hydrophobic, but I want the slight acidification peat provides. I may convert to coco coir. Anyways that blend seems to help a little. I do need to get my veg garden soil tested for minerals and the NPK. 1st year corn was not optimal, but ok with full ears. Years 3 to present corn grows a little but never to the stage of ear production...I suspect hydrophobic soil is 1 part. Don't have access to leaves, but have access to grass, hopefully that helps.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@stevenwood7131 thank you for sharing. Sounds like a good mix. I do a mix for my potted plants consisting of equal parts of peat moss, soil, and compost:) I really wanted to start including coconut coir in the mix, but the price for what you get (at least around here) is crazy! Happy gardening:)

[@peggycole7162]

Thanks for this. I didn't buy Blk Cow last year, afraid of maybe it stinking. Did not care for the Earthgrow. I have enough sticks, etc. I like things to be neat after all my work. (Have a bad back, & 75)

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I am happy to hear you are out there gardening at 75. Lifelong hobby:). At times Black Kow can give off an odor (when you open the bag), but honestly I do not think it really has a bad odor:). Thank you for watching and happy gardening!

[@mnp5404]

i purchased Black Kow yesterday and it was half larg sticks of wood. I had to sift it before I could use it. VERY disappointed. I wish I could find the Black Kow that looks like yours!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh my goodness! I hate to hear that. I have never had any issues with Black Kow, but other people have shared some bad experiences. If that ever happens again, maybe reach out to the company? When I reached out to them for questions they were very receptive. Thank you for sharing your comment.

[@mnp5404]

​@@tanakahomestead8820 Thank you for responding! Yes, I emailed them over the weekend, after buying another bag at Home Depot vs Walmart, thinking maybe they go through different suppliers. But there was no difference at all: about 50% wood, also plastic chips AND a HUGE (golf-ball sized) ROCK! LOL! Do they feed their cows rocks now? Hoping for a reply soon!

[@dougm2250]

For whatever it`s worth you made me a Black Kow fan! I`m currently working 2 large flower beds in the corners of the yard here in coastal N.C. and added many pounds of chopped leaves pine needles and grass clipping into thick orange clay soil. Ordered 250 worms today as well as there was absolutely no life in that soil as far as the eye could see. Being winter is setting in i`ll top it off with Black Kow and then some Cypress mulch and let it all overwinter. Thanks for this informative video and it`s interesting that a bag with the name Earthgro is NOT for organic gardening which makes me wonder what the heck`s REALLY in it?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Sounds like you are doing a great job amending your soil!I have not been disappointed with Black Kow so far, but there are people who have shared different experiences, like quality issues. I am certainly not affiliated with them, but I am a fan of their product. As for Earthgro, the same question has crossed my mind. I am not quite sure what is in there that makes it NOT for organic gardening (as I scratch my head). I don't know if I should be concerned about this or not! I know for sure there are weeds in there, because I ended up pulling quite a bit! I appreciate your comment and thanks for watching:)

[@billypabst3272]

There's a big difference between labeling a product for gardening as " organic or certified organic". I make my own compost, i know there's no chemicals in it, but I can't bag it and sell it as organic or sell the produce from my garden as organic without getting certified by the government. As a back yard gardener there's no way I could afford that nor would I want the government in my business. That may be the reason Earthgrow doesn't sell as organic and why it's cheaper. But I could be wrong .

[@claudiamiller7730]

The way things go today - are both products just coming out of different ends of the same factory???

[@tanakahomestead8820]

It is hard to say, but it would not surprise me! When I was first getting into chickens and trying to determine the best feed for them I asked the good ole folks at Tractor Supply what their thoughts were. Their response "it all pretty much comes from the same factory, but in different bags." Of course this was said jokingly...but it really makes me wonder.

[@rgarden-of6hf]

Regarding garden soil, most blends are just that. Like the alcohol industry and many others, due to the equipment and logistics, it's more profitable for a company to contract out a recipe to one the handful of companies that handle soil, then have that company bag said blend in their bag to be shipped off. To that end most garden soil does all come from the same place.

[@blackrocks8413]

with the earthgro you basically paid a good bit for sticks and sand. I've done it, I've bought 'topsoil' that looked like that in bags. In my experience 8 out of 10 bags of these products are like this. I like Black Kow. Seems like it is rich. A good test would be the use the same pack of seeds and plant 3 zinnias in each. 4 weeks later badda bing badda boom

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I like your thinking. That would certainly be a good test:). I also like Black Kow and honestly have never had any issues with it. I really like your badda bing badda boom. That is my favorite. Happy gardening!

[@rafael2661]

Great video and well I guess I should’ve read the labels! Genius I love it ❤❤❤🎉

[@tanakahomestead8820]

So happy you enjoyed the video! Thank you for watching:). Happy gardening!

[@OhYeah-me1cg]

Just bought 12 bags of Timberline [looks like the same Earthgro bags] @2.58 a bag. Blackkow was 6.48. All at Lowes. Does seem to be a bit clumpy, but for the price I'm satisfied.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I will have to check out this Timberline you speak of. I have not seen that before at my Lowes:). Thank you for the heads up. Happy gardening!

[@Mrs.TJTaylor]

The last bag of Black Cow I bought was full of wood chips. Since when do cows eat logs?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

OMG. They shouldn’t be eating logs. That would hurt coming out😊BUT I would totally reach out to Black Kow, because I would not be happy about that. Sorry that happened to you.

[@yes350yes]

When clicking here I was hoping to see side by side test results . Also I will add here that sometimes the black kow I have used looked more like mulch and quit using it and went to the cheaper stuff as it seemed to be effective with plant growth.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

There is a separate comparison update video where you see the side by side comparison of each products. I am also updating my other comparison videos so they have side by side comparison updates:) thank you for commenting!

[@billshepherd5090]

I don’t use anything from the big box stores anymore. Instead I contact the local municipality to see if they have compost. Almost everyone does and usually you can get a truckload free or for a small fee. I’ve gotten 5 yards from them for $22 a yard. Best part is that they know what they’re using to make it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

WOW:). Very good thinking there. I will certainly look into this. Thank you for your comment and happy gardening!

[@solocamo3654]

Thanks for the video, I'm just starting out and was told to use Earthgro due to the price but unfortunately my local store only had Black Kow. Looks like the price difference is worth it, especially considering how small I'm starting out, I'd rather have the better product to get me started.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I have been using Black Kow for years and I personally have never had any issues with this product. I say go for it:). I will be posting a video very soon on how to check your compost for herbicides, so that is always something you can do to be safe. For some people this makes them feel comfortable, especially if they have previously had a bad experience. Happy gardening! Keep me posted on your garden:)

[@polocash11]

I used the earthgrow before seeing this. I do not know the difference in organic. Saw it on bag, but not sure if it effects produce for home use.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

It is kind of confusing because in small print it says not for organic food production. So in my mind, probably not a big deal for growing veggies in, but can't call it organic if you do:).

[@fedup2533]

I bought 1 bag of black cow brand compost 3 years ago just to compare. When I opened the bag, it smelled like it just came out of a cow. It wasn't compost. It was manure and far too hot to use without further composting. I use earth grow all the time and it works great. The few larger pieces that you get should be sifted out to add to and charge your compost pile or as a top dress mulch. The smaller woody bits build soil life, encourages beneficial fungi and attracts earthworms while it slowly breaks down. If you are trying to build soil for the long term, I think earth grow is far superior if you aren't too lazy to sift it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Very good information. Thank you for sharing this. Happy gardening:)

[@fitzymon]

where did you buy those metal raised bed material. cool stuff :)

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I bought them off of Amazon years ago;) they are reasonable and have held up well❤️thank you for commenting!

[@eyeswideopen866]

I used to use Black Cow - and a combination of Miracle Grow & Sta-Green but 6:10 because of some signs of Grayzon with my veggies I have been making my own soil for the last several years using Peat, chicken litter, cotton but compost, perlite. Veggies do better. I think chicken litter is a much safer option than cow because of the Grayzon chances are slim to none.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

That is actually a brilliant thought and I do agree. I use chicken manure in my homemade compost, it is just too hard to make as much compost as I need for my garden. I would need like 10 tumblers:). Rural King actually has a chicken manure compost that I plan on trying and doing a comparison video on. Should be interesting. Thank you so much for sharing. Happy gardening.

[@putinhynes3848]

How much medication from cows is in the poop?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I have no idea. Ideally, if possible make your own compost, but this takes a lot of time, space, and careful planning. Thank you for your comment. Happy gardening!

[@putinhynes3848]

In the grass clippings does it contain that deadly spray to kill the weeds. I know we have to do the best we can with what we got. When purchasing food from the market we would be surprised at what our food is grown in. Thanks for the information.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

If you are referring to Grazon, it is hard to say. I actually reached out to Black Kow about this and plan on explaining what the response was in an upcoming video. In a nutshell though I was told that Black Kow collects their manure from dairy farms that do not use or feed their cattle Grazon sprayed hay. They also do extended periods of composting and then do routine growth tests and lab test to check for contaminants, which is pretty neat. I do not know about other compost products and what they do. I reached out to Black Kow specifically, because I have had many people ask about Grazon. I agree, there is so much out there regrading soil contaminants etc. I think I would go crazy if I focused on all the "what ifs" all the time. I agree with you totally, we have to do the best that we can. Thank you so much for your response. Happy gardening:)

[@putinhynes3848]

Can you do a video on horse pellets in the garden.

[@TREYCEMONE]

Black Kow prices have soared, and unless they can tell me the cows were organically grown, raised without antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, etc., I wouldn't consider it organic. I mean, in a sense, it won't be organic, who knows what these kows have been subjected to. I watched their video on how it's made, and it was not detailed or specific at all.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I totally hear what you are saying. Stick to your comfort level. There are many options out there for compost or you can make your own. Thank you for commenting:)

[@SpeedBump7807]

I used It a couple of years ago and it killed my nightshades. Will never use it again. I went back and planted green beans in a cup of the bad compost, just to find the culprit.

[@danaaustin7647]

This is my BIG concern here too and what I think they are misleading us about when they say “Natural” and refer to a “Natural diet for the cows for 3 months.” 😄

[@mygrannysgarden]

Hello, my name is Viola. Your video came across my timeline. I see by your about tab that you live Florida. I also live in Florida (Central). What part of Florida do you live? I pray that you weathered the storm and you didn’t get too much damaged. I use black kow too. That was a great comparison of the two. I am a new subscriber to your channel.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you for your kind words Mrs. Viola. We did have some large trees fall, but thankfully we were not hit too bad and had no damage to our property (luckily). We were very fortunate compared to those South of us❤️Thank you for watching👩‍🌾

[@therrienmichael08]

Central Florida here also and I went with a lesser expensive bag 1/2 price called Happy Life at Home Depot. Looks like Kow consistency.

[@cristallaprade5487]

Thanks for the video. It certainly was valuable.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Awesome! I am happy you enjoyed it and thank you so much for watching👩‍🌾❤️

[@DiannaAtherton]

I used to raise chickens and rabbits. You cannot go wrong with either. My canas loved lama waste. Not hot and plant right in it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@DiannaAtherton oh wow Lama waste? That is awesome:) I definitely don’t have access to that! Happy gardening!

[@jaypino2642]

Where did you purchase your metal beds?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I purchased them off of Amazon. They have worked very well so far:). I have 4x8 and 3x6 beds, as well as some oval ones.

[@wakamoli8248]

I buy the cheapest cow manure cubic foot bags and mix peat moss bone meal and a small amounts of sand for ground but when I use it for container I add perlite and maybe vermuculite or coco to hold moisture since you don't have the cappilary effect like in the ground.

[@edwardteague5678]

what was the results at harvest?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@edwardteague5678 black kow:) there is an update video about the results❤️👩‍🌾

[@michaelbishop6159]

what type of raised beds are you using?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I purchased my raised garden beds off Amazon. They are all galvanized metal;) they have worked well for me so far👩‍🌾❤️

[@phuocminhbui]

Can you compare the plants

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Unfortunately I cannot do it now because Hurricane Ian blew my plants over. However, the Black Kow okra plants were definitely taller, fuller, had a wider main stem, and produced more okra than Earthgro. A noticeable difference that is for sure!

[@midsouthhomestead7527]

Thanks for this information!

[@midsouthhomestead7527]

I will stick to the BLACK COW it is really a good product.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

You are very welcome. Thank you for watching! Happy gardening:)

[@garyroberts2563]

Black Kow bag doesn't mention "organic" or did I miss that?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

In a couple of places on the back it says "all natural organic way to improve soil" and "provides rich organic matter" in another spot on the back:)

[@nohandleforme....]

I've had great success with Black Kow. The price is good. I have no reason to try the other one. I also use my own home made compost.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Yes, I also have a compost tumbler. It is just tough with the amount of compost I need! Thank you for your comment:). Happy gardening.

[@msjoy2005]

I’ve used both. No issues

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Nice! I know other people who also use Earthgro and have no issues. I am happy it is working well for you:) Thank you for commenting.

[@ronnfoxx8472]

thanks for doing this

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@ronnfoxx8472 you are welcome! Thank you for watching😊

[@ronaldsmith2343]

DuPont Grazon or other types of content?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I am definitely working on that for future videos:) Thank you for your comment and happy gardening!

[@skrame01]

Where do I guy the compost that has actual cow in it?

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I am not sure where to find actual cow in compost. For now, maybe throw some ground beef in your compost? (Please don't really do that;)

[@barco581]

Black Kow quality is all over the board these days. Had some great bags last fall. We use it in the fall to put the gardens to bed with seaweed and Winter Rye.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

So far I have not had any bad experiences with Black Kow. I am sure it is possible though! My day will come. You are not the only person that has mentioned quality control issues with this product. I am not affiliated or endorsed by them, but so far my experiences have been good…thank you for sharing and happy gardening❤️👩‍🌾

[@outlaw0987654321]

I can vouch for this. I've had excellent bags of black kow and i've had bags that have so much twigs with i had to sift it.

[@markuswade2158]

The additional cost is probably just because it's "certified"......although quality appears to be different as well.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Yes, I have heard different people say they have experienced some quality issues with Black Kow and even Earthgro. I have not had any issues with Black Kow so far. Thank you for commenting.

[@eddavenport6050]

Just go buy one bag of each. Then spead them out seperately on a large tarp to dry some. Once it dries a little, run each through a ¼ or ⅜ mesh sifter. Then buy however many more you want of the one that had the most material that fell through and looked the best. I was appalled when I did this with Black Cow. That was not "compost". Nothing but wood and clay balls. All that wood in the garden soil mixture ties up the nitrogen for some time. Bad,bad,bad. Good to throw in the compost bins as a carbon though. Not what I bought it for. PS... Thank you Black Cow ... I now make my own compost entirely. 😊

[@stephenantonicelli7069]

What stores are selling at these prices?

[@Gmoneygrip1960]

Lowes sells a really good manure for the price I use it on my farm and can tell the difference when I grow with it and without! I'm also a landscaper and gave used it fir years when top dressing seed you can't beat the price with good results...

[@tanakahomestead8820]

What's the name of the manure at Lowe's you are talking about? I have never seen any manure, but I certainly could have missed it. If I know the name I will have an idea of what I am looking for! Thank you:)

[@laineyking3355]

THX GREAT TO KNOW❣👩‍🌾💚😎🙋🏻‍♀️👍

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Awesome:) Thank you for watching!

[@VEEZER1]

Black cow is 30 now and earthgrow is 4.69. Insane.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Wow that is expensive. Certainly not that expensive in Florida, but yes there is a big price difference, which is something to consider!

[@shellysmith1037]

no its not. Black kow and Earthro are within 50cents of each other in price every place I've seen. And you can verify that by looking at prices online. Black Kow is less wood chips, thats why I buy it. @VEEZER1

[@VEEZER1]

@@shellysmith1037 prices do change :)

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Thanks!

[@tomdix5167]

I have this fault of posting mid-video, didn't make it to the end of your video either. Does the old axiom, "You get what you pay for." apply? Back to your video .......... and possibly more edits!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

😂 no worries! Yes, I think you get what you pay for…thank you so much for watching!

[@sueannmestemacher524]

Thank you

[@tanakahomestead8820]

You are welcome❤️👩‍🌾

[@pappy451]

Black Kow all the way for my raised beds . well , it's a blend but yeah , Black Kow is the base .

[@tanakahomestead8820]

That is pretty much what I have done all of these years and it has worked well for me. I have tried other types of compost just to get an idea, but I tend to use Black now the most:). Thank you so much for your comment. Happy gardening!

[@Theultrazombiekiller]

The earthgro uses composted bark and wood, thus the chunks of wood. That is supposed to be in there. The lighter color is due to beneficial bacteria, or good mold. Soil analysis actually shows that earthgro has more nutrients and fiber than black kow. Both are good though!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Very good information to know. Thank you for sharing. Happy gardening!

[@vidili68]

Hi there Good job have good day and happy day.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you for watching:)

[@wakamoli8248]

To be honest, all compost, cow manure, chicken manure and etc, are just fillers with their own unique composition of NPK, micro nutrients from where ever the source may be, one customer can purchase a product and tell their friends how great it works and their friend buys the same product and gets negative results, this can happen and the reason is the soil composition is different which may requires addition component such as gypsum, or lime as an example and the pH of the soil can be an issue. Locations of the soil are not necessarily all the same.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

These comparison videos are fun and interesting to me, but are not done in controlled environments and are not replicated etc. like true experiments. They are really just meant to give people insight on the two types of compost as far as similarities and differences. Also, it depends on your soil type and unique need for nutrients. Quite a few people have mentioned they buy cheaper products and just add their own nutrients. As long as you get good results do whatever works! I appreciate your comment. Happy gardening!

[@MrsJuanita067]

I use them both

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Several people have said the same thing and say it works well for them. I say if it works well go for it. Happy gardening!

[@tudo8412]

Years ago when I bought Black Kow when I opened the bag it smell like Cow sh.t. Last and this year this situation has disappeared and it seems that the quality of the plant has also decreased. Maybe next year I have to think about it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no, that stinks (no pun intended). Typically good compost should have low to no odor and of course help you grow nice healthy plants. I have never had any issues with Black Kow, but of course people have shared their experiences good and bad. As far as comparisons, when I did a comparison to my homemade compost, WOW, what a difference. My homemade compost rocked it! The hard part is keeping up with production. What compost do you use now?

[@patkonelectric]

For one bag of 100% at $5.97. For two bags of 51% (total 102%) at $3.74 (plus you get a bonus of compost). Decision made easy.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh that sounds like a good deal!

[@LaRa-youknowit]

Since watching this video, I contacted both manufacturers. Black cow is not 100% cow manure. It does have other organic matter in it. It is not certified organic per the manufacture, but it only contains organic matter. Earthgro puts that info on their bag that it’s not to be used for organic gardens, they say because it’s not certified, but they also say the same thing as black cow it’s made with only organic matter. Black Kow just does not put that information on their label. But they are both the same. Per both manufacturers, there are no chemicals added, and both are made with cow manure, and other organic matter to make their compost. I know you have another video showing the results were better with Black Kow, but the beds were not in the same location, did not get the same sun, I’m not saying that you’re wrong, but I’m saying in order to make that statement, it needed to be identical comparisons. In my opinion.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I totally hear you. That is why at the end of my video I made a disclaimer that this experiment was not done in a controlled environment, not replicated, and is no way conclusive. I appreciate you reaching to those companies and doing some deeper digging. As far as the sun you are correct they weren’t in the same exact garden bed, but I am not sure how different the sun exposure would be since they were literally side by side with no obscuring structures. As far as water, seed, and soil they were the exact same with the exception of the compost added. I hear you though. It certainly was not a perfect experiment! The irony is Black Kow blew Earthgro out of the water in this video per say, but then my lettuce seeds barely grew in another comparison video when I used Black Kow 🤷‍♀️definitely a lot of factors to consider. Thank you for sharing the information you learned. I really do appreciate it❤️Happy gardening!

[@LaRa-youknowit]

@@tanakahomestead8820 I appreciate you doing the experiment in the first place. That’s how I found your video as I was trying to get a comparison myself for the two products. It was interesting to see that neither one of them are recommended for organic gardening, which makes total sense when you look at it now. I wish I had a truckload of homemade compost.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@LaRa-youknowit I 💯percent agree about the homemade compost! Seriously if I had enough “good waste” to produce enough of it and keep a constant production going I would pick homemade compost over ANY compost any day of the week! It is just so tough making large batches for the amount of garden I have🤦‍♀️I have been trying to figure out how to do this!! Thank you so much for watching❤️👩‍🌾

[@gerrylavelle8433]

I use the Earthgro for soil texture and the Black Kow for growth ooomph.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

That sounds good❤️🙌👩‍🌾I really like jungle growth, but man it is expensive!

[@danwilkinson2797]

I would suspect the one with compost has some biofill in it which is derived from the sewage industry or contains traces of persistent herbicide from the food the cows ingested. preparatory information unfortunately

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you for your comment:)

[@larryaugust8205]

HD in St. Augustine no longer carries it,

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh geez, what do you use?

[@larryaugust8205]

@@tanakahomestead8820 black kow

[@Joejoe0913]

I thought those contain little to no cow manure

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Unfortunately, I don’t know exactly how much manure the bags contain. It has done a great job for my garden thus far though. Thank you for your comment:)

[@joecalio6489]

I subscribed.. Let's go!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you❤️

[@bidkid2020]

Black cow is probably one of the better but they still have Rock in the bags to make up the weight there is a cheaper brand by about 2 bucks that Walmart Home Depot Lowe's all carry it and it's the worst I was taking a half inch rock out of there and this is supposed to be compost Walmart also sells a fertilizer that's 10 10 10 I am getting them to replace it again this is the white bag fertilizer it had a lot of pebbles in its size of BBS to maybe a pallet I found all this rock after about 2 days of rain and that's what was left over in my garden or my fruit trees my yard

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh my goodness, the is so upsetting! I am sorry you went through that. Sounds like a headache. I appreciate your comment. Happy gardening:)

[@philipbutler6608]

I got a bag of black cow that appeared to have construction rubble in it.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

What?! That is awful. They turn their compost on the ground...maybe that is how it got there? They must of missed that in quality control. I would contact the company. Thank you for your comment.

[@jimoyler1780]

The fine print on Black Kow doesn't assure the product is free of pesticides.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Are you referring to the fine print under the Mulch and Soil Council Certification where it says "...the certification mark does not apply to pesticide claims?"

[@jimoyler1780]

@@tanakahomestead8820 yes

[@jimoyler1780]

@@tanakahomestead8820 although I haven't had any negative experience myself.

[@IndianaBackyardGardener]

I believe that the earth gro is organic however they have not "certified" it. That's my thought. Because the bag literally says "organic compost" 😏

[@tanakahomestead8820]

You bring up a valid point. I know there are hoops these companies have to jump through to get that certification. Who knows! Thank you so much for your comment:)

[@MrsJuanita067]

I mix coconut husk into mines

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Yes, coconut husk is a great addition to the soil! Not always easy to come by, but if you have access that is great:)

[@MrsJuanita067]

@@tanakahomestead8820 I order from Amazon

[@randyc5650]

I have used Black Cow several times. It smells like cow manure.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I agree it usually does (especially when wet), but for some reason that bag smelled fine (it certainly was drier than usual and maybe that had something to do with it?). Nothing beats the fresh organic smell of cow poop though I will tell you that👍❤️🥬I love Black Kow. Thank you for your comment.

[@donnakay1828]

Only thing about putting anything manure in your eatable gardens is worrying if you was to get a bad bag or several and never knowing of listeria/ecoli/etc coming in contaminations with all of your food crops😮 then you/your family and whomever eats from the crop all of the sudden 😔 people start getting ill not expecting they could be dying/kidney failure/etc. so you truly have to ask your family is it worth risk at purchasing manure mixtures that you don't know who/how/what the animals it's coming from is being treated with/fed/kept in 😮 so I say... DO YOUR OWN COMPOST AND LEAVE THE ANIMAL'S EXPOSED MANURES FOR LIKE 🌺 PROPERTY LAWN SOILS AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO FERTILIZE EVENLY WO HAVING IT PART OF YOUR ACTUAL FOOD HARVESTING 🤓 👍💯 I started to think okay maybe try it. But with the backed up research I've done ✅ it's NOT WORTH THE $$$/HASSLE OF WORRY! Because if a cow/s get ill and the bags have been sold out before the company knowing then you purchase and already harvest then been eating off the harvest all of the sudden an FDA or any warning ⚠️ starts circling the Internet. Guess What... You now have you/all whom has eaten from your harvest at the major 🏥 billsssss getting tested for ecoli listeria and more and 🙏 Yalls LIVES AREN'T PLACED IN DEADLY DANGEROUS TERRITORY 😢!! It's no different than the human body... 🤔 About It. What we consume/We Put Right Back Out In Waste. So if any animal manure is put out. guess what... What those animals take/they put right back out but in larger quantities and just like HUMANS if we have a cold virus illness it can linger in our body for 3d - 10d before REARING IT'S OUTER UGLY HEAD!! ANIMALS WORK THE SAME WAY... THEY COULD HAVE ECOLI/LISTERIA ETC BUT IT GETS IN THEIR GUTT/BLOOD/WHEN THEY CRAP 😮 IT'S OUT/PLACED IN COMPOST PILES OF BINS AND PLACED OUT TOO OTHER WHOLESALERS AND MARKETERS/CUSTOMER PURCHASES/GOES HOME IMMEDIATELY ADDS TO YOUR "FOOD CROPS) WHAT THE VINES/ROOTS CONSUME IN OUR GARDENS THEY ALSO PUT OUT STRAIGHT THROUGH WHAT WE HARVEST AND EAT 😮!! ANIMALS - HUMANS - FOOD CROPS - ALL WORK TOGETHER WHAT WE ALL TAKE WE PUT BACK OUT!!! AFTER ALL WE ARE EACH (LIVING THINGS!)🙏 #HappyGardening #EnjoyTheFreeVitaminD #GrowSomething #HarvestFriendly #ShareWithOthers #EatSafelySmartly #GodsBeautifulEarth Is after all what we each as humans/animals/anything that is living and growing in one way to another have each been #BLESSED With 🙏 😉

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I appreciate your very thorough response and I totally hear where you are coming from. I just need to figure out a way to increase by compost production to accommodate the size of my garden. Trust me, when I use my homemade compost in the garden it is spectacular. I just need large amounts:).

[@marysmith9361]

I really like Black Cow, been using it for years. Wouldn't buy the cheap stuff!

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I have never had any issues with Black Kow either:)

[@trebledog]

Hey the proof is in the pudding as they say. I would like to see the growth results from both after a season of planting the same crop. Otherwise everything you've pointed out so far is blah, blah, blah, marketing jingo.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I hear ya:) Thank you for your comment.

[@popholmes5825]

Who knows what went in those cows before it came out. I go organic with compost.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

If you haven’t already check out the Black Kow vs. Homemade Compost video I made. The results so far are CRAZY! Thanks for watching!

[@popholmes5825]

@@tanakahomestead8820 I checked out your video and your results with black kow and compost doesn't surprise in the least. I used black kow in my garden one year because everyone was raving about it. Nothing in my garden grew good. I knew it couldn't be just me that thanks black kow is crap. pun intended

[@tanakahomestead8820]

@@popholmes5825 I have never had an issue with Black Kow, and I know many people don’t like it, but it clearly doesn’t compare to homemade compost that is for sure! Thanks for checking it out!

[@stacyclark5910]

I’ve gotten a LOT of clay clods in black kow…. Definitely not 100% cow manure.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no that is not good! I have never experienced that before with Black Kow, but I would definitely be disappointed if I did. Sorry to hear that.

[@kaprenawheatman8222]

I have as well.

[@saltybildo9448]

At home Depot ask the garden guy if they have any ripped bags 👍 trust me

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I will do this from now on! I don't think I am confident enough in my asking:)

[@bigred1776]

MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAVE GRAZON IN IT

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I hear you. This topic keeps coming up more and more. I have been digging deep into this (no pun intended). Thank you for your comment:)

[@lalajee143]

I have a farm close to me I just go and get real cow shit for free. 😂

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Nice!!!🤣☺️

[@tudo8412]

…but I’m sure you spend money on gloves and masks. 😆😂🤣

[@martinwittig4739]

I use earthgro, and I have no complaints.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Very good! I always say each garden is different, each climate is different, etc. Do what works! Gardening is hard enough:)

[@saudiarabiariyadh5474]

Geart vidoe sis

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Thank you!

[@dashermike3207]

The Earthgro at my retailer is basically a plastic bag filled with mud

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no! That is terrible. Sorry to hear that.

[@ross9128]

If the cows get vaccines, eat GMO feed, hay from areas where weed killers are used. Some dairies use feed from breweries. I would never use cheap manure in my organic garden.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

I do agree you have to be careful. Really this information, as far as what the cow's are fed, where the hay comes from and what the hay has been treated with should be disclosed. Unfortunately this does not always happen. I always wanted a larger yard so I could have my own cows. I would have no problem using their poop:). Thank you for your comment.

[@Lkjhgfdsa127]

Earthgro is full of plastic Everytime I get it also it’s mostly sticks.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Yah, I am sorry to hear that. Crazy how the quality of these products have gone downhill. I always say reach out to the company if you have the time. Nothing is worse than spending all kinds of money and not getting what you paid for. Thank you for your comment. Happy gardening!

[@brokencage9723]

Earthgro is garbage but you can get it cheap. they use a sharp sand that pairs well with old played out peat or coir. sometimes you can get it real cheap on sale. I tend to grab alot and store it until I need it. having said all that I use black cow for mixing most my mix's

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Yes, you are right. It was very cheap, but not something I want to continue purchasing:) I also use a lot of Black Kow, but recently started giving other composts a try too:) I prefer homemade compost over everything, the problem though is mass production for my garden! Thank you so much for watching. Happy gardening!

[@mikyahl8749]

Black Kow doesn't look like that anymore. it's totally light brown with just a hint of manure in spots. I just purchased six bags of the so-called kow manure. What a joke, another American company gone crooked.

[@tanakahomestead8820]

Oh no! I am sorry to hear that. I have not experienced this, but other people have mentioned similar scenarios. I would reach out to the company if you are not happy, because they have a section on the bag that says "satisfaction guaranteed." They may be able to do something for you OR at least I hope they would. Thank you so much for sharing.