Bass Akwards
Member
Preparing to mix up a batch of container / garden soil, we ducked into the garage, dug through accumulated "stuff", and pulled out some half-used bags of soil amendments.
Half a 20 lb. bag of "High Yield" bone meal from the "farm store" was there, along with a small bag of Miracle Grow's "Organic Choice Bone Meal" that came from a "big box" outlet. The first bag showed a 0-10-0 NPK ratio, while the second one said 6-9-0.
There was nothing on the "High-Yield" label to indicate the source of the bone, but since it's made in Texas, "cow" is the best guess.
The "Miracle Grow" product, on the other hand, has a label full of flowers, and proudly proclaims "Non-cow sources to ensure highest quality". On the back of the package, in much, much, smaller print, the source of the product is listed as "Porcine bone meal".
Could the difference in the respective NPK ratios be the result of a different form of processing whereby the "MG" includes a significant quantity of blood? ( Most blood meal we've seen lists swine as the source. )
The "MG" product comes in the form of small granules with a medium tan color, while the "High Yield" bone meal is off-white, with a much chunkier, "pieces of bone", consistency.
Aside from the "Moslem vs Hindu" aspect, is either one preferable?
We'd like to find a non dead-animal, non-guano, organic, Phosphorous source, but right now, that appears a difficult task.
( Experiments in "all manure & compost" growing should prove interesting, if there's time this season. )
Half a 20 lb. bag of "High Yield" bone meal from the "farm store" was there, along with a small bag of Miracle Grow's "Organic Choice Bone Meal" that came from a "big box" outlet. The first bag showed a 0-10-0 NPK ratio, while the second one said 6-9-0.
There was nothing on the "High-Yield" label to indicate the source of the bone, but since it's made in Texas, "cow" is the best guess.
The "Miracle Grow" product, on the other hand, has a label full of flowers, and proudly proclaims "Non-cow sources to ensure highest quality". On the back of the package, in much, much, smaller print, the source of the product is listed as "Porcine bone meal".
Could the difference in the respective NPK ratios be the result of a different form of processing whereby the "MG" includes a significant quantity of blood? ( Most blood meal we've seen lists swine as the source. )
The "MG" product comes in the form of small granules with a medium tan color, while the "High Yield" bone meal is off-white, with a much chunkier, "pieces of bone", consistency.
Aside from the "Moslem vs Hindu" aspect, is either one preferable?
We'd like to find a non dead-animal, non-guano, organic, Phosphorous source, but right now, that appears a difficult task.
( Experiments in "all manure & compost" growing should prove interesting, if there's time this season. )
