"black Kow" method for fall/winter greenhouse.

[Alan]

So, I decided to try a little experiment this year with fall greenhouse that we did when I was in high school.

This year we will be planting a variety of determinate type tomato plants in the winter greenhouses (along with Alpine Strawberries). Instead of making our own potting mix this year I'll be returning to a method we explored in my Horticulture class in high school. Growing tomatoes in "Black Kow" composted cow manure bags.

In high school this worked very well and the results were actually quite impressive, I'm told the taste was also terrific and mathced garden tomatoes.

The idea is to take a fifty lb back of "Black Kow" compost, add drainage holes to the back side of the bag (bag lies flat) and then cut two holes, one on each end of the bag, for two tomato plants per bag, add some epsom salts and a good flowering fertilizer (bone meal, worm castings, and just a bit of blood meal for me) and water in the plants. Not only will this be a cheaper alternative to spaghnum but also a self sustainable option that is cheaper as well as being less labor intensive and safter considering not having to ingest all of the dust from the various materials I use to mix my potting mix. I'll also be implementing drip irrigation which will be partially run from some new water catchment systems we have applied here to the house and will soon apply to the greenhouses.

Should be exciting and I'll keep you updated!

[plantsnobin]

That was a popular idea around here a few years ago. Now, in a production greenhouse it's one thing. But the folks here were putting those ugly bags in their front lawns and sticking marigolds in them. Many put them by their mailboxes with tomatoes in them. Alan, if people start doing this again, I will blame you. Do you have enough manure from friends barns to make bags yourself? Are you going to put all of your plants in these, or just a percentage to test?

[Alan]

I agree, it is definetly not the pretiest thing in the world to look at, but it will be out of sight and mind this fall/winter. The neighbors definetly have enough manure, only problem is that it's not already composted, so this year it won't be possible, however, I am getting another 12 tons or so in August/September from them which will be composted over winter for use next year, I already thought about making my own bags for next year, cheaper, and hopefully just as effective.


I definetly won't promote them for outside use where real Soil, Sunlight, and Nature are available.

I'll probably plant the majority of the plants in these bags this year, though some will see pots and the strawberries are already in pots and flowering. When we tried this in high school we actually got better production that from plants in pots and plants grown hydrophonically with unanimously better flavor, I have high hopes, but only time will tell.

[canadamike]

Psnobin, there is a big difference between raw manure and the one in bags, universaly recognized as less potent but nevertheless rich as a form of soil. And in a greenhouse, Alan avoids all types of problems related to soil contamination, plus he ends up with nice compost after the season.

I would very definitely do it Alan. You already know it will work, and what to do with the stuff after. And at least the price of winter maters can justify the cost...

[orflo]

Try it, but make ABSOLUTELY sure the manure has been composted well, otherwise you'll be getting bit plants with lots of leaves and few or even no flowering...Wintertime gives you another problem though (and I won't mention frost, your greenhouse is heated), the ripening off the fruits can be hazardous (over here it is), because of the reduced amount of daylight, so you could end up with lots of fruits by the beginning of may when everything else has to be planted out in the greenhouse. But maybe I'm comparing the different climat circumstance too much....

[canadamike]

Frank, bagged manure is well composted usually, even very well, and I suspect diluted in peat moss too. It is usually delivered in white bags, at least around here, and badly composted manure would show lots of green growth and plants poking through he aeration holes.

[Alan]

black cow is very highly composted, tilled, otherwise aerated and ready to go, it's about the best composted cow manure you can buy, much higher quality than the generic white bag stuff. Basically just really nice topsoil all in all. If we don't start early enough in the fall season we do have a problem with plant ripening as we have had in the past, the ideal situation is to have most of the fruit ripe no later than December 15'th or so, after this date it becomes near impossible to ripen fruit, a lesson I have in the past learned the hard way. At maturity we clean out and shut down the greenhouses until Febuary when we start new tomatoes for early in the season, we have had pretty good luck thus far, just time to try some different cultivars and a new method.

Cow manure has worked out very well for us in all regards in the past, it's actually the main ingredient of fertility here on the farm through the spring, summer, and fall. We can put it on pretty heavily in the fall as well and let the winter temps. take care of insect issues quite effectively, accumulation over the years really builds a nice soil, though it would be more effective if it was properly composted ao as to avoid the weed issue, something I'm working on at the moment.

[plantsnobin]

I was wondering about the possibility of using burlap for the bags. It would break down with the manure and become part of the compost. Or even feed bags, the pig feed we get comes in heavy paper bags. It might be fun to experiment too with the manure powered hot pits of days gone by. Since you have access to fresh poo, you might be able to eliminate at least the early part of the heating season. I don't remember if your greenhouse has a double door but if it did, and you have a front end loader....boy, the trouble we could get into if I could come over for a week or so.

[Alan]

LOL, Karen we think very much alike....as you already know.

When I thought of making my own bags burlap was the first thing I thought.

Unfortunately only one greenhouse has double doors and I think the roll bar on the tractor is too tall to fit through there......hmmm.

[hoosierheightsfarm]

Don't you have a cuttin' torch?

[plantsnobin]

Now, now, if he goes and cuts off his roll bar, he is sure to roll the tractor. We don't need anybody else around here getting hurt. I've had about enough of friends getting hurt.

[plantsnobin]

Alan, I was wondering also if you have your alpines planted yet? I got some lumber from the Amish to make some raised beds for them, don't have them filled with soil mix. Plants are still looking good in the GH, and some are starting to bloom. Mike asked what I was going to plant in the beds, told him, and he said I'm crazy. 'Why would you want to plant strawberries that take all day to pick for a mouthfull?'.

[Alan]

Hey Karen,

Yep the alpines have been poted up to five gallon and larger nursery pots for a month or so now, they are making some absolutely beautiful little bushes.

I've been hitting them with bone meal quite often and pollinating with a toothbrush once every few days when I have time for a week or so and am starting to get a nice little profusion of the most delicious alpine strawberries in the world. Very nice. I'll get some pics up on here a little later on as I get the time.

[maricybele]

where are you located Alan? And approx how long do your tomatoes last in the green house?

[Alan]

Hello friend,

Sorry it took me a while to get back to you, somehow I missed your reply. Anyhow we are in Washington Country Indiana (30 min. north of Louisville KY) right outside a small town called Pekin, If you live close enough to make the trip to pick up tomatoes we should have them in a week or so and have them until about Dec. 15-20.

We will have them again in the spring right around April 5-10 or so.