07/16/07 Cow manure experiments

Bob Tripepi of the University of Idaho horticulture department is experimenting with cow manure as a potting soil mixture. Tripepi says the nursery industry is having a difficult time getting bark and the cost keeps going up. TRIPEPI "That would help the plants grow. It could be a benefit to both industries. For cattlemen getting rid of their waste; the nursery industry producing plants more cheaply." He says if a nursery had to pay ten to 15 dollars per cubic yard for manure it's still a significant savings over peat moss which can now cost 60 to 70 dollars per yard. TRIPEPI "Using an aged manure product looks like somewhere between 30 and 45 percent manure for most of these native type plants is about the maximum amount at least at this point in the experiment." At the end of the season Tripepi will see how the plants reacted to various manure mixtures. TRIPEPI "This year we'll analyze the data at the end of the year by taking foliar samples, looking at the nutrient stair, looking at the potting mix, how it stabilized because some thing that I forgot to mention it shrinks. It could shrink with a lot of manure in it which could be a problem for growers." He says some salt tolerant plants can take a high manure mixture but nothing over 60 percent. A lot more work to do so he will likely repeat the tests again next year. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott