Compost Planting Pots

Note to readers, attached is the complete final report for FNE01-373

The objective of this project was to demonstrate the feasibility of manufacturing self-fertilizing planting pots (similar to those used in greenhouse operations) from dairy manure. Various quantities of bulking agent were tried, with the goal of making planting pots from close to 100% manure.

The manure was run through a methane digester and shipped to Canada where four test runs of planting pots were made. Some of the tests were made on the separated fraction of manure. Other tests were done on the manure before any separation, just as it comes out of the digester. The pots were distributed to Tom Morris, John Rothman, and Freunds Farm for testing under various settings.

Freunds are excited about the potential of the pots and believe a major accomplishment has been made by completing the manufacture of a product with market potential. The project may create a business opportunity out of the manure disposal problem. They have applied for a number of grants to continue the project and to assess the economic feasibility of the pots.

• FNE01-373 final report