Scotts Miracle-Gro Acquires Black Kow Compost Brand, Zacks Reports

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has acquired Black Kow, a composted cow manure brand sold at garden centers nationwide, adding to its lineup of organic lawn and garden products, according to a report from Zacks Investment Research.

The report, titled "SMG Expands Organic Gardening Portfolio With Black Kow Acquisition," frames the deal as part of a broader push by the company — which trades under the ticker SMG — into the organic segment of the lawn and garden category. Beyond that framing, the Zacks report cited is the only account of the transaction available at this writing.

What Did Scotts Miracle-Gro Acquire?

According to Zacks Investment Research, Scotts Miracle-Gro's purchase of Black Kow folds the composted manure brand into the company's existing roster of organic offerings. The report characterizes the move as an expansion of the company's "organic gardening portfolio," language that points to Black Kow being positioned alongside other soil-focused products already carrying the Scotts umbrella rather than operated as a standalone line. The report does not specify whether Black Kow will keep its existing packaging, distribution network, or retail partners.

What Is Black Kow?

Black Kow is a long-running brand of composted cow manure, a product category commonly stocked in the soil-amendment aisle of garden centers and home-improvement stores alongside topsoil, mulch, and bagged compost. Composted manure products in this category are typically marketed to home gardeners as a way to add organic matter and nutrients to vegetable beds, flower borders, and raised garden plots without relying on synthetic fertilizer. The Zacks report does not detail Black Kow's prior ownership, revenue, or production footprint, so those specifics cannot be confirmed here.

Why Add an Organic Composted Manure Brand?

The Zacks report frames the acquisition as a portfolio move into organic gardening, a category that lawn and garden retailers have increasingly stocked alongside conventional fertilizer and pesticide lines. Composted manure products like Black Kow typically sell at a price point and in a format — bagged, shelf-stable, big-box and garden-center distribution — that would fit within an established consumer products company's existing retail relationships. The report does not include financial terms, synergy estimates, or executive commentary explaining the strategic rationale beyond the stated goal of portfolio expansion, so any broader business reasoning beyond that stated aim is not confirmed in the available reporting.

What Deal Terms Remain Undisclosed?

The Zacks Investment Research report reviewed for this story does not state a purchase price, closing date, or integration timeline for the Black Kow acquisition. It also does not name company executives commenting on the deal or cite a company press release directly. Readers looking for primary-document confirmation — a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, an investor-relations statement, or a company news release — should treat the acquisition as reported by Zacks until Scotts Miracle-Gro or Black Kow issue their own statements confirming terms. This article will be updated if a primary filing or press release becomes available.

How Gardeners Typically Use Composted Manure Products

For home gardeners who already use composted cow manure products, the acquisition itself does not change the basic horticultural guidance that applies to this category of soil amendment. Composted manure is generally worked into garden beds before planting to improve soil structure and add organic nutrients, rather than applied directly to actively growing plants, where fresh or under-composted manure can scorch roots or introduce pathogens. Bagged composted products sold under brands like Black Kow are typically labeled for use rates — often a set depth tilled into the top several inches of soil — and gardeners are generally advised to follow the application rate printed on the specific bag rather than estimate by volume. Because composted manure breaks down slowly, many gardeners apply it once per growing season, in fall or early spring, ahead of planting.

Whether that labeling or retail availability changes under Scotts Miracle-Gro's ownership is not addressed in the Zacks report, and HTT News found no company statement as of publication confirming product continuity. Gardeners who rely on Black Kow for raised beds or vegetable plots may want to watch for any announcement from Scotts Miracle-Gro about packaging, sourcing, or availability in the months following the reported acquisition.

The original Zacks Investment Research report is available via Google News.