Growing Green: New Products

Full Genetic Potential
Organica Biotech:

Plant Growth Activator Plus is the input of choice for microbial soil and plant inoculation in Ball’s Circle of Life sustainable horticulture program. Plant Growth Activator Plus uses 54 strains of naturally occurring, beneficial soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes, as well as humic acid, kelp, B complex vitamins, biotin, folic acid and natural sugars to help plants reach their full genetic potential. The product’s two forms are available to greenhouse growers exclusively through Ball. www.ballhort.com

Keeping It Clean
A Growing Alternative, Inc.:

PERpose Plant & Soil Oxygen Enhancer releases activated oxygen into the root zone and also helps to maintain healthy plant roots. The activated oxygen in PERpose can help reduce problems associated with anaerobic conditions. PERpose’s proprietary blend of stabilizers and buffers allows safe application through the soil, into the root zone, even when applied by mist and fogging application, without phytotoxicity. PERpose also reduces/eliminates scale build-up in irrigation systems, holding tanks, fog/mist heads, cool pads and flood floors. www.perpose.com

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Circle Of Life
Ball Horticultural Company:

The Circle of Life program from Ball Horticultural Company is exclusively for independent garden centers and the growers who supply them. The program incorporates sustainable growing practices, including compostable containers, organically based fertilizers, non-harmful, natural pest and disease treatments and beneficial soil microbes, helping growers produce top-quality plants that are better for the environment. Retail support, including point-of-purchase materials, helps retailers market the benefits of sustainably grown plants to consumers. www.circleoflifeplants.com

Back To The Earth
Fertilpot:

Fertilpot is composed of 80 percent spruce wood fibers with only 20 percent peat moss. No glues or binders are used, and the spruce fibers are sourced exclusively from thinning sustainably managed forests. Highly porous container walls allow uniform root penetration and air pruning. Planting the pot directly into the next container or the landscape eliminates plastic waste and transplant shock. www.fertilusa.com

Growth Spurts
Interglobe Agro BioNatural Products:

The BioNatural product line is a 100 percent natural plant Biofertilizer and growth enhancer. BioNatural Bioplin supplies plants with a usable form of nitrogen for growth. BioNatural NutriTech improves uptake of nutrients to the plant by solubilizing phosphates, and BioNatural NutriFoliar is a foliar spray containing leaf inhabiting flora of Azotobacter, allowing rapid increase in absorption of nutrients by the growth-promoting effect produced by bacterizing the leaves. This is sprayed directly on the leaves. A liquid delivery system is possible. www.bloomingblossoms.com

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Pot ‘Em Up
Organic Mechanics Soil Company:

Organic Mechanics all-purpose potting soil is 100 percent organic, peat free and promises to improve plant performance. Sixteen quart and 1.5 cubic foot bags are available for independent retail garden centers. Custom blends are available for wholesale growers.
www.organicmechanicsoil.com

Succulent Series
EuroAmerican Propagators:

The Retro Succulents series is geared toward low-maintenance, drought tolerant plants. The collection of unique varieties was bred and selected for its structural and architectural features. Their natural low-maintenance and durability appeal to both the environment and the busy lifestyle of today’s consumers. Aloes, agaves, echeverias, euphorbias and
kalanchoes make up the more than 40 varieties in the series. www.pweuro.com

Biodegradable Tags
Horticultural Identification
Products (HIP):

Environmentally-conscious tags from HIP include Repel, a paper substrate containing 30 percent post-consumer waste that is resistant to curling and fading. EcoTag is a degradable alternative to plastic tags. Manufactured using wind power as one energy source, they retain their integrity until buried or disposed of. BioTag material is produced using a polymer technology that relies on bio-based products, such as corn and soybeans. www.hiplabels.com

Efficient Irrigation
Fraleigh Nursery:

The Gro-Eco patented method of growing containerized nursery plants utilizes drip irrigation to reduce water usage by 80 to 90 percent compared to conventional methods. Fungicide and other chemicals are reduced, labor is cut by at least 40 percent and environmental impact is significantly reduced. All plants are sold with a Gro-Eco tag that explains to consumers the benefits of buying Gro-Eco plants. www.gro-eco.com

Friendly Heavyweight
A.M. Leonard:

Heavyweight woven ground covers can be easily rolled out and tacked into place. This allows for natural weed control with no emission of unsafe fumes, gases or leaching as with chemical-based weed suppressants. The ground cover’s tough, UV-stabilized polypropylene provides years of usage. It resists tears and punctures, yet it is permeable to water and nutrients. Other benefits include the ability to maintain soil moisture and produce excellent air penetration. www.amleo.com

Water Issues
Aquatrols:

Aquatrols wetting agents (media surfactants) are more than just initial wetting and rewetting of mixes. New chemistries offer additional benefits, including improved uniform delivery and distribution of water to the root zone, reduced losses due to runoff and channeling, improved irrigation efficiency and reduced water use. Contribute to better plant quality and sale-ability and manage all resources effectively to reduce waste, including water, energy required for pumping, fertilizer and fungicide. www.aquatrols.com

Tea For Plants
Growing Solutions, Inc.:

Growing Solutions’ Compost Tea Systems optimize the processes of compost tea extraction. The System10, the newest model, is ideal for small nursery operations and research. This model delivers the same reliable performance as the larger systems, with greater portability and convenience. The Compost Tea Systems are designed for durability and ease of use. Supporting products include Compost Tea Catalyst and Sonoma Valley Worm Farm Vermicompost.
www.growingsolutions.com

Ellepots By Ball
Ball Horticultural:

Ellepots by Ball are made from degradable, non-woven paper that’s easy to handle. They’re produced with specially formulated Ball Professional Ellepot Growing Mixes and contain an initial nutrient charge of Daniels Professional Plant Food. Plants are less likely to be damaged in transplanting, and there are no plastic pots to throw away. Ellepots by Ball degrade in the ground by the end of the season. www.ballhort.com

Phosphorous-Free
Perfectly Natural:

Phosphorus Free Lawn Fertilizer 9-0-5 is 100 percent organic. It is a granulated homogenous fertilizer that provides a balanced, slow release of essential nutrients, enzymes and vitamins for a lush, weed-free lawn. The slow release of nutrients ensures it will not burn the grass and maximizes the uptake of nutrients by the turf, reducing leaching of nutrients through the soil. It is phosphorus-free and a family- and pet-friendly formulation. www.perfectlynatural.com

Fresh Fish
Dramm Corporation:

Drammatic organic plant food is derived from fish scraps. Drammatic “O” liquid fish formula produces brilliant flowers and foliage. For organic, sustainable and conventional crops there is Drammatic “K”, which has a liquid fish and kelp formula. Premium blend Drammatic “ONE” has a liquid fish and kelp formula containing all the natural growth hormones to stimulate plant growth. All are available in 1-gallon, 5-gallon and 55-gallon containers. www.dramm.com

Green Roofs
Stepables:

The Stepables line of creeping perennials is an environmentally friendly solution for multiple applications in the landscape. With more than 140 different varieties to choose from, Stepables can be used as a lawn replacement, on green roofs or to simply cut-down on general maintenance and waste in the garden area. www.stepables.com

Healthy And Strong
Western Pulp Products:

Premium molded fiber containers are made from 100 percent recycled paper in the U.S.A. and they let roots breathe while insulating from extreme temperatures. The containers are long-lasting and biodegradable in the natural environment. Premium construction yields a strong, water resistant and durable container. Wax-permeated hanging baskets, planters and pots are microporous, promoting healthy soil and roots. Molded fiber has higher “R” (insulation) values than plastic or wood without the evaporative loss of moss or coco containers. www.westernpulp.com

Soybean Feed
Daniels Professional Plant Food:

Daniels Professional Plant Food is an organically based fertilizer product that is derived from the extract of oilseeds such as soybeans. Daniels provides nutrition for plants from propagation to finished crops. It is a recommended component of sustainable horticulture programs including Circle of Life by Ball Horticultural Company. www.danielsplantfood.com

Amending Soil
Earthstone:

GrowStones are manufactured using 99 percent recycled bottles. They can serve as soil amendments for commercial and home gardeners or assist in hydroponic growing systems. GrowStones replace products created from strip-mined rocks, like pumice and perlite, and also give new life to what would otherwise be considered waste. www.earthstonetechnology.com

Nature’s Resources
Sun Gro Horticulture:

Black Gold, a nutrient-rich blend of Canadian sphagnum peat moss, earthworm castings, forest humus, compost and pumice, is ideal for patio containers, hanging baskets and house plants. The mix is specially formulated with Multicote, a controlled release fertilizer, to feed container plants up to six months plus provide moisture retention and good drainage. It is OMRI-listed. www.sungro.com

Quality Coir
Jiffy:

The new Jiffy-7C pellet series, entirely made from the pithy tissues of coconut husks, offers a renewable and environmentally friendly propagation system for the horticultural industry. Jiffy’s own coir treatment plant and stringent quality control guarantee the physical and chemical properties of the coir substrate. The pellets provide the propagator with maximum air porosity and outstanding water holding capacity. www.jiffypot.com

Good Bugs
Biobest Biological Systems:

Biobest produces biological control organisms used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Biological control is a technique in which pests that attack plants are controlled using natural enemies (beneficial organisms). Biobest offers about 30 beneficial organisms against pests such as aphids, thrips, spider mites, whitefly, fungus gnats, etc. Other products include sticky cards and tapes used to monitor or control pest populations. www.biobest.ca

Nature’s Media
Riceland Foods Inc.:

PBH Nature’s Media Amendment is processed and sterilized rice hull that requires no mining or land disruption to produce. As a replacement for perlite in the growing media, it offers a less dusty mixing environment, lower basic cost and decomposition over time, while remaining stable during the plant production cycle. PBH also provides the physical size, shape and bulking properties necessary to produce optimum air-filled pore space, water-holding capacity and drainage. www.riceland.com

Organic Mix
Fafard:

The Organics Potting Mix uses Fafard certified Canadian Sphagnum peat moss, aged pine bark, perlite, vermiculite, dolomitic limestone, gypsum and nature-safe fertilizer. The mix has no synthetic materials or water conditioners.
www.fafard.com

Reducing Disease Losses
BioSafe Systems:

ZeroTol Broad Spectrum algaecide/fungicide is formulated to help achieve disease control of greenhouse and nursery operations. Approved for killing algae, fungi and spores on plant material, hard surfaces and in water, ZeroTol can reduce disease losses to virtually zero. An alternative to chlorine, ZeroTol is EPA approved and has a zero-hour re-entry interval and no restrictions on its use. www.biosafesystems.com

Eliminate Waste
Ball Horticultural/Summit Plastic:

Circle of Life pots, distributed by Summit Plastic, are made of rice hulls and are available in multiple sizes. They are available branded as part of the Circle of Life program or plain with no brand. For growers and retailers, the pots offer an easy way to grow and promote more sustainable plants. The pots can simply be crushed and tossed in a compost pile to completely degrade within a few months, eliminating waste. www.ballhort.com or www.summitplastic.com

Effective Control
BioWorks:

The BioWorks family of products is robust enough to stand on its own in many situations and can handle conventional chemical rotations. Keep root disease problems under control with RootShield Granules and PlantShield HC biological fungicides. MilStop is a broad spectrum foliar fungicide for control of powdery mildew, Botrytis and other leaf diseases. Applied early, BotaniGard and Mycotrol O biological insecticides can help keep crops free of whiteflies, thrips and aphids. NemaShield insect parasitic nematodes take out root-damaging fungus gnat larvae. www.bioworks.com

Sustainable Design
Canton Plastics International:

Canton Plastics International offers growers and retailers customized larger and standard containers made from biodegradable materials and plastic. Their sustainability line, Bio-Line Pots, includes retail-ready designer series flowerpots in a palette of colors. Customers can select the degradation time of pots from a shorter time for grow pots to a longer time for retail-ready pots. Traditional, contemporary and custom designs are available. www.cantonplastics.com

Safe Alternatives
Pharm Solutions:

Fungus gnats, scale, whitefly, mealy bug, thrips and spider mites will be a distant memory with Indoor Pharm Concentrate for greenhouse growing, with a zero REI and a rosemary fragrance. A Food Grade Organic Acid for the control of herbaceous broadleaf weeds and weed grasses, Weed Pharm is a 200 grain vinegar herbicide EPA Registered and approved for Organic Production under USDA/NOP guidelines. www.pharmsolutions.com

Pollution Free
Biopots:

All-natural Biopots are made from fibrous wastes of renewable and sustainable crops, such as bamboo fiber, straw and rice husks. They are formed by a hot press method. The binder is a synthetic and natural compound (combination of starch-based, water-soluble binders and biodegradable additives). Biopots contain no wood or petroleum and are biodegradable. They break down to easily decompose in landfills or into the earth. The manufacturing process is pollution free, leaving no industrial wastes and also adds biomass to the soil or compost. www.biopots.com

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