• How to Select a Christmas Tree - Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 5:04 PM

  • 1) Check the delivery date
    Most pre-cut Christmas trees were cut several weeks before arriving on the lot. Ask the lot attendant when the trees were cut and delivered. Buy your tree early in the season for the best selection.

    2) "Drop test" for freshness
    To test for freshness, lift the tree a couple of inches off the ground and drop it on its trunk. If it's fresh, green needles should not shed.

    3) Pull on branches
    Another easy way to test for freshness is to hold a tree branch and lightly run your hand outwards. Very few needs should come off if the tree is fresh.

    4) Check the tree trunk
    Check the trunk for straightness. Securing a tree in a stand can be a challenge if the trunk is crooked. You also want to make sure that limbs can be removed without hurting the tree's shape.

    5) Inspect the Christmas tree for insects
    Check your Christmas tree thoroughly for egg masses, insects and other pests.

    6) Be mindful of where you set up your Christmas tree
    Avoid placing your tree near like fireplaces, air ducts, radiators and other heat sources. The ideal height for a Christmas tree is at least four feet below the ceiling height.

    Remember to recycle your Christmas tree after you have enjoyed it and use the mulch created from it throughout your garden.

    Christmas trees are sustainable products. Agromin, the green materials recycler from Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and portions of Los Angeles County, takes thousands of post-Christmas trees and transforms them into mulch and soil products at its green waste recycling facilities. The finished mulch products are used by local agricultural operations, consumers and landscapers--thus completing the sustainability loop .

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  • November Gardening Tips for Southern California - Monday, November 3, 2008 at 9:45 AM
  • Winter gardens have a beauty all their own and November is the time to plant hearty cool season flowers, trees and vegetables, say experts at Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products.

    Certain Flowers Thrive in Cool Weather: Plant fall annuals such as pansies, violas, primrose and calendula so they will be in full fall and winter bloom. Perennials including nemesia, godetia and schizanthus are also good choices for a richly varied fall and winter flower garden.

    Keep Lawns Healthy: Rake falling leaves from lawns as leaves could impede lawn growth. If a lawn is looking "tired," sow in annual rye seeds to cover brown spots and to introduce new growth. After seeding, scatter a light covering of soil amendment and water thoroughly.

    Plant Trees Now: Fall is the ideal time to plant trees. Our fall climate, with cool nights, mild days and moderate rainfall, gives trees a strong beginning that will serve them well when growing season begins in spring. Just about every tree type can benefit when planted in fall. The key to success is to select a planting location that is best suited for the tree type. Take into account the tree's rate of growth, root configuration, leaf type (evergreen or deciduous), tree shape and ultimate height at maturity. Make sure the site you select has enough sun. Other issues: is the selected location on a slope where watering may be difficult? Is it near a walkway or patio where in a few years roots may cause a problem? Will the tree at maturity be too big for the site? Better to answer these questions now or you may find yourself trying to extract a tree and its roots when it outgrows its location.

    Winter Vegetable Garden: You can enjoy fresh vegetables even during winter months by planting cool-season vegetables including beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, turnips and rutabaga. Plant fall herbs including oregano, garlic, rosemary and thyme.

    For more planting and gardening tips, go to www.agromin.com.

    About Agromin:

    Agromin manufactures premium soil products for the agriculture and horticulture trades and for consumer use. For more than 30 years, Agromin has provided quality soil amendments and products to some of California's largest vegetable, citrus, avocado and strawberry growers. Agromin is also the green waste recycler for 19 cities in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Each month, Agromin receives and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of urban wood and green waste. Agromin then uses a safe, organic and scientific system to formulate its soil products from the processed recycled green waste. The result is more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, more room in landfills and less greenhouse gas emissions.

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  • Agromin's Brian Critchley on Nick Federoff's "On Gardening" Show - Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 9:05 AM
  • Listen to Agromin's Brian Critchley on Nick Federoff's "On Gardening" show. Brian and Nick talk about green materials recycling, water saving and soil tips, plus info on Agromin's seed kits.

    Go to:

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  • Agromin Donates Mulch & Bark to HomeAid's Project Playhouse - Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 10:14 AM


  • Agromin contributed mulch and bark products to Project Playhouse currently on display through October 19 at The Lakes (2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.) in Thousand Oaks. The project, comprised of three 8'x10' playhouses and a doghouse, is a fund-raiser for HomeAid Los Angeles/Ventura. The playhouses will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

    Agromin worked with Nick Williams and Associates, which created the landscape around the playhouses.

    Proceeds from Project Playhouse support HomeAid Los Angeles/ Ventura's housing development program serving temporarily homeless families and individuals. Visit its web site     http://www.HomeAidlaven.org/ProjectPlayhouse or call HomeAid Los Angeles/Ventura at 818-889-9494 for more information.

    The playhouses are open for tours from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. A $2 donation is suggested.

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  • Gardening Expert Nick Federoff Recommends Agromin Products to Save Water - Thursday, October 2, 2008 at 9:28 AM

  • Gardening expert and radio personality Nick Federoff spoke at the 40th Annual Apartment Association of Southern California trade show on September 25 in Long Beach. The topic was "How to Make $$$ the Water Wise Way." Nick quoted drought concerns by former Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, cited California Gov. Schwarzenegger's 20 percent water reduction plan, and explained Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's "Drought Buster" rules and
    regulations

    Nick then talked about the products he recommends to conserve water. He highlighted Agromin's bark and mulches. These products help retain water, inhibit weed growth and prevent soil erosion. With Agromin's bark and mulches, gardeners can use less water as their plants, vegetables and flowers can go longer between scheduled waterings.

    Agromin is a proud sponsor of Sustainable Environmental Education (SEE,     www.SeeUsOnline.org) created by Nick. SEE producers a traveling Water Wise landscape display seen at home and remodeling shows throughout Southern California including the 32nd Annual Home Remodeling & Decorating Show at the L.A. Convention Center (October 10 - 12) and at the Orange County Fairgrounds Home Show (October 24-26). Stop by to learn how you can conserve water while maintaining a beautiful lawn and garden.

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  • Fall Planting Keeps Landscapes Looking Fresh & Vibrant - Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 8:00 PM
  • Planting cool season flowers and lawns in October will keep backyard landscapes looking fresh with vibrant colors throughout fall and winter, say experts at Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products.

    Cool Weather Flowers: About this time of the year, many summer flowers have lost their luster and gardens need an infusion of hardy new growth that thrive during the upcoming cooler months. Flowers that do particularly well in fall include sweet peas, pansies, violas, primrose, calendula, chrysanthemums, cineraria, dianthus, delphiniums, Iceland poppies, nemesia, snapdragon and wild flowers. Wildflowers that thrive in Southern California are California poppies, larkspur, linaeria and gypsophila.

    Spring Bulbs: Plant daffodils, hyacinth, tulips and crocus bulbs. Planting now should result in resilient, bright flowers in spring. Make sure your soil's clay content isn't too high. Till soil conditioner into the top 12 inches of soil. This should help break up the clay and make the soil more conducive for planting.

    Lawns: Lawns are still growing vigorously in October. Mow weekly. Now is the time to replant or patch with cool season grasses such as fescue, ryegrass and bluegrass. If planting from seed, use a topper mix to help keep seeds moist and to stimulate growth.

    Fall Gardens: Gardens can thrive year-round. Pull out summer vegetables that have stopped producing. Plant such herbs as oregano, cilantro, dill, fennel and thyme. Garlic, peas, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, lettuce and rutabaga do well when planted in fall. Apply a two-inch layer of organic mulch over plantings to help conserve moisture and encourage growth.

    For more planting and gardening tips, go to www.agromin.com.

    About Agromin:

    Agromin manufactures premium soil products for the agriculture and horticulture trades and for consumer use. For more than 30 years, Agromin has provided quality soil amendments and products to some of California's largest vegetable, citrus, avocado and strawberry growers. Agromin is also the green waste recycler for 19 cities in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Each month, Agromin receives and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of urban wood and green waste. Agromin then uses a safe, organic and scientific system to formulate its soil products from the processed recycled green waste. The result is more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, more room in landfills and less greenhouse gas emissions.

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  • Agromin To Donate 1 Ton of Compost at Moorpark's Composter Event - Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 8:36 PM
  • Agromin will donate 1 ton of compost to the City of Moorpark's "Home Composter Event," Saturday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Moorpark Public Services Facility (627 Fitch Ave., Moorpark). Each person who purchases a compost bin from the city will receive a free bag of Agromin compost.

    Agromin is the green materials recycler for Moorpark and 18 other cities in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Counties. Each year, it collects more than 250,000 tons of green materials for composting. Compost your own grass clippings, leaves and other green materials with a compost bin from the city. Only 50 bins will be available for sale on Saturday.

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