• March is Busy Time for Southern California Gardeners - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 8:46 AM
  • Warm weather is within sight for gardeners, meaning plenty of planting opportunities in March, says Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products and one of the state's largest green materials recycling companies.

    Planting From Seed: Nothing can be more gratifying for a gardener than to watch vegetables and flowers grow from seed. Many plants grow healthier and stronger from seed by avoiding the trauma of transplanting. Local nurseries carry an assortment of seed packs. Follow the directions carefully for the best results.

    Warm Season Flowers And Vegetables: Cool season gardens should have grown beautifully this year because of our mild winter. March signals a changeover from cool season to warm season flowers and vegetables. Plant spring flowers such as marigolds, petunias, freesias, gladiolus, daffodils and grape hyacinths. March is the perfect time to plant beans, summer and winter squash, corn, eggplant, onion, peppers, turnips and some spring tomatoes.

    Potato Planting: A fun garden project for kids is to plant potatoes. Start by filling your planting area with about four inches of compost. Water well. Place small whole potatoes or pieces of potato with at least one or two "eyes (the best variety are available at garden centers) six to eight inches deep in rows. Cover with four inches of compost. Water regularly but don't soak. Potatoes grow between the planted pieces and the surface of the soil. As stems grow, continue to add soil half way up the stem. Harvest the potatoes three weeks after the plants have finished flowering.

    Water Management: Water rationing may be a fact of life by July. Start to conserve water now by only watering when your soil is thoroughly dry. Deep water to force roots downward where soil typically is moister. Place several inches of mulch around your plants, shrubs and trees to hold in moisture and lengthen the time between waterings.

    Lawn Maintenance: keep cool season grass (bluegrass, ryegrasses, fescues) blades at about two inches high. Increase to three inches in summer. As the weather warms, mow regularly to keep weeds in check and to promote thicker lawns. Warm season grass (Bermuda, St. Augustine and zoysia) should be cut at a steady two-inch level throughout spring and summer.

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

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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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  • Agromin To Offer Fall Planting Tips and Green Recycling Info at Ventura Home Show - Monday, September 15, 2008 at 3:08 PM
  • Agromin will be providing fall planting tips and green waste recycling information at the Ventura County Home & Garden Show, September 19 - 21 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura.

    Agromin soil experts will demonstrate how to select the proper soil for fall and spring vegetable and flower gardens, and provide free soil samples. Agromin offers six bagged soil products to consumers (outdoor plating mix, soil conditioner, potting soil, vegetable garden mix, decorative bark and topper mix for lawns). In addition, it provides custom soil blends, mulch and bark in bulk.

    As the area's green waste recycler, Agromin will pass out information on how to properly dispose of green waste (i.e., lawn clippings, leaves, wood and brush) in residents' green waste barrels. Agromin turns this green material into compost that is then fortified with nutrients and turned into soil products used locally by farmers, landscapers and consumers. Residents can feel good knowing that the green material they put in their recycling barrels each week is transformed and returned to the land.

    Show hours are noon to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

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  • - Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 5:09 PM

  • Agromin is the blue ribbon winner at this year's Ventura County Fair in the education category. The Agromin display tells the story of green waste recycling from the curb to the final application. The self-directing display includes descriptive signs and photos that follow the recycling process from start to finish.

    The Ventura County Fair Board of Directors recently recognized Agromin's Brian Critchley for his more than 10 years of dedicated volunteer service. Brian can be found every year as the fair nears offering suggestions to young Future Farmers of America as they ready their fair displays. Agromin often donates high quality bark to these displays to help give them a finished look.

    Agromin is dedicated to recycling. The pine rounds that circle this year's Agromin display will be donated or recycled. The banner sign in the middle of the display is made from biodegradable cloth. Even the signs and photos contain organic ink.

    The fair runs now through August 10 and is open from 11 am Monday through Friday and from 10 am on Saturday and Sunday. Come visit the Agromin display ar the fair's Flora Culture garden area.

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  • Gardens Love Organic Mulch - Friday, July 18, 2008 at 10:12 AM

  • Organic mulch offers tremendous advantages when placed around your garden flowers and vegetables. A 2" layer of mulch prevents moisture from evaporating, so less watering is needed. Mulch blocks weed growth and reduces the amount of insects and other pests.

    Mulch acts as an insulator to protect soil from extreme heat or cold so a layer of mulch around your plants is a smart idea year round. Plus, mulch makes an attractive groundcover. Mulch comes in a variety of colors from blond to red to dark brown (depending on the source wood). The size of the materials ranges from 1/4" to 3".

    Organic mulches contain only natural wood materials. Depending on the blend, mulches can include fir, buckwheat hulls, redwood bark, evergreen boughs, hops, ground corncobs, sugar cane and cottonseed hulls. Avoid buying mulch that contains hay, manure and straw. These types might contain weeds.

    Mulches that contain more wood will provide fewer nutrients and decompose slowly. Softer mulches will provide more nutrients but decompose more quickly.

    How to Lay Down Mulch

    1) Apply a 2" to 4" layer of mulch over the planting beds of already established plants. Leave a 5-inch radius around each plant. Do not put mulch over recently planted seeds because it will hinder their growth.

    2) Rake the mulch every so often to expose new mulch.

    3) The mulch will decompose over time. When only a thin layer is left, add more.

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