• Christmas Trees Lead Productive Lives After Holidays Are Over - Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 4:02 PM

  • Cut Christmas trees now adorning homes will lead productive lives long after the holidays," say experts at Agromin, the green materials recycler for over 50 communities in Southern California.

    After Christmas, trees are collected and recycled into soil products for use locally by farmers, landscapers and consumers," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CEO. "The composting process takes as little as 60 days. By early March, these trees will be transformed into mulch and used on farmland and in backyard landscapes and gardens."

    Many cities in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties offer curbside pickup of Christmas trees for recycling. Residents in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine in Orange County can drop off their trees at the Agromin site at Rainbow Disposal (17121 Nichols St., Huntington Beach, Gate 7, 714-847-3581).

    To help with the recycling efforts, Camarillo says residents should be sure trees are free of ornaments, tinsel, nails and tree stands before placing them in green waste recycling bins. "Otherwise, these non-green items must be removed by hand at our recycling facilities," says Camarillo. "It's satisfying to know that the Christmas tree you enjoyed during the holidays may be part of the mulch you use in your garden next spring or it played a role in helping grow fresh fruits and vegetables on local farms."

    For more information on green materials recycling, go to www.agromin.com.

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  • Growing Season Just Beginning for Many Plants & Vegetables in November - Friday, October 23, 2009 at 2:46 PM
  • OXNARD, CALIF.--While many flowers and deciduous trees become dormant in November, others are just starting their growing season and will keep gardeners busy throughout the fall and winter, says Agromin, an Oxnard-based manufacturer of premium soil products that are made from recycled green material.

    Native Flowers: Native California plants are on a different clock than non-native plants. They thrive in cooler weather when the rains come, bloom in spring and become dormant-like during the dry, hot summer months. Most are drought tolerant Plant native flowers now including Ceanothus (perennial blue flowers), Monkey Flower (perennial orange flowers), California White Sage and California Poppy. Also, consider planting wildflowers from seed. The California Native Plant Society (www.cnps.org) identifies native California vegetation so you can choose the flowers to fit your garden. It also lists nurseries specializing in native plants.

    Planting Trees: Fall is one of the best times of the year to plant trees. The bigger the tree doesn't mean the tree is healthier and will do well when planted. Transplanting younger trees, with a smaller branch system can mean less stress on the root system. Select the tree location carefully before choosing the tree. Do you want a deciduous tree with leaves that change colors or one that stays green all year long? How tall and wide will the tree become at maturity? Does the location have enough room to accommodate the tree's root and branch system? Once those decisions are made and the tree is selected, amend the soil before planting and surround the tree with mulch (six inches or more from the trunk) to keep in moisture and prevent erosion.

    Still Time to Plant Cool Season Vegetables: While the variety of cool season vegetables is less abundant than their summer counterparts, enjoying the taste of homegrown vegetables can't be beat. Plant broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, peas and spinach. Water as needed. If rains are frequent, no watering or once-a-week watering is all that is required. If hot, dry Santa Ana winds kick up, water once a day until the hot weather passes.

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

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    About Agromin:

    Agromin manufactures premium soil products for farmers, landscapers and consumers. Agromin is also the green waste recycler for over 50 Southern California communities. Each month, Agromin receives and processes 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. Agromin is the U.S. Composting Council's "Composter of the Year."

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  • Christmas Trees Lead Productive Lives After The Holidays - Friday, December 12, 2008 at 3:41 PM
  • Big Wave Dave's Christmas Trees and green materials recycler Agromin are teaming up to spread the word, that with the help of Ventura and Santa Barbara County residents, Christmas trees will have a productive life long after the holidays.

    Approximately 70,000 to 100,000 cut Christmas trees are purchased from tree lots in the counties each year. After Christmas, the trees are collected from residences and recycled into soil products for use locally by agricultural operations, landscapers and consumers," says Bill Camarillo, CFO of Agromin, the green materials recycler for 19 Ventura and Santa Barbara cities. "In as little as 60 days, trees go from being the center of holiday festivities to mulch used on farmland and in gardens and landscapes."

    To help with the after-Christmas recycling effort, Camarillo says residents should be sure trees are free of ornaments, tinsel, nails and tree stands before placing them in green recycling bins. "Because of these efforts, your Christmas tree may be part of the mulch you use in your garden next spring or it may have helped grow lemons, avocados or strawberries on local farms," says Camarillo.

    Dave Lidren, owner of Big Wave Dave's Christmas Trees with lots in Oxnard, Camarillo, Ventura, Moorpark and Santa Barbara, says the cut Christmas tree industry is part of the sustainable movement. "We receive our trees from Pacific Northwest farms so the natural forests are untouched," says Lidren. "For every tree harvested, growers plant one or more replacement trees."

    Lidren sees considerable green benefits of live Christmas trees when comparing them to artificial trees. "Live trees are all natural and are 100 percent biodegradable. Artificial trees are made of non-biodegradable plastics and metals," says Lidren. "While growing, live trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air; artificial trees are made of petroleum-based products that pollute the air. Live trees are recycled; artificial trees wind up in landfills and could take decades to decompose. Plus, live trees are a renewable resource while the petroleum used to make the plastic in artificial trees is a non-renewable resource."

    Lidren says any unsold trees from his lots are recycled. "Nothing goes to waste," says Lidren. An Agromin green recycling display will be at every lot, reminding shoppers that Christmas is just one stop in the trees' lifecycle.

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