• Agromin To Offer Spring Soil Tips at Ventura County Home & Garden Show - Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 10:56 AM
  • Preparing a spring garden begins with the right soil. Agromin, an Oxnard-based manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products and the green materials recycler for more than 50 southern California communities, will offer spring soil tips at the Ventura County Home & Garden Show, March 19-21, at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura.

    Agromin staff will be on hand to discuss soil types, soil amendments and mulches, plus show how to best prepare soil for spring vegetable and flower gardens. In addition, they will distribute information on "Pounds for Produce," a gardening contest sponsored jointly with FOOD Share. The contest will see who can grow and donate the most vegetables to help feed the hungry between now and July 15.

    "We hope that gardeners will plant extra this year and donate vegetables to FOOD Share through the 'Pounds for Produce' contest," says Bill Camarillo, president of Agromin. "Winners in six different food categories will receive soil products from Agromin on a pound-for-pound basis, equal to the total weight of produce donated to FOOD Share."

    Agromin will also give away free bags of soil products at the home and garden show. For gardening tips and "Pounds for Produce" contest information, go to www.agromin.com.

    Labels: , , , , , , ,

  • Much to Do in Southern California Gardens--Even in Winter - Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 9:51 AM
  • While many trees and plants go dormant in January, warm, sunny days can entice Southern California gardeners into their backyards where much can be done even in winter, say experts at Agromin, an Oxnard-based manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products made from recycled green material from more than 50 Southern California communities.

    Plant dormant fruit trees: Stop by any nursery and you will see a variety of dormant fruit trees ready for planting. These bare root trees are typically less expensive than those potted in soil. Dormant fruit trees, including apples, cherry, pear and plums, require a certain number of "chill" hours (temperatures less than 45 degrees) to break their winter dormancy and produce healthy crops in summer. Make sure the chill-hour requirements meet the particular micro-climate in your area.

    Care for New and Established Rose Bushes: January and February are the best months to plant rose bushes. Like dormant fruit trees, bare root rose bushes are now abundantly available at nurseries. For existing roses, prune no more than one-half of new growth from the previous growing season. Pruning and pinching encourages new growth in early spring.

    Plant Vegetables in Winter for Spring Harvest: January is the perfect time to experiment with vegetables not found in typical spring or summer gardens. Vegetables that are planted in fall and winter include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chives, collards, endive, kale, lettuce, onions, parsnip, peas, spinach and turnips. Year-round vegetables such as artichokes, carrots, beets and radishes can also be planted now.

    Get Control Over Weeds: One or two days of rain is all it takes for weeds to sprout. Placing a two to three inch layer of mulch around trees, shrubs and plants prevents weed seeds from germinating. If weeds are already starting to grow, remove as many as you can and then cover the area with mulch. The goal is to prevent sunlight from reaching the weeds so they will not have fuel to grow. A common mistake is not adding enough mulch for the weed-suppression process to be effective. Once taken root, weeds need only a small amount of sunlight to flourish. Organic mulches break down over time, so if you already have mulch in your garden, replenish with an additional one-inch layer.

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

    Labels: , , , , ,

  • Agromin Moves Headquarters, Maintenance and Wholesale Operations to Oxnard - Friday, July 10, 2009 at 11:36 AM
  • Agromin, the green materials recycler for communities throughout Ventura County and a manufacturer of premium soil products, has moved its headquarters, maintenance facility and wholesale operations to Oxnard.

    Previously housed in sites throughout the county, Agromin's consolidation into a centrally located 6,000 square foot facility will cut down on employee driving. "With less employees on the road, we will reduce our carbon footprint," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CEO. "And, because everything is under one roof, we can better coordinate our production and business services."

    Agromin is designated a Climate Action Leader by the California Climate Action Registry, a non-profit organization originally formed by the State of California. Members voluntarily promise to monitor and register greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Registry members that have successfully verified their emissions inventory earn the status of Climate Action Leader. "We are committed to doing everything we can to reduce our GHG emissions and being good stewards of the environment," explains Camarillo. "Our vision is to become an entirely sustainable, carbon-neutral, energy-efficient company."

    Agromin's new location is at 201 Kinetic Dr., Oxnard. The new telephone number is 805-485-9200. Commercial wholesale bulk soil products (no retail) are available at the facility.

    Labels: , , , , ,

  • Agromin Named "Composter of the Year" by US Composting Council - Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 8:54 AM
  • CAMARILLO, CALIF.--Agromin, the green materials recycler for more than 90 communities throughout Southern California and a premium soil manufacturer, received the "Composter of the Year" award from the US Composting Council (USCC) at the 17th Annual USCC Conference held in Houston in January.

    The USCC is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry in the US.

    Every year, the USCC evaluates and reviews the nominees for its Composter of the Year award. The award goes to the commercial-scale composting facility that has displayed excellence in both compost production and marketing/distribution. Additionally, the facility must be in operation for a minimum of five years and in regulatory compliance for the last three years.

    Agromin compost is USCC certified, meaning they have met the USCC standards for compost content and its soil products are clean and safe. As a participant in the USCC's Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) program, Agromin voluntarily tests its products to ensure their quality.

    "Everyone who disposes materials in their green recycling barrel each week is doing their part to close the recycling loop," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CEO. "Compost is made from the green materials and the soil products find their way back into landscapes and agricultural orchards and fields. Recycling is the one thing we can all do that's been proven to reduce waste and make our communities more sustainable."

    Agromin is one of the largest organics recyclers in California, recycling more than 300,000 tons of green materials in 2008. Agromin receives the green materials (i.e., leaves, grass clippings, brush, wood), and processes and composts the materials at its five facilities. It then produces 240 soil products including compost, bark and mulches for use by consumers, municipalities, agriculture and landscapers.

    For more information about Agromin, go to www.agromin.com.

    Labels: , , , , , , ,