Sabine Carey
Certification Assistant
Farmers everywhere are
starting or have already
started their produce, herbs,
and flower seeds for the
season, and we’ve been get
ting numerous calls about
what potting mixes are ac
ceptable.
Potting mixes must be
composed entirely of allowed
and non-synthetic materials
and must not contain syn
thetic wetting agents, unless
they are Omri-listed. Re
member, just because it says
organic on the label does not
mean it is allowed. Look for
the Omri logo.
As a certified organic
grower, there are three op
tions for obtaining acceptable
potting mixes.
1. Purchasing Omri
listed transplant medias.
2. Mixing your own.
3. Using a commercial
product reviewed by PCO.
Make sure you have your
mixes available well before
the time you anticipate using
them, so that your planting
will not be delayed if a suit
able mix cannot be found, or
its compliance determined.
Plan ahead.
1. The following Petting
Mixes/Transplant Medias are
GREENLAND
Qt/BOnj SUPERF
v Fertilizer si
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Spreaders are the most accurate broadcast
spreaders in the world. The unique pendulun
action keeps the spread pattern close to the
rear of the machine while at the same time
providing a symmetrical pattern on both sidi
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The pattern allows “back and forth” as well
as “around and around” operation. The
“truncated” pattern offsets inaccurate
overlap problems, eliminating streaking.
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Stop By Your Nearest Dealer and See
First Hand Why They’re Worth The Investment
PENNSYLVANIA
Clifford
• North East Dist. & Equip.
570-222-9090
Leola
• M.M. Weaver & Son
717-656-2321
New Berlmville
• Erb& Henry Equipment
610-367-2169
New Ringgold
• Eckroth Bros. Farm
Equipment
570-943-2131
Orefield
• Eckroth Equipment
601-366-2095
Distributed By: 4 "6 CUMMINGS and BRICKED, Inc.
I 1 100 Stover Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013 717/249*6720
100-120 Lehigh Ave , PO Box 928, Batavia, New York 14021-0928 716/343-5411
v.- ;•? fere ferret rrreee*
Omri-listed:
• Grow Pro by Green
Technology Group (www.
greeentg.com 703-832-0497)
• Sunshine Organic by
Sun Gro Horticulture
(www.sungro.com 425-373-
3614) include: Sunshine Or
ganic Premix, Aggregate,
Basic, Complete, Germina
tion, Planting Mix and Plug,
Organic PX-2 and Pre-Mix,
Black Gold Coco Blend.
• Millenium Soils Coir by
Vgrove, Inc. (905-687-1877
Canada).
• Peaco All Natural Or
ganic Potting Soil, by Peaco
Peat Moss and Soils (800-
829-0729).
Omri listed wetting agents
(present in many potting
mixes):
• Therm X-15M (Cellu-
Con 559-568-0190)
• Therm X-70 (Cellu-Con
559-568-0190)
• JH Biotech Natural Wet
from JH Biotech, Inc. (1-800-
428-3493)
• Rain Grow Superflow
from Bioz Agri Products, Inc.
(1-877-232-7651).
To find a current listing of
Omri-approyed brand name
products, go to www.om
ri.org.
2. You can mix your own.
These are some general
Peach Bottom
•Triple H Equipment
717-548-3775
Penn Run
•Manor Motors
724-254-4753
Sharon
•Watsons, Inc.
724-346-6514
NEW JERSEY
Pittsgrove
•Schaper Bros.
856-455-1640 -
777777/777
All About Potting Mixes
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mixes based on the Organic
Potting Mixes fact sheet from
ATTRA. You may want to
adapt these to your specific
needs;
Recipes:
Seed Starting Mix
2 parts sifted compost
4 parts peat moss
2 parts perlite
4 oz. limestone
Seedling Mix
1 part perlite
1 part peat moss
1 part compost
1 part rock phosphate
Report On First
Wine Maker Tech Meeting
LANCASTER (Lancaster
Co.) On Wednesday, April
24,21 wine makers met at the
Farm and Home Center in
Lancaster for the purpose of
creating a “wine tech group.”
Traveling the furthest were
Mike Metil (Michael Charles
Winery) and Mike McVicker
(Glade Pike Winery), who
will be starting a similar
group in the southwestern
part of the state.
The importance of this
kind of a group was brought
into focus when Don Chap
man, Pennsylvania Wine As-
Rust free polyester
hoppers, ’’DURA-COAT”
enamel on painted
components with stainless
steel metering plates,
precision adjustments, and
a variety of spouts for a
multitude of applications
have earned (jfij)
Superflow seeßer
spreaders a world-wide
reputation as the premier
broadcast spreader.
Versatile spreaders band
material in vineyards, orchards and
nurseries, as well as spread time, and
salt and sand for winter use.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 18,2002, Grower and Marketer-
1 part worm castings (op
tional)
The Organic Potting Mixes
fact sheet is available by call
ing ATTRA: 800-346-9140 or
visiting www.attra.org.
3. Having PCO review a
commercial mix to determine
compliance with the NOP.
Most commercial mixes
contain prohibited materials
in the form of wetting agents,
synthetic starter fertilizers
and occasional biocontrol
agents. If you cannot find an
already Omri-approved mix,
sociation (PWA) president,
reported that a state enologist
should be in place in the next
year or so. With the state
being as large as it is, the
“wine tech group” may pro
vide a basic platform for that
person to work from. The
bottom line of our group is
“wine makers helping wine
makers.”
The afternoon’s format al
lowed for candid exchange
about wines submitted for
group evaluation. The topics
discussed were many: bot
tling (sanitary vs. sterile),
Seeder
spreaders are
easily
calibrated for
extremely
accurate
performance.
Serving Farmers Through Farm
Equipment Dealers Since 1961
request PCO to review a spe
cific mix for you. Remember
that the review process may
be rather intensive, and re
sults may not be available as
quickly as you’d like, de
pending on the ingredients
and the research involved.
PCO has reviewed and ap
proved:
BC 10 Bio-Compost 10
Summer Ag Professional
Growing Mix by Bio-Comp,
Inc. (800-624-4769).
Spring 2002
Organic Matters Newsletter
SQ2 determination (titrets vs
ripper vs A/O), acid reduc
tion, filtering, cold stabiliza
tion, potassium, use of
sorbate, Pennsylvania oak
barrels, stem addition, oxida
tion and MLF.
Other wines were brought
just to be tasted and com
mented on. Conversation was
lively, constructive, candid
and informal. A great spirit
of camaraderie permeated
the room.
The time went fast as the
information flowed. Informa
tion exchanged was valuable
to the novice as well as expe
rienced wine makers.
The next meeting will be
June 19 at the Farm and
Home Center in Lancaster
from 2 p.m.- 5 p.m. (one hour
was added by request). Bring
your wines problems and
trophies, and questions to
share with the group.
QUEEN GIL DRIP TAPE SPECIAL
$ 92.00/Roll 6600’
Call For Discount Prices On Quantity Orders and For A
Packet With Detailed Information And Samples
Queen Gil Drip Offers-
Amazingly Clog Resistant Special Plastic Prevents
Buildup Of Minerals and Algae Built In, Self Flushing
Filters Reduce Clog Problems Very Strong 8 Mil Tape
With 16 Mil Cover Over the Emitters At No Extra Cost,
Reduced Breaking and Holes This Tape Will Withstand
60 PSI Pressure
The New Patented Emitters Deliver a Fully Irrigated
Bed in 20% to 40% Less Time Than Other Drip Tape
This Produces Savings In Water, Fertilizer, Equipment
and Labor Queen Gil Works Well With All Fittings
Farmers Have Had Large Increases in Yields With
Strawberries, Lopes, Watermelons, Tomatoes,
Pumpkins, And Other Vegetable Crops When using
Queen Gil
All Kinds of Plastic Mulch
and Row Covers
Black Plastic Mulch - Call For Quantity Discounts
4'x2ooo' $24 50 4'x4000 $49 00 BML
4'x2ooo’ $29 00 4'x4000 $58.00 IML
High Quality Guaranteed, Pulls Up Easily
3,4,5,6 Foot Widths Available in Black or Clear
Black and Clear Smooth Degradable
4’x2ooo’ $32 50 4’x4000 $65 00
Black and Clear Embossed Degradable
This Is Microtuff Super Strength Embossed
4x4000’ $63 00 4'x6000 $94 00
4'x7500 $ll7 50 Available in 5Ft Also
Green, Silver and White on Black Embossed
Also Available
Call For Prices
ROBERT F. MARVEL
PLASTIC MULCH AND IRRIGATION
Visit us on our website
Website: www.RobertMarvel.com
Toll Free 1-800-478-2214
Phone-717-564-1478
540 Luther Rd , Harrisburg, PA 17111 Office
2425 Horseshoe Pike (Rt 322),
Annville, PA 17003 Warehouse
Only 20 Miles From Lancaster *****
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