European Parliament Votes to Reduce Plastic Bag Use

The European Parliament voted and passed the  European Directive draft on single-use shopping bags fixing its reduction with targets set at 50% by 2017 and 80% by 2019.

The ruling recognizes that compostable bags are less harmful to the environment than conventional plastic bags.

• Countries that have implemented a ban can keep that legislation in place.

• Countries that have implemented a tax are supported because reusable bags cannot be sold for less than the tax.

• Oxo-degradable plastics are disqualified as an appropriate material.

By acknowledging that certified compostable bags are important for communities and linking it with scientific standards, the ruling supports the international zero waste movement and successes in Milan and San Francisco.

For more information on biodegradable plastic bags read about it in a study done by Woods End Labs commissioned by Mother Earth News. Woods End Study

Tips for Planting and Watering Vegetables in Raised Beds

·         Never plant in a dry hole

·         Water more often as it gets hotter

·         Water just before the heat of the day

·         Use mulches to keep soils from drying

Soils containing composts are rich and full of nutrients for plants. It is very important to get seeds and transplants off to a good start when planting in rich soils. Follow these general guidelines when planting:

·         During the first week after planting, whether it’s seeds or transplants, never let soil around seeds or roots dry out.

·         Make sure garden soils are wet at the time of planting. Never plant into dry soil.

·         Delay applying fertilizers until you see growth from seeds or new growth from transplants.

Here are some additional guidelines for watering during the heat:

·         When temperatures are above 105F, water three times a day.

·         In hot summer months when temperatures are above 85F water 2 to 3 times a day; morning (7-8am), midday (noon to 1pm) and afternoon (5 to 6pm).

During the cooler months:

·         When temperatures are between 65F and 85F water 1 to 2 times per day;

morning and afternoon.

·         During winter months, December and January, watering is needed no more than once a day. Sometimes it may be once every three days in very cold weather.

Other tips:

·         Always water before the heat of the day.

·         Use surface mulches such as shredded paper (no colored paper or inks please!), straw or wood shavings to keep soils cool and reduce plant stress from dry soils.

Visit the Viragrow website and blog for more tips:

www.viragrow.com

www.viragrowdelivers.blogspot.com

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Should Biosolids Be in Compost?

Recycling is a choice. Some people do it and others choose not to. Recycling waste from urban populations is one solution to the growing problem of urban pollution. We are not here to convince you to use compost containing biosolids. Companies are not forced to tell you if there compost contains biosolids or not. They are not supposed to lie but they don't have to reveal it on their bags or in the information they provide. 

Viragrow takes a different stand. Some of our composts contain biosolids. It is your choice whether you decide to use that compost or not. We do support recycling.

Three types of waste come from residential communities: municipal solid waste (trash or garbage), green waste (plant waste from landscape and food industries) and wastewater (sewage). Some waste is recyclable while others currently are not. There is a growing effort to recycle more and more of our waste reducing the growing environmental problems in our landfills. 

Sunrise Landfill in Las Vegas

Biosolids are manufactured from community wastewater. Biosolids are as different from “poop” or “sewage” as compost is from “manure”. In fact, biosolids are more closely monitored and regulated than manure compost, yard waste compost and organic fertilizers.  To meet Federal regulations, biosolids are submitted to sophisticated treatments developed by scientists and engineers using very sophisticated technologies.  Technologies that manufacture Class A biosolids result in a product that reduces human pathogen levels below laboratory detection.

People concerned about biosolids in compost are usually apprehensive about the levels of human pathogens (like Salmonella and E. coli), heavy metals (such as lead and arsenic) and pharmaceutical and personal care products. Pathogens and heavy metals are relatively easy to detect and should be in any compost report. Pharmaceuticals, whether they are contained in animal composts or composts with biosolids, are much more difficult to quantify and the significance of their presence is not yet well understood.

The EPA on Using Biosolids for Gardening

Human Pathogens and Biosolids. Class A biosolids, or Exceptional Quality biosolids (EQ), contain no detectable levels of human pathogens. Make sure composts for gardens and landscapes contain Class A biosolids. Class B biosolids are not acceptable for home gardens.

Heavy Metals and Biosolids. Heavy metal levels monitored include Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Molybedenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni) Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn). These should all be within limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pharmaceuticals and Biosolids. Research is very limited concerning pharmaceuticals and their presence, or their byproducts, in manure and biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are not limited to just biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are also present in animal manures and compost made from animal manures. In some cases, pharmaceuticals are used with less discretion when treating animals than those used to treat human diseases.

Personal Care Products and Biosolids. Personal care products, or PPC’s, are used for personal hygiene and beautification. These include soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, lotions, makeup among hundreds of others. Contributions of these products to compost made from biosolids is currently very poorly understood. For this reason it has given the industry a measure of concern but not alarm. Follow Viragrow’s blog and website for updates in this important field of research.

At ViraGrow we follow compost research very closely. We believe all of our composts and soil amendments are safe for humans and all food crops as well as turfgrass and ornamentals. Using our soil amendments, if done at appropriate rates and timing, will give you a bountiful harvest of fresh fruits and vegetables and improve your landscape aesthetics. At the same time you have made the choice to recycle.

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Watch for Leaf Footed Plant Bugs!

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Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Why Is My Queen Palm Yellow?

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Why Is My Queen Palm Yellow?: This is not the queen palm mentioned in the question. But this is a very common yellowing that occurs to queen palm in our desert enviro...

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Why Did My Desert Marigolds Die?

Q. I have several Desert Marigolds in a sunny area of my yard. They are on a drip emitters, 2 gph, set to run every other day for 10 minutes. They are planted in an amended soil mix of Rejuvinate soil mix, potting soil, vermiculite and perlite. I have a medium bark mulch over the area. They did extremely well the first couple of weeks, growing well, with lots of flowers. Then they seem to die off.  I can pretty much break off the tops at the ground level. This has happened with several plantings. Any idea what's going on?

A. Desert marigolds are plants that are very sensitive to irrigation. They cannot be treated like petunias or French marigolds. Normally, petunias or French marigolds we would prepare the soil about the same way we would prepare a vegetable garden. Watering these plants frequently is critical in our hot desert.

Watering Desert marigolds frequently will kill them. I'm willing to bet that they came down with root rot because the soil was kept too moist. Desert marigolds do very well with a limited number of irrigations.

Putting a wood mulch on the soil surface did not help either. It just kept the soil moist and promoted root rot.

They will do extremely well with improved soils but if that soil was kept too moist because it is on a valve with other plants that require water more often, it will kill them.

I would put them in an area where you could hand water them every couple of weeks and not put them on an automatic irrigation valve.

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Do Plants Communicate?

Plants communicate. They don't have vocal chords, hands, arms, legs or eyes. But plants communicate with each other, with insects, pathogens...virtually anything living that they can manipulate. This article talks in very general terms about communication below ground...the roots.

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Learn About Compost, Soil Mixes and Soil Amendments

This video recently came out on Youtube  by EcoPeaceful Gardening regarding composts, soil mixes, soil amendments, fertilizers and pesticides. Take a look. Warning! It is 50 minutes long!

Soil Amendments & Veganic Options with Horticulture Expert Bob Morris 

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Fertilizantes de Viragrow de Céspedes

Todos los fertilizantes tienen 3 números impresos en la bolsa. Estos números explican lo que está en el fertilizante y la forma en que el fertilizante funciona.

 

Los tres números son importantes por diversas razones. El número más alto ayuda el crecimiento el

más difícil. Números más bajos ayuda a los más débiles.

• El nitrógeno en el fertilizante ayuda el crecimiento de las hojas y hace que el color verde oscuro.
• El fósforo ayuda el crecimiento de las raíces.  
•  Potasio ayuda buena salud.

Aplicar la cantidad correcta de fertilizante. Si se aplica demasiado fertilizante, podría dañar el césped y pierda su dinero. La mayoría de los daños a las plantas proviene de la primera serie, nitrógeno. Siempre aplique un fertilizante cuidadosamente de acuerdo con el primer número, nitrógeno.

 

Si usted no aplica suficiente fertilizante, el fertilizante no empujar lo suficiente y los clientes se quejará. Los números dicen que la cantidad de fertilizante a aplicar. Si el primer número es grande, se aplican menos fertilizante. Si el primer número es pequeño, aplicar más fertilizante.

Aplicar fertilizantes para céspedes cuatro veces en un año; primavera el horario de verano, el Cinco de Mayo. Día del Trabajo y caiga el horario de verano. No aplicar fertilizantes del césped en el verano, cuando hace calor. Si tiene que aplicar un fertilizante cuando esté caliente, aplique sólo la mitad de la tasa o puede dañar el césped.

Utilice una abonadora de aplicar de manera uniforme.

 

Fertilizantes Viragrow que empujan el color verde y el nuevo crecimiento

Green Up   8 – 4 – 4   10 y 20 libras por bolsa

Empuja un nuevo crecimiento y de color verde oscuro, el crecimiento de la raíz y la salud. Aplicar al

menos 1/2 libras y no más de 1 1/4 libra cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.

Turf Green   8 – 4 – 2   20 libras por bolsa

Empuja un nuevo crecimiento y de color verde oscuro, el crecimiento de la raíz y la salud. Aplicar al

menos 1/2 libras y no más de 1 1/4 libra cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.

Ammonium Sulfate   21 – 0 – 0    10 y 40 libras por bolsa

Contiene únicamente nitrógeno. Este fertilizante empuja nuevo crecimiento rápido y hace que el césped verde oscuro. Aplicar al menos 1/4 libras y no más de 1/2 libras cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.

 

Turf Fertilizer   18 – 3 – 5     50 libras por bolsa

Empuja un nuevo crecimiento y de color verde oscuro, el crecimiento de la raíz y la salud. Aplicar al menos 1/4 libras y no más de 1/2 libra cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.

Viragrow fertilizantes para césped nuevo y resiembra

Ammonium Phosphate   16 - 20 - 0     15 libras por bolsa

Empuja crecimiento de las raíces, un nuevo crecimiento y de color verde oscuro. Aplicar al menos
1/4 libras y no más de 1/2 libra cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.

 

Starter Fertilizer    6 - 20 - 0     15 libras por bolsa

Empuja crecimiento de las raíces, un nuevo crecimiento y de color verde oscuro. Aplicar al menos 1/4 libras y no más de 1 1/2 libra cada 100 pies cuadrados de césped.


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