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GGIA Trade Show Notes for Organic Gardeners

29 January, 2019 by amygwh

Leaf over drawing of the state of Georgia, image from GGIA logo

The trade show at this year’s WinterGreen conference of the Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA) provided a look at some new (and not so new) products and plants for organic gardeners. The event was held last week, in Duluth, GA.

Most vendors at the trade show specialized in ornamental (non-edible) plants, machinery for large operations, products for commercial nurseries, and chemical-companies, but I located some local/sustainable/organic-related vendors, to share with you.

Recycled plastic nursery pots

East Jordan Plastics, in Michigan, displayed planting trays, growing pots, and some larger containers made from recycled plastics. Many gardeners are concerned about the excessive use of plastics in gardening. It is good to know of a plant-product company that is working to cut back on plastic waste, by re-using containers and recycling other plastics to create new containers.

RootMaker pots

Image from the RootMaker catalog showing difference in root growth between sprout in regular pot versus sprout in RootMaker pot.
Image from RootMaker catalog.

RootMaker trays and pots for growing plants are the result of research in container design, with the goal of more robust root systems. The trays and containers that I examined seemed very sturdy — like they would last for years — and the informational literature was very compelling. The pots and trays have an unusual pattern of protrusions and holes inside, and those, according to the information, guide root growth into more-branched root systems.

I will be trying a RootMaker tray this year. The representative at the Trade Show did give me a couple of fabric liners, for use when growing plants in cinderblocks, so I cannot say that I am 100% unbiased. I will have to buy the tray, though.

Rice hulls for mulch

Until this trade show, I had not heard of using rice hulls as mulch in containers or as a substitute for perlite in planting mixes.

PBH brought samples of parboiled rice hulls, so people could see the actual product and understand how it can be used. The rice hulls are approved for use in organic systems. I did not bring home a little baggie of rice hulls, but I could have. There were plenty on the table. I did bring home the informational literature, to learn more.

Rice hulls pictured on the cover of an article titled "Rice Hulls 101".

PBH Nature’s Media Amendment is from Riceland Foods. This shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was. It makes sense that the rice industry would want to find a good use for this bi-product of rice production. Looks like they were successful.

Pope’s CBD oil

This isn’t organic and it isn’t about growing, but I did learn that Tennessee grows industrial hemp. The CBD oil was displayed in what was otherwise an all-succulent-plants booth, for Pope’s Plant Farm. CBD oil seems to be a popular product these days. If anyone was looking for a local (-ish) source of CBD oil, Pope’s Plant Farm is one place to try.

Display for Pope's Plant Farm at the 2019 GGIA Wintergreen Conference.

The little succulent plants in the Pope’s booth were very cute. If I were more of an indoor gardener, I would probably grow some. My oldest son in Colorado does grow little succulent plants, so I pay more attention to them than I used to.

Bottom’s Nursery for fruit trees and other plants

Its plants are not organically grown, but after they are planted, most of the varieties at Bottoms Nursery will not need intensive programs of chemical sprays. All the varieties I saw in the catalog are relatively easy-care fruits that would do well when switched to organic management after planting, even in the South. Some are varieties that would do well in small space gardens.

Front cover of the 2019 catalog for Bottoms Nursery, which is in Concord, GA.

The fruit trees at the back of the booth are what attracted my attention. The first tagged tree I noticed was a Kieffer pear, which I know to be both hardy and a producer of good-tasting fruit.

I wasn’t the only person drawn to the booth of Bottoms Nursery. Another vendor was there, discussing trees and other plants to order, to sell in his General Supply store.

General Supply, Inc, in Blairseville, GA

General Supply is the kind of “everything” store that makes some gardeners go into raptures. This is the store mentioned above that will be selling plants from Bottoms Nursery, but it is also a source of tools, pet supplies, small farm supplies, and a million more interesting things.

Hand tools display in General Supply booth at GGIA 2019 Wintergreen Conference.

Of course, hand-tools are pretty appealing for gardeners working in small space gardens. We don’t need a large assortment of full-sized equipment for our little plots, but good tools make the work easier.

I was especially interested in the Truper brand tools (long-reach 15″ length, ash wood handles, sturdy forged “business ends”), but a full line of Corona tools — which are long-lasting and easy to use — was also on display.

The guy at the booth (so sorry that I did not record his name!) and I discussed the ergonomic benefit of tools that have the “business end” at a right-angle to the handle, when he showed me another tool designed for easier use.

Two Corona brand pruners, showing a difference in angle of the cutting edges.

The pruner on the right, in the nearby image of two Corona-brand pruners, has a different angle for the cutting edges. Do you see the difference? According to the guy in the booth, the angled pruner on the right would be easier to use on some branches, because it allows your arm and wrist to stay aligned, rather than to bend.

I haven’t tried it, so I don’t whether that really works, but I would be interested to try. When late-winter pruning time comes around (soon!), it would be good to avoid aggravating old injuries.

Gardeners heading toward the Blairesville area might want to put this store on their list of places-to-visit.

What else happens at the GGIA WinterGreen conference?

In addition to the trade show, the event provides continuing education opportunities for commercial lawn and garden folks. I did attend a workshop about Beneficial Insects, but that story is for another post.

Filed Under: News, Organics, Ramblings Tagged With: fruit for Southern yards, fruit trees, hand tools, organic amendments, seed starting

Gifts for Gardeners

27 November, 2017 by amygwh

Insect house in use at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, TX.

Winter can be hard on gardeners. There is less work to keep them occupied outside, and, if there are few houseplants, no good way to expend their gardening energies indoors, either.

If your gardener is looking forward to that pruning time of year (coming soon!), a comfortable yet sturdy pair of garden-work gloves (I have a pair from GardenWorks that fit well), would be a great gift, along with — if your gardener doesn’t already have one — a small folding, pruning saw, like this one from Corona, that fits in nearly any tool bag/box/bucket and is easy to use.

For veggie-gardeners suffering from the wintertime blahs, a gift option that can keep them growing through the winter is everything-needed-to-grow-sprouts. This is easier to get together than you might think.

A set that you can assemble yourself could include inexpensive Econo-Sprout Toppers (special “sprouting” lids that fit on Mason jars — I use a set of these at home), a collection of Assorted Organic Sprouting Seeds Mixes, and a book that includes instructions and recipes, like The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Sprouts.

Insect house in use at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, TX.
Insect House at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, TX.

 

For gardeners looking for more ways to support our native pollinators, a mason bee house, like this one from Welliver, for which replacement tubes are available as refills for next year, is a good choice. If your gardener might prefer something that could provide refuge for a wider range of insects, the Insect Palace Bee and Bug Home , which looks similar to an insect house I saw in Austin, TX, is another way to go.

For organic gardeners who love to read seed catalogs, a copy of  Baker Creek’s 2018 Whole Seed Catalog would also be an excellent, and very affordable, choice. Last year’s Whole Seed Catalog not only listed and described hundreds of garden seeds/plants, it also included great articles about seeds and gardening.

If your gardener is interested in mushroom foraging or growing, check the Gifts for Gardeners (and Budding Foragers) post at Atlanta Veggies. If none of these ideas seems right for your gardener, check out the gift lists on the sites of some of my gardening friends (all of whom have more elegant-looking sites than mine):

Marianne, at The Small Town Gardener

Kathy’s Gifts for Garden Cats at Cats in Gardens

The Washington Gardener’s Holiday Gifts for Gardeners

Top 10 Books for Gardeners, also from the Washington Gardener

Filed Under: Bugs and Other Insects, Garden Tools and Supplies Tagged With: garden tools, hand tools, indoor gardening, organic garden, Pollinators, sprouts

Hand Tools for Your Garden

9 November, 2017 by amygwh

Different garden hand tools with different uses

Using the right hand tools can make a big difference in how tired or sore you become after a day of gardening. The wrong tool creates extra work and strain!

If you have any wrist or elbow problems, in particular, there are tools available that allow you to do the job at hand with less twisting and pressure on weak joints.

I have made a little video to explain:

The double-headed “eye danger” tool may not be available anymore. I certainly couldn’t find one when I searched online. However, the Asian weeding tool and the Cobrahead weeder are easy to find and a joy to use.

Filed Under: Garden Tools and Supplies Tagged With: adaptive gardening, garden tools, hand tools, weeding

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