Mark's Blog - Organic Mechanics

Guest Blogger for Organic Gardening Magazine

2011-07-29T06:35:00.002-04:00

Hey hey! Hope everyone is staying cool in the heat of summer! This next guest blog posting for Organic Gardening Magazine will have you thinking cooler thoughts about composting indoors this winter when its too cold outside to get to the compost pile!
http://organicgardening.com/blogs/theguestblog/2011/07/06/worms-and-their-castings-thats-right-its-worm-poop/

Guest Blog Post for Organic Gardening!

2011-07-25T14:17:00.004-04:00

Hey there! I am so excited to announce I have been asked to do some guest blog work for Organic Gardening Magazine! My first post topic I chose was "Nature Sounds in the Garden". This post was inspired by a talk I heard in June at the Millersville Native Plant Conference. Head on over to pause and reflect on the orchestral music of the garden.

http://organicgardening.com/blogs/theguestblog/2011/06/28/nature-sounds-in-the-garden/

GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE MONTH!

2011-06-15T05:45:00.001-04:00

That's right. May is garden for wildlife month. The National Wildlife Federation is celebrating this concept by encouraging you to get your garden certified as wildlife habitat! http://bit.ly/in5jp1 Its not complicated, just a checklist. Do you have a place for birds to drink water and not be harrassed by cats? Check. Do you provide food to wildlife by planting trees, shrubs, and perennials that produce seeds, fruits, and berries? Check. Does your garden have areas where wildlife can find shelter and build nests? Check. Is your garden earth friendly? i.e. Do you make compost, avoid using chemicals, limit your turfgrass area, and use mulch to reduce watering needs? Check. If you were also checking these off as I went along, you should sign up your garden today!

Doesn’t it feel good to plant natives in the spring, and watch resulting wildlife visit your garden to eat, pollinate, or reproduce? OK…maybe not deer chomping on newly planted tulips, but caterpillars on leaves? Butterflies on flowers? Birds nibbling on mature seeds? Personally, I tolerate insect damage in my garden very well. I dont care if there are a few holes in some of the leaves on a plant. Why not? Because I value the contribution each insect makes in the food chain. Every protein filled caterpillar helps sustain a bird for a day...which is why we need our native plants serving as host plants for native insects. Healthy populations of native insects lead to healthy populations of mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, etc...quite frankly the entire food chain!

As gardeners we do good by planting green things and by voting with our dollars. Every plant in the ground makes more fresh air for us to breathe. Careful selection at the local garden center can result in more earth friendly purchases or help an important cause like the National Wildlife Federation, http://bit.ly/irkqOq. Check out the native plants from American Beauties to accent your garden and provide food for wildlife!

The Organic Mechanic Moves!

2011-05-20T07:02:00.003-04:00

Well, we're always making moves...but this time I actually moved. Why would I decide to move in the middle of spring you might ask? For a family of horticulturists...it seemed better on paper than practice, but we had to move into a bigger place since we are adding to the family! We stayed local, only moved about 5 miles from our previous place, but we are a world apart from the hustle and bustle of downtown West Chester, PA.
We moved into a 200+ year old farmhouse! Between the natural area across the street, the wood stove on the first floor, the plant shelves built into every window, the perfect piedmont outside landscape, and the four floors of space...we had to say yes! So, this spring has all the usual busy times, plus housecleaning and gardening on top of all that, and you can probably guess why I havent been blogging like I thought I would!

We counted after moving all the plants...apparently we have over 200 square feet of plants in containers! I do love plants in containers, especially if moving frequently is your thing, since you can always take a container with you. We had a fair number of highly prized plants we had to dig and move, plants from such events as the Rare Plant Auction, www.thedch.org/activities-events/rare-plant-auction. Thankfully we had a small army of friends over to help dig! In return we offered divisions of anything people wanted, and of course, food and tasty beverages at the end of the day! We are now committed to getting most of them in the ground ASAP. The nice thing is we can move the containers around in the garden space for a while before finally deciding on a final landscape plan. We plan to use Burnout herbicide from St. Gabriel Organics, http://www.stgl.us/ to knock back the areas we want to plant. Burnout uses food grade ingredients like clove oil and citric acid to combate unwanted plant guests in the garden. I'll post more on that project after it happens to show the results of using an herbicide without glyphosate as the active ingredient!
I am really looking forward to developing this property into a paradise. It has all the makings of an outdoor retreat for visiting friends (and ourselves). Now we just have to make it happen!

Its time for me to get out there and get my hands dirty! Until next time....

Organic Mechanics Planting Mix!

2011-05-16T06:12:00.001-04:00

Allow me to introduce the third member of the Organic Mechanics family, our Planting Mix! Organic Mechanics Planting Mix (PM) is made for amending soil whenever planting a tree, shrub, bulb, perennial, annual...basically anything planted in the ground! We also recommend mixing Planting Mix with topsoil for building raised beds using a 50% / 50% blend of Planting Mix and topsoil for best results. Use your existing topsoil, or go get some at your local, independent garden center.

Our Planting Mix contains compost, aged pine bark, worm castings, and coconut husk fiber. Its the perfect blend of organic matter to help hold moisture in the root zone, giving plants a leg up during dry spells and helping reduce watering requirements. For every 1% increase in organic matter in soils, over one acre, the soil can hold an additional 16,000 gallons of water! Most garden soils have between 1% and 5% organic matter...less if your home is new construction...more if the soil was previously landscaped.

The other big benefit to using Organic Mechanics Planting Mix is the beneficial biology inside every bag. The microbes in compost and worm castings help to make a healthier plant by occuping the real estate around the root zone. Once present, beneficial microbes help to exclude or fight off potential diseases, and help break down organic matter into plant available nutrients.

Always wondering how to plant that tree or shrub correctly? No worries, there is a step by step guide on the back of each bag of Planting Mix. Most important thing is to plant at the same soil level as the existing soil line present in the container you brought home from the local garden center. Hopefully the "root flare" is showing on any trees you buy, and if not you can gently scrape away soil until exposing the root flare. The flare is the classic part of a tree trunk that flares out at ground level, away from the truck itself. An exposed root flare makes for a healthier tree. Ever see trees mulched with what looks like a mulch volcano? Ouch. Too much organic matter next to a tree truck only encourages fungi to attack the tree at its base...something all of us want to avoid on a newly planted tree!

If you're planting a raised bed for vegetables or herbs, remember to use untreated lumber so you dont have chemicals leaching into your veggie garden! Once you build your beds, a cheap trick to exclude weeds and block out grass is to put down cardboard or newspaper before adding your 50% / 50% mix of Planting Mix and topsoil. No real trick to placing the topsoil and PM in the beds, just add a bag of PM, then a bag of topsoil, and repeat until you have about half the bed full, then mix the two together with your shovel or digging fork, then repeat for the top half. Adding fertilizer at planting time to ensure banner harvests? Mix it into the planting hole just before you plant.

Want to read more about how to save water in the garden? Check out www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/landscaping_tips.html for helpful tips!

Getting planting fever from all this talk of planting? Get out there and get your hands dirty!

Organic Mechanics Container Blend Potting Soil!

2011-05-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

The second product we introduced to the Organic Mechanics brand was our Container Blend Potting Soil. Launched in 2008, Container Blend (CB) was built for use in outdoor containers. It has increased drainage as compared to our Premium Blend Potting Soil, making it the natural choice for all your outdoor containers. CB has more aged pine bark and coconut husk fiber...less compost and worm castings...and was formulated for growing perennials, grasses, & woody plants.

We constantly hear reports of people using CB to grow native plants, especially perennials, without having to add fertilizer, yet still experiencing solid growth and flowering. However, if you are like me and jam a lot of small perennials into a giant container, you may want to give the plants a little bit of organic granular fertilizer, or liquid fertilizer like kelp, worm casting tea, or fish emulsion to ensure the container overflows with growth.

We pioneered Organic Mechanics Container Blend while working with The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, www.scottarboretum.org. Their horticulture experts use Container Blend in all the big containers on campus. They add additional slow release fertilizer to get these containers reaching their fullest potential each summer. I love their use of mixed containers, sometimes planting tropicals, annuals, perennials in one big container...love that plant exuberance!

Another difference gardeners will notice in our Container Blend...we replaced the perlite (little white stuff) with rice hulls to make the mix more earth-friendly. These OMRI listed rice hulls are produced in the southern US, parboiled to get rid of weed seed and plant diseases, dried, compressed, and packaged for shipment. Giving these agricultural byproducts new life in our blends helps to lower our carbon footprint and gives the mix a lovely, fluffy texture.

How does using rice hulls make our product more earth-friendly you might ask? Using them reduces the amount of perlite we use. Perlite is a silica ore, mined from the ground, shipped to processing facilities, and "popped like popcorn" by heating the crushed ore to tempertures above 1000 degrees fahrenheit! While rice hulls may not be ideal in all applications, it works wonders in our Container Blend Potting Soil.

Even though we reduced the amount of compost and worm castings in this blend, you will still notice having to water much less as compared to peat-based mixes. Who doesn't love spending less time dragging hose around the garden!?! A story I always tell is from 2009 when my wife and I were out of town for a week in the middle of June. We left without finding someone to babysit our garden...don't know how that slipped my mind since we had about 300 plants in containers at the time...oh, yeah, that's right, its because we were going to get married! But I digress. 9 days out of town, only a passing shower or two, and everything planted in Organic Mechanics made it through...only a few new plants I hadn't yet repotted didn't make it. If you have similar stories from using Organic Mechanics, please share them with us!

Have beautiful containers planted up using Organic Mechanics Container Blend Potting Soil? Please share them on our facebook page, www.facebook.com/organicmechanicsoil

Until next time, get out there and get your hands dirty!

Organic Mechanics Premium Blend Potting Soil - OMRI Listed!

2011-05-11T10:00:00.002-04:00

Our Premium Blend Potting Soil began rolling off the line back in 2007. A handful of retailers picked us up and we were born into the world of local, independent garden centers and natural food stores. We have come a long way since then, thanks to all of you who supported Organic Mechanics! We now offer four distinct retail products, Premium Blend Potting Soil, Container Blend Potting Soil, Planting Mix, and Worm Castings. The next few blog posts will cover each of our products in detail, to give gardeners a better understanding of our products and how to use them.
As I was saying, it all started with our Premium Blend Potting Soil. Like all our mixes, Premium Blend (PB) is compost-based. It also contains aged pine bark, worm castings, coconut husk fiber, and perlite. How is PB different than our Container Blend Potting Soil you might ask? They are both potting soils for container gardening, but PB has more compost and more worm castings as compared to Organic Mechanics Container Blend. As a result, PB holds moisture even longer than Container Blend, making PB a perfect choice for houseplants, small windowboxes, hanging baskets, tropicals, or for growing food in containers (tomatoes, peppers, etc, etc).
Using Organic Mechanics Premium Blend Potting Soil for the first time, gardeners will notice having to water about half as much. Can you imagine! Dragging the hose half as much during the heat of summer?! It’s true. The compost and worm castings hold water exceptionally well. Even though PB has excellent moisture retention, the pine bark and coconut fiber create pore space for the all important oxygen to get to plant roots. Just like us, plants need to breathe.
Learning to water properly is a skill worth its weight in gold. Too often, people love their plants to death by over-watering. How can you tell if a plant needs water? Certainly, if it’s wilting, it needs a drink. However, most plants are better off when they do not wilt in-between watering. Until you build up the experience to just know if a plant needs water, the easiest way to check is to use your finger to dig into the soil root ball, about 2-3 inches down. If you feel moisture, the plant is OK. If it is dry to the tip of your finger, it’s time to re-water. Here is a tip on knowing if you are feeling moisture or not. Go to the sink, place a single drop of water on your finger, give a quick shake of your hand, then feel your finger with your thumb. That residual moisture will be similar to what you would feel in the container if the plant was still OK. Check our website for a video on this process! http://www.organicmechanicsoil.com/tv-watering-organic-potting-soil.html

Wondering about fertilizer choices? As with all potting soils, you will want to fertilize if you are growing vegetables or annuals in PB. You don’t want two peppers…you want a dozen peppers, right!?! We recommend organic fertilizers to go along with the exceptional beneficial biology inside each bag. Visit your local independent garden center for the best selection of organic fertilizers and ask them to recommend a brand. I like liquid fish emulsion & worm castings for feeding my plants (and the microbes around their roots!), but Bradfield Organics is a great granular fertilizer for that extra punch to get those plants growing!
Next post…all about Organic Mechanics Container Blend! Until then, get out there and get your hands dirty!

Organic Gardening Magazine's Seal of Approval!

2011-05-04T16:13:00.012-04:00

My first blog post of the year mentioned the award we received from Organic Gardening magazine, their newly created Seal of Approval! We are so honored to be the first company to receive this award. Why did OG give it to us? They were impressed by our commitment to organics, the environmentally sound composition of each blend, and the sustainable production practices we employ to get the job done each day.
What’s in Organic Mechanics Potting Soils and Soil Amendments?
If you have not yet tried a bag of Organic Mechanics, you might not know our products contain compost, aged pine bark, coconut husk fiber, worm castings, and finally, rice hulls or perlite.The compost is locally produced in Chester County, PA. The aged pine bark comes from Delaware (it says forest products on the label, just in case another type of bark gets harvested…birds will drop seeds in the midst of a pine field), and the coconut husk fiber comes from India. India you say? Seems like quite the distance…but when you dig deeper, one realizes this coconut husk fiber is compressed 5:1 before shipment and it is shipped by boat. Shipping by boat is very fuel-efficient, as compared to shipping by tractor-trailer. Also, the fiber dust we receive is the final by-product of coconut harvesting. You get coconut meat, oil, water, shell, fiber, and finally, the dust that gets dried and compressed before shipment to our production site.
Other ingredients include worm castings, rice hulls, and perlite. Worm castings are a nice way of saying worm poop…natures perfect soil amendment. They are chock full of beneficial biology to populate the root zone, breaking down organic matter and helping plants stay healthy. Rice hulls are the shell surrounding each delicious rice grain. The rice is grown in Arkansas and Louisiana, and the hulls are parboiled before packaging to remove any weed seeds or potential pathogens. Rice hulls replace perlite in most of our blends. Perlite is added to increase drainage in potting soils, but rice hulls also provide good drainage and make the mix nice and fluffy for plant roots. Perlite is very energy intensive to make, and since the rice hulls were available, we chose to use them in most of our blends to reduce our manufacturing carbon footprint.
Production Practices
When I started Organic Mechanics, I knew environmental sustainability had to be a core value of the company. For this reason we use recycled products whenever possible. Most of our ingredients are by-products of agriculture that we “upcycle” into our products. We use recycled pallets for shipping, 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all printing needs, and we purchase wind power for our electricity.
I also wanted us to use the most energy efficient methods of production. For this reason we chose an electric forklift (which is also better for employee health), and chose used diesel equipment when deciding on machines – so we could run them all on bio-diesel. All our diesel machines also have “scrubbers” on them, to clean the air emitted from the engines. We also have a waste-oil heater for our shop. Collected vegetable oil is filtered and burned in a very efficient heater that has kept the guys warm even during the depths of winter’s chill.
Speaking of the guys, I’ll have to dedicate an entire post to them later this summer. We could not do so much without “the dream team” in the shop. We have five full-time staff in the shop each day during the busy season. The guys make potting soil, keep everything stocked, load trucks, unload trucks, process orders, flip compost piles, bag up worm castings, and all the while make each other laugh and listen to great music. It’s a dirty job, but they do it with a smile. I did it for the first three years…and now I spend all my time behind a computer, on the road visiting garden centers, or at conferences and workshops educating people on the joys of organic gardening.
We hope you’ll join us on this sustainable gardening journey. If you don’t currently have a subscription to Organic Gardening magazine, pick up the current June/July issue at your favorite bookstore or retailer…you can read more about Organic Mechanics in the Profiles Department, and great topics like Container Gardening, Chanticleer (one of the most stunning public gardens around), delicious recipes, OG’s Farm-to-Fork tour of Italy, The Rodale Institute’s 30th anniversary of its Farming Systems Trial, and much, much more. Pick up a copy or get yourself a subscription! I guarantee you will not be disappointed. http://www.organicgardening.com/

Side Trip To My Grandparents Farm

2011-02-20T04:00:00.001-05:00

In August of 2010 each year we attend a trade show in Chicago called the IGC show, which is short for the Independent Garden Center show. To gain admittance into this show you must provide products to Independent Garden Centers only…no big box products for sale here, and no big box store reps attending. Only locally owned, independent garden center owners, managers, and staff walk this show floor. We love this show each year as it provides an opportunity for independently owned garden centers to come together in one place to review thousands of products. These IGC representatives place orders and bring these great products back to your home town. Plus Chicago is a fun town with great food and beautiful gardens. http://bit.ly/egEQUn

Last year we arrived in Illinois a few days early to meet with a potential partner company (more on that in a future blog post). We held our meeting and then proceeded about an hour north through the IL countryside to Boone County, IL, or more specifically, Capron IL. While the downtown area was nothing like I remember, the old tank that sat in front of the bank was still there, still green, and still cool.However, the town of Capron was only a marker on the way to the final destination – the family farm my grandparents owned while I was growing up. As we passed the corn fields that stretch from horizon to horizon, I felt the farm drawing close as familiar signs appeared…small bridges, neighboring barns, and finally the farmhouse appeared where I spent so many summers growing up.While some things had changed, most of the surroundings were still familiar like an old friend. The vegetable garden was still there, though moved from its original placement nearest the chicken coop. The majestic Bur Oaks still stood as welcoming sentries on the walk down to the creek where I spent many days fishing with my grandfather. The walk to the creek had changed…where there were once simple hillocks of native grasses, there was now an entire native meadow planted by nature and nurtured by time.

While the new view is certainly beautiful, it’s my memories of riding in the back of the tractor, listening to my grandfather laugh as we went over the bumps on the way to the creek that will stay in my memory bank. I remember bringing tiny bass, sunfish, or brim we caught back up to the farmhouse, filling the kiddie pool with water, and turning them loose to swim in circles until the farm cats finally noticed there was sushi on the menu and all they had to do was fish for their dinner.

The outhouse was removed thanks to the joys of modern plumbing…but it made a great garden folly back in the day. I remember it being covered with honeysuckle vines each summer. I suppose the spot on the property that gave me the most satisfaction to see unchanged was the size of the vegetable garden. The Organic Mechanic was baptized into gardening in her veggie garden. My earliest memories of my Grandmother were from moments in the garden, when she would teach me about eggplants or asparagus or garden insects or how to fertilize. Once I was tall enough (which, if you know me was when I was 5), it made me so proud to be able to reach into the 50 gallon drum of cow poop soaking in water (from the neighbors dairy cows), pull a bucket back out (I was strong like bull!), and go down the rows of veggies, giving each one a drink in turn.

The rest of my farm memories are from hours in the kitchen, snapping beans or peeling potatoes while she canned, froze, preserved, or made delicious baked items from the garden bounty. All in all, it was a successful trip back to Capron IL to relive summer memories on the farm. We came, we saw, we took pictures, we experienced place and time to make new memories.

The best part of my farm memories came not from the farm landscape, but from the family who experienced it with me. Moments like those make you acutely aware of the present and heighten your sense of family, togetherness, sharing, fulfillment, and love. I loved being in that garden with my grandmother. I loved being in the tractor’s trailer getting pulled to the fishing creek by my grandfather. Those real memories will persist past the point when I am making similar memories with my grandchildren.

Do we underestimate the impact we have on young children when gardening with them? I hope not, because they are the next generation of gardeners…they just don’t know it yet.

Back in action...

2011-02-19T11:41:00.013-05:00

I know...I know... 13 months in-between blog postings is way too long! But I'm back in action! So what was occupying my time so fiercely that I could not break away to write about the life and times of The Organic Mechanics? I suppose I stopped posting for a number of reasons. The most immediate being our small company had a lot of growing pains in 2010…and there always seemed to be a machine to fix, compost to flip, trade shows to attend, phone calls to make, or emails to send. It was a time to make things happen.

I also spent quite a bit of time travelling the Mid-Atlantic giving talks on Organic Gardening. I spent thirty-five days giving talks on subjects such as composting, vermicomposting, organic soils and potting soils, organic fertilizer, and sustainable landscapes. Between the multi-day conferences and single talk events…I was a travelling man.

All the Organic Mechanics helped to make things happen in 2010! We are proud to announce Organic Gardening Magazine has chosen Organic Mechanics Potting Soils to be the first recipient of their new Seal of Approval! This honor was bestowed on us for our commitment to making environmental sustainability a core value at our company. http://www.organicmechanicsoil.com/news-inthenews-award.html

While 2010 was a great year for gardening, we hope 2011 continues the backyard transformation from boring underused spaces to gardens that feel good, do good, and look good. More on gardening subjects in weeks to come. This year I hope to share “A year in the life of The Organic Mechanics” with you all. It will undoubtedly be filled with stories of plants, people, events, and the object of desire that brings us together, the garden. I hope you will join me on the journey.

Tractors!

2009-11-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

While at the New England Small Farm Institute, I made my way around the farm to the equipment storage area and found this impressive lineup of slightly antiqued tractors...all of these are diesel beasts...ready and waiting for action!

It was summer in 1982 when I first got to drive my grandfathers tractor. I remember it was a John Deere (who can forget that green color), and my feet barely reached the pedals if I stood up and jammed down on them. It was my job to drive around the "back forty" while my Dad and grandfather picked up firewood and threw it in the trailer.

My next tractor memory was circa 1986...pulling out a stump in the front yard at the farm. I remember hacking on that stump for hours...finally hooking up a chain...and going for it with the tractor at full speed! That stump creaked and groaned for a second, then ripped free from the ground and bounced along behind me. I'm sure the smile on my face would have reached coast to coast.

Odds are, many people have similar stories...amazing how the farmers of the world tend to teach their children and grandchildren how to drive on a tractor before a motor vehicle. Hence the love of fall festivals & hayrides I suppose...

Most of the time you see older tractors gathering rust in fields or hedgerows...abandoned for the next leap of technology or from the lack of a crucial part. Its sad really...to see such a piece of Americana rusting away in a field. Which is why I was so stoked to see these beauties fully operational and sitting ready, waiting for a trailer to pull or a field to plow!

Have a favorite tractor story? Share it with me next time I see you! Until then, have fun and dont be afraid to get your hands dirty and do some work!

Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum at Longwood Gardens

2009-11-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

There it is. The mythical thousand bloom Chrysanthemum on display at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. Longwood is the world's premier horticultural display garden, and looking at this shining example of horticultural prowess, one can see how they achieved this title.

This particular plant had 718 blooms on it, a personal record for Longwood's talented team of horticulturists. One staff member in particular has travelled to Japan numerous times to see all aspects of the production cycle, to truly understand each step of production. She is amazing and extremely dedicated! This is all done by hand, with a keen eye for details.

Producing thousand bloom Chrysanthemums is "old news" Japan, where the method is said to have originated. Though, anytime you see one plant with this many flowers on it, I dont care how many times you might have seen one...it is impressive and stops you in your tracks!

This second picture shows a little bit of the custom frame, fabricated by Longwood's skilled metal engineers. Each flower is held in place by a small circle of metal, which are attached to the main frame in a radial circular pattern.

How might they grow one plant to this gargantuan size and filled with blooms? As with all plants, it all begins with the quality of your soil or potting soil. They use Organic Mechanics Premium Blend to get this plant off to a great start and provide plenty of beneficial biology in the root zone. All that compost and worm castings helps product strong stems and big flowers!

The final picture is the closeup...a stunning addition to the always beautiful Chrysanthemum display at Longwood Gardens. If you missed it this year (as they have already begun the annual changeover to their Christmas display), never fear, as next year the thousand bloom mum will be back in another life, perhaps breaking a new record over 718 blooms. I know I cant wait to see if they do. Read more at www.longwoodgardens.org

Garlic Mustard take 2

2009-11-23T15:31:00.002-05:00

For those of you that read my posting on Tuscarora Beach Drops & camping, you may have read the bit about Garlic Mustard. Well, when I went camping last week I found some garlic mustard to take pictures of for all of you who may not have yet seen this plant up close and personal.

As you can see, the leaves are almost heart-shaped, and the edges have a toothed appearance. The veins are quite pronounced as you can see.

Picture #2 shows the entire plant after I pulled it out of the ground. You can see the bulbous base, which is the best place to pull from, to ensure you get all the roots and not just stems and leaves. These were growing in the parking area next to our campsite. Typical placement of garlic mustard...you usually find it at the road edge or trail edge...where seeds were likely deposited by an unsuspecting camper, when dirt containing seeds falls off a tire or shoe.

The final picture shows me burning the garlic mustard plants in the fire. Destroying the plants is the best way to keep it from spreading, as these plants can make seeds even after being pulled from the ground and left for dead!

Garlic mustard is originally from Europe. This invasive plant does not play well with native woodland plants and is the bully next door...pushing its way into our forests with astonishing speed once established.

The major reason why I really dislike garlic mustard is its ability to repel and discourage the growth of naturally occuring mycorrhizae (fungi that live in soil and form mutually beneficial relationships with plant roots). Seeds benefit greatly from these mycorrhizal synergies, and we need all the native plant seeds we can get to germinate and help reforest and repopulate our natural lands!

Next time youre out camping, or walking the dog, or just enjoying a walk in the woods, if you see garlic mustard beating up on some native plants...step in and be a hero! Rip it out and trash it!

National Recycling Day!

2009-11-15T14:23:00.001-05:00

Did you know November 15th was National Recycling Day? http://www.americarecyclesday.org/ is a fun website to explore and see how your personal recycling efforts impact energy resource conservation. While we are all familiar with recycling newspapers, aluminum and metal cans, glass and plastic bottles, many of us need to find a local place to take our small mountains of plastic accumulated each year from normal gardening activities.

Many independent garden centers are now setting up collection stations, like this one at Bucks Country Gardens. They'll take all those plastic pots and flats liberated from the plants you put in the ground this year. My small pile is shown below...I like to keep a small supply around for repotting...but I was able to get rid of a nice chunk of my stash this year as part of National Recycling Day.

I hope you treat everyday like National Recycling Day. It may not seem like an individual contribution matters, but http://www.americarecyclesday.org/ will show you the exact impact you make as an individual. Then if you multiply that by just 25% of the US population, it makes a huge impact!

We recycle high-quality agricultural by-products back into Organic Mechanics potting soils, to make them more sustainable and decrease our carbon footprint. Compost is recycled agricultural waste products, made from farm waste & food waste. We recycle all the plastic we receive as packaging material. We also use recycled vegetable oil to heat our production facility. We like to think of it as resource recovery...as these valuable products are not waste, but organic substances waiting for reuse and recovery.

To further decrease your personal carbon footprint, look for products and/or packaging made from recycled materials. Collectively, we CAN make a difference! How much will you recycle this year?

Tuscarora Beech Drops

2009-11-06T10:53:00.002-05:00

The Organic Mechanic LOVES to go camping. Ever seen these before? They are known as "Beech Drops", (Conopholis alpina) emerging in spring through duff on the forest floor. A miniature conifer look-alike, these plants grow and feed on Beech tree roots...a parasitic plant used in earlier times as an astringent and for other medical uses.

They were so tiny we almost stepped on them! These were photographed in the Tuscarora State Forest...a great place for primitive camping. The forest floor felt like a trampoline on 1/4 mile walk from our parking spot to our camp site! It felt even more wild, secluded, and peaceful to camp in a forested area where the worms have not decimated the duff layer.

Taking a look around our campsite, it was on a northwestern facing slope, with mostly hardwoods, a few hemlock, and a healthy layer of undergrowth. Did not see any invasive plants, except garlic mustard - which was only around the parking spot for our campsite...go figure. We pulled every garlic mustard we saw...and burned them! Garlic mustard has a tendency to complete seed growth even if they are pulled and let on the ground to rot and die.

Did you know garlic mustard, like all plants in this family, do not form mycorrhizal bonds with plant roots? They actually repel mycorrhizal fungi! (Mycorrhizal fungi form mutually beneficial connections between plant roots and the surrounding soil. They help the plant absorb more water and nutrients...and the plants provide the fungi with carbon and other food sources) So...if garlic mustard plants repel mycorrhizal fungi, and yet they are starting to run rampant in the woods of North America...what does this mean for the mycorrizal species we need for all our native plants that exist in the forest? Yet another problem...only one solution...pull all the garlic mustard you can (burn it or trash it) when you see it in wild places. You know where the wild things are...

Amazing what you can see while enjoying a walk in the woods.

Mo-Greena Foundry - Organic Mechanics Home Base

2009-11-01T14:47:00.004-05:00

I love big machines. What can I say, I am just a big kid at heart when I see these awesome earth moving machines do work. You can just tell when a highly skilled operator is running a piece of equipment...when the machine is just an extension of what the person is willing the machine to do. Smooth movements that almost look computerized are the pinnacle of equipment operation!

These two monster machines were on our warehouse property to do some work! We graded the entire back 2 acres to get ready for further expansion efforts. What was once hilly, uneven terrain is now flat as a pancake. Can you say soccer field during break time! Well, not completly smooth, it is actually sloped away from the mid point for better drainage. Bioswales control water runoff along the edges. Native riparian plants placed along the bioswales help to absorb excess water. This area will serve as additional storage, as well as future greenhouse space!

This is but a small phase of Operation Property Transformation...so stay turned for future visual updates!

Solar Decathlon and Living Walls

2009-10-30T14:04:00.006-04:00

The Solar Decathlon places 20 university teams from around the world against each other to see who can design, build, and operate the most energy-efficient, solar-powered and good looking home. http://www.solardecathlon.org/ While I was there for the 2009 competition (without my camera, d'oh!), these pics are from the 2007 competition. I loved the German entry (lower picture), and apparently team Germany outdid themselves again this year, earning 1st place for their design. I also LOVED the living walls installed on the top picture. Beauty and function all in one place! The living wall helps keep the home cool in the summer, and insulates during the winter.

PNC bank recently installed a 2,380 square foot living wall at their headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. They even sourced all the plants locally, and used many native plants in the design. Engineering comes into play when you have a 24 ton living wall attached to your building, but many smaller versions can be installed on the side of a garage or shed quite easily. Some companies are now offering modular systems that make it even easier. http://www.greenroofplants.com/ or http://www.greengridroofs.com/Whenever doing a major project on your home, it is always a good idea to check and see if any permitting is required...usually attainable by working with a local contractor or landscape contractor. Who will be the first garden center to incorporate a living wall into their operation? The race is on!

Local Farmers Markets Rock!

2009-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, the local farmers market! West Chester, PA holds a Growers Market, simply to differentiate that if you sell it here, you must have grown it yourself...none of that buying potatoes from Idaho and passing them off as your own! I appreciate the local farms bringing in the freshest produce, fruit, flowers, meats, cheeses, mushrooms, jams, wines, prepared foods, perennials...the list just goes on!

Our market goes from May 1 to December...depending on weather most of the vendors make it each weekend. It is the Saturday morning ritual for my wife and I to enjoy our coffee, then get there nice and early. If you make it to the market early, not only do you get to see the beautiful displays created to entice passing shoppers, but you also get the best selection.

Don't know where the closest farmers market is to you? Check out www.foodroutes.org to find out! Saturday is the day for farmers markets...although many are now open during the week to make it easy for people to pick up fresh food on the way home from work.

These pictures are from our local vendors....Queens Farm and North Star Orchard....two of the 16 or so vendors at the West Chester Growers Market each week. Love the oyster mushrooms from Queens Farm and those Asian Pears from North Star Orchard!

Burlap Deer Fence

2009-10-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Once again the good folks at North Creek Nurseries have outdone themselves in creativity. Check out this alternative to a traditional deer fence! In the Mid-Atlantic region, especially here in southeast PA, we have more deer than can be supported by the native vegetation (like most areas of the country), so the hungry deer set themselves upon our gardens with blissful intent...much to our dismay when we step outside in the morning only to find your lettuce patch or hosta collection eaten to the nubs!
Traditional deer fence is a black woven poly fence, available at heights from 6' to 10'. FYI...most deer are able to jump any 6' fence. There are tricks to planting hedges close to the fence, as research shows most deer are reluctant to make a double jump, as they cannot get up the momentum needed to clear a second hurdle that is taller than the next. Also, creating garden rooms where the deer cannot clearly see out, or an excape route, makes deer nervous and less likely to linger while nibbling on your prized perennial or veggie garden.

This fence was put up by sinking posts on 20' centers and running wire from post to post. #2 wire works great, the thicker the better to stand up over time. The wire was tightened up as much as possible, then nailed into the posts. Next, a 8' wide roll of burlap was unrolled along the length of the fence, and looped over the wire that stretches from post to post. To secure the burlap in place (here comes another genius moment) they used common nails woven through the layers of burlap, much like you pin a button on a shirt. Check out the close up to see how its done.

Need a door for that fence? Make one out of PVC and attach the burlap in the same way. When asked about deer encounters, I was surprised to here they did not have any deer problems this year, nor did they have any rips or tears in the burlap, due to animals or weather. This summer was particularly brutal in terms of constant rain and wind, but their burlap fence has remained intact all year. I will report back next year to see how it fares in year #2. Until then, if youre having deer problems and need a economical solution, try out the burlap fence! It probably would work on bunnies too! Although you might want to run another wire at the base to strengthen up the fence. Dont want to go to all that trouble, or have neighbors that would chastize you for putting up any fence? Try liquid fence products (http://www.liquidfence.com/).

Our ingredients: Compost, Worm Castings, Rice Hulls, and Coconut Fiber

2009-10-21T12:08:00.007-04:00

I thought it might be interesting for people to see pictures of our raw ingredients, used to make Organic Mechanics premium potting soils. On the right we have a picture of beautiful compost. Note the dark rich color and small particle size.

This next picture shows our rice hulls, an ingredient in our Container Blend.

These rice hulls are parboiled to remove any weed seed and diseases that may have been on the rice. It is just the shell of the rice grain. These rice hulls come from Arkansas! They make Organic Mechanics Container Blend very fluffy and improve drainage. We use them in some of our mixes in place of perlite to increase the earth-friendlyness of our Blends. They will break down slowly over time and leave pore space for water and oxygen exchange.

Next we have a close up of pure worm castings! If you look closely you can see the individual castings! Worm castings are a plants best friend. Castings help retain moisture and are a vital source of beneficial biology. Check out how to make "worm casting tea" for your plants, instructions on our Products page. Organic Mechanics Premium Blend Potting Soil contains the optimum amount of worm castings, so no additional amending is required to grow perfect herbs and veggies.

Finally we have a picture of the coconut husk fiber. Coconut husk fiber is a by-product of the coconut industry. Each coconut has multiple products used to make many things from food to makeup to potting soil. The products are coconut oil, coconut meat, coconut shell, coconut fiber, and finally coconut dust/fiber. This amazing product is dried and compressed before shipping to us. Each block expands over 4 times its size, just like those sponges shaped like animals you put in water when you were a kid.

If you find a small nugget of coconut fiber or compost in Organic Mechanics, simply break up gently as you are potting your plants.

Next time you put your hands into a bag of Organic Mechanics, see if you can spot these ingredients!

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

2009-10-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

I was lucky enough to visit the triangle or Raleigh - Durham - Chapel Hill this summer, and fell in love with the Sarah P. Duke Garden on Duke's campus. How lucky are the students to have this treasure to enjoy! I saw about a dozen students tucked into corners of the garden, headphones on, studying away. The Yellow Flowers are Hedychium, or ginger. Looked for a name tag, but alas, it was either not there or covered by giant plants!

The landscape shot is in the heart of the garden, apparently the popular spot for weddings! There were wedding planners and brides-to-be walking the grounds when we were there! This shot represents only 1/20th of this garden space. I like how they designed garden rooms, so you have to explore to see everything.

Do you recognize this flower? Blooms in spring, white flowers, a beacon of hope in the understory forest, or a specimen tree in many a backyard, has red showy fruit this time of year that persists into the winter, birds love the fruit.....have you guessed it yet? Its a Dogwood...Cornus florida.

This last picture is in the water garden area. You can see hybrid water lilies on the pond surface, and a Tacca sp. (bat plant) in the center growing out of the water. These water lily pads are giant! These things are almost 3 feet across! These large pads originally came from the Amazon, likely selected for flower color, flower size, pad size, and WOW factor!

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square PA also has a collection of these massive waterlily hybrids. Worth the visit if you have not been...though you will need to wait until August or so to see large pads...they get bigger as the summer progresses.

If you havent been to your local public garden in a while, check it out! This is the ideal time to experience fall in the garden. Between fall blooming plants, red, orange, and golden leaves, and berries galore...there is much to see and marvel over in the fall garden. Plus, what better time to get out and breathe some fresh crisp air! And, I bet they have lots of fun classes during the winter to keep you dreaming of spring....

My advice? Make up a thermos of hot chocolate to take along the way. Hot chocolate makes everybody happy...

Anyone know what species caterpillar this is?

2009-10-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

I found this caterpillar on my Aster tartarica when I was cutting flowers to bring into the house. I nearly cut him in half! He was as thick as my thumb, and about 4 inches long. Look closely to see his teeth up front! (it is upsidedown in the picture) The flowers are of Aster tartarica. It is in full bloom now, and about 9 feet tall! Next year we plan to cut it back early in the season, before it sets flower buds, so it stays more compact in the garden. Hopefully we will see more of these guys eating it! This plant is so vigorous, I cannot even tell where the caterpillar ate! Thats my personal philosophy....plant enough so the caterpillars and insects can have their fill, in addition to harvesting enough for us to enjoy.

DC Green Festival!

2009-10-09T06:00:00.006-04:00

This weekend is the DC green festival! A 2-day celebration of all things positively earth-friendly. Its a great chance to come see over 300 vendors with everything from home building products, to grocery products, original artwork, acclaimed speakers, and lots of non-profits making a difference everyday. Check it out at http://www.greenfestivals.org/

These pictures show the size of the show and the awesome recycling centers set up around the show & stationed by volunteers. I do love a festival that actually walks the talk!

Saturday 10-7, Sunday 11-6. Washington Convention Center. While youre out and about, if you havent been over to the US National Arboretum or the US Botanical Garden in a while...check them out! The Botanic Garden has rotating exhibits in addition to their beautiful garden collections. http://www.usbg.gov/

Need a bite to eat while in DC? Check out the Good Stuff Eatery for burgers & housemade ice cream and milkshakes! http://www.goodstuffeatery.com/

Plastic Pot Recycling!

2009-10-08T09:22:00.003-04:00

Plastic pots. Love em or hate em, there is no other cheap alternative for many nursery growers. Even though there has been much progress made in recent years with biodegradable pots, plastic will remain king for quite some time. As an earth friendly gardener it hurts my soul to see a dumpster or trash can full of nothing but plastic trash generated by gardening activities. Which is why I got so excited the other day!

I was out and about in Bucks County visiting customers, and look what I found at Bucks Country Gardens! I think the bin is new this year, but look how easy this garden center made it for their customers to recycle unwanted plastic pots. The message on the sides of the wire bin is simple and effective. All you need is a banner to wrap around the bin! Whenever possible, I think garden centers should accept and recycle plastic pots. Not only is this a benefit for your customers, and a reason for them to come back to your business, but also a benefit to gardeners, so we do not have to look at a small mountain of plastic in the garden or garage.

In case you were wondering, any and all plastic pots and flats can go into the bin. In some cases, garden center staff will have to sort the plastics before a recycler will come pick it up. My advice to you garden center managers out there, ask your local recycling center what they require. My advice to you gardeners out there, if your favorite garden center doesnt yet have a plastic pot recycling center, request it! Dont forget to remind them it will mean you will be there more often, dropping off old pots and buying new plants!

Until next time...Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and love your garden!

American Beauties

2009-10-04T17:13:00.005-04:00

Recently I was at North Creek Nurseries for their open house. North Creek is a wholesale nursery pumping out great plants all year long. Their most recent passion has been introducing native American Beauties into the garden center trade. With garden designed for butterfly gardens, bird gardens, moist sun or dry shade.

These pictures are of monarch butterflies, part of the butterfly release they did with over 75 local elementary school students. The kids loved it and learned a lot about butterfly host plants! The plants featured in these pictures are Echinacea and Phlox.

Millenium Park in Chicago

2009-09-05T17:49:00.000-04:00

Millenium Park in Chicago might be considered the crown jewel of the parks and green spaces that intertwine with the urban city landscape. I was blown away at the flowing drifts of native plants and perfectly placed ornamentals. Intimate garden spaces emerge around every corner. Being there transports you from city to prairie in a matter of seconds...even if the city is still just a backdrop away.

First Picture is of Eryngium yuccifolium, or Rattlesnake Master, with various prairie plants...Echinacea sp., Amsonia sp., and many many grasses.

The second picture is Agastache...likely Acapulco Salmon & Pink, cultivar name is 'Kiegabi'

This Calmagrostis 'Karl Forester' in the background combined beautifully with the pinkish-purple flowers of Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe'.

The city through the "trees". Unidentified Pancium sp.

Chicago Pictures & The Field Museum

2009-09-05T17:39:00.000-04:00

Chicago has so many museums...it was hard to choose where we would spend our one free afternoon, but we decided on the Field Museum after getting a recomendation to check out the Underground Adventure exhibit on display...these pictures do not do the exhibit justice...it was so dark my camera only picked up on the bright educational displays, but was a great primer on the soil food web for kids of all ages 8-80.

I just LOVED this combination of Phormium (New Zealand Flax) and the Erogrostis (Love Grass). Really brought out the blue in the Phormium!

The totem pole was so cool....I only wish I could have seen the relief artwork at the top of the pole! Binoculars next time!

Chicago in July

2009-09-05T17:29:00.000-04:00

Where did August go! We attended the Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago at the Navy Pier for the second year in a row at the end of July. This show is one of the best places to see all the new garden gear ready to hit garden centers next spring. We launched our new trade show look with our burlap banner and potting shed display. Let us know what you think!

WXPN music festival

2009-08-10T16:51:00.000-04:00

WXPN music festival. In a word, amazing! These shots represent only a fraction of the bands and good times experienced at this 3-day celebration of music. The Village Green picture shows all the green companies at the festival who shared their message with the music fans. We were in the 2nd booth, and coincidentally, had a perfect view of the Marina stage! My favorites from the festival...in the middle, Hoots and Hellmouth, a rock-gospel-jam-revival energy that just doesnt stop! Thousands of people crowded in to see Hoots and Hellmouth rock the stage as the sun went down over the Marina. Last pic is my surprise favorite of the festival, John Forte...powerful lyrics full of hope and inspiration...reminded me a lot of Michael Franti...Mr. Forte produced and co-wrote tracks on The Fugees The Score, plus 2 solo albums!...this particular evening he was accompanied by a philly local on a washboard! (I forgot her name...sorry!) Somebody post her name if you know!

If you didnt go, check out the archives on www.wxpn.org, and get there next year!

Hiking at Ravenswood in Gloucester MA

2009-08-10T16:03:00.000-04:00

A good friend took me hiking while I was up in Boston filming with The Garden Girl. We hiked a miles of trails on the property known as Ravenwood, a 600 acre property preserved as open space. This property was filled with stunning views and cool woodland plants around every corner. The mosses and ferns were emerald green, and the mushrooms were popping all over! Given they had 28 days of rain in the 30 days of June, its not too surprising...but I digress. My friend loves this trail because it is dog-friendly, has great views, is an easy hike, and has lots of cross trails to keep it fresh and interesting for folks who visit often.

Filming with Patti Moreno, The Garden Girl was the main focus of the trip, so when we returned from our morning hike, off I went to Garden Girl studios. We filmed a couple segments just chatting on soil biology, soil amendments, and all things soil related. You will be able to catch them at some point on youtube, our website, or on Patti's E-zine. If you havent checked out the Sustainable E-zine, hit it up! www.urbansustainableliving.com

Glass Art on display at Phipps Conservatory

2009-08-10T15:57:00.000-04:00

Anyone know what Orchid this is? If you saw the movie Adaptation, you may remember...it is the ghost orchid native to the everglades in Florida. Although, if you look close you will see it is not a living plant, but an amazing glass sculpture! This and many more beauties are on display at The Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA. If you have the time, its worth the trip! Plus you can check out their new Tropical Conservatory, perhaps the most energy efficient greenhouse of its kind in the world!

Organic Mechanic Summer

2009-08-10T15:45:00.000-04:00

Wow. Its been way too long since I've posted on the blog. Between today and my last post I have been to 2 trade shows, travelled to nigara falls and colton point state park (my wife and I finally took our honeymoon), visited Boston for filming with the Garden Girl (http://www.gardengirltv.com/), and became a consultant for an EPA granted program through the Institute for Local Self Reliance. More on each of these in posts to come...

Whew! Between the late nights and early mornings, I am ready for the dog days of summer! This is a quick post letting you all know The Organic Mechanic is back in Chester County PA! Hope you enjoy the picture of Gallardia 'Oranges and Lemons' as much as this bumble bee did!

Movies anyone?

2009-06-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

Summer is the time for cold lemonade, backyard barbeque, and picnics in the garden. On days when temperatures climb into the 90's, air-conditioned movie theatres begin their silent siren call, beckoning us to come, relax, chill-out, and be entertained for a couple hours. Blockbuster movies are released left and right at this time of year, but there always seems to be a few gems produced each year that play at smaller theatres and film festivals, the independent ones flush with originality and charisma.

Recently I was told about the movie - A Chemical Reaction. Please take a moment to check it out at www.pfzmedia.com. The progress the director has made on the overall project is stunning. The film will be playing at festivals across North America by this September.

Also, if you havent made plans yet to go see FOOD, INC. the movie, I highly recommend it! http://www.foodincmovie.com/ In the Philadelphia region, head into the city and check it out at Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead Street, Philadelphia, PA - (215) 925-7900, and while youre in Old City, grab a bite at Farmacia - delicious! http://www.farmiciarestaurant.com/

Container Gardening on a Sunday

2009-06-14T14:50:00.000-04:00

Ahh, Sunday morning in the garden. Plump shelling peas were ready for harvest, carrots and radishes received their final thinning, and summer crops got their second dose of liquid organic fertilizer. After some much overdue weeding in the front garden bed, there was plenty of planting to do...as there seems to be every weekend in our garden.

I'll confess, I am a plant-a-holic. Especially this time of year, I seem to find myself coming home with one of these, three of those...adding small plugs or 4" pots to crowded beds tends to be my mode of operation.

Renting an apartment doesnt tame my appetite for plants, just causes me to put a lot of them into containers. Container gardening lets me grow plants into specimen sized proportions, but still remain mobile. Container gardening also frees your inner creative spirit to try new combinations. If something doesnt work out that great, you just separate the plants at the end of the season, and try another idea. If youre lucky, you end up with a couple stunning combos each year.

I'll post some pictures of my favorite container combos later this year after they grow up and out. Post a picture of your favorite container planting on our photo contest when it goes up later this summer. Go to our News & Events page to check it out.

Until next time, get out there and get your hands dirty!

Why peat free?

2009-06-08T13:52:00.000-04:00

We are a peat-free company for a few reasons. The biggest reason we do not use peat is because we have high-quality, locally made compost we can substitute for peat. In the US, peat comes mostly from Canada, so buying local compost takes thousands of miles "off the road", and reduces our carbon footprint.

Additionally, as peat breaks down, it changes from carbon sink to carbon source, which contributes to global warming...and the porosity is reduced in your potted plants...thereby reducing available air space needed for oxygen around plant roots.

Plus, high-quality compost imparts special properties to a potting soil, namely, increased ability to hold moisture longer, resulting in less watering. Using less water saves you time and helps our planet.

Adding compost to potting soil also gets valuable members of the soil food web into the mix, providing beneficial biology in the root zone. University trials have shown high-quality compost can improve overall plant appearance and quality. Dr. Harry Hoitink has published volumes on this subject while at Ohio State.
Another reason to use compost instead of peat is habitat preservation. I'd rather save the habitat for the regional flora and fauna. Also, compost is a by-product of existing agricultural operations, whereas peat is a harvested natural resource.

Perhaps the most compelling, is that harvested peat is actually the fossil deposits produced by peat moss. EU scientists have reminded us that peat has been forming for over 360 million years and forms at a very slow rate of approximately 1 millimeter (mm) / year. Think about it...1mm of peat moss at the surface is not exactly equivalent to 1mm of peat 20 feet under the surface.

It is controversial, and you can find both sides of this story online. For us, the big picture is we feel we create a superior potting soil using compost, coconut husk fiber, pine bark, worm castings and rice hulls. Water less, use it twice, locavore friendly, earth friendly, whats not to love!

So, it is less about being detrimental to the average gardener, and more about looking to our collective future, and helping gardeners reduce their carbon footprint by making exceptional quality potting soil from earth friendly ingredients.

If you want to read more on the topic, check out:http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2009/04/ken-druse-dishes-the-dirt-about-peat-moss.htmlorhttp://www.rhs.org.uk/news/pressreleases/peatfreetrials010805.asp

Welcome to The Organic Mechanic's Blog!

2009-06-08T12:29:00.000-04:00

Wow! The day has arrived and our new website is going up! Day by day we are finishing all the extra pages, but wanted to get things started so everyone can see our new fresh look. Let us know what you think!

Check out the FREE subsccription to Organic Gardening when you buy any 2 bags Organic Mechanics Potting Soil! Link on the home page has all the details.

Check back often for news, tips, rants, and garden musings from The Organic Mechanic. Now, get out there and get your hands dirty!

Welcome to Mark's Blog

2009-05-25T07:24:00.001-04:00

Check back for news and information about our Potting Soil!