Sourcing Organic Soil Mix Components

Sources of Organic Materials
 
We mix our own soils. It's what we do to come up with the very best potting soils with materials that are local to us. Sometimes we find each component at the local hardware store, box store, supply house or even order it online, but for many, until you've been doing this thing of ours for awhile it can be hard to find each different component so I've decided to put together a list of the different types of materials we use to build our potting mixes and where to find them in the hopes of making it easier for gardeners to source what they need to construct the very highest quality soil mixes without needing to use lesser quality components simply because they don't know where to find the good stuff.
 
I'm hoping that this can be a group effort; it will need to be because I just don't know where to find everything myself in different locations. I'd like to list each assorted soil component in a different post, with different sources listed for each material in the same post. As new ideas/materials and locations to find them come in I will simply edit the post and add the new source for that specific material to the ongoing list. I think in the long run that this way will work out best so that if this thread does get large, which it has the possibility to, that folks wont have to search through lots of pages to find the item and source that they are looking for.
 
As new ideas for different soil components or different sources for each component come up, if you happen to know of a good place where you buy your materials from please just get ahold of me and I will add your source to the list by editing the post. This way our specific materials and sources will remain, for the most part, at the beginning of the thread.
 
This will be an ongoing, ever changing thread.
 
Thanks.
 
j
 

 

 

Vermicompost and worms, worm bins, worm supplies

This will be the first item in this thread because as we all know, Vermicompost is one of the biggest and surely one of the most crucial components of our soil mixes. Quality for any soil mix component is key; the quality of the humus we use as a source of soil life will make or break a soil mix.

Worm Power – A commercial Vermicompost supplier located in upstate NY. I highly recommend them. On their website is a “where to buy” page which will help you find a local retailer near you. They are expensive when buying direct from their website; what they mostly do is to sell large bales of their product to nurseries and other garden supply stores who then repackage smaller amounts for resale – this is the way to go. They produce a high quality product that I use sometimes myself and highly recommend.

http://www.wormpower.net/

More Worm Power vermicompost - 15 pound bags sold (in season) at these folks in Norwalk, CT. Thanks to AW for this link.

http://www.stewleonards.com/

Carolina Worm Castings – Worms and vermicompost

http://www.carolinawormcastings.com/

Uncle Jims Worm Farm – Worms and vermicompost

http://unclejimswormfarm.com/

Texas Worm Ranch – Worms and vermicompost

http://www.txwormranch.com/

Blue Ridge Organics – Worms, vermicompost, and sometimes cocoons (N. Carolina & CA)

http://www.blueridgevermiculture.com/Castings.html

Vermitechnology Unlimited – Worms and vermicompost; good deals on bulk worm orders

https://www.vermitechnology.com/index.php?ukey=home

The Worm Dude - Worms, vermicompost, and sometimes cocoons

http://www.thewormdude.com/

Bulk Worms – Like the title says. I did find slightly better prices from Vermitechnology Unlimited, however.

http://www.bulkworms.com/main.sc;jsessionid=BA77FFBA9DC780E627B5574CE261CFDA.m1plqscsfapp03

City Farmer Vermicompost Links – A great resource!

http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormsupl79.html

Worm & Worm Bin Suppliers in CA – Another great list

http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/worms/WormSupply.htm

Northern Lakes Worm Castings – a little bit of everything related to vermicompost. Edit: Note - shipping is included in their pricing.

http://www.northernlakeswormcastings.com/wormcastingstore

Rocky Mountain Worm Company - Colorado Springs. Worms & Vermiconpost/supplies.

http://www.rockymountainwormcompany.com

Agrowinn Fertilizers - West Coast. I've seen many using the Agrowinn vermicompost with good results and claim it's a quality product. They also sell all kinds of other organic soil items.

http://www.fertilizeronline.com/OrganicFertilizersBlog/retailers/

Worm Ladies, Charleston RI Thanks to Haggard for this one. Here is a place in RI to buy Red Wigglers, Vermicompost, books and everything Vermi in Rhode Island.

http://www.wormladies.com
 
Northwest Redworms - Camas, Washington is the home to Northwest Redworms, who both Chunk & Lumper have used and recommend. "you can get a 5 gallon bucket of either coarse, medium or fined screened castings for $8-!6.00"  Email Doug at doug@nwredworms.com or call his cell phone at (360) 513-7251. Thanks for this resource Chunk.
 
A.L. Worm Farm - a source for worm castings in the Harrisburg / south-central Pennsylvania area - Thanks SonofMan!
 
http://alwormfarm.com/

 

Compost – thermal or otherwise is a staple of any organic garden and an excellent source for soil life, soil nutrition and makes an excellent soil conditioner. While, in my opinion, its best to simply make your own at home, this isn't always feasible for all so many need to use commercial bagged products.

Craigslist – Need I say more?


http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us

Buffaloam - the name says it all. Find a convenient retailer locations page here on their website.

http://www.buffaloam.com

Coast of Maine – A personal favorite, these folks produce quality products. Their “Quoddy Blend” Lobster Compost is a great compost for any organic garden. Use their “where to buy” page to find a retailer near you.


http://www.halasfarmmarket.com

U.S. Composting Council Compost Locator Map – Appears to be a great resource

http://compostingcouncil.org/admin/compostmap.php

Ecoscraps – While Ive never tried it myself, this is an inexpensive compost sold right at Home Depot “made from over 25 fruits and veggies”.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoScraps-1-cu-ft-White-Compost-Mix-28-0369-1922-1/203182734

Malibu Compost “Bu's Blend” Biodynamic Compost – Ive heard good things. A bit pricey but not ridiculous…

http://malibucompost.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=53

The Vermont Compost Company – New England

http://vermontcompost.com/gardeners/locate/

Point Reyes Compost Company – Producers of “Bobs Best” composted cow manure. They have a “Mary Janes” blend? Lol – Heres a “where to buy” page. California based company.

http://www.prcompostco.com/where_to_buy.html

K.I.S. Organics Fungal Compost – a compost with high fungal numbers; perfect for compost teas.


http://www.kisorganics.com/products/shop/keep-it-simple-fungal-compost

Maine Compost - here is a list of Maine compost manufacturers I ran across put out by the University of Maine. There are 40 manufacturers on this list, complete with phone numbers. Score!

http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu/soillab_files/under/Commercial%20Compost%20list.pdf

Minnesota Compost - a list of bagged compost manufacturers from the University of Minnesota complete with phone numbers

http://www.sustland.umn.edu/implement/compost.html

Moo-Nure - never tried it but here is a composted organic cow manure product available from Home Depot

http://m.homedepot.com/p/25-lb-Organic-Compost-with-Cow-Manure-BG25-CMM/202255549

Dairy Doo - base located in Sears, Michigan the folks at Morgan Composting create a composted cow manure product aptly named "Dairy Doo". They also carry vermicompost and soil amendments. Thanks to Compost Whisperer for this one! Check out their "Doo Near You" page to find their products at over 60 locations.

http://www.dairydoo.com/#

Veteran Compost - thanks to Gandalf for this one! These folks at Veteran Compost seem to be running a nice quality operation producing both thermal compost and vermicompost with a base in Maryland and satellite pick-up locations in Maryland, Philly & D.C.

www.veterancompost.com

Blessing Blends Compost - locally made compost in the Delaware area - check out their "where to buy" page for retail locations. Buy by the bag or truckload! Thanks Gandalf.

http://www.blessingsblends.com/index.php/products/premium-compost/

ZooDoo!! - FREE exotic herbivore manure compost! Do you live anywhere near Portland Oregon? If you do I highly suggest making a phone call to the Oregon Zoo to set up a pick up of free ZooDoo compost. Details below. How cool is this?

http://www.oregonzoo.org/about/sustainability/zoo-doo

Coast of Maine in Southeastern MA - Attleboro Farms & Bellingham Nursery & Garden Center, thanks Haggard!

http://attleborofarms.com

https://m.facebook.com/BellinghamNurseryGardenCenter?id=277205785691058&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBellinghamNurseryGardenCenter

Buffaloam - Organic compost made from: you guessed it - Buffalo manure! Here is a "Where to buy" page showing retailers all over the country. I'm told it's a very good product.

http://www.buffaloam.com/retailers/
 
Maine Compost Suppliers/Manufacturers - Here is a great list of 30-49 different places around Maine, complete with locations and phone numbers where you will be able to find compost; it looks like a great resource!
 
http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu/soillab_files/under/Commercial%20Compost%20list.pdf
 
Benson Farm "Surf n Turf" Bagged Compost - Located in Gorham, Maine, the Benson Farm uses a combination of Maine shellfish/seafood waste from the waterfront and manures/bedding from local farms to produce their compost, which is sold by retailers all over Maine. Here is a list of retailers - 
 
http://www.bensonfarm.com/retail.html
 
White Lightning Premium Planting Mix - In Portland, Oregon, Dean Innovations makes an excellent Certified Organic bulk planting mix as well as several different quality compost products. From their website - "White Lightningâ„¢ is comprised of 100% local organic fruit, vegetable compost with clean steer manure and mushroom compost. Blending these elements with pumice, coarse sand, and highly nutritious Portland topsoil" 
 
http://www.fineroutdoorliving.com/products.php
 
J

 

Rock Dusts/Flours – Rock dusts have also started to become a big deal for farmers and hobbyists alike. They provide havens for our soil bacteria and fungi to latch onto and slowly provide mineralization to our soils. For more detail on how and why rock dusts work, this is a pretty good resource - http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1111289-rock-dust.html
 
Many folks go right to stone countertop companies and are able to walk away with buckets of the fines leftover from the saws that cut the countertops. Just make sure that there isn't acrylics or adhesives mixed in – all you need to do is ask. Most of these folks will give it away for free.
 
Rock Dust Local – These folks carry a wide variety of assorted mineral dusts and blends. Shipping is included which is a huge deal; shipping rocks isn't exactly the most ideal way to obtain them.
 
[SIZE=8pt]Examples:[/SIZE]


[SIZE=8pt]40 lbs. BRIXBLEND BASALT 
Delivered anywhere in the USA
Price: $46. Includes Shipping![/SIZE]

25 lbs. BRIXBLEND BASALT
Delivered anywhere in the USA
Price: $32. Includes Shipping!

40 lb. Box of Ruby Mountain 
True Stone Flour gradation. Delivered anywhere in
the USA.
Price: $48. Includes Shipping!

25 lbs. Ruby Mountain
Price: $36. Includes Shipping!

40 lbs. BrixBlend Basalt and
40 lbs. Ruby MT Stone Flour Delivered anywhere in the USA.
Price: $86. Includes Shipping!

One 25 lb. Box BrixBlend Basalt and One 25 lb. Box Ruby MT 
True Stone Flour Gradation.
Price: $68. Includes Shipping!

1 Ton SuperSack Growers Discounted Price:
$250. (Buy more than one and save more.)
 
http://www.rockdustlocal.com/
 
Remineralize the Earth – Just a fantastic resource all around. There is lists of sources worldwide here.
 
http://remineralize.org/mineral-products/mineral-products
 
Azomite – “A to Z Minerals”. While this isn't a true rock dust, and is more of a volcanic clay it is used in the same manner. Here is a listing resource by state
 
http://azomite.com/domestic.html
 
Agrowinn Fertilizers – seems fairly inexpensive for what they have, plus theres lots of other goodies.
 
BrixBlend Basalt - Fedco OGS is now carrying Basalt as well as Granite Meal (Flour). $25.00 for 50 Lbs. Look for Fedco Organic Growers Supply online.
 
BrixBlend Basalt - A paramagnetic stone powder from the Pioneer Valley
of Massachusetts for remineralizing and enhancing the general foundational
fertility of the soil. This pure basalt powder contains 49.3%
silicon dioxide (SiO2), 13.3% aluminum oxide (Al2O3),
9.2% calcium oxide (CaO), 5.7% magnesium
oxide (MgO) and many other trace minerals. Till
in 1–10 tons/acre, 5–50#/100 sq ft or broadcast
at 1–5 tons/acre, 5–25#/100 sq ft. For compost,
add 20–25#/cubic yard of raw material.
Use up to 5% by volume in potting mixes.
Nat'l List NEW!
8466: 5#/$6.00
8467: 50#/$25.00
8468: 10+ (50#)/$23.00 each
8469: pallet (2000#)/$900.00 ★
 
 
Also, keep an eye out for Gaia Green Glacial Rock Dust - its sold alot of places, more on the west coast, though, I believe. I personally use Granite Meal from Fedco OGS.
 
j

 

General Organic Supply Houses – Its always nice having places where you can buy most or all of what you need at once, and sometimes it works out good this way instead of having to shop at ten different stores for ten different items.

Fedco Organic Growers Supply – My own personal favorite. If you cant find what you need here then you probably don't need it. They carry everything from Granite Flour to Kelp to Worm Power Castings to Coast of Maine Lobster Compost and so much more. They'll also ship wherever you need. They also sell trees and seeds… J

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/ogs.htm

Kelp 4 Less – carries a wide variety of assorted organic gardening products

https://www.kelp4less.com/product-category/organic-fertilizers/

Countryside Organics – a great big online organic supply store

http://www.countrysideorganics.com/home.php

E.B. Stone – Organic soil amendments and fertilizers

http://www.ebstone.org/

Dr. Earth – A whole ton of assorted organic fertilizers and amendments. Here is a “where to buy” page.

http://drearth.net/blog/where-to-buy/

Epsoma Organic Fertilizers – blended organic fertilizers for those who choose not to buy separate components for their soils nutritional needs. Here is a “where to buy” link.

http://www.espoma.com/p_consumer/find_dealer.cfm

KIS Organics – A high quality organic supply house. Call and talk to Tad and they'll take care of you. I've recommended these folks to a couple of people who didn't want to mix their own soils so they bought it here instead and have had fantastic results.

http://www.kisorganics.com/products/

Concentrates - in Milwaukee, Oregon is a very large organic gardening supply in the Pacific Northwest, and from what I have seen is a "must stop in" store for any organic gardener in the PNW. FYI, Aurora Innovations, the manufacturer of Roots Organics products buy all of their products from Concentrates.

http://concentratesnw.com/

Down to Earth Distributors – A large supplier of varying soil amendments, however, I've heard negativity about their vermicast & compost being of a so-so quality. They have a huge online store plus a retail location in Eugene, Oregon.

http://www.downtoearthdistributors.com/

Build a Soil – an online supply house out of western Colorado run by some good organic herb gardeners from another forum. Good folks.

http://buildasoil.com/

North Country Organics – Vermont and online, these folks carry a huge line of soil amendments. I use their chicken manure pellets called “Cheep Cheep” faithfully. They've got a good thing going on. You can find a retailer near you on their website.

http://www.norganics.com/index.html

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – A really nice map of different soil amendment supplies listed by state

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/org_fert/

Everwood Farm – a beautiful website; big with lots of organic goodies.

http://www.everwoodfarm.com/

Neptunes Harvest – Fish Hydrolysate and Crab Meal

http://www.neptunesharvest.com/

Agway - A staple farm/animal feed store

http://www.agway.com/store_locator

Sanctuary Soil - It seems these folks make some really nice soil, along with some other quality products. Based in CA, they have a store locator on their site.

http://sanctuarysoil.com/sanctuary_soil_products/

Planet Natural - another really big online organic supply house. 300+ items.

http://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/organic-gardening/soil-care/soil-amendments/

North Carolina State University list of Organic Suppliers for the North Carolina area - appears to be a fantastic resource.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/ncorganic/2008ncorganic_suppliers_directory.pdf

Fertrell - Fertrell is a huge organic fertilizer/supply company. Use their "dealer locator" to find a retailer near you.

http://www.fertrell.com/

The Tank Depot - a great source of cone shaped tanks, very useful for building your own ACT brewer. I used these folks when I built my own brewer.

http://www.tank-depot.com/product.aspx?id=854

Capitalcityhydro - Carrying Sunshine Mix, rooting plugs, lighting, ventilation, coco and other useful items in the Washington DC area. Just stay away from the Bottles and you'll be fine lol - Thanks Gandalf!

http://www.capcityhydro.com

Rhode Island Organic Gardening Suppliers - a nice list of 25 assorted garden centers around the Rhode Island area who sell organic goodies.

http://directory.sustainableri.org/search.cfm?status=browse&categoryid=159

Gardeners Supply - thanks to Northlat. A nice garden supply with a little bit of everything out of Burlington, VT. 5 lbs Jersey Greensand for $10.

http://www.gardeners.com/

Spillanes in Bridgewater, MA - Now carrying Coast of Maine products

http://www.spillanesnursery.net/garden-center/

Ventura Grain in Taunton, MA - Neptunes Harvest products and Alfalfa Meal at $8.00 for fifty pounds - what a deal!

http://www.venturagraininc.com/

Barone Gardens, Cicero NY (Upstate) - Carries Coast of Maine products and more

http://www.bgardens.com/page/page/7901822.htm

Ontario Orchards, Oswego NY (Upstate) - Cocoa Shell Mulch, Perlite and more, especially in season -

https://www.localharvest.org/ontario-orchards-M33974

Countrymax (Chains all over NY) - Dr. Earth, Epsoma products and more. Use this link to find a branch near you (in NY)

http://www.countrymax.com/Store-Locations

Boles Feeds in Ontario Canada - carries some grains/seed meals and has some growing gear as well. 100' Mylar for $60.00.

http://www.feedrite.com/dealers/boles-feeds-ltd

Nutrition Corner, Thunder Bay, Ontario CA - a health food store that carries Aloe Juice, Coconut Oil, Nettles, Horsetail and more

http://www.foodindex.biz/company-nutrition-corner-in-thunder-bay-12429

Eureka Springs Organics - Denver, CO - Mr Tea gave us this supply house which is based out of Denver, CO. They appear to have reasonable prices and a fine selection of organic soil supplies. Thank you Mr. Tea!

http://eurekaspringsorganics.com/index.php?route=common/home

The Fertrell Company PRODUCER OF ORGANIC AND NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SOIL AND ANIMALS manufactures and sells a wide variety of quality organic fertilizers, assorted soil amendments and livestock feeds - find a "dealer locator" link here on their homepage. These folks have been around a long time and are well worth looking into for your gardening needs. Started in 1946, Fertrell is the country's oldest producer of organic fertilizers.

http://www.fertrell.com

 

Vegetable Garden Seeds
 
I NEEDED THIS SPACE! *LOL* - I know that Vegetable Garden seeds aren't related to Humic Acids but its that time of year so I wanted to also list some good sources for seeds for your vegetable garden. I'm going to move this info on Humic Acids to the space for Liming agents just to try and keep things neat here.
 
Onwards and upwards, here are sources for vegetable garden seeds. Obviously, please help me out with additional sources.
 
j
 
Johnnys Selected Seeds - A fantastic resource for Organic and Heirloom vegetable and flower seeds
 
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
 
Burpee - A staple seed company since I dont know when; dont get lost in their website - its big!
 
http://www.burpee.com/
 
Southern States Cooperative - A fantastic resource from Gandalf - thanks!
 
http://www.southernstates.com/catalog/c-1043-vegetable-seed.aspx
 
Horizon Herbs - Everyone knows how good Horizon is. Located in Oregon, Horizon is an Organic supplier of all things plants and as usual, thay have a fantastic collection of vegetable and other seeds.
 
https://www.horizonherbs.com/group.asp?grp=4
 
Gurneys Seed & Nursery Co - another nice link from Gandalf
 
http://www.gurneys.com/
 
Seeds of Change - Certified Organic. Nice!
 
http://www.seedsofchange.com/
 
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - Out of Missouri a nice source of Heirloom seeds.
 
http://www.rareseeds.com/
 
Fedco Seeds - Need I say more? Hey, I'm biased... *lol*
 
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
 
High Mowing Organic Seeds - A Vermont based 100% organic seed company
 
http://www.highmowingseeds.com/
 
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds - Located in Connecticut
 
http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/
 
Renee's Garden - Heirloom Vegetable, Flower and Herb Seeds
 
http://www.reneesgarden.com/
 
Seed Savers Exchange - "Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds. Since 1975, our members have been passing on our garden heritage by collecting and distributing thousands of samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners."
 
http://www.seedsavers.org/
 
Territorial Seed Company - Family owned from Oregon
 
http://www.territorialseed.com/
 
Tomato Growers Supply Co - 500+ varieties of tomatoes; and more! From Florida.
 
http://www.tomatogrowers.com/Aboutus.asp
 
The Cooks Garden - Seeds and plants for the gourmet gardener.
 
http://www.cooksgarden.com/
 
Annies Heirloom Seeds - Thanks Pakalolo! Family owned, NO GMO's and no hybrids - Heirloom only.
 
http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/
 
Bountiful Gardens - Untreated, open pollinated heirloom varieties. Thanks August West!
 
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/
 
Planet Natural - This place is just great for everything they sell. Another winner from AW! "All seed varieties offered by Planet Natural are non-treated, non-GMO and NOT purchased from Monsanto-owned Seminis."
 
http://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/organic-gardening/garden-seeds/
 
Uprising Seeds - Washington based, 100% Certified Organic, what more can you ask for? A beautiful site.
 
http://www.uprisingorganics.com/
 
Trees of Antiquity - Want to plant some fruit trees this year? Heirloom fruit trees of all types - very cool!
 
http://treesofantiquity.com/
 
Osborne Seed Co - Pacific Northwest seed Co
 
http://www.osborneseed.com/about.cfm
 
Victory Seeds - Rare, open pollinated and heirloom seeds
 
http://www.victoryseeds.com/
 
Smart Seeds - Rare and exotic seeds from around the world - 
 
http://www.smartseedstore.com/home.html
 
Sustainable Seed Co - Open pollinated, Non GMO Certified Organic vegetable and grain seeds
 
http://sustainableseedco.com/
 
Amishland Heirloom Seeds - From Pennsylvania Dutch Country and from a PA Master Gardener is a great little seed company - support the little guy! (girl)
 
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/index.htm
 
Evergreen Seeds - Asian/Oriental Veggie seeds - 350 varieties!
 
http://www.evergreenseeds.com/
 
GrowItalian dot Com - Seeds from Italy! - Exclusive US distributor for Franchi seeds, Italys oldest family owned seed company
 
http://www.growitalian.com/
 
Harris Seeds - an American staple seed company since the 1800's
 
http://www.harrisseeds.com/storefront/default.aspx
 
Reimer Seeds - a vast collection of all different kinds of seeds!
 
http://www.reimerseeds.com/
 
Richters Herbs - Specializing in herb seeds (not HERB, herbs, ya potheads.)
 
http://www.richters.com/
 
Garden seed catalog collection - Wow! Now heres a list of seed companies!
 
http://www.williamrubel.com/online-vegetable-seed-catalogs/
 
Well, this ought to get us started. Theres no excuse now - myself included! *lol* If you cant find what you need in these lists....
 
j

 

Dry Plants/Herbs and Essential Oils – Many folks, myself included use Dynamic Accumulator plants, plants which mine and store nutrition from the earth in their gardens in many forms, whether it be directly in their compost, in the form of botanical teas or even for use as worm food. There are many that use plant derived essential oils for Pest Control.

Horizon Herbs – High quality medicinal or food grade dried organic plants, herbs and seeds

https://www.horizonherbs.com/

Mountain Rose Herbs – A personal favorite located in Oregon, what a fantastic place!

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

Liberty Naturals - an Oregon based company with a high reputation for their products. You will find a wide array of dried plants/herbs & Essential Oils.

http://www.libertynatural.com

Seven Arrows Herb Farm - Back in my younger days we used to live in southeastern Massachusetts and one of my favorite places to visit was Seven Arrows Herb Farm; a very quaint little organic farm that specializes in organic herbs and tinctures. I highly suggest a visit if you live anywhere near their Attleboro, MA location. Pick up some compost while you're there!

http://www.sevenarrowsfarm.com/index.html

Local Harvest – I've used them and have had good experiences

https://www.localharvest.org/store/dried-herbs.jsp

Star West Botanicals Thanks to 7557rb for this one! We find that not every source has what you're looking for in stock every time you need it, so while Star West prices may be slightly higher, they may have what you need if or when Mountain Rose or Horizon is out of stock for a specific item. Based in Sacramento CA.

http://www.starwest-botanicals.com
j

Medicinal Quality Essential Oils (Registration Required) - Again a big thanks to GiMiK for this source for quality Essential Oils -

http://www.primafleur.com/order.php

 

Mycorrhizal Innoculants

Pro Mix "PUR" - Glomus Intradices innoculant - looks promising!

http://www.promix-pur.com/

BioAg VAM Mycorrhizal Fungi Innoculant - $18.50 for 100 grams, this is the Endomycorrhizae strains that I use - a quality product.

http://www.ec-securehost.com/FaustBioAgriculturalServicesinc./Humic_for_Crops_Oregon.html

Fungi Perfecti Paul Stamets - absolutely everything mushrooms! Mycorrhizae to food kits and books - and more!

http://www.fungi.com/shop/fungi-for-healthy-gardens-and-garden-supplies.html
(More to come)

j

 

Liming Agents & Mycorrhizal Innoculants
 
Oyster Shell Flour, such as the product mined by Pacific Pearl (96% Calcium Carbonate) - http://www.jericoproducts.com/index.php/products/ag-liming - can be bought a number of places, however, keep an eye on shipping prices.
 
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/oyster-shell-lime-50-lb/
 
http://www.kisorganics.com/products/shop/oyster-shell-flour
 
http://www.groworganic.com/oyster-shell-lime-50-lb.html
 
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Humic and Fulvic Acids â€“ This is a pretty deep subject but for the short description lets say that these humic acids help to chelate plant nutrition, ie: make it more available to use as plant food. Must be used in moderation.
 
BioAg â€“ The only source I need. There are many sources out there; BioAg uses superior methods for extraction (enzymatic) of these substances from the raw material, which is also high quality to begin with. They also carry a quality Mycorrhizae fungus innoculant.
 
If you use others please let me know and I will list them.
 
http://bioag.com/
 
 
 
j

 

Aeration - Rice Hulls, Perlite, Pumice, Buckwheat Hulls et al -

Paris Farmers Union - my own local "farm/feed/hardware" type store. This should and I might list this under "general supply" houses but I'm going to list it here because I buy my Buckwheat Hulls from them - around $15 for 25lbs and I've seen folks having a hard time finding these hulls. There is an online store and also a store locator, where they have branches throughout Maine. I also buy items like #50 lb sacks of alfalfa pellets here for a nominal price of around $15.00. A great resource!

http://www.parisfarmersunion.net/m/

Riceland Parboiled Rice Hulls (PBH) - Riceland is the largest manufacturer/distributor of PBH in the USA. Here is a list of distributors throughout the US & Canada.

http://www.riceland.com/coproducts/distributors/

(Please keep sources of aeration coming)

j

 

"Assorted Goodies & Must Haves"

I am just going to use this space for assorted items that I believe are overall good deals for our staple items.

Kelp Meal - I buy my kelp meal (Ascophylum Nodosum) from Fedco Organic Growers Supply just outside Waterville, ME. Too often I see kelp overpriced, and while most will not want to pay shipping, Fedco charges $10 for 5 pounds and $65.00 for a #50 pound sack.

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/ogs/search.php?listname=Seaweed&cookies=no&item=8671&index=0

#50 pounds of Crab Meal - Fifty pounds for $35.00 at Countryside Organics (although I'm not sure on the shipping) thanks to GiMiK for this link.

http://www.countrysideorganics.com/product.php?productid=116&cat=27&page=1

Agsil 16H Soluble Powder - soluble Potassium Silicate powder, which is a much less expensive way to make your own "Silica Blast" or "DynaGro ProTekt". One pound will make just around a gallon of concentrate - at approximately the same strength as the ProTekt product. There are a number of places to buy this - KIS Organics sells it for $10/Lb plus $6 shipping, so for $16 you can have a gallon of this product delivered. At a quarter to a half teaspoon per gallon of water, a gallon of concentrate mix will go a long way.

http://www.kisorganics.com/products/shop/agsil-16h-potassium-silicate

Lily of the Desert Aloe Juice - for those of you who utilize Aloe in your gardens, here is a store locator for the Lily of the Desert brand Aloe Juice.

http://www.lilyofthedesert.com/store-locator/?country=usa

Hypnum Peat - For those of you that live in the PNW, here is an excellent alternative to the same ol' Sphagnum Peat for your potting mixes - Hypnum Peat! While most sphagnum has a low natural pH, Hypnum Peat has a naturally almost perfect pH of around 6.2 making it an ideal potting soil base. Several years ago I was looking into this with LD but it was simply too expensive to ship. If I had the opportunity to choose between Hypnum or Sphagnum Peat, the Hypnum would win hands down. It is richer and darker than the typical sphagnum moss with a natural high CeC rating.

http://www.ncdwashington.com

Peat Harvesters/Producers/Packagers in the USA - From the US Geological Survey here is a list of Peat companies in the US - there is around 50 companies here all over the USA.

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/peat/dir-2010-peat.pdf

Stutzman "Sup'R Green 3-2-2" - Organic composted chicken manure by Stutzman Environmental Products. This product is sold at many nurseries and farm & feed stores throughout the Pacific Northwest.

http://www.stutzman-environmental.com/fert-supgreen.php

Leaf Mold - one of the very finest soil conditioners and a substitute for Sphagnum Peat. While it's best to make your own free leaf mold of course (it's as simple as allowing big plies of leave to break down) this simply isn't something you find for sale very often. If you're lucky enough to live close by, these folks at Hafners in Cincinnati, Ohio sell 6 year old leaves at the ridiculously low price of $30 per yard. This is also a most excellent worm bedding.

http://www.hafners.com/cincinnati-landscaping-supplies/compost.html

Kennys Leaf Mold Mulch - Nowak Brothers Tree & Landscape in Needham, MA also sell Leaf Mold.

http://www.nowakbrothers.com

Activated Carbon - for those folks who recharge their air filters - thanks Al!

http://www.ecologixsystems.com/product-activated-carbon.php

Spinosad - Captain Jacks Deadbug by Bonide - Spinosad is a bacterium spray which is quite effective against Spider Mite infestations and is approved for organic gardening. Here is a dealer locator page.

http://bonide.com/dealer_locator/index.html

Monterey Garden Insect Spray - again, Spinodad. Make sure with either Spinosad product you buy the concentrate and not the ready to use spray bottle for most cost effectiveness. Here is a link to the Monterey page, where you will also find a store locator but know that you can find either of these products in most of the big box stores (Home Depot, Lowes, Wal Mart) and also in most garden centers and nurseries.

http://www.montereylawngarden.com/product_information.aspx?242000p=83c20208-5662-428e-b59d-aef36f68dcf0&240000p=ca111977-ae88-4a5e-8856-0439bbb4b88f

Smartpots - Home page. Use their Store Locator to find a retailer near you.

http://www.smartpots.com

Coes Comfrey - A North Carolina farm that will ship you roots, crown cuttings and plants.

http://www.coescomfrey.com/comfrey.html

Chapin Model 1949 Industrial Concrete Sprayer - The Cadillac of Pest Management sprayers, this sprayer is all metal construction with the exception of the hose and gaskets, providing high pressure mist to a firehose spray. There are many different tips available as well as any replacement parts you might ever (but probably won't) direct from the manufacturer. You'll never need another sprayer again. You can find this sprayer many places online but I bought mine for under $100 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002N8O8

200X Dried Aloe Vera Extract Powder - From the folks at Ingredients to Die For comes a concentrated dried Aloe Vera Powder. Reconstitute your own aloe juice instead of paying for water. While the Lily of the Desert brand is a great product, it sells for $25-$30 a gallon. With this product one ounce of powder ($12.56 and goes down as you buy more) will make 200 ounces of reconstituted Aloe Vera juice. (Note: 1 US Gallon = 128 ounces) Very cost effective.

http://www.ingredientstodiefor.com/item/Aloe_Vera_Extract_200x_Organic_Puraloe/111

Fish Hydrolysate - Organic Gem is a cold enzymatic processed hydrolysate. Look on their page for a list of distributors or you can order online.

http://www.organicgem.com/organic-gem.html

Another fish hydrolysate Neptunes Harvest is another quality cold processed hydrolysate product. They also make a Hydrolysate/Seaweed liquid concentrate fertilizer and distribute Crab Meal.

http://www.neptunesharvest.com/fishfacts.html

Acres, USA Originally recommended to me by Lumperdawgz, I look forward to my monthly fix of this magazine each month; this magazine is all about organic farming. It's full of really excellent diverse articles on a wide variety of subjects related to organic gardening and farming. Acres USA is one of the nicest sources of organic gardening and farming books available. I highly recommend this monthly publication.

http://www.acresusa.com

Pacific Natural Fresh Fish Fertilizer Another Fish Hydrolysate fertilizer

http://www.greatpacificbioproducts.com/section.asp?pageid=12813

Dutch White Clover Seed - a perfect leguminous nitrogen fixing cover crop. I'm using it as a living mulch in my big pots and also want to plant this as a ground cover between the rows of raised beds. Thanks GiMiK!

jhttp://www.groworganic.com/white-dutch-clover-raw-lb.html

Freeze Dried Coconut Water - Organic Frreze Dried Coconut Water Powder - a very cost effective alternative to buying bottled coconut water! Thanks again GiMiK!

http://www.znaturalfoods.com/Coconut-Water-Powder-Organic-Freeze-Dried

Greenhouse & Propagation Supplies - another nice link from GiMiK -

http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com
 
BioChar Supreme - Manufacturers of Certified Organic Black Owl Biochar in Emerson, WA - the Real Deal from what I'm told.
 
http://www.biocharsupreme.com/products/
 
Ashfield Tools - Ashfield Tools, founded by Ned James, is a small company
located in Ashfield, MA, offering a line of hand-forged
garden tools. Ned began blacksmithing and tinsmithing
during the late '70s at Old Sturbridge Village and started his own shop in
the early '80s. These are high-quality handcrafted tools made from locally
supplied materials. Each tool is hand-forged with high-carbon tool steel. The
birch handles are made in Maine. These tools are sturdy and long-lasting,
designed to work well and to enhance the gardening experience.
 
http://ashfieldtools.nedjames.com/
 
Vermont BioChar - Thanks to Budz23 for this link! Manufacturers of innoculated BioChar in Danville, VT.
 
http://vermontbiochar.com/
 
(Please get back to me with any special items or just good deals and I will list them here.)

 

Neem Cake, Neem Oil, Karanja Cake – Neem & Karanja are both Dynamic Accumulators and also provide protection against pests. Many of the neem oils at The Hydro Store just don't cut the mustard – the very best is pure organic cold pressed. The neem cake is the leftover crushed seeds once they have been pressed to remove the oils but still contain all the good stuff. As we all know, its an excellent soil amendment.

Neem Resource – Probably the favorite source for most of us after being recommended by LD, the Ahimsa neem products are of course just super quality. If you're not familiar with Neem then get familiar! LD started a wonderful thread about this magical soil amendment which has been used in India and surrounding countries forever and has now more recently become a favorite of gardeners everywhere.

http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/982164-whats-neem.html

http://neemresource.com/

Neem Tree Farms – An organic Neem farm right in the Good Ol' USA; right in Florida. These are good folks who supply Neem Cake, Oil and yep – neem trees; if youre lucky enough to live in a climate that will support them.

http://neemtreefarms.com/

Fedco OGS - here in New England I get my Neemresource/Ahimsa Neem/Karanja cakes & oils directly from Fedco - $11.50/4lbs or $75.00/44lbs. Last summer I split a #44 pound sack with another GC blade from ME and it worked out great. While this is a little bit more expensive then ordering direct we were able to save on the shipping cost. This would really only work out for any Blades from Maine making a Fedco run.

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/ogs/search.php?cookies=no&search=Neem&item=8750&index=1

J

 

It's for a good cause...

Anyhow, a few have been sending me links to places they get their goodies locally and this is how it's going to work best. It'll be cool when a new gardener can just take a peek and say "hey, that store is right near me and I can get this and that there", or even the veteran gardener that just didn't realize a source was that local to them, etc.

So keep your favorite local sources coming please - and thank you.

J