Sustainable Horticulture

Sustainable Hort Focus Moves to Plant Technology & Food

Posted by sustainable_hort on August 14, 2012  |  12 Comments

All right, one more try…
The late Richard Holbrooke gave an essential piece of advice for a question-driven life: Know something about something. Don’t just present your wonderful self to the world. Constantly amass knowledge and offer it around. It seems that fits the definition of a blog, at least a useful blog. I don’t what percentage of blogs are actually useful to the readers, but I bet it is a small number.

If this is not your first visit here, you know I have made several false starts at this blog. My first idea, and the one most developed when I started, concentrated on the nursery industry. But, the plant industry collapsed along with housing and commercial construction, as new landscapes disappeared like Missouri corn in this summer’s heat.

The 2008-09 economic collapse also buried my fledgling business…Sustainable Hort LLC. Again it had focused on the nursery industry and its slow move toward more sustainable production practices. But, there were fewer and fewer nurseries, as first the more poorly run operations went under, followed by well-run operations that developed cash flow problems. Now, even excellent growers with little debt are facing a demand landscape (pun intended) that has shrunk dramatically, with little positive in the economic situation to look forward to over the next few years. Making substantial production changes was the furthest thing from the grower’s mind.

As I watched the collapse, I made a decision…”people gotta eat”…and I returned to my horticultural roots and started a local, sustainable produce farm, using skills and knowledge from my Oregon State University Horticulture degree. Our first year, 2009, was great; the next two years were miserable, with last year’s spring being one of the coldest, wettest in history, followed by a record cool summer. But, we survived and are looking at our best year ever. (If you want to follow the farm and its activities, check our other blog at www.19thStreetfarms.com)

Last year, I also took over managing my hometown’s (West Linn, Oregon) farmers market, where our farm is in its fourth year of being a vendor. This dual role puts me in the middle of our localvore movement. As we continue to experiment on both the farm and in the home research garden, we also put our extensive marketing skills to work to find and create customers. Again, much of that is discussed on our farm site.

Recent USDA statistics show that the “small” farms are making a slight comeback, with farmers markets identified as a key marketing channel for their crops. Meanwhile, more safety issues with industrial ag products surfaced, more books appeared questioning how food is produced, both plants and animals products, and alternatives are appearing as part of a diverse “urban homesteading” movement. (Watch for blog for reviews on recent books on homesteading).

This is becoming more of a mainstream movement, both in who buys the alternative products and who makes them. We see more concern, activism, and even a new farmer generation, in younger adults. Newer forms of agriculture and horticulture are being explored, from intensive, urban mini-farms to green roofs being developed as greenhouse food productions system.

Plus, we see the world food system getting shaky as drought is turning the US Midwest into a new Dust Bowl, Russia is struggling with its wheat crop, and India is battling crop-destroying monsoons. A preview came in July with the food price index climbing 6%, with the grains category up 17%. All this before the drought’s real effects are felt.

All this is going to change our relation to food, how and where it is grown, what it costs, and maybe even the availability of more exotic items. This blog will follow all those activities that mark those changes, note the alternative that are working, or not, and use my personal, hands-on experience to offer a grounded, but contrasting view of the world of food.

Changes Affecting Horticulture, Both Bad & Good

Posted by sustainable_hort on November 22, 2011  |  No Comments

It was May when I last posted anything. Doubling our farm, taking over as manager of our local farmers market, and unexpected contract work meant no time to write. I am sure you assumed this site died a quiet death like most sites. Ambition usually blinds bloggers to the reality of maintaining a site with original, fresh content. It is partly that…but; I wish it were only that.

Sadly, it is not. When I started this blog, the intent was to focus mainly on the nursery industry and the sustainable model I saw as a future option for growers. But, it is an industry going through radical change, and not a good one. I am working on a draft for an article discussing what has struck a vibrant, positive industry. I am seeing and experiencing it firsthand, on the rural back roads that were the heart of Oregon’s leading agricultural crop. It is a matter of survival for these growers, and not a time for taking chances with any innovation, let alone risking your present production system for one that is still being developed. More on this soon.

Still, as an organic produce grower with a horticultural degree, I see opportunities for those nurseries that can turn to more sustainable production. In the next few months I will update the “Can Nurseries be Sustainable” post (12/23/2009), including the rough tests I ran with several organic container mixes at a local nursery. The results were impressive enough that I want to see more work done in this direction.

And, this site will continue to discuss the innovative future uses of plants, particularly in urban/suburban areas. This includes the diverse “urban agriculture” movement that could change how much of our food is grown and even become a “job creator?”

But, it goes far beyond that! I have been involved in the green roof industry for five years, and, despite the current construction collapse, it is technology for the times. It is just one example of how plants are being used to solve environmental problems. Plants will be integrated into our lives in ways we have not even developed yet…just look at the urban food production skyscraper being proposed by Dr. Dickson Despommier. I will discuss his book, The Vertical Farm, soon…though I have my doubts.

Finally, though there are other sources to find general agricultural information, I will continue to comment on the limitations and negatives of large agribusiness. For instance, the expanding herbicide resistance issue has overwhelmed the promises of easy farming. Even the main stream ag press has acknowledged this, warning its readers that production will need to return to more complex systems. As usual, something that seems too good to be true, finally fails. A return to working with nature, instead of fighting it, will probably turn out to be the best economic investment farming can make.

Anyway, enough for this short post. If any of the above topics interest you, please keep tune. Its good to be back.

Food Prices Rising…Only the Start

Posted by sustainable_hort on May 23, 2011  |  No Comments

With all the recent headlines, the story of rising food prices has been on the news back burner. But, for many people, both here in the US and in most under-developed countries, these climbing costs are much more important than a royal wedding, the Trump comedy series about birth certificates, and, even, the elimination of Mr. Bin Laden. Hunger tends to trump (no pun intended) most other concerns.

Yet, for whatever reason(s), we are seeing food prices rise quickly. We have to go back to the 1970’s to find a similar situation. Then, oil prices and availability were not the key issue they are today. The increases in food prices then were driven mainly by Russian wheat crop failures. But, the pressures on food prices now are coming from rising energy and commodity prices, plus several weather related crop issues. As I have written on this blog, petroleum is more than gas for our cars…it is literally is the foundation material for much of the modern world. The majority of consumer products depend on these substrates at some level. Think plastic!

Food is no exception! The earth’s oil and natural gas are used to produce fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and plastics; they are used to power the tractors, sprayers, harvesters, and generate heat; and obviously they are the fuel for the trucks, trains and planes that move our food around the world. Whether it is speculation, increasing demand from the China and India, or peak oil’s decreasing output, oil prices will rise in the long term…and food prices can only follow.

I recently attended a talk by Gary Paul Nabhan, author of Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods, whose main message was the importance of local “food sheds.” While this is not a new concept, it seems to gain importance as we watch drought, floods, tornados and rising production prices wreck havoc with US agriculture. It is the old cliché “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It is in the interest of regions, at least, to be able to produce all the key components of a healthy diet. This idea is catching on.

For instance, here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, we are seeing a return of wheat, and an organized effort to grow a wide range of beans, now all shipped in from great distances. It is an expansion of the local food movement, one that consumer consider more important than “organic.”

But, for many consumers, price is and will remain the primary consideration. This, I feel as a produce grower, is a misaligned focus. Food “quality” should equal nutrition, not cost. But, there is good news. Recent research indicates local foods, not necessarily organic, can cost less at your local farmers market than the national chain supermarket. And, even at a few cents more, local produce, especially the more delicate “greens” categories, will literally be a week fresher. Turn over those plastic tubs of greens at your local supermarket. While the “use by” date may be days off, I will bet you can see some early deterioration of the produce, particularly the red lettuces. If you store the package a few days, you are eating greens that are ten to two weeks old. Just how nutritious, let alone tasty, can this limp product be? Not much. If you want to read more, check out: www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/the-farmers-market-myth/238661.

Natural Alternatives to Turf

Posted by sustainable_hort on February 25, 2011  |  No Comments

My recent post on replacing turf with an edible landscape attracted many comments, especially through Linkin. While I prefer the use of edibles, I certainly realize not everyone wants to tend a food garden.

Grasses and many natives are perfect replacements for the turf in a normal yard. This alternative uses grasses, both native and introduced, and other native flowers and shrubs, to create landscapes that mirror the natural surroundings.

Timber Press recently released three books that address the use and design features of grasses, native flowers, and other plants. The most direct is Designing with Grasses by Englishman Neil Lucas, an up-to-date look at how modern landscapes are using grasses in many situations. He introduces grasses as key landscaping choices to the general gardening audience, suggesting choices for wetland, prairie, desert, woodland and meadow designs. It also offers a plant profile section, and many other reference lists. While not an in-depth look at grasses, it provides a perfect starting point for those interested in native and natural landscapes.

A better known, US expert on grasses, John Greenlee (with Saxon Holt) has written a new book on his specialty, The American Meadow Garden. He started Greenlee Nursery in the early 1980’s, becoming one of the first recognized experts on grasses and their use in design. In 1992, he wrote one of the seminal early works on grasses, The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses. Now, here he focuses on the grasses that create meadow gardens, discussing details of design, site preparation and many examples of finished designs. The plant selections are covered in a long section complete with design suggestions.

Finally, Lynn Steiner took a similar approach in her Prairie-Style Gardens, with an emphasis on the plants that work in a prairie setting. It also includes plant lists for specific site conditions, and plant profiles for many prairie-adapted species. While her designs are based on four major climate areas of the mid-US, the design approaches can be duplicated in many regions. She also moves well beyond the grasses, and includes many trees, small trees and shrubs, vines and flowers. These gardens seem to have more emphasis on attracting wildlife, and include xeriscaping designs. But, more important, like edible gardens, they replace high input turf with a much sustainable landscape.

Wasted Yards to Mini-Farms

Posted by sustainable_hort on February 2, 2011  |  No Comments

Urban gardening continues to be an expanding trend. We are seeing more and more turf areas being replaced by some type of landscape, often food oriented. This does not break my heart. I feel most small yards (turf) are useless and a waste of space. Now, I have no problem with a larger yard, one that is used by children, pets and families for outdoor activities. Play on!

But many urban yards are just small patches of grass that need to be mowed, watered and fertilized. Some homeowners have moved to “more natural” landscapes that often incorporate native shrubs and trees to draw the local birds and insects, while many also save water. These choices are a vast improvement over un-used turf space.

Meanwhile, vegetable gardening remains hot trend, one that is seeing increasing sales. All part of the “urban homesteading movement.” The more dedicated homesteaders have also added a “perennial food system” with fruit trees, berries, grapes, and herbs. Why? Mainly because people are becoming more aware of what real food is, and this is one way to change what they eat. More and more families are realizing that food gardens don’t take much more water and fertilizer than a yard, and can be good exercise, and might even be close to fun. Good way to teach biology too!

But, the first challenge with many of today’s suburban lots is space. The empty lots and surrounding open areas of my childhood have disappeared. Today’s homes (many McMansions) have very limited outdoor space available to grow foods. So, intensive, raised-bed plantings, and careful use of sun exposed walls, fences, etc., still allow families to raise a significant amount of food. It just takes careful planning and consistent care. Add container gardening to the mix, and almost any popular vegetable can be grown successfully.

So, how? Let’s start with classic Square Food Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew, written 30 years ago (his revised book is readily available). Then, I will follow up with several other-related books that cover similar territory. They are all aimed at helping get you started changing your yard into a small farm.

In the original Square Food Gardening, Bartholomew produced a basic gardening book that also happened to cover his engineer-based, grid-growing system. The recent book explains the system well. But, according to several review comments on Google, much of the earlier basic gardening information has disappeared. I guess most of that information is available in many forms, from many sources, so the current edition is based on more photographs and less text to cover the same ground (no pun intended). The basic idea is still very useful.

One Magic Square by Lolo Houbein is, in some ways, almost a direct copy of Bartholomew’s work, except that the author bases her plans on 3-foot squares. She comes from Australia, so she may not even be aware of his history in small space gardening in the U.S. Still, the idea is the same. Still, it definitely serves the same propose as the earlier work, and she supplies 30 different designs for squares that meet different crop desires. These are very helpful to those getting started with gardening, who’s limited horticultural knowledge make planning difficult, especially in the first few years.

Sugar Snaps and Strawberries (Timber Press) by Andrea Bellamy does not instruct gardeners to plant in grids, but to use the smaller spaces around any home to grow food. Her food production is a community gardening plot and her third story balcony. Bellamy runs the blog, www.heavypetal.com., which supports organic gardening, and her experience with limited space makes her information particularly useful to those urban/suburban homes with vey limited space. She manages to cover most of the basic growing information efficiently, with useful suggestions on the best varieties and planting schedules for nearly year-around growing. She also includes details on container gardening, which is “gardening” to more and more people. Bellamy’s work creates integrated, food landscapes that blend in more naturally while maximizing growing space.

If you are looking at gardening more from the chef viewpoint, check out another Timber Press book, The Kitchen Gardener’s Handbook, by Jennifer R. Bartley. This book provides similar growing information and designs, but the real focus is the end products…the many recipes that use seasonal vegetables and fruits. As more cooks learn to use new vegetables and desire fresh ingredients, a home kitchen garden will probably be the focus of any landscape that replaces turf.

Finally, books with ambitious plans and growing information are useful to those getting started. But, does it really work? Can our neighbor’s yards become small farms? Edible Estates…Attack on the Front Lawn (Metropolis Books) edited by Fritz Haeg, with essays by food writers such as Michael Polland and Rosalind Creasy, take the issue head on. This is not a gardening guide, but an inspirational showcase of actual front lawns that have made the transition to “farm” successfully. Eight yards are examined, with design plans and step-by-step photos of the actual landscaping process.

Once you start this process, my advice is to take it slow and have a sense of humor. To keep you going, read Manny Howard’s My Empire of Dirt (Scribner), subtitled “A Cautionary Tale,” He seemed to run into an inordinate set of problems (it would discourage many beginners), but takes it all with a slightly dark sense of humor. There are a number of these autobiographical records of “becoming a farmer or urban homesteader” on the market today, but few work at this level of humor.

This whole trend is morphing, especially for young adults and young families, into a new homesteading movement…a reclaiming of the urban environment. It moves well beyond just having a small, kitchen garden to creating landscapes that more mimic the natural surroundings. It includes shrubs and trees that provide food, added diversity to draw beneficial insects and birds, trap and re-use rain water, adding chickens, rabbits and other small animals, composting, etc., etc. A visually strong introduction to this concept comes from the wonderful DK Press. Titled Self Sufficiency for the 21st Century, this larger format book runs through all the main activities that fall under this general heading. Written by Dick and James Strawbridge (co-hosts of UK television series It’s Not Easy Being Green), it is packed with how-to sections on building a home, energy and waste, growing food, animal husbandry, and many traditional home kitchen, natural medicine and craft skills, all aimed at living as far off the grid as a family might get in the urban environment. Most readers will probably only start with a few of the book’s actions, but it will give anyone a solid, visual introduction to this topic. I just love DK’s approach to making their books so visual and clear. When I travel, I use their city books because they, again, are visual. So, if you are dreaming of urban homesteading, study this book and read Howard’s view of the reality, and you might be ready to start.

COMING NEXT: The New Lawn, Part II: But, not all homeowners are interested or willing to make their lawn into a farm. No problem. There are many other options to the traditional lawns. The high maintenance turf can be replaced by more natural landscape spaces that mirror the surrounding environment. The post will cover some more recent releases that look at alternative landscapes.

Monrovia Falters…Industry Feels the Tremors

Posted by sustainable_hort on February 2, 2011  |  No Comments

Monrovia’s recent sales woes may indicate that a new marketing message is needed to revive a shell-shocked consumer.

I now look back at my years working for the Oregon nursery industry and realize it may have been a Golden Age for wholesale plant growers. The state’s sales skyrocketed over several decades from few hundred million to nearly one billion. Then it all collapsed. As the housing market dropped, so did landscape plant sales. Then, almost all commercial work stopped abruptly. Architectural firms shrank over night. This ripple hit the plant industry, especially the growers, and we have seen numerous growers go under or move into other horticultural crops. Sales this spring will probably improve slightly, but not enough to save many growers.

Monrovia has represented the peak of nursery industry production and marketing. Yet, like any industrial designed production systems, the operating costs are substantial. The company created new plants, led the “branding” effort (a marketing strategy that I always thought was over-sold), and used the garden centers to provide an effective distribution/sales platform. Now, with sales down drastically again, the company has been forced (by the banks) start selling “non-branded” plants to Home Depot to force sales. This obviously undercuts a basic part of their marketing/branding strategy of selling only to the independent garden centers. It has also created some severe comments from their customers.

But, it is not all their fault. All the quality products and clever marketing cannot “create” markets if there is, in this case, very little building going on. Add to this the panicked consumer…a one-two punch that has not just Monrovia but an entire industry on the ropes.

There are a few bright spots. Some narrow niche producers are keeping their sales at least even. Greenhouse operations that concentrate on annuals and especially vegetables are surviving. There was actually shortage last year of organic vegetable starts. Food costs, food safety concerns and a desire for better taste/nutrition are all driving this home garden trend. (See the next post on the urban homesteading movement.) A complimentary trend uses permaculture techniques to add native plants and create more plant diversity to draw beneficial wildlife.

But, the more general ornamental plant growers will need another marketing hook to push up sales. I propose turning to the strength of plants to provide a better, less polluting environment and lower energy use. I like to call the many uses of plants to improve our water and air a new “plant technology.” Sell plants because they provide solutions, not because they “decorate” our world. It is an old idea really. There is adequate research and successful examples to get consumers to look at plants, not as a “discretionary” expense, but necessary to improve one’s home and life. This “message” will sell better in the new consumer economy, one that is moving away from the wild spending of the last two decades.

Lost In the Ozone Again

Posted by sustainable_hort on January 8, 2011  |  2 Comments

Whew!!…how can it be seven months…seven months!…since my last post? The line from the old Commander Cody song seemed to be an appropriate headline. I am the perfect example of what generally happens with many blogs. The energy, the persistence, the time, to keep any blog useful, original and current, is demanding. I knew it going in. When I teach marketing, this is exactly what I warn my students about….”blog fatigue.”

Enough of that…how about some excuses? Really, I do have some. First, an annoying, but minor illness set back me in early summer. Then, our farm struggled with the worse growing season I have experienced in 35 years of growing. Lettuce would not even grow in May! Zucchini would not even set fruit! Etc., etc., etc. In contrast, in 2009 we went through a record heat wave for Oregon…ten days over ninety with highs reaching 103 degrees! Then this year’s coolest summer on record. At least we know the parameters now when it comes to growing organic produce. If you are more interested in that effort, visit www.19thstreetfarms.com. We regularly record our farm’s adventure there, using the site as a marketing tool for our efforts. Some of the posts here will also appear there.
Anyway, moving ahead. Watch for new, longer content in the next few weeks. I will be looking at following and more:

• The Sustainable Nursery…This was the main reason for starting this blog. Here in Oregon, there are several recent programs started to try and improve the green industry’s “sustainability,” including the “Climate Friendly Nursery” program and on-the-ground testing I am doing with interested nurseries. Like all of agricultural and horticulture, the nursery industry is dependent upon petroleum products at every level of their operation. As the industry tries to recover from the worst downturn it has ever experienced, some growers are taking this opportunity to examine how they grow plants. After decades of steady growth, growers may have gotten lazy…they had the better mousetrap. As sales fall and oil prices rise, there needs to be a change and this site hopes to lead the way in describing and suggesting how the industry can become truly “green.”

• As an organic produce grower, I understand that any food system will have waste, sometimes throwing out considerable amounts of organic materials. First, the waste needs to be reduced. Fruit and vegetables with cosmetic issues are usually tossed. Why? Because it is easy. Lets find ways where good food can be channeled into the emergency system. Then, the non-eatable waste should never end up in a landfill! Modern composting and vermiculture systems can take that waste and turn it into a very useful soil amendment/fertilizer. This is an exciting area with many new developments in the last few years and the subject a new book, American Wasteland.

• The Vertical Farm. This idea drew my attention several years ago. I have continued to follow its development, and now, with the publishing of The Vertical Farm by Dr. Dickson Despommier, the discussion is getting more interesting. While I find it an intriguing concept, I have always wondered about the cost. Granted, the enclosed tower would be able to avoid some of the costs of soil-based ag, but can it ever recover the investment costs to build it in the first place? I will take a closer look after I finish the book.

• The urban gardening trend is finding more and more yards being replaced by intensive gardens, fruit trees, berries and herbs. It is a movement I appreciate, since I am an active grower. But, more importantly, I feel small yards are useless and a waste of space. I have no problem with a larger yard, one that is used by children and families for outdoor activities. Play on. But many urban yards are just small patches of grass that need to be mowed, watered and fertilized. Gardens that produce food don’t take much more water and fertilizer, and can be good exercise, and might even be close to fun. Good way to teach biology too! I will start with Square Food Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew, written 30 years ago (his revised book is readily available), then look at other related books that can help get you started changing your yard into a small farm. The posts will also cover innovations I in the “permaculture” concept that can be applied to your yards.

• We are seeing more and more green roofs and green walls, green streets, and even urban food production several stories up. As we follow this “plant technology” movement, I will report on new, innovative projects and follow the science now being done on these environmental technologies. I will start with a review of Timber Press’ The Green Roof Manual by grower Edmund C. Snodgrass and Linda McIntyre. Snodgrass is a true pioneer in the US green roof industry and his earlier book, Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide is one of my bibles and a perfect complement to his “manual.”

• I also see this term of “plant technology” applying to many other areas. We are seeing more research on plants for fuel, besides the uneconomical corn. Even algae are getting research support to see if it can provide inputs for fuel production. New uses for plants will be covered on this site.

• Of course, there will be posts on important topics in general agriculture, new research comparing conventional versus organic, the latest on controversial topics (GM crops, Monsanto’s herbicide problems, etc.), and observations on a range of food topics.

So, look for new posts…there should be one by Monday if not earlier. Now that I am back to a regular schedule of writing, maybe I can keep posting on a more regular basis. And, finally, thanks for all the positive comments. I am working my way through them and will respond to questions.

Miles

Nursery Industry Explores Biodegradable Containers

Posted by sustainable_hort on May 31, 2010  |  No Comments

Plastic containers revolutionized plant production. Now a significant percentage of plants are grown in some type of container. At the retail level, containers not only hold plants and soil, but they have become a visual part of the marketing.

Yet, environmental concerns increased with plastic products, both in how they are made and how they become a waste stream. So, container manufacturers began to look at other materials. The challenge was to find materials that could contain the soil and plants as they moved through the production and marketing system, yet breakdown after they were used, usually in composting systems.

Numerous substrates are being used and tested to create a range of biodegradable pots including waste paper, peat, coir, cornstarch resins, wheat, bamboo, and even cow manure.

Finding plastic replacements for containers has become an important research topic, with the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) starting research several years ago to identify useful container substrates (see below). The key challenge is finding compounds and resins that, when combined, will stand up to normal environmental pressures.

“We need materials that will stand up to the south’s warmer temperatures, heavy irrigation schedules, and high levels of nitrogen,” explained Agricultural Research Service horticulturist Donna Fare. She said these environmental factors work together to break down non-plastic pots in the field. Fare is heading up the ANLA-sponsored research project in McMinnville, Tennessee, which will finally test a chicken-feather based container during this year’s growing season.

Recycled Plastic a First Option
Many nursery container producers have morphed from using virgin plastic to using recycled materials. This is a major step toward sustainability, since it at least recovers the plastic already in use in the nursery industry, plus absorbing some of the consumer waste stream.
For instance, ITML Horticultural Products Inc. has a line of recycled containers, called Elite and Euro System Nursery Containers, made with “100% recycled, indestructible polyethylene material.”

Another example is the Root Pouch containers from Averna and Associates. These pouches are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), which comes from recycled plastic beverage bottles, which are turned into non-woven fabric. It is used to manufacture a full line of nursery containers including propagation liners and various sizes of plantable pouches, available in different densities and degradable life spans.

Finally there are oxo-biodegradable products, which I have not found yet in the industry. Wikipedia defined the plastic as follows:

“Oxo Biodegradable (OBD) plastic is polyolefin plastic to which has been added very small (catalytic) amounts of metal salts. These catalyze the natural degradation process to speed it up so that the OBD plastic will degrade when subject to environmental conditions to produce to water, carbon dioxide and biomass. The process is shortened from hundreds of years to months for degradation and thereafter biodegradation depends on the micro-organisms in the environment.” I am going to look into this more, so keep reading.

What are Biodegradable Containers?

While there are differences between aerobic and anaerobic degradation, “biodegradable” is usually considered as a material can be broken down into its organic components. Essentially, biodegradable materials avoid increasing landfills by eventually returning them to the soil through effective composting.

As a note, the “effective composting” is a key step to making any of these containers actually biodegradable. In fact, some national and international standards have stricter criteria, defining compostable as having three requirements:

• First, again they must “biodegrade” which is defined as “breaking down into carbon dioxide, water and bio mass.”
• Secondly, they must “disintegrate,” so after three months of composting and subsequent sifting through a 2 mm sieve, there is no more than 10% residue remaining.
• Finally, no “eco toxicity,” so the bio-degradation does not produce any toxic material and the compost can sustain plant growth.

Unfortunately, these global standards exist to certify compostable plastics (ASTM D6400) and compostable packaging (ASTM D6868), under controlled composting conditions typically found only at industrial composting facilities. It is uncertain whether many of these new “plastics” will degrade quickly and effectively in standard landfills or backyard compost bins.

Molded Fiber Early Option

But, many decades ago, molded pulp or fiber first found uses in the horticulture industry. Molded pulp products are made from natural cellulose fibers, including waste papers and peat, and are biodegradable breaking down in compost systems and most landfills. These molded fiber products, were often used in early propagation stages in combination with rigid plastic trays.

But, as plants moved into gallon sizes, most growers continue to use plastic pots, especially if they are shipping plants. The early fiber pots were just not rigid enough to withstand damage during handling.

One of the earlier producers of non-plastic containers was active here in Oregon…Western Pulp Products. The company has more than a 50-year history of making containers using waste paper, collected by charitable organizations (“post-consumer”), while other sources are “pre-consumer,” including Kraft, waxed, and other waste paper. Only the metal rings and hanging wires are not decomposable.

“Even the wax paraffin used to bind the pulp will degrade during composting or in the soil,” said sales manager Jim Lee

While their products are not considered “organic,” they can be used to grow organic plants, according to Lee. He said their growers received approval from Oregon Tilth that organic vegetable transplants can be grown in their molded fiber containers but the plant must be removed from the container before it is planted in the soil. 


Jiffy pots are another decade-old name in nursery containers, entering the market in the mid-1950’s. The George Ball Company bought the U.S. rights from the Norwegian firm that developed the technology. They found numerous uses in nursery propagation, becoming a standard tool for growing plants. But, again, they tended to be too fragile for field and shipping uses.

Wide Range of Substrates Now Available
Many of the newer biodegradable containers are actually manufactured by processes similar to the Western Pulp method…a plant based substrate held together with a binding agent. The choice for substrates continues to expand.

One example are the Fertil biodegradable plant pots, made from 100% natural biodegradable wood fibers, composing 80% of the substrate, plus 20% peat moss. Meanwhile, Summit Plastics Company has a biodegradable line, “Eco 360,” that features containers made of corn, wheat and wood fibers.

Another company, T & R, Woodburn, Oregon, is offering a new line of containers called Ecotainable®. Manufactured by Kelmar’s Creations, the products use ‘patented’ bioresin materials, made from wheat, tapioca, potato starches and corn, to form pots and other products.

CoCo Coir Pot, made by Green Neem, is a biodegradable cultivation pot made of coconut fibers, which have exceptionally high permeability to water, air and roots. Coir products are now available through several companies.

Cow Pots is taking a different approach, using “odor-free, 100% composted cow manure” as the substrate. They claim the manure also adds more nutrition when the plant is growing or transplanted.

Fungi Grows Containers
A radically different approach is the EcoCradle products.
The new product is made from agricultural byproducts including cottonseed hulls, buckwheat hulls and rice husk that are mixed with a filamentous fungi — mycelium — as a bonding agent — and allowed to grow inside molds. The mycelium secretes an enzyme that decomposes the organic waste as it grows. After seven days at room temperature in the dark, a compact, ultra light, malleable material is formed that can resist high temperatures, according to company literature.

Downsides?
While there is an increasing availability of alternative containers, most nurseries have been slow to switch from plastic. Even Northwoods Nursery, Molalla, Oregon, well known for its many sustainable efforts, is still using plastic pots.

“We are just not sure they will hold up over a longer time frame,” said Laura O’Leary, sustainable director for Northwoods. While the nursery has implemented other “sustainable practices,” including recycling plastic containers, they are still holding back on moving to these newer options, she said. Like many nurseries, they plan to test new products, hoping to find products that prove tough.

In addition to needing perfect conditions to decompose, some manufacturers are also cautioning consumers that the pots need to be handle correctly when planting to avoid problems.

For example, Bonnie Plants, uses biodegradable pots extensively, with the smaller versions made by Jiffy. They listed the following rules for using their pots:
• To ensure success, drench the pots thoroughly just before planting.
• Remove the shrink-wrap label from the rim of the pot by cutting it with scissors.
• Also tear away the top of the pot so that the rim is not exposed above ground after planting. If the pot dries out, it can rob moisture from the roots when capillary action pulls water up to the dry rim.
• Finally, tear away the bottom half of the pot before placing the plant in its hole to exposes some roots to direct contact with the soil.

Like any new technology, biodegradable containers will need further refinement and testing to create products that growers will use confidently, especially if plants are shipped.

While there are ongoing research projects (see above) testing how well plants grow in these non-plastic choices, work done over a decade ago showed that plants would grow as well, or better, in biodegradable pots. So, it seems that chief concern remains durability. Once that is solved, biodegradable products could have a bright future in the nursery industry.

You can continue to follow this topic here. I am convinced that we will find more and more organic “waste” products that can be turned into various compostable or plantable pots and containers. Ultimately, they will prove their economic advantage.

Show Me the Research – Glyphosate and GM Problems Expand

Posted by sustainable_hort on May 24, 2010  |  No Comments

Monsanto’s PR team must be up nights…since the good news just keeps coming up around GM technology and their popular herbicide product…Round-Up. We have discussed several resistance issues recently (see both earlier “Show Me the Research” posts), but the concerns and problems are expanding.

First, Round-Up’s affects on plant health.
Microbiologist Robert Kremer USDA-ARS (US Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service) was interviewed recently in the online “The Organic & Non-GM Report,” where he explained his concerns with glyphosate’s (Round-Up) impact on plant health. He was quoted as saying the compound “This system is altering the whole soil biology.” He expanded the observations, noting that “glyphosate can have toxic effects on microorganisms and can stimulate them to germinate spores and colonize root systems. Other researchers are showing that glyphosate can immobilize manganese, an essential plant micronutrient.”

In this month’s issue, the editors interviewed retired Purdue University Emeritus Professor of Plant Pathology, Dr. Don Huber. He said that glyphosate can “significantly increase the severity of various plant diseases, impair plant defense to pathogens and diseases, and immobilize soil and plant nutrients rendering them unavailable for plant use.” And that glyphosate stimulates the growth of fungi and enhances the virulence of pathogens such as Fusarium and “can have serious consequences for sustainable production of a wide range of susceptible crops.”

This all builds on an important work I have written about before…”Healthy Crops, A New Agricultural Revolution” by Francis Chaboussou. In it, he looks at 75 years of similar research on not just glyphosate, but many pesticides, herbicides and nitrogen-heavy fertilizers, and their negative impacts on disease and pest problems. I felt he showed clearly that while the compounds might solve a problem, they usually created others. Others that then required spraying of toxic compounds, which have the same affect. And the circle goes ‘round and the grower pays. Less toxic approaches might actually reduce other input costs…it at least deserves a closer, open-minded look.

GM Bt Cotton Causes Pest Explosion
And then, from China comes a report about a recent disaster that resulted from planting Bt cotton. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is one of best know “natural” insecticides, with the organism successfully controlling several pest outbreaks (various caterpillars). Then, it was inserted genetically into crops, including cotton, where it offered bollworm control. And that part of the equation worked, so growers could stop spraying toxic chemicals. Looked like a win-win.

But then, the fields became infested with another pest, the Mirid Bug, causing serious damage. Scientists determined that the June spraying for bollworms had also knocked back the entire insect community, including other pest species and their natural predators. With no controls, in this case, the Mirid Bug won the race, finding a vast, rich food source, and quickly expanding its populations. It has even moved into other crops such as apples, strawberries, pears, peaches and vegetables, where it had never been a problem. All this started following the switch to Bt crops in 1997, showing up first in cotton in 2000, and moving to other crops by 2005. It seems their only short-term answer is go back to spraying, after paying more the Bt-cotton.

So, again unintended consequences. The GM technology still holds promise to help with world nutrition. The idea and reality of foods that create extra vitamins (improved rice variety) with the help of added genetic information could save lives. But, first it is caution with this new “tool.” It needs more study, more testing in the complexity of an environmental system, to understand those consequences. From these latest reports, it seems to solve single problems only to create others. Not a sustainable system.

For more:
• “Scientist warns of dire consequences with widespread use of glyphosate”, The Organic & Non-GMO Report, May 2010, @ http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/may10/consequenceso_widespread_glyphosate_use.php

• “Scientist finding many negative impacts of Roundup Ready GM crops, USDA doesn’t want to publicize studies showing negative impact2, The Organic & Non-GMO Report, January 2010, @ http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/jan10/scientists_find_negative_impacts_of_GM_crops.php

President’s Cancer Panel Suggests Organic Foods!

Posted by sustainable_hort on May 13, 2010  |  7 Comments

Scooped the New York Times
Well, that is probably an overstatement. But, in my last post on April 26, I discussed the problems Monsanto is having, and the increasingly negative research around the herbicide, Round-Up. Well, on May 3, the New York Times ran a lengthy article by By WILLIAM NEUMAN and ANDREW POLLACK covering the same research and topic. Granted, the article went into more depth, and had some wonderful graphics to explain the resistance situation. Yet, I covered it first here, so I maybe I’d better check their story again for plagiarism.

President’s Cancer Panel Suggests Organic Foods!
But, seriously, the paper did release some important news regarding the state of chemicals in our environment, including our food, and their impact on cancers.

As the New York Times column described this President-appointed panel, it is the “Mount Everest of the medical mainstream.” Columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote on May 5 about the report the panel will release today is “an extraordinary document,”…one that “calls on America to rethink the way we confront cancer, including much more rigorous regulation of chemicals.” This report could have the same impact that the Supreme Court’s decision to legally define CO2 as a “pollutant” had on environmental issues and many industrial practices.

Why? Because the panel is not a known environmental organization, not some left leaning alternative medical group, but one of the most trusted medical evaluators. It was formed and first staffed in 1971 by President Nixon. The current two-member panel, Dr. LaSalle D. Lefall, Jr., a professor of surgery at Howard University, and Margaret Kripke, a professor at University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, was appointed by former President Bush. They met with nearly 50 medical experts over several years before creating the report.

Their concern, though it sounds measured, will still leave the average person with questions. Since I have not been able to read the full text yet, I will save more comments for a later post. My main point here is that one of the key solutions to avoid problems is to eat organic food. The column stated that one of the panel’s recommendations read…
“Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones.”

Again, I am not a purist when it comes to the organic vs. conventional argument. I grew up surrounded by orchards (see below), and spraying was a regular event. We did close up the house and wait for a while until the spray had dried. But, still, realistically, I was exposed to higher levels of pesticides that anyone gets today… and I am still relatively healthy. So, while I grow my food and my farm’s produce organically, I was not sure that the chemicals absorbed eating a supermarket diet was a crucial problem. Now I am not as complacent. While I turned to organic growing methods for many reasons, this report seems to add more weight to the consumer side of this equation. It needs to be carefully communicated to, and considered by, the eating public. Yes, everyone.

But, more important is there seems to be at least a partial answer…the expansion and support of a local, urban and regional, food shed where producers (farmers and micro-farmers) sell directly to the end-user…you. Your food is fresher, you know who grew it and where it came from, and it probably tastes better. Meanwhile long-term issues, including energy use and transportation challenges facing the current world food network, are also addressed.

It takes more hands, so it might even create long-term jobs though it tends to be a physical, demanding career. Satisfying, but one that rides with the seasons, can be stymied by weather, and depends on a consumer willing to spend more time and money to get higher quality food. This report may push consumers in this direction.

Saving the Apple
As I mentioned, I grew up in Washington’s Yakima Valley, and apples were just part of my life. They were common in the acres of orchards surrounding my hometown. during my teenage years, I irrigated those trees, I kept them from freezing in early spring, and picked tons of fruit each fall. I fondly remember varieties such as the Winsap, McIntosh and Gravenstein.

A short article in the New York Times covered efforts to save heirloom varieties from extinction. The non-profit group, Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT), has declared 2010 the “Year of the Apple.” RAFT is concerned that we are losing most of the old varieties to a select group of commercial choices. They are offering a 32-page booklet, The Forgotten Fruits Manual & Manifesto, written by Gary Paul Nabhan. Nabhan is best know for his 2002 work, Coming Home to Eat, and editing the more recent, Savoring and Saving the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods.

Just a couple of quick facts he presents in the booklet:
• He estimates we have lost 86% of what was once upwards of 16,000 named varieties.
• 11 varieties now have 90% of market…
•…and 46% of those are Delicious…almost half! Despite their name, they were really created to look good (“bright red and shiny”), have a consistent size, and ship and store well. Flavor is a minor consideration. I know because this is the variety I picked most often, while I looked for other varieties to eat…even then.

If you want to learn more, check the RAFT web site at www.raftalliance.org. Check “resources” and look for “The Forgotten Fruits Manual & Manifesto.” It is a free and downloadable PDF.

Finally, I hope to start soon two new series: An expansion of topics first covered in “Can Nurseries be Sustainable?”, and Green Industry Marketing, with strategies and topics to help nurseries, greenhouse, garden centers and landscape contractors identify, locate and reach potential customers, all the while continually communicating with their existing customers. Both aspects are important for the survival of green businesses.