You might have noticed we’ve been busy this month adding new seed blends and products to our website. In an effort to meet the diverse needs of our customers, we’ve also added several new items to our line of planting aids. These new items include the popular Am 120 inoculant, M-Binder tackifier and rice hulls. Since not all our customers might know what these aids can help them achieve, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at each item.
Am 120 Standard Mycorrhizal Inoculant
Have you ever wondered why plants in nature seem to thrive so well, while our landscape plants sometimes struggle? One of the reasons can be found just beneath the soil surface. In their natural setting, plants are growing in a living soil undisturbed by humans. In fact, in just one handful of this living soil dwells more than 100 million bacteria, several miles of fungal filaments and another million algae, protozoa and nematodes. Living soil also contains mycorrhizal fungi, one of the most important components of the soil ecosystem. 
Mycorrhizal fungi, or mycorrhiza, are specialized fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plants. Mycorrhiza form hyphae that acts as extensions of the plant’s root system, making roots more efficient at absorbing water and nutrients. They can also boost the plant’s overall vigor. While mycorrhiza is plentiful in undisturbed soils, the intricate web they form in the soil ecosystem is fragile and can be degraded very easily. Common practices such as soil compaction, chemical applications, tillage, construction and erosion can greatly reduce the amount of mycorrhiza in an area. Our Am 120 Standard mycorrhizal inoculant can help restore this beneficial relationship in your soils. It contains 100% Glomus intraradice, and has been used successfully throughout a broad range of environments from boreal sites in northern Canada to tropical sites in South America. Trials conducted by the USGS on a broad range of native western plant species determined that Glomus intraradices either improved germination or increased biomass development in over 70% of the species tested.
M-Binder Tackifier
Have you ever sown seed or spread mulch, only to have it blow or wash away? Tired of breathing in dust from a dirt road or path? Our M-Binder tackifier is just the aid you need. Derived from the seed of the plantego plant (Plantago insularis), M-Binder is a 100% organic “glue”. This botanical glue is great for “tacking” down seeds, mulch, dust, soil or other materials. It’s completely non-toxic and biodegradable, and can be applied as a dry powder or as wet slurry to dry or wet surfaces. It may even be applied during rain and does not require set-up or drying time. From hydroseeding to revegetation, dust control to fire restoration, M-Binder tackifier will ensure your hard work stays where it’s supposed to.
Rice Hulls
Have you ever tried sowing clover seeds, or any other plant with extremely small seed? It can be difficult without some way to dilute and slow the rate at which the seeds are sown by the spreader. One of the best solutions to this problem is to mix the seeds with rice hulls. Rice hulls are the hard outer covering, or husk, of the rice kernel. They are formed of silica and lignin, and are indigestible to humans. By mixing small seeds into an inert substance like rice hulls, you can ensure a more uniform coverage when seeding a mixture of different sized seeds. There are many other uses for rice hulls besides their application during seeding. Here are just a few:
- Rice hulls make an excellent substrate for gardening, especially in hydroponic systems.
- Rice hulls can be used for animal bedding or litter in poultry and other animal operations.
- Rice hulls absorb liquid and can provide an anti-skid surface.
- Rice hulls can be used as insulation.
Don’t hesitate to ask us for more information on these new planting aids and their uses.