Our
company’s philosophy is to always “meet” our customer’s expectations. From a
product performance standpoint, the results indicate that most of the products
end up “exceeding” our customer’s expectations; With that being said, I
recognize that this makes it harder to observe the true potential of specialty
products, such as One Step or All Purpose Potting Soil. After observing the
three month trial period, these are the results I have concluded based on
overall physical appearance and plant growth patterns.
Based on the growth patterns over the last few months, I would recommend the following:
One Step *when used in previously existing beds
One
Step is a product that is the most conducive for a functional landscape and the
needs of landscapers. Based on the results, I can confidently say that One Step
does not require till in order to get exceptional results. Additionally, One
Step offers more labor savings for landscapers. These labor savings come in
various forms; from added benefits of One Step’s ingredients, mulching aspects,
and overall product performance.
The
largest factor contributing to the success of One Step is the addition of
Mycorrhizae in the amendment. One Step contains the organism known as
Mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae is a beneficial organism that creates a symbiotic (or
mutually beneficial) relationship with the root system of
plants. Mycorrhizae acts as a root extension to aide in the
absorption of water and nutrients, specifically in stressful environmental
conditions, such as drought. The months of July and August we saw increasingly
more stressful plant conditions caused by extreme heat and lack of rain. It is
my opinion that we saw such drastic, observable changes from July to August due
to the presence of mycorrhizae in One Step. The success of the aforementioned
symbiotic relationship allowed One Step to thrive in these stressful conditions
which in turn, minimizes risk for landscapers who use this amendment.
In
addition to Mycorrhizae, One Step’s inclusion of bark is a crucial component to
its success. The bark comes into play throughout various parts of the growing
season. As the One Step begins to settles throughout the season, the bark
creates a mulch overlay throughout the beds- creating an aesthetically pleasing
appearance that gives off the look of “mulch”. This allows the beds to appear
more “maintained” throughout the summer months; eliminating the need for
additional amendments or touchups.
Additionally,
the layer of mulch left at the end of the growing season aides as a “dormant
mulch” throughout the winter months. This results in increased moisture
retention, weed suppression, and a maintained aesthetic for homeowners. As the
following spring season arrives, the residual One Step can be amended into the
previously existing bed. This will increase porosity, which aides in increased
air and water exchange for the plants. Based on this information, we
can conclude that application of One Step as a top dress in the spring will
lead to residual, positive results for numerous growing seasons to come. It is
the one amendment that can withstand any environmental condition and various
seasons while consistently improving the landscape. More importantly, use of
One Step will save labor, time, and money for landscapers and homeowners alike.
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| One Step Performance in Trial Beds. |
All Purpose Potting Soil
Unlike One Step, All Purpose Potting Soil can be used in both the landscape and containers. The consistency of the mix is “light and fluffy” in comparison to the heavier One Step option, making it a more conducive option for landscapers who are looking for a “one stop shop” option. All Purpose Potting Soil is a high-quality product that offers outstanding benefits due to the components in the mix.
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| All Purpose Potting Soil Performance in Trial Beds. |
All
Purpose Potting Soil contains peat moss and coir. Peat moss is typically known
for its water retention properties, as well as its increased air porosity
properties. Coir is known for its water retention abilities. Due to the raw
inputs used, we know there will be optimal moisture retention, allowing for
less time spent creating and maintaining an irrigation regiment. Furthermore,
All Purpose Potting Soil contains Control Release Fertilizer, which provides
consistent, predictable nutritional output throughout the season. With the
constant, controlled feed there is no need to adapt a fertilizer regiment-
ultimately eliminating the need for proper training on mixing and application
rates of nutrients out in the field. Having a product that provides optimal
water retention and nutritional feed allows for savings in regards to labor,
time, and money.
Additional Notes/Observations:
Overall, the results stayed the same from observation phase two (July- August) to observation phase three (August-September). When conducting future trials, our best bet is to analyze the growth from initial planting through the month of August. This time frame will give us the best insight on how amendments perform under stressful environmental conditions. I believe this is when plants will endure the most stress throughout the growing season so our results when observing them in a landscape will be the most accurate in regards to overall growth, performance, and maintenance (including adding additional amendment to make the beds appear more appealing, fertilizer regiments, and watering regiments).
For future trials, I think it is best to focus on physical aspects that are easily gauged by the naked eye; such as growth patterns, growth density, overall appearance, etc. It’s great to be informed on the composition of mixes, the nutritional value of mixes, etc.; but at the end of the day, most people just want to see how the product looks in the landscape and how successful these products are in regards to overall plant appearance.
- Alexis
