Monrovia Growers Expands Availability of Premium Soil Mixes

AZUSA, Calif. (March 6, 2007) -- Monrovia Growers announced that it has expanded the retail distribution of its packaged soil mixes to nine states in the West and Southeast. For the past two years, Monrovia has been testing sales of its premium soil and amendment - in 2005 throughout California, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada and Washington; and last year in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Based on a very positive response from retailers and gardeners, Monrovia is shipping to all nine of those initial test states and planning to expand the distribution throughout the U.S.

Monrovia has partnered with two leading manufacturers of premium soils and gardening products, Fafard and Gro-Well, to mix, package and distribute Monrovia's proprietary soil recipes. "We've been very pleased with the demand for our soil products," said Pam Wasson, vice president of marketing. "We're currently offering a Custom Soil Blend and a Soil Amendment. Both are rich with living compost, beneficial organisms, and slow-release fertilizer that will help every garden thrive."

The Custom Soil Blend is one of the same blends used in Monrovia's growing fields. Rich with both ecto- and endo-mycorrhizae, the soil improves a plant's tolerance to transplant and drought stress, while the compost reduces the need for fertilizer and other nutritional supplements. This soil is perfect for containers and raised beds because the slow release fertilizer delivers nutrients for up to one year, and increases the soil's retention of these nutrients over time. Monrovia's Custom Soil Blend comes in 16-quart, and 1-, 2- and 50-cubic foot bags.

The Soil Amendment contains three key ingredients that make it ideal for planting and enriching existing garden soil. The mycorrhizae actually enlarge root surfaces, enabling them to absorb nutrients and water, while the compost stimulates biological activity for maximum growth. The Soil Amendment is fortified with slow-release fertilizer that adds extra nourishment during the plants' transition into the garden. Available in 1.5- and 50-cubic-foot bags, the amendment benefits the entire landscape as living mycorrhizae spread to other areas of the garden.

"As a premium grower, we are known for our ultra-healthy plants. They have strong root systems and really thrive in the landscape," said Wasson. "We believe that a major reason is our attention to soil." Monrovia custom blends more than 45 different soil mixes for its 2,200 different varieties of plants, and for the past 7 years has added mycorrhizae to its soil. "People have been asking if they could buy our soil and now they can."