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Voluntary Uniform
Product Guidelines (Page 2 of 3) |
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Part IV. Glossary of Terms Aged: Exposed to weathering and/or natural decay. Bark: The corky exterior covering of trees, including the cambium, with a maximum wood content (interior xylem) of 15%. Brand or Product Name: A specific designation applied to an individual product. Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss: Sphagnum Peat Moss harvested or mined in Canada. Cedar Mulch: Products derived 100% from trees of the genus Thuja or juniperus. Coir Pith: The processed pith found between fibers of coconut husks generally used to improve water, air, and nutrient retention in horticultural mixes. It generally appears reddish-tan and granular to fibrous, has a slightly acidic pH, and is available in different size gradations. Coir Fibre: Fiber from the outer husk of the coconut (Cocos nucifera), one widely used in planting beds and as a rooting medium. Compost: Soil amendment, landscape soil or horticultural growing media derived from the biological decomposition of organic matter accomplished by mixing and piling in such a way to promote aerobic and/or anaerobic decay which minimizes pathogens, viable weed seeds, and odors. It shall have soluble salts &Mac178;20 mmhos/cm and pH of 4.5- 8.04. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendices A-C and the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 40CFR, Part 503, Table 3. (See also, Landscape Soil, Potting Soil.) Container Soil / Mix: (See Potting Soil.) Cypress Bark Mulch: Products derived from the genus Taxodium and a maximum wood content of 15%. Cypress Mulch: products derived 100% from trees of the genus Taxodium. Forest Products: Untreated wood and its un-treated by-products generated from the harvest of timber. These products may include lumber, saw-dust,bark and similar materials but do not include reprocessed wood from fabricated consumer or industrial products. Garden Soil: (See Landscape Soil.) Hardwood Bark Mulch: products derived from deciduous hardwood trees and a maximum wood content of 15%. Hardwood Mulch: products derived 100% from deciduous hardwood trees . Hemlock Bark Mulch: products derived from the genus Tsuga and a maximum wood content of 15%. Hemlock Mulch: products derived 100% from the genus Tsuga . Horticultural Growing Medium: Any substance or mixture of substances which is promoted as or is intended to function as a commercial or consumer growing medium for the managed growth of horticultural crops in containers. Humus: A material for soil conditioning that is derived primarily from the decomposition of animal or vegetable matter in such a manner as the origin of the material is not recognizable. It shall have soluble salts less than or equal to 5.5 mmhos/cm and pH of 3.5-7.54. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. (See also, Landscape Soil, Soil Amendment.) Landscape Soil: A material, mix or blend for in-ground growing of plants, and made primarily from natural soils, bark, peat, humus, compost, and/or manure. It may include fertilizer, pesticides, and/or additives intended as soil conditioners (e.g., perlite, vermiculite, sand, peat moss, charcoal). It shall have soluble salts less than or equal to 20 mmhos/cm and pH of 4.5-7.54. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. Manure: Dried, pulverized, shredded, composted, or otherwise processed, manipulated, or treated animal manures are the excreta of animals together with whatever organic bedding or other materials are needed to follow good dairy barn, feedlot, poultry house, etc., practice in order to maintain proper sanitary conditions, to conserve plant food elements in the excreta, and to absorb the liquid portion without the addition of other material. It shall have soluble salts less than or equal to 100 mmhos/cm and pH of 4.5-9.04. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. (See also, Soil Amendment.) Mulch Blends: Bark, wood products, or reprocessed wood products containing more than one genus or a mix of forest products and/or reprocessed wood that have been mechanically screened and/or shredded. If reprocessed wood products are used in any portion of a blend, such use must be indicated on the product ingredient label. Mulch: Any product or material except peat or peat moss, that is advertised, offered for sale, or sold for primary use as a horticultural, above-ground dressing; for decoration, moisture control, weed control, erosion control, temperature control, or other similar purposes. (NIST2) Peat: Naturally occurring material for soil conditioning formed chiefly from the decomposition of organic matter in a water-saturated environment. It is composed chiefly of organic matter that contains some nitrogen of low activity. It shall have soluble salts less than or equal to3.5 mmhos/cm and pH of 4.5-7.24. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. (See also, Soil Amendment.). Peat Moss: Naturally occurring material formed chiefly from the partial decomposition of moss plants and organic matter in a water-saturated environment. It shall have soluble salts less than or equal to 3.5 mmhos/cm and pH of 3.0-6.54. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. (See also, Potting Soil, Landscape Soil and Soil Amendment.) Peat Moss, Sphagnum: A material obtained from a sphagnum peat deposit (bog) of which an oven dried sample contains a minimum of 66 2/3% sphagnum moss fiber by weight. Those fibers shall be stems and leaves that have recognizable fibrous and cellular structure. (AAPFCO1) (See also, Potting Soil, Landscape Soil and Soil Amendment.) Perlite, Horticultural: A unique volcanic alluminosilicate mineral which expands to about 13 times its original volume when it is heated to a temperature of approximately 1600 deg F. It is commonly used as a potting-compost ingredient or separately as a medium for rooting cuttings or for hydroculture. Pine Bark Mini-nuggets: products derived from the genus Pinus with particle size from 0.5" to 1.25" in diameter and a maximum wood content of 15%. Pine Bark Mulch: products derived from the genus Pinus and a maximum wood content of 15%. Pine Bark Nuggets: product derived from the genus Pinus with particle size from 1.25" to 2.75" in diameter and a maximum wood content of 15%. Pine Mulch: products derived 100% from conifers of genus Pinus . Planting Mix: (See Landscape Soil.) Potting Mix: (See Horticultural Growing Media) Potting Soil, Standard: Any material for in-container growing of plants with suitability for use determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix A. Potting Soil, Premium: Any material for in-container growing of plants, with suitability for use determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix B. Potting Soil, Professional: A potting soil formula used in commercial container production businesses with documented sales to professional growers of these establishments. Processed: Deliberately treated or manipulated to modify or transform physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the natural state of the substance. Product Label: An information panel which shall be prominently displayed on the product bag and which shall list the contents of the bag by component materials in declining order by percentage of volume. Product Name: The primary identification of a product given by the manufacturer and printed most prominently on the front of a product bag for the purpose of identifying the product to the consumer. Raw: In the natural state, and not prepared, modified or manipulated for use. Reprocessed Wood Products: Any wood recycled from forest products used in a consumer or industrial product and recycled by chipping, shredding, or other means as a mulch or filler material. Sludge/ Biosolids: The solid precipitate, resulting from water or sewage treatment processes, that contains human waste matter. It shall have soluble salts &Mac178;20 mmhos/cm and pH of 4.5-7.24. Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C and the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 40CFR, Part 503, Table 3. (See also, Soil Amendment.) Soil Amendment: Any substance which is intended to improve the physical characteristics of the soil, except commercial fertilizers, agricultural liming materials, unmanipulated animal manures, unmanipulated vegetable manures, pesticides and other materials exempted by regulation. (AAPFCO1) Suitability for use shall be determined by the testing protocol described in Appendix C. Soil Conditioner: (See Soil Amendment.) Soil: Any product or material except peat or peat moss that is advertised or offered for sale, or sold for primary use as a horticultural growing media, soil amendment, and/or soil replacement. (NIST2) Soilless: Without naturally occurring earth soil such as topsoils, mineral soil, clay, and silt. Stump & Root Mulch: products derived 100% from the processing of tree stumps and/or roots. Vermiculite, Horticultural: An aluminosilicate mineral, heat-treated to form expanded or ‘exfoliated’ granules with very low bulk density and a laminated structure that allows for good aeration and water retention. Top Soil: (See Landscape Soil.) Water-holding Polymer: Polyacrylamides, polyvinyl alcohols, starches and other substances, specifically manufactured to increase water retention in soil or substrates. Western Bark Mulch: products derived from conifer trees common to the Western region of North America with no more than 15% wood content. Western Bark Nuggets: products derived from conifer trees common to the Western region of North America with particle size from 1.50” to 2.25”in diameter, and a maximum wood content of 15%. Western Bark Mini-Nuggets: products derived from conifer trees common to the Western region of North America with particle size from 0.75” to 1.50” in diameter, and a maximum wood content of 15%. Western Mulch: products derived 100% from conifers common to the Western region of North America . Wetting Agent: A liquid or granular compound applied to horticultural mixes to improve their ability to wet, rewet and distribute water. Wood Mulch: Wood, wood products, or reprocessed wood that is mechanically shredded and/or screened. Wood: The interior hard fibrous (celluletic) xylem of trees.  Click Box to Continue to page 3 |
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Serving Industry Since 1972
Mulch and Soil Council 10210 Leatherleaf Ct., Manassas, VA 20111-4245 TEL: (703) 257-0111 / FAX: (703) 257-0213 info@mulchandsoilcouncil.org |
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Website created by Ryan LaGasse 2004
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