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Scottsdale, Arizona based Ironite Products Company, the sole manufacturer of Ironite, a natural soil supplement and fertilizer, announced the results of extensive laboratory and field tests of its
popular lawn and garden product. Plant, toxicological and mineralogical tests, as well as a human risk assessment, were conducted by state agencies, soil and environmental laboratories, and academic institutions throughout the country.
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"Ironite is one of the most useful products I've found for maintaining green and healthy lawns" - Ted Chabot, Landscape Contractor
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Ten years ago, we started conducting plant studies to determine why Ironite was causing truly amazing root growth and healthy, green lawns said Heinz Brungs, Ironite president and chief executive officer.
Today, I am pleased to report the scope of rigorous testing this product has undergone to prove it is safe to use and safe to the environment.
The results of plant tests: Ironite enhances yield, quality and nutrient uptake by creating a stronger, healthier root system. Every time an experiment has been run with Ironite, a significant increase in root growth has been identified said Paul J. Eberhardt, Ph.D., soil scientist and agronomist, Inter Ag Services, Inc., Phoenix. In lawns this enhances disease resistance and produces a lush, green turf.
Recent studies conducted by Eberhardt have found: Ironite increased the yield of dry red chili peppers by more than 800 pounds per acre; root length averaged 200 percent longer in Ironite treated pots of perennial ryegrass lawns; Ironite used at low rates (1.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet) increased the root system of sweet corn more than 45 percent. Other crops being tested at this low rate of Ironite include broccoli, tomatoes, cantaloupe, Swiss chard, squash, cotton and common ryegrass.
The results of the human health risk assessment, and toxicological and mineralogical tests: Risk assessment studies that followed standard United States Environmental Protection Agency methods show Ironite poses no health concern for gardeners or homeowners. Toxicological tests confirm Ironite is safer than many other common household items if accidentally ingested. Mineralogical tests show metals naturally occurring in Ironite are not available for uptake by plants or humans, therefore, posing no threat to the environment.
As a good corporate citizen, Ironite has taken the right steps to demonstrate its product is safe said Paul D. Bergstrom, risk assessment manager, Knight Piesold and Co., an environmental consulting firm in Denver. According to Bergstrom, who conducted the comprehensive product safety risk assessment of Ironite, the results of the mineralogy study were strongly supported by the results of an acute oral LD 50 toxicity study conducted in rats in accordance with State of Washington and U.S. EPA methods. There were no deaths or toxicity observed in the rats given the highest dose required (5,000 mg of Ironite per kg of body weight) to measure toxicity.
At the conclusion of the study, the rats dosed with Ironite were as healthy as the rats not dosed with Ironite. If metals were truly of concern, we would have seen animal deaths and signs of toxicity said Bergstrom.
Ironite is a natural soil supplement and fertilizer that has been used internationally by farmers, professional landscapers and gardeners, agronomists and private homeowners who seek to improve root systems, plant color, and enhance green lawns. Athletic lawns and golf courses are major users of Ironite. A popular choice for home, lawn and garden for 43 years, Ironite is not manufactured by chemical processing, but rather from naturally occurring rock containing essential minerals.
If you have any questions, or comments, or need some advice, please write to us. Send us an email. Please include your name and address. We reserve the right to edit letters.
ProGardenBiz, a landscape and garden magazine for the Green Industry is your online resource for starting and operating a business as a landscape contractor or landscape and lawn maintenance gardener. Related fields covered by ProGardenBiz are irrigation installation and maintenance, sprinklers - repair and maintenance, waterscapes, water features, and ponds. You will also find information on plants, plant identification, trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the Green Industry. Visit our new Community Web Portal for Forums, Chat, FAQ's, News, Articles and more.
If the answers you seek on Ironite are not readily found, then drop us an email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?" columns.
Plant Fact
Perennial Ryegrass
No Grass Can Equal Perennial Ryegrass in its Ability to Rapidly Produce Thick, Durable Turf and Forage. Perennial Ryegrass is the world's most widely used grass and its ability to germinate in 7-10 days (even less under ideal conditions) is legendary. A cool-season grass, Perennial Ryegrass is widely used in northern regions for permanent turf and forage pastures and for the overseeding of dormant grasses in the southern United States.
Perennial Ryegrass is preferred by home owners because it produces a dark green turf which rapidly develops a strong root system, responds rapidly to fertilization and is not subject to disease problems which plague many other grasses. Because Perennial Ryegrass does not creep, as do some grasses, it is often combined with quality fine fescues and bluegrass to produce fine turf with the advantages of genetic diversity. Perennial Ryegrass performs in a wide variety of soil types and will do well in clay or compacted areas that are not subject to heavy use.
Perennial Ryegrass is especially popular for sports turf and has been used in most every premier sporting event including the Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup Soccer, Olympics and golf.
Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes and Sports
by David R. Mellor David Mellor's lawn patterns have been displayed on the fields of major-league sports teams and have been copied by professional grounds managers. In this guide for turf professionals and the interested reader, Mellor describes pattern-mowing techniques for use on home lawns, managed landscapes, sports fields, and golf courses.
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Title: Plant Tips - Ironite for Green, Healthy Lawns.
Description: ProGardenBiz is an Online magazine for the professional gardener, landscape contractor, irrigation specialist and others in the Green Industry. It covers lawn and garden maintenance, irrigation, landscape installation, landscape design, planting, tree care, waterscapes, business tips, and much more. This regular feature provides plant tips and advice on horticulture techniques for your landscape and garden business. This column is on Ironite.
To locate similar information important search terms to use are: garden, gardener, landscape, landscape contractor, landscaping, install landscaping, trees, tree care, aborist, aboriculture, plants, plant care, lawn, lawn care, lawns, lawn maintenance, mowing, mow, edge, grounds maintenance, nursery, Green Industry, landscape magazine, garden magazine, landscape business, garden business, landscape maintenance contractor, contractor techniques, plant tips, Ironite, green, healthy lawns.
used at low rates (1.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet) increased the root system of sweet corn more than 45 percent. Other crops being tested at this low rate of Ironite include broccoli, tomatoes, cantaloupe, Swiss chard, squash, cotton and common ryegrass. 
