Fact of the Month

Healthy soil will have roughly one million earthworms per acre. These wonderful creatures are aerating and fertilizing the soil every day. In the winter, earthworms can migrate up to eight feet below the surface.

Seed Yields and Inventories

The grass seed harvest in the summer of 2021 was absolutely horrible and was truly a once in a 75 – 100 year event. The grass seed harvest in the summer of 2022 was roughly average, with some species faring better than others. The end result is that all turfgrass seed has come down in price, except fine fescues (shade mixes).

In 2022, our prices on seed mixes stayed the same all year long. The reasoning is that by April 2022 we had purchased all the grass seed we would need for the whole year and much of that seed was under contract going back to August – November 2021. By late May 2022 the warehouses in Oregon were nearly empty. It was certainly a big risk to buy that much seed upfront, but thanks to our excellent customers it all worked out. Now that we are back to an average harvest and normal flow of inventory, seed prices will from time to time get adjusted up or down. The prices of seed mixes in the spring will surely not be the same in the fall.

Coated Seed

In 2022, we were essentially forced to purchase coated seed for three species; creeping red fescue, ladino clover and timothy. There simply was not enough tonnage from the harvest and those three species were all coated. Now that inventory levels are getting back to normal, we are transitioning back to carrying all species as raw seed.

New Products

This year we have switched from selling cover grow to selling diamond star pellet mulch. Diamond star pellet mulch is basically the same composition as cover grow, but with the addition of humic acid. Humic acid is a real workhorse in the soil and is often overlooked. Diamond star pellet mulch comes in a 40 pound bag, the same size bag as cover grow, but it is cheaper and in my opinion better, because of the addition of the humic acid.

This year we are also going to carry floc loc tackifier in 40 pound buckets. This bulk sizing means that you pay less per pound. We will still carry the 3 pound containers as well.

Green Valley Seed has been the leading wholesale supplier of seed and environmental supplies and the only one in the area that is locally owned. I want to thank all of our customers for your continued business. Last year was certainly challenging with the move to Columbiana and the short grass seed harvest all happening at the same time. I want to thank all of you for sticking with us through the challenging times of 2022 and hopefully everyone has a healthy and prosperous 2023.

Sincerely,

Bryan Hum
Green Valley Seed
1431 Heck Road Columbiana, OH 44408
330-533-4353
800-535-7882