by Tyler Blackwell
Back to the Roots is Launching the Garden Industry’s 1st Ever Soil Packaging Made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic
In 2024, Back to the Roots will begin phasing in Certified Circular, 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastic into the packaging for its best-selling Organic Potting Mix, an Important Milestone in Sustainability for the Lawn & Garden Industry
by ATTN Agency Collaborator
Best Lighting Practices
FINDING THE BEST LIGHT FOR YOUR HERBS AND VEGETABLES Proper sunlight is one of the most important factors in successful plant growth. Most herbs and vegetables - including all of those offered by Back to the Roots - will thrive in a spot in your home that gets 8+ hours of direct sunlight each day. Are you stuck on how to find the best place for your herbs and vegetables? Here are three big tips! PLACE GROW KITS IN A SOUTH-FACING WINDOW For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing windows will receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day. Whether during the Summer or Winter months, the sun's daily path starts in the East, swings South, and then sets in the West. Placing your plants in south-facing windows will expose them to day-long sunshine and help them grow as strong as possible! Not sure which direction is south? Check your phone - most smart phones now include a digital compass app built in!Note: if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun's path - as well as your seasons - are mirrored, so north-facing windows are best for plant growth. The sun travels East to West along a curved path that swings South. During the winter, the sun appears lower in the sky, but south-facing windows still get plenty of direct light. NO SOUTH-FACING WINDOW? THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS! While east-facing and west-facing windows are your next best locations, plant growth will be noticeably diminished without the full sun of a south-facing window. We recommend supplementing the natural light from a east- or west-facing window with a grow light. We sell one on our site here! Try your best to avoid placing your plants in a north-facing window, where natural light alone will not be enough to sustain growth. Check out the photo below - the plant on the right was grown in a south-facing window, while the one on the left was grown in a north-facing window. Huge difference, right!? In this situation, a grow light will drastically increase plant health and allow it to flourish. A Tale of Two Windows - basil grown in a north-facing (left) and south-facing (right) environment. Light is the most important determining factor in successful plant growth! DETERMINE LIGHT INTENSITY WITH A QUICK SHADOW TEST Short of purchasing a light meter, determining exactly how much light your plants will receive can be difficult. Fortunately, there's a low-tech way of measuring your light intensity with a 'shadow test'! Around mid-day, place your hand ~1ft above where your plant will sit and spread your fingers wide. Look at the shadow cast by your hand. A well-defined shadow means your light is strong, while fuzzier and fainter shadows mean you may need to supplement it with a grow light. With your hand just above the proposed plant location, examine your shadow to determine if you have direct light (like the left image) or indirect light (on the right). Armed with this info, you’re well on your way to healthy plants! Still confused? Have other questions? As always, Back to the Root’s team of growing experts are here for you. Reach out and we’ll get you growing!
by Nikhil Arora
Organic Shiitake Mushrooms Grow Kit FAQs
GROW ONE, GIVE ONE Did you notice our Grow One, Give One campaign on your Shiitake Grow Kit Instructions? At Back to the Roots, we're a small, passionate team on a mission to reconnect families back to where food comes from. As part of that mission, for every Indoor Gardening Kit product you post a photo with, we'll donate the same product & a custom curriculum to an elementary school classroom of your choice! Learn more and send us your photo at BacktotheRoots.com/GiveOne THE LOG HAS ALREADY PRE-FRUITED WHEN I OPEN THE BOX. WHAT DO I DO NOW? It’s OK if the log pre-fruited — shiitakes are an aggressive species — and it just means the mycelium is healthy and active, and your growing environment is perfect. If the pre-fruit pin size is larger than a dime, skip the soaking step, and start spraying water on the block or rinse the log directly under tap water. Then cover the log with the plastic bag for 2-3 days to keep moist until the mushrooms begin to grow larger. I RECEIVED THE LOG, BUT IT BROKE INTO A FEW PIECES. IS THE LOG STILL GOOD? Yes, the log is still great and the mycelium is not damaged when broken. You may grow them as if you received two logs. Just soak them both per the instructions, place both in the bag, and remove them when you start seeing pinning. I SAW GREEN MOLD ON THE LOG. WHAT DO I DO NOW? Think of this as a mold that sometimes appears on fruit or bread. If the conditions are right (humidity + heat) it can show up as the block is nutrient-rich. It is ok to scrape off the mold and then rinse the log off under tap water. Continue growing as usual. If it is all over the log, please contact us for a replacement. WHAT SHALL I DO IF MY LOG HAS NOT STARTED FRUITING AFTER ONE WEEK? Spray water more frequently or soak the block again until it weighs around 4 lbs to promote pinning. You may also rinse the log directly under the tap water for a few minutes to keep it moist. The alternative is to wrap the log in the plastic bag and put it in the fridge and take it out after 24 hours (repeat the process after 24 hrs if no pinning has started). The temperature change may promote fruiting. CAN I RECYCLE THE SPENT SHIITAKE LOG INTO MY COMPOST BIN? Yes. It’s an excellent amendment to compost. Or, you may bury ⅔ of the log underground and leave ⅓ above ground in a shaded area in your yard. The log may fruit again in the future. WHAT IS THE SUBSTRATE MADE FROM? The substrates are a mixture of fruitwood, sawdusts, brans, and gypsum. WHAT TEMPERATURE IS BEST TO GROW MY SHIITAKES? 60F-75F. DO I NEED TO GROW THE LOG UNDER DIRECT SUNLIGHT? No need to put the log under direct sunlight. Indirect light from a window or artificial light will work great. HOW DO I DECIDE WHEN IT’S READY TO HARVEST? Harvest your mushrooms before the mushroom caps start to flatten. IF I DON’T PLAN TO GROW THE BLOCK IMMEDIATELY, HOW SHALL I STORE THE LOG? Keep the log inside the box without wrapping it in the plastic bag. Put the box in the fridge until ready to use. HOW DO I LAY THE LOG AFTER SOAKING? For best results, lay the log horizontally and place it on a shallow dish or tray.< MY GROWING ENVIRONMENT IS PRETTY DRY. CAN I KEEP THE LOG INSIDE THE PLASTIC BAG FOR THE ENTIRE GROWING TIME UNTIL HARVEST? Yes, our 12-hole plastic bag has ample room to serve as a humidity tent to keep the log moist until harvest. LOST YOUR INSTRUCTION BOOKLET? Don’t worry! Download a digital version of the Shiitake Mushroom Grow Kit Discovery Booklet here:
