Services

LET OUR QUALITY SERVICES…
PUT “GREEN” IN YOUR WALLET !

Quality Green Specialists

1639 N. Spring Garden Ave.(S.R. 15A), DeLand, FL 32720

Store: 386-734-8000   Dana: 386-837-3878   Allen: 386-747-0567

We help you Lower Costs and Increase Profits!  We will improve your soil and give you far better results!

Our Speciality is the Finest Laboratory Testing Services and Analysis & Recommendations that will improve Crop Yield, Fruit & Vegetable Quality, and Produce Shelf Life. Your fertilizer inputs will be reduced and you won’t have to apply them as often. Why? Because your soil quality will improve, your soil will hold more minerals of the right kind (with less Sodium that competes directly wth Potassium uptake), and mineral applications will be needed less often. There will be less leaching of minerals and you won’t be adding fertilizer with minerals you don’t need.

We provide laboratory services including determining soil levels of all key minerals including one of the most important and most over-looked – Silicon, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sulfur, Sodium (needed at very low levels, but competes with Potassium and often causes “Burn”), Boron, Iron, Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Aluminum (often at toxic levels in the soil), pH, Cation Exchange Capacity, Exchangeable Hydrogen, Base Saturation percentages of all the essential cations (mineral ions with positive charges) held in the soil colloidal complex, testing for organic matter, available and unavailable Phosphorus, plant tissue and fruit analysis, and complete water testing. We feature timely and precise testing, complete analysis and precise, easy to follow recommendations. See example at end of this page. We customize our testing services to meet your individual needs. Our consulting services are inexpensive and help reduce costs and increase profits on your farm, garden, golf course, ball field, park, or other green enterprise. Call us and let us demonstrate how our services will benefit you. We make “house calls”!

Our services include:
* Soil testing
* Scroll to the bottom of the page to see a random example of our precise, comprehensive, and easy to  understand and follow Soil Test Analysis & Recommendations that accompany every soil test.

* Water quality testing.

* Plant and fruit tissue analysis.

* Crop “liming” and pH adjustment testing and recommendations.

* Crop fertilizing recommendations.

* Cultural/growing recommendations.

* Pest control recommendations.

* Environmental site analysis and testing for remediation.

* Crop testing and recommendations for ferns, foliage, cut foliage, ornamentals, row crops, vegetables, fruit crops, nut crops, sod, golf courses, sports turf, pasture, fertilizer, feed, and environmental sites.

* High Quality raised bed gardens custom built and filled with the finest
custom-blended growing medium to make you say “wow” when you pick all the fresh, delicious organic vegetables for your table.

Quality Green Specialists:
We are a full service analytical testing service specializing in soil, water, plant, fern, foliage, cut foliage, ornamentals, vegetables, fruit crops, vineyard, sod, golf courses, sports turf, pasture, fertilizer, feed, and environmental remediation and contaminant testing. Our client base includes private farms, nurseries, ferneries, groves, orchards, sod farms, ranches, government agencies, horticultural wholesalers and retailers, universities, land fill operations and environmental concerns.

Call Quality Green today and see how we can put more money in your pocket with our customized green services.

Your Quality Green Specialists,

Dana Venrick, President/Founder & Co-owner
(386) 837-3878 (cell)
Email:
danavenrick@yahoo.com

Allen Day, Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer & C0-owner
(386) 747-0567 (cell)
Email: daylite2@yahoo.com

 Company Location and Mailing Address:
Quality Green Specialists, Inc.
1639 N. Spring Garden Ave. (S.R. 15A)
DeLand, FL 32720

Driving Directions:
We are located in the beautiful “Tree City” of DeLand, Florida in the northwest part of the city.  From Interstate 4, take exit 118 B, then go west on S.R. 44 toward DeLand to the west.  Drive 1/2 mile past DeLand’s beautiful and historic downtown, then turn right or north on Spring Garden Ave. (Hwy. 15A). Drive 2 miles and you will find us on the right (east side) at 1639 North Spring Garden Avenue, DeLand, FL 32720 (at the corner of Greens Dairy Rd. on the right).  From the Daytona Beach area, take U.S. Hwy 92 (International Speedway Blvd) to DeLand. At the intersection where U.S. Hwy. 92 connects with U.S. Hwy. 17, go straight ahead one mile on C.R. 92 . Then go right one block to Green’s Dairy Road and our store and nursery on the right.

Our store hours are 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Sunday:

Contact Us Today for Answers
to All Your Horticultural Needs:

Dana Venrick: 386-837-3878 (cell)
Email: 
danavenrick@yahoo.com

Allen Day: 386-747-0567
Email: 
daylite2@yahoo.com

 

Soil Test Analysis & Recommendations for Growing Olive Trees (based on site-specific soil tests before tree planting)

 pH in A is a fairly acidic 6.2 and a slightly acidic 6.8 in B (target is an alkaline 7.0 – 7.5 for olive trees – the keys are the correct levels and ratios of calcium and magnesium and other tested minerals. The pH readings can be very misleading – without the amounts and ratios of minerals in the soil, pH readings (soil acidity measurements) means very little.

Organic matter is 1.81% in A & 1.37% in B. This will increase with recommended inputs.

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is low in both at 4.31 & 3.73. This will increase with recommended inputs. Exchangeable Hydrogen, which facilitates exchange in the soil is sufficient at 12.00% in A & low in B at 3.00% – should be 10 – 15%.

Sulfur at 12 ppm in both is very low – should be >50 ppm.  Use recommended sulfate fertilizer forms, not Sulfur by itself.

Available Phosphorus (P) is at sufficient levels in both at 789 & 467 pounds per acre – 500 pounds available per acre is target & 130 pounds per acre is minimum.  This will improve with recommended inputs. Unavailable P is more than it should be at 448 lbs/ac in A & 214 lbs/ac in B. More of this will become available over time with recommended inputs and the resulting increase in beneficial soil microbial activity.

The soil is holding more Calcium than expected in both samples even though the actual amount is not that high because of the low Exchange Capacity (M.E. in report – this is sometimes expressed as CEC). Both calcium levels will increase somewhat as the organic matter & CEC of the soil improves.  The base saturation of calcium in the soil should be between 60-70%. Currently the base saturations are 75.61% and 83.95%. The base saturation of calcium in the soil is a reflection of the unbalance of minerals in the two soils and shortage of other minerals in these two soils.  Base saturation refers to the total amount of cations (bases) and the percentages of each of the cations held in the soil.  Cations or bases are positively charged ions (minerals) held by negative charges in the soil colloidal complex. The soil can hold only so many positively charged cations such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc., depending on the CEC of the soil. At the present time calcium is holding much more of the cation exchange space in the soil than it should at this low cation exchange capacity (CEC). As a result, there is not enough room for all the other cations at the optimum (in this case higher) levels. When the CEC improves with soil amendments, then the soil will hold the additional amounts of these necessary essential minerals so that they become available. When the soil is holding all essential minerals at the necessary higher amounts, fertilizer will not be needed as often and less will be needed with each application.

Magnesium (Mg)  levels are very low and is the primary reason the pH is not above 7 with the relatively higher amount of Calcium. The amounts are 50 & 56 lbs/ac – the target is over 200 lbs. per acre. The soil will hold much more as CEC improves. The base saturation of Magnesium should be 10-20% of the total. Now it is only 4.84% in A and 6.26% in B.

The calcium to magnesium ratios in the soil are unacceptable at 26:1 (meaning 26 to 1 or 26 times as much calcium as magnesium) and 22:1. A ratio at 11 to 1 or higher sequesters (ties up) magnesium & a ratio of 2 to 1 or less ties up Calcium.

Potassium is very low at 46 lbs/ac & 28 lbs/ac – soil with this CEC should hold around 200 lbs/ac. The base saturation should be 2-5% of the total being held by the soil. Now there is only 1.37% in A and 0.96% in B.

Sodium is a very low, which is desirable & our recommended inputs will keep it that way with low salt index materials. Stay away from chemical fertilizers with high salt indexes.  (Potassium should be twice as much as sodium.  Potassium and sodium are taken up identically by plants – excessive sodium in plant tissue results in weak, stress prone, disease prone, insect prone, and cold susceptible plants.)

Aluminum levels are too high at 436 ppm in A and O.K. at 193 ppm in B. We have a volcanic pumice (Azomite) with lots of negative charges that will buffer excessive amounts.  Aluminum is not an issue when it is below 250 ppm.

 Silicon (in the form of Silicon Dioxide) is very low in the soil at 16.79 ppm & 8.18 ppm – should be over 100 ppm. Silicon is one of the most important minerals responsible for optimum metabolism, strength and cold hardiness of plants. (Silicon in sand is Silicon Oxide and it is inert, insoluble and very unavailable to plants.)

 Manganese is low at 12 ppm & 22 ppm – needs to be 50-75 ppm to avoid a severe deficiency for plant metabolism.

 Copper is high at 17.04 & 14.63 ppm.  Target is 4 – 5 ppm. Do not use copper in fertilizers or use copper fungicides. Higher levels of calcium, magnesium, and silicon prevent toxicity.

 Zinc level is low at 4.9 ppm in A & a little high in B at 13.84 ppm. Target is 8-12 ppm.

Iron is O.K. in A at 127 ppm and a little low in B at 86 ppm. Target is 125 – 250 ppm.

Boron is low at 0.23 & 0.22 ppm – target: 1-2 ppm.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Apply Azomite® volcanic pumice. Besides buffering (because it contains lots of anions with negative charges), it also supplies lots of needed silicon, potassium, some magnesium and trace minerals that are low such as boron, manganese, and zinc as well as sulfur and traces of all minerals that are absent in native sandy soils. Apply Azomite® at the rate of 5 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. twice this year (200 pound per acre each time). Apply 2 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. (two 44 pound bags per acre) twice next year (total of 4 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft.).

 Apply Potassium Magnesium Sulfate (SPM or SulPoMag) separately to address the severe shortages of Potassium,  Magnesium and Sulfur. Apply at the rate of 5 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. three this year (200 pound per acre each time) in January, May/June, and September/October.

Use a natural/organic fertilizer such as our 3-0-5 fertilizer or a similar controlled release analysis with more potassium than nitrogen (and very low phosphorus) and apply at the rate of 300 pounds per acre (43,560 sq. ft.) and apply 3 times this year and following years in January, April, and July. Low salt index fertilizers are important.

Recommended option for improving growth & production: Use a liquid fertilizer such as our 3-6-9 with kelp and our 3 in 1 organic liquid fertilizer. Rate of application is one gallon per acre of each. Repeat at intervals of one to two months, preferably monthly.

Because Manganese is especially low, apply a Manganese product such as our liquid Mn 6% at the labeled rate 2-3 times per year. Continue next year if Manganese is still low.

Excellent additional input as necessary: Apply Potassium Silicate (e.g., Stimp-Up) separately at the rate of 14-16 oz. per acre. It is an excellent fungicide as well as a nutritional supplement for potassium and silicon.  A fall application helps to induce cold-hardiness along with the Azomite® volcanic pumice.

Use no aluminum based pesticides such as Aliette fungicide – Use a Phosphite product such as Agri-Fos instead for water mold diseases (root diseases) such as Phythothera and Pythium.  University of Florida studies have shown that Phosphite products control these diseases as well as or better than Aliette and is a safe product. Phosphite also costs less than ¼ as much as Aliette at the recommended rates as well.

Use no copper based pesticides because copper is at such high levels in the soil and likely will be in the plant tissue as well. A leaf tissue analysis this summer will be evidence.

Mancozeb type products (contains Mn & Zn) are good for disease control as well. Check the label.

NOTE: As soil CEC improves, dolomitic limestone may be an appropriate amendment next year or in the following year based on future soil testing. Dolomite has lots of calcium and magnesium and in about a 2:1 ratio that improves the soil ratio of calcium to magnesium. Right now, the soil calcium is too high for the CEC of the soil and is not advisable this year.

 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: A leaf tissue analysis this summer on leaves from the planted trees.  This is the best way to fine-tune fertilizer recommendations for the following year.