To ensure the consistency and quality of our mixes, we control every aspect of the production process. Batch after batch, our mixes maintain the proper balance of air and water, which means you are creating from a superior clean canvas every time.
While other companies may only test their products after production, we begin by assuring the quality of our raw materials. Fafard suppliers have strict quality-control programs at their facilities, and we test and retain samples upon arrival. Our Canadian sphagnum peat moss is harvested from our own peat bogs. We age our own bark. And we use weed- and pathogen-free materials to ensure our mixes start with the highest quality ingredients.
Fafard’s manufacturing process is an exercise in the art of precision. Our programmable logic controller-driven manufacturing lines add the exact proportion of ingredients into each mix. The hoppers that hold ingredients have unique encoders to control speed, and they’re regularly calibrated to remain consistent. The process is closely monitored by technicians to further guarantee precision and uniformity.
During the entire production process, Fafard mixes undergo at least 22 individual tests. This includes quality-assurance, physical-properties and analytical tests. After the mixes are blended, we run tests for attributes such as bulk density, water retention and porosity. Both soluble-salt content (EC) and pH tests are performed continuously throughout the process, and a sample is then catalogued and stored.
Before your mix reaches you, we run one more crucial quality-assurance test: We actually grow plants in every batch of mix Fafard produces to guarantee it is up to our expectations and yours.