Why Atomic Grow Sucks! - Page 7

Hermitian · January 23, 2012

The results of the assay on the Atomic Grow product have returned. As advertised, it is primarily plant extracts -- although not all of them would meet the criteria of "food feeding food" as stated on the label. However, I don't think anyone would object to using the contents on their tomato plants or any other food crop.

I firmly believe this product would be far more successful with a legal Fertilizing Material license from the state of FL that included an analysis of plant nutrients; plus a license from the EPA for the advertised pesticide/fungicide action and a statement of the active ingredients used to achieve it. Mr. Shellenback has indicated he is doing this, and also has been working with the USDA to obtain his NOP certificate. With these in hand, he could go to the "Green Light" agricultural marketing firm and contract production for nationwide sales -- this would earn an enviable royalty.

As it stands though, Mr. Shellenback has persisted in advertising his product online and sales are being continued without licensing. This is occurring both through his affiliated website and in the Crowley's nursery store. One of my colleagues from bananas.org tells me that verbal claims are being made in the store with regard to product performance that the product is not licensed for.

Four weeks ago I warned Mr. Shellenback that he comply with the state of FL and the EPA before they came to him. It is true that inspectors move on the time scale of weeks, but I imagine his time has about run out. At this point he can add violation of federal interstate commerce regulations to his woes.

Zeedman · May 28, 2012

Wow... that was a read. Entertaining, though. I stopped to go through this thread after a similar attempt to hype this product popped up on another forum that I frequent (don't know if it is allowed for me to link the thread). Any updates?

Orang3 · June 13, 2012

A little drama in Tomatoville. I dig it!

Some people are just not very smart. If you want to sell snake oil at least try to be slick about. Jim's subsequent responses to defend his position by attacking others is childish and made him look like a fool. He could have walked away with just a slap on the wrist. But now, it looks like Mischka has his head oh so gently pressed against the chopping block.

edweather · August 3, 2012

I read most of the thread last night when I was exhausted. Just shows what an entertaining read it was. The only thing that sticks in my mind is the lawyer's name. RAJ ABH'YANKER'......guess the saying that "water seeks it's own level," is proven once again.

greentiger87 · September 4, 2012

So, as far as I can tell, this product is just vegetable based soap/surfactant, and sugar from various sources. There's another "miracle" product with even more outlandish claims that seems to be almost identical to this - called Bio Wash. Unfortunately, this product has the endorsement of a well known gardening personality in Dallas who many people trust.

Obviously the surfactant will kill insects - just like castille soap or insecticidal soap. The more contentious issue is: can sugar applied to leaves actually enter the tissue in any significant way? Could this result in frost protection through the antifreeze properties of sugars, or even directly contribute to the carbohydrate stores of the plant?

I'm skeptical because I haven't been able to find any evidence that this penetration occurs. And if you really could "feed" plants a significant amount of carbohydrates through their leaves... wouldn't everyone be doing this? Imagine how much cheaper it would be to grow beets for sugar and then feed it to more finicky, high-profit fruiting plants? I do recall that experiments with injecting sugars into the phloem of plants were failures (I don't remember why).

Anyway, I suspect that if you want to make decent homemade version of this product, you can just mix together castille soap and molasses.

ArcticCat · December 15, 2012

I just read this thread for the first time. I went to this guys website and it's still up. My question is, if he is breaking all these rules, how is he still in business? This thread originated in 2009. We are moving into 2013, barring the Myans laughing last on Dec 21... He is still selling product and very much in "business". As for him logging on to pimp his stuff, its all good, but it's not right to make up testimonials / reviews to mislead people.

my opinion... I'll let mother nature be my growth additive!

interesting stuff

Delerium · August 9, 2013

I came across this for some reason while browsing Youtube. Not sure if anyone else saw this guy bad mouthing Tomatoville and Mischka. I find Tomatoville to be very helpful and love reading all the threads from experienced tomato growers.

link removed - M.

Doug9345 · August 9, 2013

It was discussed at length here.
http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=19958&page=27

**Mischka** · September 10, 2013

Quote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Shellenback
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2013
Subject: "Why Atomic Grow sucks"
To: webmaster@tomatoville.com

Craig Shea, we have hired a law firm to handle your blog agianst us. This is an ugly process and it will surely make your life miserable for years to come. I am sending you this email to give you the opportunity to close the blog agianst me and my company. We have proven that you are making an attempt to cause me bodily harm and are actively engaged in efforts to publish material that violates our right to do business and livelyhood to the tune of about 7 figures. As much as i dont like you and as much as our law firm told me not to contact you I am writing you to give you 1 last opportunity to take the negative blog down. It makes no difference to us because at this point its cheaper to sue you as we begin relations with box stores like Home Depot, Ace Hardware etc.. So amigo we hope you do the right thing here. Have a nice day.

kurt · September 10, 2013

Bodily harm?Seems like he is jumping on the Pinochio Joe bandwagen since he has commented on the You Tube videos regarding Langham Act/Tvilles TM etc.For them it seems they still beleive in the "Bad Pubilicity is Good Publicity"mantra.They should be more concerned with a belief called "Legacy".Because both of them will always be remembered as.......What a underhanded way to get free advertisement and publicity.

ScottinAtlanta · September 10, 2013

Not the Shellenback character again? Like a bad penny, he keeps turning up in all of the wrong places. There is adequate documentation here and elsewhere of his dishonest business practices, including salting gardening sites with fake reviews of his product.

The truth must smart right sharp, Shelly.

Raffles · September 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt

Bodily harm?Seems like he is jumping on the Pinochio Joe bandwagen since he has commented on the You Tube videos regarding Langham Act/Tvilles TM etc.For them it seems they still beleive in the "Bad Pubilicity is Good Publicity"mantra.They should be more concerned with a belief called "Legacy".Because both of them will always be remembered as.......What a underhanded way to get free advertisement and publicity.

My guess is someone asked if we were casting aspersions at him an he assumed it had to do with throwing cats. Undoubtedly he will now claim he was hit in the puss with a puss and see that as just claws for legal action.

I hope if he gets an attorney in the real world (as opposed to his imagination) that he gets with a heavy fee line for all of his caterwauling.

Sun City Linda · September 15, 2013

Haha. Home Depot, big box stores.... I think his marketing probably most resembles Tupperware home parties.

Bodily harm?

Tempting.

crazyoldgooseman · February 21, 2014

When I'm down and out reading this thread always cheers me up!

zero244 · July 8, 2014

I have never heard of this product until I read this thread. I am kind of a hard sell when comes to additives and specialized blends etc. Based on some of the people who have used this product it works like a herbicide as well as a growth enhancer depending on the strength of the mix.

January 23, 2012	#91
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	The results of the assay on the Atomic Grow product have returned. As advertised, it is primarily plant extracts -- although not all of them would meet the criteria of "food feeding food" as stated on the label. However, I don't think anyone would object to using the contents on their tomato plants or any other food crop. I firmly believe this product would be far more successful with a legal Fertilizing Material license from the state of FL that included an analysis of plant nutrients; plus a license from the EPA for the advertised pesticide/fungicide action and a statement of the active ingredients used to achieve it. Mr. Shellenback has indicated he is doing this, and also has been working with the USDA to obtain his NOP certificate. With these in hand, he could go to the "Green Light" agricultural marketing firm and contract production for nationwide sales -- this would earn an enviable royalty. As it stands though, Mr. Shellenback has persisted in advertising his product online and sales are being continued without licensing. This is occurring both through his affiliated website and in the Crowley's nursery store. One of my colleagues from bananas.org tells me that verbal claims are being made in the store with regard to product performance that the product is not licensed for. Four weeks ago I warned Mr. Shellenback that he comply with the state of FL and the EPA before they came to him. It is true that inspectors move on the time scale of weeks, but I imagine his time has about run out. At this point he can add violation of federal interstate commerce regulations to his woes. __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

August 3, 2012	#94
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	I read most of the thread last night when I was exhausted. Just shows what an entertaining read it was. The only thing that sticks in my mind is the lawyer's name. RAJ ABH'YANKER'......guess the saying that "water seeks it's own level," is proven once again. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

December 15, 2012	#96
ArcticCat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 46	I just read this thread for the first time. I went to this guys website and it's still up. My question is, if he is breaking all these rules, how is he still in business? This thread originated in 2009. We are moving into 2013, barring the Myans laughing last on Dec 21... He is still selling product and very much in "business". As for him logging on to pimp his stuff, its all good, but it's not right to make up testimonials / reviews to mislead people. my opinion... I'll let mother nature be my growth additive! interesting stuff __________________ Just another noob from Michigan! Owner of Summit Metal Designs

September 10, 2013	#100
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	Bodily harm?Seems like he is jumping on the Pinochio Joe bandwagen since he has commented on the You Tube videos regarding Langham Act/Tvilles TM etc.For them it seems they still beleive in the "Bad Pubilicity is Good Publicity"mantra.They should be more concerned with a belief called "Legacy".Because both of them will always be remembered as.......What a underhanded way to get free advertisement and publicity. __________________ KURT

February 21, 2014	#104
crazyoldgooseman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Maryland 7a Posts: 200	When I'm down and out reading this thread always cheers me up! __________________ Anybody see where I sat my beer? -crazyoldgooseman

May 28, 2012	#92
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	Wow... that was a read. Entertaining, though. I stopped to go through this thread after a similar attempt to hype this product popped up on another forum that I frequent (don't know if it is allowed for me to link the thread). Any updates?

June 13, 2012	#93
Orang3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 16	A little drama in Tomatoville. I dig it! Some people are just not very smart. If you want to sell snake oil at least try to be slick about. Jim's subsequent responses to defend his position by attacking others is childish and made him look like a fool. He could have walked away with just a slap on the wrist. But now, it looks like Mischka has his head oh so gently pressed against the chopping block.

September 4, 2012	#95
greentiger87 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Houston, TX - 9a Posts: 211	So, as far as I can tell, this product is just vegetable based soap/surfactant, and sugar from various sources. There's another "miracle" product with even more outlandish claims that seems to be almost identical to this - called Bio Wash. Unfortunately, this product has the endorsement of a well known gardening personality in Dallas who many people trust. Obviously the surfactant will kill insects - just like castille soap or insecticidal soap. The more contentious issue is: can sugar applied to leaves actually enter the tissue in any significant way? Could this result in frost protection through the antifreeze properties of sugars, or even directly contribute to the carbohydrate stores of the plant? I'm skeptical because I haven't been able to find any evidence that this penetration occurs. And if you really could "feed" plants a significant amount of carbohydrates through their leaves... wouldn't everyone be doing this? Imagine how much cheaper it would be to grow beets for sugar and then feed it to more finicky, high-profit fruiting plants? I do recall that experiments with injecting sugars into the phloem of plants were failures (I don't remember why). Anyway, I suspect that if you want to make decent homemade version of this product, you can just mix together castille soap and molasses.

August 9, 2013	#97
Delerium Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: California Posts: 942	I came across this for some reason while browsing Youtube. Not sure if anyone else saw this guy bad mouthing Tomatoville and Mischka. I find Tomatoville to be very helpful and love reading all the threads from experienced tomato growers. link removed - M.

August 9, 2013	#98
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	It was discussed at length here. http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=19958&page=27

September 10, 2013	#101
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Not the Shellenback character again? Like a bad penny, he keeps turning up in all of the wrong places. There is adequate documentation here and elsewhere of his dishonest business practices, including salting gardening sites with fake reviews of his product. The truth must smart right sharp, Shelly.

September 15, 2013	#103
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Haha. Home Depot, big box stores.... I think his marketing probably most resembles Tupperware home parties. Bodily harm? Tempting.

July 8, 2014	#105
zero244 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Oregon Posts: 47	I have never heard of this product until I read this thread. I am kind of a hard sell when comes to additives and specialized blends etc. Based on some of the people who have used this product it works like a herbicide as well as a growth enhancer depending on the strength of the mix.