In order to be sold as “organic,” potted herbs, annuals and perennials must be produced according to the National Organic Program (NOP) regulation. All soil mix ingredients must be natural, or else on the National List of allowed synthetic materials. The soil mix may contain ingredients such as soil, sand, compost, peat, vermiculite, dried blood, fish products, bone meal, kelp, or perlite. The mix may not contain synthetic fertilizers or synthetic wetting agents. OMRI lists many approved transplant media products – see www.omri.org. The NOP does not directly address the type of materials allowed for the pots, but you should make sure that the pots do not contain or have not been treated with synthetic fungicides, preservatives, or fumigants.

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