Pennington® Seed Enhances 1-Step Complete™ and Smart Seed™ - The Best Products Are Now Even Better

MADISON, Ga., March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennington® Seed, Inc., one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of lawn, garden and turf care products, today announced the enhancement of its Pennington® 1-Step Complete™, a pre-mixed combination product (seed, mulch and fertilizer) that is specially designed to easily patch and repair trouble areas for beautiful, thick grass. The professional-grade mulch in Pennington® 1-Step Complete™ now features a proprietary mix of multiple fiber sources, biopolymers and biostimulants to ensure seeds stay in place, germinate and produce deeper, healthy roots. 

Backed by U.S. Patent No. 5,916,027 and No. 6,349,499, this improved version of Pennington® 1-Step Complete™ utilizes the industry's most cutting-edge technologies. The mulch, which is manufactured by Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based PROFILE® Products LLC -- a world-leading supplier of hydraulic mulch and soil conditioners -- offers the same proprietary technology that hydroseeding professionals use. When watered, the mulch forms a protective layer over the soil to help retain moisture during the critical seed germination and establishment stages. The tackifier in the mulch keeps the protective layer in place so seeds will not wash away on small hills and slopes or during heavy rains.

Pennington® 1-Step Complete™ also contains Pennington® Smart Seed™, which was developed for drought tolerance, requiring up to 30 percent less water year after year versus common seed. Every bag of Pennington® Smart Seed™ contains pure seed and no filler, fungicide or heavy coating.

Each seed is further enhanced with Pennington®'s exclusive MYCO Advantage™ seed technology, which helps to introduce beneficial micro-organisms that attach themselves to the emerging seed roots for a denser, deeper root system.

"In combination, these seed varieties and mulch technologies ensure unparalleled performance -- whether planting new lawns, thickening existing ones or patching bare spots," said Kenneth Hignight, director of research and product development for NextGen Turf Research, which is owned and operated by Pennington Seed. "For example, the resulting grass growth in Pennington® 1-Step Complete™ is 80 percent thicker at 32 days after planting with half the water required verses ordinary grass seed."

Specialized variety mixes of Pennington® 1-Step Complete™ are customized to specific climates to take the guesswork out of mix selection. Varieties include: Tall Fescue Areas, Sun & Shade Areas, and Dense Shade Areas.

Pennington® Smart Seed™ comes in both traditional variety mixes (Perennial Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Fescue/Bluegrass), as well as specialized blends or mixes that are customized to specific regional climates. Varieties include: Sun & Shade, Dense Shade, Northeast Mix, Midwest Mix, Pacific Northwest Mix and Pennsylvania State Mix.

About Pennington Seed, Inc.

Founded in 1945 by Brooks Pennington, Sr., Pennington® Seed, Inc. had humble beginnings as a small feed and seed store located in Madison, Ga., where the company is still headquartered today. Since the company's founding, Pennington Seed has grown into a multi-million dollar organization, employing more than 1,000 associates to support its research and development, sales and marketing, and manufacturing, production and distribution operations. Pennington is one of the largest manufacturers, producers and distributors of lawn, garden and turf care products in the world, with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, observation nurseries and quality control labs located across the country.

Pennington is owned by Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT), a leading innovator and manufacturer of quality branded products for the lawn, garden and pet supplies markets. To learn more about Pennington Seed, visit www.penningtonseed.com. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, visit www.central.com.

SOURCE Pennington Seed, Inc.

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