The urge to plant is strong right now, but doing so without proper soil prep can yield disappointing results. So when you fill your nursery wagon with beautiful flowers, fruit trees, veggies and herbs, make a stop in the soil aisle for certified-organic compost, planting mix, potting soil and mulch! Then swing by the fertilizer shelves for a nice starter fertilizer or specialized plant food for what you’re growing.
Planting in Containers and Raised Beds?
You need fresh “potting soil” such as certified-organic Edna’s Best or Green-All Potting Soil. Old, used soil can be depleted in plant nutrients and can harbor pests and diseases. It’s always a good idea to start with fresh potting soil, but if you can’t, be sure to top off your pots and raised beds with fresh soil… and mix in the recommended amount of starter fertilizer. Taking time to tend your soil is the dirty little secret to garden success!
Planting in the Ground?
Look for E.B. Stone certified-organic Compost, Planting Mix, or Big Harvest Garden Soil. Any of these products will add much-needed organic matter or “OM” to your soil, no matter whether your soil tends to be clayey or sandy. OM is everything.
What about Fertilizer?
Feeding new plants and tired beds is an important step toward garden success. We like to alternate between fast-acting “liquid” water-soluble fertilizers that can be applied with a watering can and “dry” organic fertilizers that can be sprinkled on the soil surface or worked in at planting time and then watered in. To help get your plants off to a great start, Down to Earth fertilizers are 20% off through the month of April. And don’t throw away that box. Compost it!
And the “Icing on the Cake”?
Mulch! Adding a 2-4″ thick layer of mulch (i.e. shredded cedar, bark, microbark) not only gives your beds a finished look, it also helps to retain soil moisture and reduce soil erosion and runoff.
