Watch as Kaleb @WyseGuide plants perennials in his newly installed flowerbeds. Kaleb uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus when planting his new plants and amends the soil in the beds with Espoma Organic Plant-tone.
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Watch as Kaleb @WyseGuide adds some instant color to his decorative front flower pots.
Kaleb uses Espoma Organic All Purpose Potting Mix when adding new plants to his outdoor containers.
When planting, we always recommend adding in some Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to help provide the nutrients plants need to thrive in their new location.
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Edible landscaping is a fun way to add beauty and flavor to your garden. You can enjoy the beauty of plants and gorgeous curb appeal, while also harvesting delicious fruits, vegetables, and herbs. It can add flavor, nutrition, and beauty to your garden, and provide food for your family. Here are 10 tips to get started.
This blog is inspired by Episode 91 of Growing Joy with Maria Podcast, where host Maria Failla interviewed her mom, lovingly referred to as “Mama Failla” to share her top 10 tips for Edible Landscaping and Gardening.
Start Small
Take the time to familiarize yourself with your land and start with a small section or specific edible plants that you love to eat. This approach allows you to learn and adapt as you go. Maria and her Mom suggest starting with herbs, as they are easy to grow and provide a variety of flavors and colors. Basil is their favorite!
Understand your light and water
Keep an eye on your garden’s light and water needs. During the warmer months, track the sunlight patterns in your garden to ensure adequate exposure. For convenient watering, plan your garden near a hose or irrigation system. If you’re hand-watering, make sure your garden is a manageable size and within your ability to water effectively. When planting, you can use Espoma Organic Bio-Tone Starter Plus to promote strong root development. This will enhance water absorption for your plants.
Understand your soil
Know your soil by getting a local soil test. Then get it ready for planting season by adding a healthy dose of compost and organic matter. Compost is like a multivitamin for your soil, providing essential nutrients and improving soil health. Choose soil and compost that you can transport easily such as Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost.
Check out this fun compost bag hack, Maria’s plant friend Melody taught her.
Pick what you can do, what you want to do, and what you can afford to do
Choose plants that suit your taste, capabilities, and wallet. Divide and reuse perennials to keep costs down and select plants that grow joy. Consider a blend of annuals and perennials for season-long blooms, and boost the soil with Espoma Organic Bulb-Tone when planting bulbs like daffodils and tulips.
Get family and friends involved
Turn gardening into a bonding experience by involving your loved ones in composting and gardening tasks. Assign different garden tasks to family members and share cuttings and plants with neighbors. Teach children in your neighborhood about how plants grow.
Get your gardener involved
If you’re a novice or unsure about your soil, bring in a gardener to give you a hand. They can help pick the right plants and assist with composting and waste disposal. Espoma Organic Garden Lime can adjust your soil’s pH, creating the perfect environment for your plants under the guidance of your gardener.
Plan your seasons
Strategize your garden layout with the seasons in mind. Plant bulbs in the fall for a burst of springtime flowers and add annuals for a summer color party. Plan for winter too with sturdy plants like cabbage and nourish your plants throughout the year with Espoma Organic Plant-tone and Garden-tone.
Start with annual color
Brighten up your garden with vibrant annuals like impatiens, begonias, and coleus. Play with textures for extra visual appeal, unless you’re aiming for a specific plant variety. Improve the growth and vitality of your flowers with Espoma Organic Flower-Tone, a premium flower food that promotes abundant blooms and vibrant colors.
Choose a time to devote to your garden
Gardening loves regular care, so it’s important to set aside specific time to tend to your garden. Three times a week should do the trick, preferably in the cooler mornings. Regular maintenance, like weeding, keeps your garden looking tidy. Use Espoma Organic Weed Preventer to naturally control weeds and create a barrier that saves you time and effort.
Mama Failla’s rules for protecting yourself in the garden
Enjoy gardening but remember to stay safe. Dress in closed-toed shoes, long pants tucked into socks, and a long-sleeved shirt with cuffs that cover your hands. Double-glove to keep your hands clean. Top it off with a hat and sunglasses to protect your skin from the sun, and consider a visor to shield the back of your neck.
By following these tips and putting in the necessary time and effort, your edible landscape will flourish, providing you with a source of joy, beauty, and fresh, homegrown produce. Enjoy your gardening journey and reap the rewards of your efforts!
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Watch as Summer Rayne Oakes @FlockFingerLakes shows you how to Plant a Japanese Maple tree in the landscape.
Summer is transplanting a Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) ‘Cherries Jubilee’. It’s important to use a good starter fertilizer to help reduce transplant shock. Summer uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to give this new tree the nutrients it needs to become established in the landscape.
Learn more about Flock Finger Lakes here:
Website: homesteadbrooklyn.com
Instagram – @homesteadbrooklyn
YouTube – Summer Rayne Oakes
Twitter – @sroakes
Facebook – Summer Rayne Oakes
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Filling raised beds with the perfect soil can get pretty expensive. Kevin Espiritu from @Epicgardening is here to help you do it for cheap using Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix and a variation of the hugelkultur method
While filling raised beds can be expensive, there is a way to fill a garden bed on the cheap. Make use of any existing organic matter on your property (sticks, logs, brush, grass clippings, unfinished compost, etc.) to fill the bottom half of your bed, then fill the remainder with a high-quality soil mix like Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix.
This method is particularly useful when growing in TALL (18″+) beds, as you don’t need the perfect soil mix all the way down. Over time, the fill material will break down and become food for bacteria, fungi, and other soil life and turn into high-quality soil for your garden over the years.
As always we recommend planting with Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus and feeding your established raised beds with Espoma Organic Plant-tone or Garden-tone.
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Raised bed gardening is quickly gaining popularity among homeowners who are keen on growing their vegetables and flowers. In this article, we will discuss raised bed gardening, its benefits, designing a garden plot, plant propagation, and other gardening techniques you may find useful.
This blog is inspired by Episode 120 of Growing Joy with Maria Podcast, where host Maria Failla interviewed Nicole Burke from Gardenary to get personalized garden coaching, enriched with insightful perspectives on self-care, nature connection, and life overall.
Raised beds offer several benefits, making them an excellent choice for urban gardening enthusiasts. Here are some great reasons why raised beds might be just what you need for your garden:
When you’re planning your raised bed garden, here are things that you should think about:
Deciding the Size (because size matters!)
The minimum recommended size for a raised bed is 4×4 or 2×8 feet. It’s important to have a wide enough bed that can accommodate a trellis in the center to support vining plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, and squashes.
Choosing the Material
You can make raised beds from wood, bricks, or concrete blocks. Wood is popular because it’s cheap, easy to work with, and looks great in the garden! Consider using untreated wood to prevent chemicals from leaching into your soil.
Creating the Soil
Good-quality soil is a must for your raised bed! The right soil blend will support your plants’ growth and provide the necessary nutrients. Espoma Organic’s Raised Bed Mix is the perfect option.
Choosing the Plants
Choose plants based on your overall garden plan, and consider their size, growth habits, and needs. Make sure to select varieties that will thrive in your climate and the specific conditions of your garden.
Plant with Purpose:
It’s crucial to plant mindfully to ensure a bountiful harvest. To get the most out of your garden, plant smart! Know the ins and outs of different plant families and their growth patterns, and be sure to plant them in the right season. Companion planting can also help plants grow better together.
Starting Plants from Seeds
Starting plants from seeds can be intimidating, but it’s cheaper than buying seedlings, and fun! Just use high-quality seeds, clean containers, and good potting soil, and you’ll be good to go. We recommend using Espoma’s Organic Seed Starter to ensure successful germination. Be patient and provide the right conditions for germination.
Growing Plants on a Trellis
Cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and beans love growing on trellises, which can save space and look fantastic. Planting vining plants on opposite sides of the trellis can make your garden even more gorgeous. Trellises also improve airflow, which can help prevent diseases.
Pest Control
Planting marigolds and basil can help keep pests away from your tomatoes. Plus, keeping your garden tidy, not over-fertilizing, and using organic pest control methods can help keep your raised bed garden pest-free. To help your plants grow strong and healthy, consider using Espoma’s Garden Tone as a natural, organic fertilizer.
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Raised bed gardening is an excellent option for urban gardeners with limited space and mobility and can provide bountiful harvests with creative design options. Learning about the benefits, principles, and techniques of raised bed gardening can make your gardening more enjoyable and give you a chance to get back in touch with nature!
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Watch as Kaleb Wyse @Wyseguide transplants trees and fertilizes his Hydrangeas this spring.
Kaleb uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus prior to putting his trees in the ground and Espoma Organic Holly-tone when fertilizing his Hydrangeas.
Learn More about Kaleb Wyse here:
Kaleb Wyse – @WyseGuide: https://www.youtube.com/c/WyseGuide
Website – https://www.wyseguide.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WyseGuide/
nstagram – https://www.instagram.com/wyseguide/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/wyseguide/
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Join Kaleb from @WyseGuide as he digs into new projects for spring!
Have you considered changing the locations of your trees, shrubs or other plants in your garden? Or maybe you are debating adding some new garden beds to your space this spring, but feel overwhelmed by the project? Kaleb @will show how easy it can be to create new flowerbeds by letting us follow along as he makes a new one in his landscape. He will show how easy it can be to edge and design a new garden bed without any professional experience. Then continue to watch Kaleb as he transplants a spruce tree from one area of his property to another. He will also explain why he chooses to use our Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus when he wants to encourage root growth with transplanting or any new plantings.
Learn More about Kaleb Wyse here:
Kaleb Wyse – @WyseGuide: https://www.youtube.com/c/WyseGuide
Website – https://www.wyseguide.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WyseGuide/
nstagram – https://www.instagram.com/wyseguide/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/wyseguide/
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Who says you can’t pot plants in the winter?
Watch as Laura from @GardenAnswer shows you what she’s planting this time of year while using Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix and Bio-tone Starter Plus! Laura takes you on a tour of her majestic greenhouse and beautiful plant studio. Take notes as she shares valuable plant care tips that you can utilize to be successful his winter.
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/gardenanswer
https://www.facebook.com/gardenanswer
https://www.instagram.com/gardenanswer/
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Another win for Garden Answer! From boxwoods to trees to a brand new bulb-garden, this planting haul is one for the books. Honorable mentions? Espoma Organic’s Bio-Tone, Potting Soil, and Bulb-Tone are the true heroes of this epic. See how they’re essential for long-lasting healthy blooms in the video below!
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/gardenanswer
https://www.facebook.com/gardenanswer
https://www.instagram.com/gardenanswer/
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