As the official kickoff to summer, Memorial Day weekend is the perfect excuse to tidy up the garden. So before you bring out your red, white and blue and get ready for the summer season, spend a little time cleaning up around the yard.
And yes, Memorial Day may be the start of summer fun, let’s not forget the real reason behind the holiday and thank our veterans.
This federal holiday, observed the last Monday of May, honors those who’ve died serving in our country’s armed forces. Formerly known as Decoration Day, the holiday originated after the Civil War to commemorate both Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war.
Take some time and follow these simple, inexpensive and necessary gardening tips to get your yard in tiptop shape.
Five Ways to Spruce Up:
CLEAN.
It’s not the prettiest task but it is one that can have the most impact. First, give lawns a nice clean cut and trim. Next, rake leaves out of garden beds and borders. Shred or leave them whole and place in a compost pile. Finally, remove tools, debris and the uncoiled hose that may be sitting on the patio.
WEED.
Another task that’s low on the fun list, but necessary for a clean yard is weeding. Pull any weeds and discard. Do not compost weed seeds.
MULCH.
Adding fresh mulch to the garden makes everything look clean. Mulch with shredded bark, compost or other biodegradable mulch.
FEED.
Now is a good time to apply the second application of your annual feeding program for your lawn. It’s also a good time to give your plants a boost with liquid fertilizer Bloom! to ensure they’re looking their prettiest and peppiest for the party.
DECORATE.
Colorful flowers do a world of wonder for a garden. Buy annuals and plant them along borders. Choose heat-loving flowers that will bloom all summer. Decorate with colorful containers and place by front door and at focal points. Putting a few plants out around the patio will really set the mood.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend! If you used any of our tips, let us know! Share your pictures with us on our Facebook page!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/shed-418570_1920.jpg12801920espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-05-25 07:00:172019-05-07 10:06:21Spruce Up Your Garden Before Memorial Day Weekend
When we picture hydrangeas — with their larger-than-life blooms and immense foliage — we naturally envision large plants. Believe it or not, though, hydrangeas come in not one, not two, but three sizes!
Minimal Size, Maximum Blooms! Tips for Growing Hydrangeas in Containers
1. Small Has It All. Pick a hydrangea that will thrive in your small space. Dwarf varieties are petite beauties that pack a powerful punch. Scroll through our Hydrangea Variety Guide to find the right dwarf hydrangea for you. Then, find a spot that matches the amount of light they need.
2. Big, Bold and Full of Holes. Select a pot or re-purpose a container to make a statement. Just make sure it has drainage holes.
4. Plant with Power. If you want to grow blue hydrangeas, mix in Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier. For pink hydrangeas, add Espoma’s Organic Garden Lime. If you have it, add compost! Then fill planter with potting soil, and plant the hydrangea at the same height it was previously growing.
5. Establish Essentials. When growing hydrangeas in containers, water when the top 1” of soil is dry — or when the hydrangea begins to wilt. For best hydrangea care, feed once a year around June or July with an organic fertilizer. If you want a blue hydrangea color, feed with Holly-tone.
Small space, big blooms! Just think of how lovely your hydrangeas will look glistening in the sun at your Memorial Day party or twinkling in the moonlight during summer garden parties!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/hydrangeas-759640_1920.jpg12711920espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-05-12 08:00:592022-04-13 11:18:06Small but Mighty – How to Grow Hydrangeas in Containers
This DIY veggie pallet planter, made by Laura from Garden Answer, is a great upcycled vertical planter idea. Laura shows how you can grow lettuce and flower in a small space using Espoma organic potting soil and organic fertilizer.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Capture.jpg345659espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-04-19 10:50:112019-05-07 10:06:22DIY Vegetable Pallet Planter from Garden Answer
True love is biting into a juicy tomato you’ve just picked off the vine. Even if space is limited, you can still grow delicious tomatoes in pots.
Tomatoes grown in portable containers are just as tasty and satisfying as garden grown. Plus, containers are versatile and can easily be moved from one spot to another to suite your gardening needs.
It takes just a few minutes to plant and maintain for a summer of delicious fruit.
Make Space for Tomatoes with These Easy Planting Tips
Growing tomatoes in containers is easy. Tomatoes just need soil, sun and a little care.
Whether you live in an apartment or farm, containers are the perfect solution when space is limited or soil is tough to work.
1. Start by choosing a sunny patio, driveway, walkway, stairway or deck. Tomatoes need 6-8 hours of full sun a day.
2. Pick a pot big enough for your variety. A container 18 inches or larger in diameter with drainage holes will work. Tomatoes can grow 6-8 feet tall and 2 feet across. Place drainage material (like gravel) in the bottom of the pot before you add soil to provide air pockets so roots don’t drown.
3. Select the right tomato variety for containers. While any variety will perform, determinate varieties such as Patio Princess, Baxter’s Bush cherry tomato and Balcony are great choices.
5. Add an organic starter plant food, such as Bio-tone Starter Plus, to keep roots strong.
6. Moisten mix slightly.
7. Add tomato plants. Sit the plant in the hole so its lowest leaves are below the soil level. Pinch off lower leaves.
8. Fill with potting soil.
9. Mix compost into the top few inches of your container.
10. Place container in a sunny spot that’s easy to access so you can regularly monitor plants.
11. Water tomatoes generously for the next few days. Then, give tomatoes about 2” of water at their base each week.
12. Add stakes or cages to your container to keep tomatoes from growing out of control and to help prevent diseases.
In addition to watering, feed tomatoes with Espoma’s Tomato-tone every other week. Organically fertilizing tomatoes with Tomato-tone produces larger, plumper tomatoes all season.
Blueberries are nutritional powerhouses packed with high concentrations of antioxidants that help guard against cancer and heart disease. Just one serving of blueberries serves up almost 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C.
Growing blueberries maximizes small spaces and keeps fresh, nutritious fruit nearby. Even if space is limited, you can still grow blueberries at home. Some blueberry shrubs are the perfect fit for containers on the porch, patio or balcony.
Ought to Pot: The Best Blueberries for Container Gardening
Photo courtesy of Bushel and Berry™
Bushel and Berry™ Pink Icing – With breathtaking spring and fall foliage and large, sweet berries mid-summer, this gem makes small spaces shine. Plus, these bushes are self-pollinating, so only one bush is needed to produce fruit.
Blueberry Type: Dwarf
Light: Full sun
Size: 3’ H x 4’ W
Zone: 5-10
Chill Hours: 500
Ripening Season: Mid-summer
Taste and Size: Large blueberries with sweet, robust flavor
Yield: Moderate yield
Features:
Works well in containers or in landscape
Likes acidic soil
Beautiful year-round foliage
Patriot Blueberry – The Patriot puts on a show each season – from striking white blooms in spring to warm, vivid foliage in fall. During summer, you’ll be busy munching on up to 20 pounds of blueberries!
Blueberry Type: Northern Highbush
Light: Full sun
Size: 4-8’ H x 3-5’ W
Zone: 3-7
Chill Hours: 800-1,000
Ripening Season: Early: Mid-End of July
Taste and Size: Large blueberries that taste classically sweet
Yield: High yield, 10-20 pounds of blueberries
Features:
Native
Cold-hearty
Works in the landscape or as a hedge
Adapts to various soil types, including heavy or wet soil
Photo courtesy of Bushel and Berry™
Bushel and Berry™ Peach Sorbet – Full of charm, these compact blueberry plants are four-season showstoppers with stunning leaves ranging from peach to pink to orange to emerald green. Spring’s white, bell-shaped flowers will give way to an abundant summer crop of healthy, sweet blueberries mid-summer.
Blueberry Type: Dwarf
Light: Full sun
Size: 1½’ H x 2’ W
Zone: 5-10
Chill Hours: 300
Ripening Season: Mid-summer
Taste and Size: Medium blueberries with a sweet, tropical essence
Yield: High yield
Features:
Works well in containers or in landscape
Likes acidic soil
Plants keep leaves through winter when the foliage transitions to a rich eggplant purple
Photo courtesy of Doreen Wynja for Monrovia
Sunshine Blue Blueberry – These berries are even more nutritious than other blueberries because they’re high in Vitamin P. Another fun attribute of the Sunshine Blue is their hot-pink flowers in spring and blazing red leaves in fall!
Blueberry Type: Southern Highbush
Light: Full sun
Size: 3-4’ H x 3-4’ W
Zone: 5-10
Chill Hours: 150
Ripening Season: Mid-season: End of May-End of June
Taste and Size: Medium blueberries that taste opulent and sweet
Yield: Moderate yield, 5-10 pounds of blueberries
Features:
Tolerant of higher soil pH
Love the California sunshine and heat
Semi-evergreen
Northsky Blueberry – Meet the most cold-hardy blueberry out there. The Northsky can withstand temperatures of -45° and can even bear snow on its branches. In spring, the Northsky produces lots of sweet, white blooms that look absolutely darling.
Blueberry Type: Half-high
Light: Full sun
Size: 2-4 H x 2-3 W
Zone: 3-7
Chill Hours: 800+
Ripening Season: Mid-season: Mid-End of July
Taste and Size: Small, firm blueberries that taste fresh, wild and free
Yield: Small yield, up to 2 pounds of blueberries
Features:
Extremely cold-hardy
Works in the landscape or as a hedge
Elegant burgundy fall foliage
Photo courtesy of Bushel and Berry™
Bushel and Berry™ Jelly Bean – This blueberry is prolific – producing a bumper crop of large, flavorful blueberries mid-summer with a super sweet flavor like homemade blueberry jelly. Brilliant green new foliage emerges in spring which gives way to darker greens with red hues throughout the summer and fall.
Blueberry Type: Dwarf
Light: Full sun
Size: 1’ H x 2’ W
Zone: 4-8
Chill Hours: 1,000+
Ripening Season: Mid-summer
Taste and Size: Medium to large blueberries with homemade jelly flavor
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Jelly-Bean_in-pot-high-res.jpg16002400espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-03-29 07:00:302019-05-07 10:07:02The Best Blueberries to Grow in Containers
For good reason, tomatoes are the popular kid in the garden. Everyone wants to grow them, but not everyone knows how! So we have collected everything we know about tomatoes – from choosing which tomatoes to grow to how to harvest – and put it in one place!
Have success with Espoma’s Total Guide To Growing Tomatoes!
Best Tomato Varieties for Beginners – Depending on what you’re making and where you live, some tomatoes really are better! With more than 7,500 varieties, you have to know exactly what you’re looking for.
Should I grow heirlooms? – Heirloom tomatoes come from seeds that have been handed down from farmer to farmer for generations for their special characteristics and varieties must be 50 years old at least. Because of this, heirloom tomatoes have minimal disease resistance.
Hybrid tomatoes – With over 7,000 varieties, picking the right tomato to grow can seem overwhelming. If you want your tomato to have it all — flavor, disease resistance, texture and more – try modern, hybrid tomatoes.
Non-Red Tomatoes – When growing tomatoes in your organic garden, you probably envision swathes of red. However, tomatoes were not always red. The earliest varieties were yellow and orange.
Starting tomatoes from seed – In practically no time at all, you can start tomato seeds. The best way to get a head start on growing tomatoes is to start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost date in your region.
How to start tomato and pepper seeds indoors – The best way to get a head start on growing tomatoes is to start seeds indoors. Whether you’re growing cherry tomatoes or hot peppers, visit your local garden center to pick up supplies.
How to plant tomatoes – Seeing red tomatoes peek through the green leaves in your garden is a true sign that summer is here. The first harvest of the season provides opportunities to finally try those delicious garden-to-table recipes.
Ensuring soil health – Soil, as you may have thought, is not dirt. Healthy soil is a collection of creatures, minerals and living material that holds water and nutrients like a sponge, making them readily available for plants. To continue to grow big, juicy fruits and vegetables, you need to make sure you’re feeding your soil.
Growing tomatoes in containers – Tomatoes grown in portable containers are just as tasty and satisfying as garden grown. Plus, containers are versatile and can easily be moved from one spot to another to suite your gardening needs.
Turn your tomato garden upside down – This summer, put a new twist on growing tomatoes by adding upside-down tomato planters to your organic vegetable garden.
Growing tomatoes – To pick the tomatoes best for you, decide if you’d like to snack on tomatoes throughout summer. These are known as Indeterminate. Or if you’d like your crop to ripen at once at the end of summer, select determinate.
Companion Planting for Beginners – Find out how to your plants can help each other in this tutorial with Laura from Garden Answer. She’ll walk you through the basics of what it is, how to get started and how she companion plants in her own garden.
How to fertilize tomatoes – Tomatoes and peppers have big appetites, so they need plenty of organic food. Since plants get all their nutrients from the soil, their all-you-can-eat buffet runs out quick. Feed them right, and they’ll burst full of fresh produce.
3 Ways to Support Tomatoes – Use tomato cages, wood or metal stakes, or a trellis to give plants extra support. It’s really a matter of preference which one you choose. The most important thing is that you’re keeping plants off the ground to avoid pests, diseases and rot.
How to mulch tomato plants – Add mulch, a natural covering on top of soil, to keep moisture in, block weeds and provide added nutrients.
How to prune tomatoes – Tiny tomato seedlings can vigorously turn into huge bushes in no time. In fact, they’ve even been known to bend cages and pull stakes out of the ground!
What are tomato plant suckers? – Tomato suckers are small shoots, or leaves, that sprout out from where the stem and the branch of a tomato plant meet. Although relatively harmless to the plant, suckers don’t serve much of a purpose.
How much water do tomatoes need? – When, and how frequently, you should water your tomato plants depends on the variety, size and location.
6 Secrets to Get The Best Tomatoes – Every tomato has the potential to be great and some extra attention now will pay off big time come harvest. Set the stage for a stellar performance by this year’s crops with these tips.
Blossom end rot – If a dark, water soaked spot has formed on your tomato you may have blossom-end rot. This problem is likely caused by an imbalance of calcium in the plant.
Keep Tomatoes from Cracking and Splitting – Tomatoes split open when the fruit outpaces the growth of the skin — usually after a heavy rain. The bad news: split tomatoes can introduce bacteria into the fruit and cause them to rot.
Protect your plants – 4 common tomato pests – It doesn’t matter if you’re growing hybrids or heirlooms, there are a few pests you don’t want around. Identify harmful pests early before damage is done.
Harvesting tomatoes made easy – Whether you’re cooking, canning, freezing or simply eating your tomatoes raw, you’ll want to pick them at the perfect moment. These harvesting tips will ensure your organic tomatoes are ripe when picked.
Saving tomato seeds – Tomato seeds might be available at the store year-round, but saving your own is satisfying and easy.
Tomato recipes – Make sure to pick tomatoes when they are just right to enjoy with your favorite tomato recipes. These harvesting tips will ensure you get a flavorful tomato every time.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Total-Guide.jpg470700espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-02-19 10:03:462021-05-04 11:13:05Total Guide to Growing Tomatoes
Organically feeding your favorite plants just got way easier – and faster. Say farewell to messy measuring and that fishy smell of other organic, liquid fertilizers.
And say hello to Espoma’s new line of liquid plant foods. Learn more about our new collection below.
Here are a few reasons our new liquid plant line will become one of your favorite things.
Instant Nutrition. Espoma’s new liquid plant foods feed your plants instantly – and organically. With these, you can feed your plants faster than you send a text!
Scientifically Magnificent. Our new liquid fertilizers are scientifically proven to grow bigger, better plants with larger blooms. What gives them their mighty power? We’ve loaded them with kelp extracts, humic acids and beneficial microbes.
Less Mess. Ready, set, pop! The new Easy Dose cap on our liquid plant foods effortlessly measures each dose of fertilizer! No more messy bottles, measuring mistakes or spills.
Flip, Fill and Feed. All you do is pop the lid, hold the bottle upside down and voila! The perfect amount of liquid fertilizer drops into your watering can.
Cause for Safe Paws. Our new liquid fertilizers are 100 percent organic and safe to use around children and pets. Safe Paws approved!
Meet the New Liquid Plant Food Trio
Bigger, better plants are only a flip away!
Begin with Start!Flip open this starter plant food which helps plants get established fast while growing strong roots.
Go with Grow!Add this all-purpose, organic plant fertilizer to promote rapid root growth and encourage green foliage.
Boom with Bloom!Call in the super blossom booster which promotes and prolongs flowering while stimulating the growth of moreblooms!
Try our new liquid organic plant foods with organic potting soil for super amazing results. Can’t wait to see what big beauties you grow!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/easy-dose21.png319789espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-02-16 08:00:312019-05-07 10:07:37Flip, Fill and Feed with Espoma’s NEW Liquid Plant Foods
Depending on what you’re making and where you live, some tomatoes really are better! With more than 7,500 varieties, you have to know exactly what you’re looking for.
Cherry Tomatoes are the easiest tomatoes for beginners to grow. They produce crop after crop and have very few problems! Here are a few of the best.
Super sweet 100 tomatoes.
Super Sweet 100
The name says it all – these are sweet and easy. Just one plant can bear more than 1,000 tomatoes. Super Sweet 100s grow in long strands or clusters of more than 100 tomatoes. You’ll have thousands of tomatoes that are high in Vitamin-C by the end of the season.
Disease Resistance: V, F and N
Growth Type: Indeterminate
Time to Maturity: 60-70 days
Taste and Texture: Super sweet and juicy with a firm texture
Light: Full sun
Plant Size: 8-12’
Spacing: 18-36” apart
Staking: Yes – Cage or stake
Napa Grape
This classic tomato tastes and looks just like its bigger rivals, but has a higher sugar content than any other grape tomato. Known to be one of the tastiest tomatoes out there, the Napa Grape produces sweet tomatoes that taste yummy in salads or as snacks.
Disease Resistance: Very disease resistant
Growth Type: Indeterminate
Time to Maturity: 65 days
Taste and Texture: Sugary with a firm texture
Light: Full sun
Plant Size: 4-6’
Spacing: 24-36” apart
Staking: Yes – Cage or stake
Golden Nugget
These sweet tasting tomatoes love cool weather and can withstand the heat. Looking more like tangerines than tomatoes, Golden Nuggets ripen early and produce lots of fruit.
Disease Resistance: V and F
Growth Type: Determinate
Time to Maturity: 55-65 days
Taste and Texture: Balanced, mild with a hint of sweetness and a thin skin
Light: Full sun
Plant Size: 2-3’
Spacing: 18-24” apart
Staking: No
Yellow Pear Tomato
Yellow Pear
Tangy, beautiful and tiny, Yellow Pear tomatoes look charming in salads or as snacks. A favorite of chefs, these dynamic tomatoes love to sprawl, so contain them with a cage or stake.
Disease Resistance: Not susceptible to blossom end, but can develop early blight
Growth Type: Indeterminate
Time to Maturity: 75-80 days
Taste and Texture: Tangy yet mild with a slightly firm and mealy texture
Light: Full sun
Plant Size: 6-12’
Spacing: 24-36” apart
Staking: Yes – Cage or stake
Sun gold tomato
Sun Gold
These orange tomatoes taste like tropical fruit and thrive in hot, sultry climates. Grown in long clusters of 10-15 tomatoes, Sun Golds produce fruit well into fall. Plus, these cherry tomatoes can be grown in containers.
Disease Resistance: V, F and T
Growth Type: Indeterminate
Time to Maturity: 55-65 days
Taste and Texture: Sweet and fruity taste with a firm, crisp texture
Light: Full sun
Plant Size: 5-10’
Spacing: 24-36” apart
Staking: Yes – Cage or stake
Go forth, and grow! When you’re organic gardening, be sure to feed tomatoes lots of Tomato-tone during the growing season.
Instead of looking out at a still landscape all winter, infuse your yard with movement. During winter, birds are scavenging for food, looking for a place to take it easy for a while.
While you’re keeping your pets safe in winter, don’t forget about feathered friends. Feed birds this winter, and they’ll happily visit your yard and put on a show — complete with a song and dance! Keep
Northern cardinals are beautiful additions to winter landscapes.
Chirp, Chirp! Cheap, Easy Ways to Attract Birds to Garden
Start winter bird feeding to attract birds to the garden. With this trick, you can garden for pollinators all year long!
1. Garland in the Garden. If you have leftover popcorn and cranberry garland from Christmas, string it outside for the birds. None leftover? Make it!
Jays are known for their beautiful bird songs.
2. Field the Feeder. Add a large-capacity feeder or multiple feeders, so you only have to refill weekly. Place in a spot where you can see the feeder that also has a tree or shrub about 10’ away.
Clark’s nutcrackers nest in late winter when there’s still snow on the ground.
3. Seed to Succeed. DIY a bird seed mix to avoid fillers in bagged birdseed that go uneaten. This way you can attract your favorite birds, too!
• Suet, fruit and peanuts – the ultimate bird party starter. All birds love these!
• Black-oil sunflower seeds – the easy to please seed that cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, finches, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches eat. Plus, these deter squirrels and raccoons.
• Thistle seeds – Goldfinches simply love thistle seeds! Only use in thistle feeders.
• Safflower seeds – cardinals, chickadees, titmice and downy woodpeckers snack on safflower. Squirrels don’t like them either!
• White millet – cheap to buy and charming to sparrows, juncos and mourning doves.
Tits feed on seeds and nuts, especially in the winter.
4. Fill to Thrill. Birds may be slow to find your feeders. Once they do, they’re counting on you. Make sure your feeder is always full, or birds will find a more reliable feeder!
Once you see the first bird enjoying your feeder, you’ll be happy as a lark! A lively, song-filled winter awaits!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bird-107802_1920.jpg15361920espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-01-12 08:03:092019-05-07 10:07:38Bird’s the Word in Winter. Help Feed Them
Add a dash of delight to your daily routine while keeping winter blues at bay. Start an indoor herb garden today.
Each time you grab sprigs of fresh herbs, you’ll forget all about winter! At that moment, all you’ll think of are the fresh, invigorating flavors of summer.
Plus, starting an indoor herb garden is simple with these tips.
Grow Superb Herbs Indoors
Give savory and sweet herbs these five ingredients, and they’ll flourish inside! Use fresh, flavorful herbs in cocktails, teas and recipes all winter long.
Ray of Sunshine. Place indoor herbs in the sunniest spot possible. They love natural light and need at least 4 hours of sun every day. Keep herbs warm by avoiding chilly windows.
Heaps of Herbs. Not every herb thrives indoors. Plant these herbs that grow best inside: mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemongrass, chives and bay.
Pile of Pots. Choose pots or upcycle containers with drainage holes on the bottom. Or place stones in the bottom of the pot before adding soil. For unique, DIY planter ideas, check out our Pinterest page.
Settle in Soil. Plant herbs in Organic Potting Soil. Pick an organic potting soil that contains earthworm castings and Myco-tone® to ensure herbs grow strong roots.
Feed and Repeat. Indoor! is an organic plant food that helps you grow bigger and better herbs. Continue fertilizing herbs once each month.
With your just-plucked herbs, cook up dishes that harness herbs’ intensity. Try a few of our favorite recipes that include herbs here. Bon appétit!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/matt-montgomery-2fW55mLSiSQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg16982560espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2015-12-01 09:40:332023-01-11 01:43:09Thyme to Plant an Indoor Herb Garden