Watch Laura from Garden Answer as she plants a reblooming lilac (Syringa x), a perfect focal-point shrub that offers multi-season interest with more than one flush of fragrant blooms.
For every planting, Laura recommends Espoma Organic Bio‑tone Starter Plus—a high-quality organic starter fertilizer that:
Promotes strong root development
Improves transplant success
Delivers long-lasting, soil-enriching microbes and Mycorrhizae
Lilacs are wonderfully adaptable, tolerating a range of soil pH levels, but they thrive in well-draining soil and full sun. With the right planting approach and a high-quality organic starter fertilizer like Bio-Tone Starter Plus, you’re set up for lots of beautiful blooms.
Watch Summer Rayne Oakes of Flock Finger Lakes dig into one of the summer’s easiest and most rewarding perennials—daylilies! She plants standout varieties like the ‘Jersey Spider’ and shares helpful tips for getting them established in both containers and garden beds.
To give her plants the best start, Summer uses Espoma Organic Potting Mix, a rich, organic, well-draining blend that includes mycorrhizae to support deep root growth. Then she feeds with Espoma Organic Flower-tone, our organic slow-release fertilizer formulated to promote strong stems and lasting blooms.
Laura from Garden Answer teams up with her mom to spruce up her parents’ garden by planting David Austin Evelyn Roses. Laura amends her soil with her favorite organic starter fertilizer, Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus, and Espoma Organic Land & Sea Compost.
Laura also spends some time weeding and repotting plants into the garden beds. The hearty soil combo of Bio-tone Starter Plus and Land & Sea Compost will help ensure all the roots stay strong and healthy blooms are forthcoming.
Follow along as Laura from Garden Answerplants some ranunculus and potatoes! 🥔🌱
To save time and money, Laura is using leftover potatoes from last year’s crop and planting the entire spud directly on the ground. Plus, planting with a high-quality organic starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus and top-dressing with a nutrient-rich organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost, she’s creating the perfect environment for a stronger, more delicious yield.
Laura recommends following up with some organic fertilizer in her routine garden maintenance. She will feed her potato plants with Espoma Organic Garden-tone and her Ranunculus with Espoma Organic Flower-tone, providing each plant type with the specific fertilizer specially formulated to produce happy healthy plants.
Spring is stirring in the Finger Lakes, and Summer Rayne Oakes of Flock Finger Lakes is already deep into her garden chores. In this video, she takes us on an early-season walk through her ever-evolving landscape highlighting emerging bulbs, sharing design plans, and laying the groundwork for a bountiful, sustainable year ahead.
Summer uses organic products for all her gardening projects—including our trusted Tone line of organic fertilizers, premium Potting Mixes, and organic Liquid Fertilizers—to create healthy, thriving spaces across her property. When planting new bulbs like daffodils and tulips, she relies on Espoma Organic Bulb-tone to set them up for success. And whenever she plants something new, Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus is her go-to to support strong root development from day one.
For all her new garden beds, Summer builds nutrient-rich soil from the ground up with Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix, Land & Sea Gourmet Compost, and our premium Potting Mix—ensuring each planting area is full of organic matter, supports microbial life, and has optimum moisture-holding capacity.
From rewilding meadows and restoring forest edges to designing pollinator patches and building a 60-foot sustainable chicken coop, Summer’s garden isn’t just beautiful—it’s intentional. Her approach reflects a great mission: to nourish plants, support biodiversity, and build a healthier planet from the soil up. 🌱
Watch the full garden walk to get inspired for your own spring garden reset!
Watch Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide as he gets to work prepping and planting his raised beds for spring. His go-to formula? Healthy soil and smart planting techniques.
Kaleb starts by refreshing his beds with Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix, a rich, fluffy blend made specifically for raised garden beds. It’s well-draining, holds adequate moisture, and helps create the ideal environment for Kaleb’s spring vegetables.
To give his New plants a strong start, Kaleb uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus, sprinkling it into the planting holes. This organic fertilizer promotes strong root growth and helps plants establish quickly.
Kaleb’s Top Spring Planting Tips:
Refresh raised beds each year with an organic soil mix like Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix
🌱 Join Laura from @gardenanswer as she gets her hands dirty setting up beautiful raised beds for her strawberry patch!
She fills her new beds with Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix, the perfect foundation for thriving plants. Then, she mixes in our organic starter fertilizer Bio-tone Starter Plus—our secret to strong, healthy root development from day one.
To finish, Laura tops it all off with Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost, adding rich nutrients and moisture-retaining goodness for strawberries that can’t help but flourish. 🍓✨
We’re always excited to see our brand partner Farmer Nick (@farmernick) bringing his garden to life with organic fertilizer — and his latest reel is packed with great tips for every gardener!
In his recent project, Nick repaired his planting trug and got it ready for a fresh season of growth using organic fertilizer.
Here are his top takeaways:
✅ Even if your soil still looks good, always amend it before planting — Nick uses Espoma Organic Garden-tone to recharge the soil and get it ready for seedlings.
✅ Some fresh organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost can also help boost the soil’s nutrient content.
✅ Nick recommends mixing in an organic fertilizer like Espoma OrganicGarden-tone with rich organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost at least once a month during the growing season to keep plants fed and thriving.
✅ Many gardeners forget that plants need regular feeding — consistent fertilizing leads to healthier plants and bigger yields.
✅ Espoma offers specialized “Tone” fertilizers (like Tomato-tone, Rose-tone, and Plant-tone) so you can meet the unique needs of different plants.
Ready to help your garden thrive? Take a page from Nick’s playbook and feed your plants throughout the season!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_4939-copy-2.jpg16001200Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-07 13:43:472025-05-07 13:43:47VIDEO: How to Plant a Raised Bed Like a Pro with Farmer Nick
Laura from Garden Answer Preps Her Garden for Blooming Success!
Spring is in full bloom, and Laura from Garden Answer is busy giving her garden the nutrients it needs to thrive! In her latest video, Laura shares essential care tips for roses and hydrangeas, starting with careful pruning to encourage healthy new growth. After pruning, she feeds these beautiful flowering shrubs with Espoma Organic Rose-tone, a gentle yet effective slow-release fertilizer specially formulated to deliver vibrant blooms without the risk of burning plants—something common with synthetic fertilizers.
While Rose-tone is primarily designed for roses and other flowering plants, it’s safe for use on hydrangeas as well. However, for optimal results, especially if you’re aiming for blue blooms, Espoma Organic Holly-tone is typically recommended. Holly-tone is formulated for acid-loving plants and contains elemental sulfur, which helps lower soil pH—a key factor in achieving those sought-after blue hydrangea flowers . That said, using Rose-tone won’t harm your hydrangeas and can still provide beneficial nutrients.
Meanwhile, her husband Aaron works to ensure the rest of the garden plants get some love too, applying Espoma Organic Plant-tone to arborvitae and boxwoods. Plant-tone is enriched with beneficial microbes and humates, promoting robust growth and enhancing overall plant vitality.
Watch Laura’s full video for detailed tips on how to care for your garden and learn why Espoma Organic fertilizers are her go-to choice for healthy, flourishing plants!
For more hydrangea care tips, check out our complete guide to growing hydrangeas!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/How-to-Care-for-Hydrangeas-Roses_Thumbnail_WP.jpg338600Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-02 15:42:052025-05-02 16:36:28VIDEO: How to Care for Roses 🌹 & Hydrangeas 🌸 with Garden Answer
🌿 Learn how to create your hummingbird garden using Espoma Organic soil and fertilizer. With the right organic products, you can support pollinators and grow a garden that’s good for your heart — and the planet. 💚
Spring is here, and Maria from Growing Joy with Maria is transforming her balcony into an organic hummingbird and pollinator paradise! 🌸🐦 In her latest video, Maria shares how she builds a vibrant, eco-friendly garden packed with flowers designed to attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies — all using organic fertilizer and organic soil to give her plants the healthiest start.
To create strong, thriving plants, Maria relies on Espoma Organic Potting Mix and Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus. These trusted organic products help her container garden hold moisture, support root development, and produce long-lasting blooms, making them irresistible to local pollinators.
Maria’s setup is renter-friendly and easy to replicate. She fills colorful grow bags and planters with organic soil, adding trumpet-shaped flowers like fuchsia, bee balm, salvia, and petunias — all favorites of hummingbirds. She even shares DIY tips for making hummingbird feeders and reflects on how using organic fertilizers helps protect pollinators and nurture the environment.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GJWM_APNL.jpeg11522048Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-01 16:07:572025-05-01 16:07:57VIDEO: How to Grow a Hummingbird Garden 🕊️🌿🌺 | Growing Joy with Maria
