Taking time to care for plants is the perfect way to slow down and enjoy the cooler seasons. Spend the day with Laura from Garden Answer as she repots ornamental grasses and a Mangave plant in her greenhouse, refreshing them with Espoma Organic Potting Mix to keep them happy, healthy, and hungry for new growth!
Learn more about Garden Answer:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
As the season winds down, Laura from Garden Answer takes on her final bulb planting of the year, sharing practical planting and bulb-care tips along the way. In this project, she plants more than 300 Thalia daffodils alongside a mix of spring bloomers, including Persian Pearl, Snowdrops, and Lilac Wonder—showing how late-season planting can still deliver impressive results.
Laura walks us through her process, emphasizing the importance of proper bulb depth, spacing, and soil preparation. These foundational steps help bulbs establish strong roots before winter, setting the stage for healthy growth and vibrant blooms in spring.
To support early root development, Laura incorporates Espoma Organic Bulb-tone at the time of planting. This organic, slow-release fertilizer is specially formulated for bulbs and helps:
By combining proven planting techniques with the right nutrition, this end-of-season bulb planting shows how a little extra care now can make a big difference when spring arrives.
Learn more about Garden Answer:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
Laura from Garden Answer shows how to plant spring-blooming bulbs in large containers for a big, colorful show next season. She fills eight pots with Menton tulips and Spanish bluebells, feeding them with Espoma Organic Bulb-tone and then topdressing with Espoma Organic Land & Sea Compost to refresh the tired soil and support strong, natural growth.
The Planting Plan: A “Bouquet” in Every Pot
Laura creates a layered “bouquet” effect in each container:
Both bloom late in the season, so the colors overlap beautifully. Spanish bluebells grow about 14–18″ tall, while Menton tulips reach 23–25″, giving each pot a soft, tiered look. Planting in raised containers keeps everything at waist height, which makes bulb planting much easier than digging in the ground.
Step-by-Step: How Laura Plants Her Bulb Containers
1. Prepare the Container
Laura removes soil down to about 6 inches deep. This makes room for the first layer of bulbs and ensures they’re planted at the proper depth.
2. Amend the Soil with an Organic Fertilizer
Before placing any bulbs, she sprinkles Espoma Organic Bulb-tone into the container.
Why it helps:
3. Plant Tulips “Shoulder to Shoulder”
Menton tulip bulbs go in first at 6 inches deep, planted:
This tight spacing lets her fit about 100 tulip bulbs per pot, creating a dense, show-stopping spring display.
4. Add Spanish Bluebells
She covers the tulips with a couple of inches of soil, then plants the Spanish bluebells in a ring around the outer edge at about 4 inches deep. Bluebell bulbs look a bit different, but the rule still applies: roots down, growth point up.
5. Add compost
Because the potting mix has been used before and is showing roots and wear, Laura doesn’t just add more regular soil. Instead, she topdresses each container with Espoma Organic Land & Sea Compost.
Why it helps:
6. Water Thoroughly
After planting and topdressing, Laura waters each container deeply.
Her key watering tip:
Bulb-Specific Tips for Container Success
Laura’s main bulb care reminders:
With the right chill, good drainage, consistent moisture, and organic nutrition from Bulb-tone and Land & Sea Compost, these containers are now set up for a spectacular spring show—naturally.
*****
Learn more about Garden Answer:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
Featured Products:
Fall might feel like the end of the gardening season, but as Kaleb from Wyse Guide shows, it’s actually a perfect time to plant and bring in your favorite tropical plants for the winter months.
In this project, Kaleb refreshes the front of his home with hydrangeas, using Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to support strong root growth, then replants a massive elephant ear and pots it up in Espoma Organic Potting Mix so he can enjoy it again next year.
Kaleb’s late fall gardening tips:
1. Plant for Roots, Not Blooms
Kaleb takes advantage of fall’s warm soil and cool air to give hydrangeas time to establish. Adding Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus helps new shrubs settle in quickly and build the strong root systems that lead to better growth next spring.
2. Build Healthy Soil & Keep Watering
Hydrangeas thrive in rich, well-draining soil, so Kaleb amends where needed and uses drip irrigation to keep moisture consistent on his sunny, south-facing porch. Even with drip, he checks soil weekly and waters during fall—and even winter warm-ups—so new roots never dry out.
3. Store Tropicals to Enjoy Them Again
Instead of letting frost take his elephant ear, Kaleb trims it back and pots it into Espoma Organic All-Purpose Potting Mix. Over winter, it rests indoors with minimal watering, ready to return outdoors next season.
Even as the season slows, there’s still so much you can do to care for your garden. A little fall planting, some root-focused feeding, and thoughtful winter storage of warm-season plants can set you up for an even more beautiful spring.
*****
Featured Products:
Laura from Garden Answer brings a burst of fresh autumn color to the garden! 🌻 She shares an update on her sunflowers, plants new boxwoods with Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to help the roots establish naturally, and refreshes her fall containers with vibrant ornamental kale, rudbeckia, and pansies. Using Espoma Organic Potting Mix, Laura ensures every plant has the rich, healthy soil it needs to thrive this season.
*****
Learn more about Garden Answer:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
Laura from Garden Answer is back in the garden with three beautiful new plants—hydrangeas, calycanthus, and stokes’ asters—giving them a strong start using Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus.
Then it’s husband Aaron’s turn to step in with lawn care. He’s using Espoma Organic All Season Lawn Food to keep their grass lush and green. His tip? Fertilize monthly to keep the lawn healthy and thriving!
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
https://www.youtube.com/@gardenanswer/featured
https://www.facebook.com/gardenanswer
https://www.instagram.com/gardenanswer/
Featured Products:
From planning to petals, follow along as Laura from Garden Answer plants ten Rugosa roses in three beautiful varieties: the classic single pink Rosa rugosa, the crisp white Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’, and the fluffier double white ‘Blanc Double de Coubert.’ These own-root roses (no grafts here!) were chosen for their strength, fragrance, and show-stopping hips that carry color from summer into winter.
Always plant with a high-quality organic starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus!
When Laura plants, she reaches for Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus. It’s her go-to because it:
How Laura uses it: At planting time, she mixes Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus into the backfill soil and sets each rose at its current soil level (since these are own-root roses). Then she waters in well to activate the microbes and help eliminate air pockets.
Planting Pro Tip: Always backfill, then water deeply to settle soil around roots. Consistent moisture after planting helps Bio-tone’s microbes go to work.
Laura is planting Rugosas for their resilience and beauty:
No matter what you’re planting, success starts below the soil line. Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus sets roots up to thrive—from shrubs like Rugosas to perennials, edibles, and young trees—so your garden establishes faster, stays healthier, and looks better, sooner.
Let’s get growing—with roots first. 🌱
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Has your garden started to feel like a tedious task on your never-ending to-do list? Here are 10 ways to avoid garden burnout by making gardening more efficient and simple, so you can enjoy it without feeling weighed down.
This blog is inspired by Episode 266 of the Growing Joy with Plants Podcast, where Maria chats with CaliKim, YouTube gardening educator and author of The 10 Minute Gardener. Together, they share time-saving hacks to help you enjoy gardening again—without the stress.
One of Kim’s foundational philosophies is to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable ones (3-, 5-, 8-, 10-, or 30-minute jobs), which is the basis of her book. The 10 Minute Gardener also organizes these by season (early, mid, late, dormant), so you can adapt them no matter where you garden.
Fertilizer Fridays – Every Friday, while your tea kettle is boiling or you’re sipping coffee, take 3 minutes to fertilize your plants with an organic liquid fertilizer like Espoma Organic Indoor! Houseplant Food. You can also water them or pick off brown leaves.
Swift Growth Seed Sowing – Keep a small basket of seeds handy by your back door or in your pocket. During a quick break, pop a few pea seeds along a trellis or lettuce seeds into a container to keep succession planting going.
Three-Minute Tool Tidy – Clean and oil a few garden tools, like pruners, that may be getting rusty or sticky.
Tie-Up Tuesday (and Thursday!) – Dedicate a few minutes twice a week to trellis plants like cucumbers. Keep tie tape or twine in your pocket so you can do this quickly while walking through the garden.
Shade Cloth Oasis – Pre-clip shade cloth to trellises so you can dash out and cover plants when the sun is blazing.
End-of-Season Cleanups – Pull out dead plants and toss them into nearby trash bins or pop-up bins to keep your garden tidy.
Summer Salad Station – Plant a container with salad greens, a tomato or cucumber, and herbs for a quick, ready-to-harvest dinner garden.
Hustle & Bustle Garden Bed Prep – In spring, refresh your garden beds with soil amendments like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost and worm castings.
Compost Pile Refresh – Toss together kitchen scraps and yard waste to build your compost pile. Give it a splash of water, then walk away and let nature do the work.
Tree Branch Trellis – Gather a few sturdy sticks and lash them together to create a simple, rustic trellis for climbing plants.
The key is to keep everything handy and accessible. You don’t need complicated strategies to make gardening easier. Keep a basket of seeds by the door, stash pruners in multiple spots, and have tie tape at the ready. Making tools and supplies accessible ensures you stay consistent and efficient.
For more time-saving tips, listen to Episode 266 of the Growing Joy with Plants Podcast!
Spend an early morning with Laura from Garden Answer as she plants hibiscus and silverthorn, adding vibrant blooms and silvery foliage for fresh contrast in her garden. To give these new shrubs the best start, she uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus, ensuring strong roots and healthy growth from day one.
Later, Laura moves to the vegetable garden to harvest onions—planted with Bio-tone and later fed with Espoma Organic Garden-tone—while sharing her favorite tips for growing, curing, and storing a successful harvest.
4 Key Takeaways from Laura’s Garden Day
From thoughtful planting to a plentiful harvest, Laura shows how preparation and care lead to success. A starter fertilizer like Bio-tone Starter Plus sets new plants up for stronger roots, while follow-up feedings with Garden-tone keep vegetables productive and delicious.
Ready to put these tips into action? Try Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus on your next planting day, and don’t forget to keep edibles thriving with Espoma Organic Garden-tone. Share your garden moments with us @EspomaOrganic on IG—let’s grow together! 🌱
*****
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
Laura from Garden Answer shows us how to plant five sun-loving perennials—even in the peak of summer heat. From elegant Siberian iris to bold salvia, she layers color and texture into her garden while reminding us that planting in hot weather can still be successful with the right care. To set her new perennials up for success, Laura uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus, the ultimate “planting insurance” that boosts root growth and helps prevent transplant loss.
Expect a little wilting – It’s normal for new plants to droop in full sun, but they’ll perk back up once the day cools.
Water consistently – Keep soil evenly moist during establishment to reduce stress.
Plant early or late – Beat the midday sun by working in the morning or evening.
Amend your soil – Blend in organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost or Espoma Organic All-Purpose Garden Soil for better drainage and nutrient retention.
Feed at planting – Mix Bio-tone Starter Plus right into the hole to encourage strong root growth and long-term success.
Mulch generously – A layer of organic mulch helps conserve water and keep roots cool.
Even on the hottest days, your garden can keep growing with the right prep and care. 🌱 Whether you’re adding in new perennials or refreshing containers, remember that feeding the soil naturally makes all the difference.
👉 Watch Laura’s full video for inspiration, then grab your favorite Espoma Organic products and let’s get growing!
*****
Learn more about Garden Answer here:
🪴 YouTube
🪴 Website
Featured Products:
