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Fall Gardening Checklist

September 13, 2016/in Fall Gardening

September marks the turn of a new leaf. The hot summer weather is fizzling out in favor of cool, crisp fall breezes, prompting bonfires, football games, and pumpkin everything.

For gardeners, fall can be one of the busiest seasons. Often, gardeners juggle wrapping up their summer harvests with the responsibilities of preparing for the coming seasons.

With this to-do list from Homestead Gardens, you’ll be ready to fall in love with fall, and with some extra preparation, you’ll be better prepared for winter and spring, too!

7 Things To Do in the Garden This Fall

1. Deadhead to get Ahead

Freshen up flowerbeds by deadheading and removing plants that have stopped blooming. Do maintenance in the morning before the weather gets too hot.

2. Don’t Stop Planting.

After you’ve harvested your remaining summer veggies, you can plant fall crops and begin transplants! Use Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus at the time of planting to ensure your new or transplanted plants have the nutrients they need for establishment.

3. Serve… or Preserve. Have more vegetables and herbs than you know how to handle? Preserve your harvest. Experiment with making jams or pickles, and try freezing raw fruit, veggies, or herbs. Make sauce out of your tomatoes, or slow-roast them.

4. Flower Power

Keep your annual flowers blooming as long as possible! The key to success? Use Espoma’s Bloom! liquid fertilizer.

5. Watch out for Winter!

Start winterizing your garden’s watering system. Keep an eye out for the first few frosts of the season, and cover plants when necessary. Gradually transition your summer houseplants back indoors.

6. Divide and Conquer

Divide and split your perennials, dig and store tender bulbs like dahlias and caladiums, and start planting spring-flowering bulbs.

7. Red, Dead Ahead!

Are your tomato plants lacking fruit? Producing dull leaves? Sprinkle some Tomato-tone to give them a final boost.

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With these tips, your fall landscape will look its best.

Do you have a picture of your fall garden that you’d like to share? Drop by our Facebook page!

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Grab Your Books for a Lesson in Gardening 101

September 6, 2016/in Blog, Fall Gardening

Back to Gardening School: A Fresh Start for Your Garden

Remember the excitement of a new school year? Fresh notebooks, a backpack ready for adventure, and the feeling that anything was possible. That same sense of renewal is waiting in the garden this season.

Whether you’re just starting out or brushing up on your skills, it’s the perfect time to get back to the basics. Sharpen those tools (and pencils) and let’s head to Gardening School.

1. Build a Strong Foundation

Every successful garden begins with healthy soil. Start with a quick soil test to understand what nutrients your garden may be missing, then build from there. For raised beds, fill them with a rich blend of natural ingredients—like those in Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix—to create the perfect growing environment. Adding an organic compost such as Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost further improves soil structure, boosts moisture retention, and encourages healthy microbial activity. For container plantings, Espoma Organic All-Purpose Potting Mix provides the ideal balance of drainage and organic matter to keep roots thriving. And whenever new plants go in the ground, a starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus helps them establish quickly by supporting strong, resilient root growth. With the right foundation beneath the surface, the garden above will flourish.

2. Check Your Supplies

Just like gathering fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils, gardeners should review their tools. Replace cracked handles, rusty clippers, or wobbly rakes so nothing slows you down during the season. A little care and preparation now saves frustration later and makes gardening smoother and more enjoyable.

3. Redefine Your Garden’s Style

A new season is the perfect time to refresh the look of the garden. Whether the goal is calm and classic or bold and colorful, the right nutrition helps plants live up to their potential. Espoma Organic Plant-tone provides complete, balanced nutrition for a wide variety of plants, while Espoma Organic Holly-tone supports acid-loving favorites such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas. Feeding properly is the simplest way to bring a dream garden style to life.

4. Learn From Last Season

Every garden has its victories and its challenges. Take time to reflect on what thrived and what struggled, then plan for improvement. Espoma Organic Garden-tone is specially formulated for vegetables, helping ensure bigger, tastier harvests season after season. When planting new crops or ornamentals, Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus gives roots the boost they need to grow stronger and more resilient than before. Each new season builds on last year’s lessons with the right nutrition.

5. Don’t Forget Your Indoor Plants

While outdoor gardens take the spotlight, houseplants need care too. Feeding them regularly keeps leaves lush, colors vibrant, and growth steady all year long. Espoma’s Indoor! organic liquid fertilizer makes it easy to give houseplants the nutrition they need with every watering. When repotting, Espoma Organic Potting Mix provides the perfect organic base to keep indoor plants healthy and happy. A thriving indoor garden completes the picture of a gardener’s success.

6. Sharpen and Shine

Tools are the unsung heroes of every garden. Taking time to clean, sharpen, and maintain them ensures they last longer and work more effectively. Well-maintained tools make every gardening task easier, allowing more energy to be devoted to growing beautiful, thriving plants.

7. Grow Your Community

Gardening is even better when knowledge is shared. One of the most valuable tips to pass along is to start every planting with a quality organic starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to set roots up for success, and then feed with Espoma Organic Plant-tone throughout the season to keep growth steady and strong. These trusted essentials have been used by generations of gardeners, and passing them along helps the whole community grow stronger together.

Graduation Time!

Congratulations—you’ve completed your Back-to-Gardening School crash course! Toss those gardening gloves in the air, because the lessons learned here will lead to healthier plants, bigger harvests, and gardens worth celebrating.

At Espoma, teaching organic gardening practices has been a passion since 1929. With products that are safe for people, pets, and the planet, Espoma is here as a mentor and partner on every gardener’s journey. Class dismissed—now go grow with confidence!

Kids Course

Looking for a fun way to introduce kids to gardening? Check out our brand partner Farmer Nick’s course, The Adventures of Farmer Nick and Plant! Designed for children ages 4 and up, this 10-episode series inspires a love of gardening and plant science through hands-on lessons. Sometimes silly, always fun, it’s a playful way to spark curiosity and delight both kids and adults alike.

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Make a Happy Home for Plants

March 22, 2016/in Indoor Gardening

You may have noticed: your houseplants look crowed in their containers, they have droopy leaves or are thirstier than usual.

Moving on up! Now is the time to re-pot them.

Longer days and bright sun means that in just a few weeks, houseplants will wake up and experience a major growth spurt. When you start to see new growth, it’s time to start feeding and watering regularly.

Give houseplants everything they need to grow up in style – a hearty feeding and a stylish home included.

Grooving and Moving: Repot and Feed Houseplants in Spring

Houseplant care tip: Repot houseplants every six months.

Let It Slide. Lightly water your plant an hour before the big move. When turned upside down, your plant will easily slide out.

Scoot the Roots. Snip off any dead or rotten roots. Then gently loosen living roots.

Room to Grow. Pick a pot one size up from your plant’s current home.

Move In. Fill the pot 1/3 full with organic potting soil. Position the plant so it’s at the same depth as it previously was. When situated, backfill with soil, and gently pat it into place.

Clink a Drink. Celebrate a successful move with a refreshing drink. Water your plants, and top them off with potting soil if needed.

Food to Conclude. Feed with an organic plant food every 3-4 weeks. Make it quick and easy this month with one of our new liquid plant foods. With our easy dose lid, all you need to do is flip, fill and feed. No measuring or mess!

Look at those happy plants, making themselves right at home! Housewarming party, anyone? You’ve already got the flowers covered!

More is More: Hydrangeas that Bloom All Summer

March 15, 2016/in Flowers

Once upon a time, hydrangeas would only bloom once a season. Not anymore! Now, you can choose a variety of hydrangeas that bloom all summer long. You can even prune these at any time.

Reblooming hydrangeas flower on both new and old growth, meaning you can enjoy flowers from June until the first frost. They’ll continue to bloom long after other flowering shrubs and perennials have stopped. Long lasting blooms of blue, violet, pink, white, or chartreuse add brilliant pops of color to any garden.

Plus, these hydrangeas perform a magic trick. Depending on your soil’s acidity, the hydrangea color changes. Creating breathtaking blue hydrangeas is extremely easy. All you need to do is amend your soil with Espoma’s Organic Soil Acidifier.

hydrangea care, hydrangea color, growing hydrangas

Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

The Original Endless Summer Hydrangea – A beautiful game changer! The Original Endless Summer hydrangea was the first non-stop blooming hydrangea. Plus, it’s easy to care for. You’ll be wowed by its color-changing blooms all season.

Hydrangea Type: Mophead

Shrub Type: Deciduous

Light: Part sun-mostly shade

Size: 3-5’ H x 3-5’ W

Zone: 4-9

Blooms: Late-spring-early fall. Blooms can be blue, purple or pink based on soil pH.

Features:

- Blooms all season
- Very disease tolerant
- Easy care
- Works in container gardens

Soil: Moist, well-drained soil. 5.5 or lower soil pH for blue blooms. 5.5-6.5 soil pH for purple blooms. 6.5 soil pH or higher for pink blooms.

Photo courtesy of Doreen Wynja for Monrovia

Penny Mac Hydrangea – Large flowers that just keep blooming! The Penny Mac hydrangea is super easy to care for and seems to thrive on neglect. While the blooms can change color, they’re naturally a vivid blue.

Hydrangea Type: Mophead

Shrub Type: Deciduous

Light: Part sun

Size: 4-6’ H x 3-4’ W

Zone: 5-8

Blooms: Mid-summer-early fall. Blooms are typically blue, but can be changed to pink or purple based on soil pH.

Features:

Attracts birds
Repeat bloomer
Fast growing
Easy care

Soil: Moist, well-drained soil. 5.5 or lower soil pH for blue blooms. 5.5-6.5 soil pH for purple blooms. 6.5 soil pH or higher for pink blooms.

Let’s Dance Starlight Hydrangea – You’ll feel like dancing when you see this breath-taking bloom. It’s elegant, bright and beautiful textured. Plus, it’s the first-ever, re-blooming lacecap hydrangea.

Hydrangea Type: Bigleaf

Shrub Type: Deciduous

Light: Full-part sun

Size: 2-3’ H x 2-3’ W

Zone: 5-9

Blooms: Mid-summer-early fall. Vivid, lacecap blooms can be blue, purple or pink based on soil pH.

Features:

Small hydrangea
Repeat bloomer
Works in container gardens
Salt tolerant

Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained soil. 5.5 or lower soil pH for blue blooms. 5.5-6.5 soil pH for purple blooms. 6.5 soil pH or higher for pink blooms.

Guide to Growing Hydrangeas Here

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Keep the blooms coming all season long with the hydrangea that speaks to you! Want one that grows in full sun? Learn about the best hydrangeas for beginners. Find out even more about hydrangea care in our Ultimate Hydrangea Guide!

Make Like a Garden and Grow

January 5, 2016/in Gardening, Landscaping

This year, let’s grow your best garden yet! All you need is a sturdy pencil, a blank notebook and a vivid imagination. You’ll almost be able to smell wild lavender and delicate roses.

With a detailed garden plan, your organic garden blooms right off the page.

Grow On! How to Plan Your Dream Garden

1. Reflect to Perfect. Think about last year’s garden. Jot down all your flowers, edibles and shrubs. Mark your favorite and most used plants. Cross off those that didn’t produce, succeed or required too much effort. What plants do you wish you had? What edibles did you spend too much on at the store? Add those to your plant list.

2. Wise Size. Sketch your current garden space. Should you expand or cut back? Consider if and where you’d like to place new garden beds, raised beds, containers or another vegetable garden. If this is your first garden, plan for 50-75 square feet.

3. Site for Light. With your garden design sketched, it’s time to color coordinate! Fill in each area with a different color based on how sunny or shady it is.

4. Single or Mingle. Tweak the list of plants you want to add, keep or remove. Then decide which plants you’ll cluster and which to keep separate. Pair plants with similar water, light and soil needs. Plan where to plant them, and circle the plants you’ll start from seed.

5. Pick to Mix. Scrutinize your list to make sure you have a good mix of: plant types, scents, bloom times, beneficial plants, texture, sizes and color. Do the Safe Paws check to make sure all plants are safe for your pets.

Step back and admire your handiwork! In just a few short months, your hands will be in the soil making your garden plan spring to life.

Deck the Halls with Holiday Houseplants

December 8, 2015/in Indoor Gardening

Hang the stockings by the chimney with care. Decorate the tree with glee. Then spread joy with holiday houseplants.

After all, the halls aren’t decked until the houseplants arrive! Houseplants can stand alone or complement other holiday decor. Plus, their lively blooms, colors and smells are the definition of holiday cheer!

Houseplants make sweet gifts to give — and even sweeter gifts for you to get yourself!

Below is everything you need to know about holiday houseplants.

Holly, Jolly Holiday Houseplants

Start with the perfect holiday houseplant! The rest is easy.

1. Festive Poinsettia. No other houseplant captures the Christmas spirit more than poinsettias.

2. Cheerful Christmas Cactus. Red and green all over, this flowering houseplant is super easy to care for and bursts with sweet, red blooms all season.

3. Amazing Amaryllis. Bold, stunning and elegant, amaryllis delight with vibrant red and snowy white blooms.

4. Nifty Norfolk Island Pine. These petite Christmas trees are simply darling! Plus, they can grow up to 12’ tall if properly cared for!

5. Charming Cyclamen. Cyclamen’s heart-shaped red or pink flowers instantly fill spaces with love.

Keep Your Holiday Houseplants Happy

Package It Up. Add your personal touch by potting your houseplant in a container matching your holiday decor. Have fun with it! Tie a bow around it, or paint the pot with chalkboard paint.
Season’s Soil. Add a bit of organic fertilizer, then fill the pot with organic potting soil.
Let It Shine. Read the plant tag to see how much sunlight and water your holiday houseplant needs.
Feast on Food. Enjoy more of those beautiful blooms. Feed with Indoor! every 3-4 weeks during periods of active growth, usually from March through September.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by placing a holiday houseplant here and here! Enjoy those blooming beauties all season.

Thyme to Plant an Indoor Herb Garden

December 1, 2015/in Blog, Indoor Gardening

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!

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A Plant Today Keeps the Doctor Away

November 17, 2015/in Flowers

For most of us, the outdoor gardening season is winding down. Yet, we want to keep that green thumb moving!

Channel your gardening energy indoors. A green-filled oasis awaits you! Add a few indoor plants today!

Top 3 Reasons Why You Can Never Have Enough Houseplants

Plants add a pop of color and a burst of life to spaces. But, they do even more.

Pollution Solution. Indoor plants scrub the air clean by removing toxins, according to NASA research. Houseplants remove 87 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are in everything from rugs and grocery bags to paint and vinyl.
Find Your Focus. Houseplants increase well-being by 47 percent, increase creativity by 45 percent and increase productivity by 38 percent, according to new research.
Combat Colds. Powerful indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses by more than 30 percent, found the University of Agriculture in Norway.

Caring for Houseplants is Easy

Houseplants provide us with all those benefits and ask for very little in return. Here’s all they need!

Strong Soil. Organic potting soil packed with nutrients, enriched with Myco-tone^® and fortified with worm castings sets houseplants up for success. Whether you’re planting new or repotting old plants, use an organic soil.
Light It Right. Check your plant tag to see how much sun your plant needs.
Wow with Water. Water most houseplants when the top of the soil feels dry. Only water succulents and cacti when the soil is completely dry.
Fuel with Organic Fertilizer. . Fertilize houseplants with an organic fertilizer such as Indoor! during active periods of growth. This is usually during the spring and summer.

Those happy houseplants will make you smile every day! Check out Espoma’s “Houseplant” Pinterest board for more inspiration and ideas!

Celebrate National Indoor Plant Week

September 17, 2015/in Gardening, Indoor Gardening

Indoor plants are the superheroes of the plant world. They have the power to aid in concentration, increase productivity and even boost well-being.

To honor these green heroes, the third week of September is recognized as National Indoor Plant Week. So let’s celebrate!

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top threats to public health. We spend as much as 90 percent of our lives indoors — so it’s time to add some greenery.

Houseplants are surprisingly easy to take care of with these six tips.

1. Bring them indoors. Many people place their houseplants outside in the summer, but when temperatures start to drop below 50º at night, it’s time to bring them in! Check houseplants for pests before moving them. Help houseplants to adjust by bringing them in at night and returning them outdoors during the day. Over the course of two weeks, gradually increase the amount of time plants spend indoors.

2. New space. Repot houseplants if they’re in need of some additional space. Select a pot that is at least 2” larger than your current container and transfer. Use Espoma’s Organic Potting Mix to fill the rest of the container.

3. Pick the right spot. A houseplant lets you know the spot is right by maintaining healthy leaves. If there’s enough light for you to read by, there’s probably enough for a low-light houseplant. Avoid placing plants near heat or air conditioning ducts, on TVs, or between the curtains and a chilly window.

4. Give them a drink. If the soil is dry about an inch below the surface, add water. But don’t overwater! It’s the number one cause of houseplant death. Collect excess water in a tray or saucer and never allow plants to sit in water.

5. Stay Comfortable. Houseplants are happiest when temperatures are between 70 and 80ºF during the day and 10-15º cooler at night.

6. Feed houseplants. Fertilize houseplants with an organic fertilizer such as Indoor! during active periods of growth. This is usually during the spring and summer.

With these tips, your houseplants will be looking their best in no time! Tell us about your favorite houseplant in the comments!

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Tag Archive for: indoor gardening

Fall Gardening Checklist

7 Things To Do in the Garden This Fall

1. Deadhead to get Ahead

2. Don’t Stop Planting.

4. Flower Power

5. Watch out for Winter!

6. Divide and Conquer

7. Red, Dead Ahead!

Grab Your Books for a Lesson in Gardening 101

Make a Happy Home for Plants

More is More: Hydrangeas that Bloom All Summer

Make Like a Garden and Grow

Deck the Halls with Holiday Houseplants

Thyme to Plant an Indoor Herb Garden

A Plant Today Keeps the Doctor Away

Celebrate National Indoor Plant Week

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