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!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Espoma_0126_GardenAnswer_RepottingGreenhouse_thumbnail.png360640Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2026-02-04 12:07:562026-02-04 15:50:50VIDEO: Repotting in the Greenhouse with Garden Answer
Watch as Summer Rayne Oakes@flockfingerlakes tours a small, shrub-forward garden that’s brimming with enthusiasm—thanks to a few “thuggish” growers that love to spread. She shows how her garden beds were built with cardboard, compost, and Espoma Organic soils, and how planting densely with Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus helped everything establish beautifully. The result: a thriving space that just needs smart, seasonal management.
Summer’s Tips!
1) Decide the goal, then manage to match
Before you pull a single plant from your wild garden, define your vision. If shrubs are meant to be the stars, reduce anything blocking sightlines or competing for height. A clear goal makes every adjustment easier.
2) Build living soil from day one
Build a garden bed using organic soil like Espoma Organic Potting Mix, Raised Bed Mix, or All-Purpose Garden soil to create a rich rooting zone. Healthy soil grows resilient plants. Plan for light, regular maintenance.
3) Plant with a quality Starter Fertilizer for confident establishment
At planting, mix in Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus. Its slow-release nutrition, beneficial microbes, and mycorrhizal fungi help roots colonize quickly, reduce transplant stress, and set plants up for long-term success.
4) Manage early and often
Make quick passes a habit. Trim seed heads after bloom, thin young growth before it crowds, and lift runners that wander into paths. Small, frequent efforts prevent big overhauls later.
5) Read the site and group accordingly
Let the garden tell you what it wants. Moisture-loving plants often reveal wetter spots; cluster them there and relocate dry-site growers to sunnier, leaner areas. Use edging and pathways to reinforce boundaries.
6) Give energetic growers a job
Channel that vigor. Move fast spreaders to meadows, back corners, or containers where they can thrive freely. Use groundcovers as living mulch in designated zones, but keep stepping stones and entries clear for structure and flow.
Healthy soil and thoughtful plant management help any garden strike the right balance between wild and intentional. With organic soil building and mindful upkeep, you can enjoy a garden that’s full of life—and still beautifully under control.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Plant-Thugs-frame-000004.jpg10801920Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-10-22 17:18:222026-01-06 13:11:55Video: How to Manage a Wild Garden with Summer Rayne Oakes 🌿🌸
Summer Rayne Oakes @FlockFingerLakes takes us on a tour of her garden packed with edible plants. From fruit trees and berry bushes to roses and kale, Summer shows how beauty and function can grow side by side. Along the way, she nourishes her plants with Espoma Organic products to build strong roots, vibrant blooms, and thriving harvests.
Espoma Products Summer Uses in Her Edible Landscape:
Bio-tone Starter Plus Summer uses Bio-tone Starter Plus when planting apple trees and preparing new beds. With mycorrhizae and beneficial microbes, it jumpstarts root growth and helps plants establish quickly—like “planting insurance” for long-term success.
Espoma Organic Potting Soils To build the foundation of her new garden beds, Summer used a mix of Espoma Organic Soils, including Raised Bed Mix, Potting Mix, Land & Sea Compost, and others. These mixes improve soil structure, boost microbial life, and provide the organic matter plants need for healthy growth.
Rose-tone For her roses, Summer sprinkles Espoma Organic Rose-tone around the root zone. With its 4-3-2 blend, it encourages lush foliage and beautiful blooms while being safe for the soil and pollinators.
Soil Acidifier Blueberries thrive in acidic soil, and Summer keeps them happy with Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier. Made from elemental sulfur and gypsum, it naturally lowers pH to match the needs of acid-loving plants.
Tomato! Liquid Fertilizer Summer gives her tomato plants a boost with Espoma Organic Tomato! This easy-to-use liquid concentrate provides balanced nutrition and added calcium to prevent blossom end rot, ensuring plump, juicy fruits all season long.
Bringing It All Together
Summer’s edible landscape is proof that food gardens can be as beautiful as they are bountiful—with the right soil, thoughtful plant choices, and natural care. Ready to start your own edible landscape? Explore Espoma Organic products and discover how to feed your garden naturally. 🌱
Watch as Kaleb Wyse from Wyse Guide refreshes his raised beds and herb containers. He tops off his raised beds with Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix and mixes in Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost to improve soil structure and health. He plants heirloom tomatoes and peppers using Espoma Organic Tomato-tone and Bio-tone Starter Plus to give his new plants the nutrients they need to develop strong roots and big blooms.
Kaleb fills terracotta pots with Espoma Organic Potting Mix and mixes in Bio-tone Starter Plus to support healthy growth of basil, rosemary, thyme, and more.
Kaleb’s Top Plant Care Tips:
Refresh raised beds as needed—especially if the soil has settled or it’s time to replant—using high-quality organic soil like Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix and compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost to improve soil structure, boost microbial activity, and maintain healthy growing conditions.
Feed tomato plants with a high-quality organic fertilizer like Espoma Organic Tomato-tone, which provides calcium to help support proper fruit production.
Whether planting in the ground or containers, mix in an organic starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to encourage strong root growth and quick establishment.
Regularly harvest herbs to stimulate continuous growth.
Ensure containers receive consistent watering to prevent drying out.
Follow along with Laura of Garden Answer as she brings bold beauty to her landscape by planting a vibrant mix of red-foliage shrubs. These richly colored plants are perfect for adding contrast in sunny areas. As she plants, Laura uses Espoma Organic Garden-tone to feed each shrub with long-lasting nutrients and Bio-tone Starter Plus to promote strong root growth. She also refreshes several containers near her kitchen patio, using Espoma Organic Potting Mix to give her annuals a healthy start and keep them thriving all season.
🌳 Tips for Planting Shrubs
Feed while you plant. Laura adds Espoma Organic Garden-tone to each hole to provide organic, slow-release nutrients that support long-term growth and vibrant foliage.
Jumpstart root growth. She uses Bio-tone Starter Plus to help newly planted shrubs establish quickly and reduce transplant shock.
Design for color and space. Laura mixes bold varieties like Black Ninebark, Weigela, and Beautybush, giving each plant the room it needs to shine at maturity.
🪴 Tips for Planting Containers
Use the right soil. Laura fills her pots with Espoma Organic Potting Mix, which helps retain moisture and provides a healthy growing foundation for container plants.
Choose plants for the conditions. She selects shade-tolerant plants to thrive on her partially shaded patio.
Add visual balance. Each container includes a focal point, surrounded by fillers and spillers for a lush, finished look.
There’s nothing quite like a porch full of lush, thriving greenery to welcome in the warmer months—and no one brings that vision to life quite like Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide. In his latest video, Kaleb shares how he transforms his sunny front porch into a shaded retreat using one of our favorite combinations: Boston ferns, Kimberly Queen ferns, and a trusted mix of Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix and Holly-tone.
Ferns Chosen with Purpose
Kaleb’s front porch faces south, which means intense sunlight, reflected heat, and the occasional gusty breeze. Instead of fighting nature, Kaleb leans into it—selecting Kimberly Queen ferns for their upright habit and sun tolerance, while reserving traditional Boston ferns for shadier spots near the house.
His secret to keeping these ferns happy? It starts with the soil.
Kaleb’s Planting Tips:
Kaleb chooses our Espoma Organic Potting Mix because it offers the perfect balance of drainage and moisture retention—critical for ferns, which love even moisture but hate soggy roots. This mix includes:
Perlite for improved aeration
Organic compost for slow-release nutrition
Natural, eco-safe ingredients—no synthetic fillers or plastic beads here
As Kaleb puts it: “It holds on to the moisture needed but also drains really well.”
He also adds a light sprinkle of Espoma Organic Holly-tone, our acidic plant food typically used for hydrangeas and evergreens. Since ferns thrive in slightly acidic conditions, Holly-tone gives them an extra boost without overstimulating growth—perfect for those who prefer a light-touch fertilizing routine.
🌱 Pro tip from Kaleb: Gently loosen or score the roots of pot-bound ferns before planting. It encourages them to branch into the fresh potting mix and establish faster.
Build Your Own Porch Sanctuary
Looking to create your own front porch oasis? Let Kaleb’s video be your inspiration. And when you’re ready to pot up your ferns, reach for the products trusted by generations of gardeners.
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!
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
Spring is officially here, and Laura from Garden Answer welcomes the season with a fresh round of planting and garden prep!
She kicks things off by sowing stock flower seeds saved from last year. Using Espoma Organic Seed Starter Mix and Potting Soil, she creates the perfect environment for strong germination and healthy growth. To support her young seedlings, Laura turns to Espoma Organic Grow!—a liquid organic fertilizer packed with essential nutrients that help plants thrive naturally. 🌱
Next, Laura adds lasting color and structure to her landscape by planting three Sgt. Pepper Dogwood shrubs. Known for their vibrant red twigs and variegated foliage, these shrubs are given the best start with Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus, a mycorrhizae-enhanced organic fertilizer designed to promote deep roots and long-term plant health. 🌿
Finally, she refreshes her hellebores by trimming back old foliage and feeding them with Espoma Organic Holly-tone. This slow-release organic fertilizer is ideal for acid-loving plants and ensures strong, beautiful spring blooms. 🌸
From seed starting to shrub planting, Laura shows just how easy it is to grow a healthy, thriving garden with the help of Espoma Organic. If you’re looking to boost your garden naturally this season, reach for the organic fertilizers trusted by gardeners for over 95 years.
Learn how to repot Rosemary and Blue Ginger plants with Summer Rayne Oakes, using organic soils and fertilizer from Espoma.
In this easy-to-follow guide, Summer creates a customized soil blend ideal for Rosemary—a Mediterranean herb sensitive to moisture—by mixing Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix, Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, and Perlite for excellent drainage. She then tops the soil with Espoma Organic Bonsai Mix to provide a protective layer that helps retain moisture and prevents rapid drying.
Additionally, Summer shares essential tips on repotting Weeping Blue Ginger using Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, perfect for plants that prefer higher humidity and ample root space.
For optimal plant health, fertilize your container plants regularly with Espoma Organic Grow! Liquid Plant Food.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Title-9.jpg7201280Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-03-27 17:35:202025-03-27 17:35:20How to Repot Rosemary and Blue Ginger Using Organic Soils 🌿 | Summer Rayne Oakes