How to Plant Blueberries in Containers
Laura from Garden Answer shows how to plant blueberries in containers and fertilize with Espoma’s Holly-tone. Watch the video below to see just how easy it is!
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DIY Vegetable Pallet Planter from Garden Answer
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.
Grow Scrumptious Tomatoes in Easy Containers
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.
4. Fill container 3/4 full with Espoma’s organic potting mix.
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.
Make a Happy Home for Plants
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!
Deck the Halls with Holiday Houseplants
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
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!
A Plant Today Keeps the Doctor Away
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
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!
Don’t Leave Hanging Baskets Out to Dry…
Hanging baskets make great visual impacts when they are filled to the brim with bright summer blooms. They add instant color to any spot and are a sign of warm weather.
Though as days get hotter and the summer rolls on, hanging baskets can start to look tired: drooping blooms, minimal flowers and straggly plants.
Your hanging basket isn’t doomed. It just needs a good ol’ fashion pick-me-up.
Refresh your hanging baskets to keep them partying all summer long
Get ready to give your hanging baskets a make-over. With these tips, your hanging basket will be back in its prime in no time.
Photo Courtesy Proven Winners
Take the Heat Off Hanging Baskets
- Test the Waters Hanging baskets need more water when temperatures rise. During the peak of summer’s heat, water baskets in the morning until water drips from the drainage holes. Check them again in the afternoon to see if they need more water. On windy days, hanging baskets dry out, so they will need even more water.
- Food for Thought. Feed hanging baskets with an organic flower food, like Flower-tone or the new Bloom! liquid plant food. Because of how much water baskets need, nutrients are frequently flushed from the soil. Regular feedings give your hanging baskets the energy they need to shine and bloom continuously.
- Drop Dead Gorgeous Blooms. As flowers fade, pinch them off where they meet the stem. Deadheading hanging baskets keeps them producing flowers and prevents them from going to seed.
- Which to Switch. Not every flower blooms all summer. If one of your flowers is done blooming for the season, swap it out. Gently remove the flower, replace it with a vibrant plant and fill with an organic potting soil.
- What to Cut. When your hanging basket is looking a bit wild or leggy, cut it back by 1-2”.
Look at that! Your hanging baskets already look better. Keep up these tips throughout the summer to keep hanging baskets fresh, beautiful and blooming.
Repurpose on Purpose: Trash Transforms into Beautiful Containers
Container gardening adds a whole new element of style and flair to your outdoor space. Not only do you get to showcase 
your style through plants, but also in the unique pots you choose. It’s twice the fun!
And you can do it for the planet, too. Growing herbs, veggies and flowers already makes the world a greener place. Now reuse and repurpose a forgotten item into an invigorated planter. Upcycling creates less waste and saves money, too.
Create a repurposed container for a beautiful (and thrifty!) container garden.
Your soon-to-be favorite container may already be in your house. Almost any vessel can be repurposed into a garden container! You’ll be amazed by what you discover (and by what containers you didn’t even know were hiding in your cupboards).
Up for Grabs: Upcycled Containers
- Pin Your Style. Create a look that is truly all your own. Decide if you want a rustic, modern, country or bold look. Then browse Pinterest for inspiration.
- Start the Search. Browse your kitchen, closet, garage and cupboards for items you no longer use. Any size works! Branch out to yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets for more unique looks.
- Add a Special Touch. Personalize your container by painting it, covering it in old wallpaper, or even turning it into a mosaic. Get crafty!
- Show Them the Drill. Then Fill. Drill holes in the bottom of your repurposed container to provide drainage. Without drainage holes, soil becomes too wet and causes roots to rot. When ready, fill with the ideal potting soil, Espoma’s Organic Potting Mix, and your favorite plants.
These upcycled tires are stacked and painted- as seen by Ellen Wells at Syngenta
A colorful, retro colander makes a great hanging container
Think outside of the (toy)box
And, of course, the bigger the better for this container…
Other Types of Repurposed Containers:
Get inspired by some of our favorite items to turn into garden planters below.
- Teacups and teapots
- Pitchers
- Tires
- Boots and shoes
- Colanders
- Desk drawers
- Buckets
- Wine crates and whiskey barrels
- Wheelbarrows and wagons
- Clothes and lingerie
- Toolboxes
- Suitcases
- Watering cans
Creating repurposed containers is a quick, affordable and fun way to expand container gardens. Once you start, the possibilities are endless!
*thank you MicroGardener for the photos!