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
Starting seeds is an essential part of gardening. It’s a great way to get a head start on the next season and ensure there are always fresh plants ready to replace spent ones—a method known as succession planting. Follow along with Farmer Nick as he shares his top tips to set seeds up for success!
1) Start with High-Quality Organic Potting Soil
The foundation of strong seedlings begins with the right soil. While seeds can germinate in regular potting or garden soil, a high-quality organic seed starting mix—like Espoma Organic Seed Starter—is specifically designed to be lightweight, allowing roots to spread easily while providing essential nutrients to support those first delicate sprouts.
Pro Tip: Always moisten the soil before planting. This keeps seeds in place, provides immediate hydration, and helps ensure an even pack in seed trays.
2) Provide Warmth for Germination
Once the seeds are planted, maintaining the right temperature is key. A heat mat can speed up germination by keeping the soil warm, but it also dries out the mix quickly, so it’s important to keep the soil consistently moist but not overly saturated. A misting bottle is a great tool for gentle hydration.
Pro Tip: Using a smart outlet to control the heat mat allows for easy scheduling. Nick typically runs his mat for about 8 hours overnight, when temperatures drop. Once most of the seedlings have sprouted, he removes them from the heat mat.
3) Light is Essential for Growth
While light isn’t necessary for germination, it becomes crucial once seeds sprout. A grow light helps seedlings develop strong, sturdy stems rather than becoming weak and leggy.
Pro Tip: Always plant a few more seeds than needed. Not every seed will germinate, and extra plants can be thinned out or shared with fellow gardeners.
4) Don’t Forget to Label!
It may sound simple, but labeling seeds is a step many gardeners—Nick included—tend to overlook. Without labels, it’s easy to mix up cucumbers and zucchinis, leading to a fun (but avoidable) guessing game when the plants mature.
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By following these seed-starting tips, gardeners can set themselves up for a successful season, ensuring healthy seedlings that are ready to thrive in the garden.
For the best results, start with a high-quality organic seed-starting mix like Espoma Organic Seed Starting Mix. When it’s time to repot your new plants, switch to Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix for optimal growth. And don’t forget to feed your plants with a high-quality organic liquid fertilizer like Espoma Organic Indoor! to keep them strong and thriving!
Preparing outdoor container plants for winter is a seasonal challenge for gardeners in colder climates. Watch Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide as he shares a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at his winter plant storage techniques.
Preparing Plants for Winter Storage
Kaleb demonstrates the process of transitioning plants like figs, succulents, and cacti from outdoor containers to indoor pots. His method emphasizes:
Removing root-bound plants gently and trimming where necessary.
Using the proper sized container and balancing root space and top-heaviness.
: Using the right soil mix for specific plants.
One standout product Kaleb uses for his succulents is an organic potting soil mix like Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, which provides an ideal growing medium for succulents, cacti, and citrus plants.
The Plant Room
Kaleb’s storage room is a converted, insulated space tailored to meet the needs of plants during Iowa’s cold winters in Zone 5B. Equipped with radiant heaters, LED grow lights and fans, this room mimics outdoor conditions while protecting plants from frost.
Key features include:
Grow Lights: LED grow lights ensure proper light distribution for optimal growth.
Temperature Control: Maintains optimal ranges—70-75°F for warm-zone plants.
Air Circulation: Fans reduce pests such as scale and spider mites.
Additional Tips and Tricks
Pest Prevention: Organic sprays like neem oil and horticultural oil are applied to eliminate pests before bringing plants indoors.
Succulent Care: Kaleb repots succulent arrangements into individual containers and propagates new plants through cuttings.
Whether you’re overwintering succulents, ferns, or citrus plants, Kaleb’s method, enhanced by tools like Espoma Organic Potting soils, ensures a healthy and thriving indoor garden all winter long.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Housplant-1.jpg7201280Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2024-12-03 17:30:222024-12-03 17:30:22VIDEO: Prepare Your Plants for Winter Storage with Wyse Guide!
Watch Kaleb Wyse from Wyse Guidetackle some fall gardening projects at his mom’s house. In this video, Kaleb transplants boxwoods that aren’t doing well and repots agave plants from outdoor containers that need to be brought indoors for the winter. When transplanting the boxwoods, Kaleb recommends using a high-quality organic starter fertilizer like Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to ensure strong root growth. He also uses Espoma Organic Potting Soilwhen repotting the agave plants to give his plants a fresh growing medium for the winter months.
Follow along with Laura from Garden Answer as she demonstrates how to turn fallen leaves into a powerful soil booster using leaf mulch in her garden beds. She starts by gathering and shredding leaves with her lawn mower, this helps with breaking down the leaves and preventing the formation of a thick mat layer that prevents water and air movement.
Laura adds Espoma Organic Blood Meal to balance the carbon-rich leaves with a nitrogen source, creating an ideal mix for a quick breakdown of the leaves and soil nourishment. A leaf mulch layer can be a natural insulator for delicate plants, shielding them from winter chill and enriching the soil for the next season.
Join Laura from Garden Answer as she shows how to plant a stunning fall container filled with a mix of annuals and hydrangeas. Along the way, she shares practical gardening tips while sprucing up a flowerbed and harvesting potatoes from her vegetable garden.
The Potting Mix serves as a nutrient-rich foundation for strong root development, while the Orchid Mix adds essential bark pieces for better aeration, mirroring the natural environment of Anthuriums. Perlite improves drainage and helps prevent root rot, making it perfect for these water-sensitive plants.
Get inspired by Summer’s approach to plant care and see how she transforms her Anthuriums’ new home.