Watch as Laura from  @gardenanswer freshens up her window boxes with beautiful vibrant flowers. Laura, with the help of  @EspomaOrganic demonstrates how you too can add a pop of color to your home this spring.
Seed starting is easy when you follow along with Wyse Guide! Bundle up your seeds this winter with Espoma Organic Seed Starter, and by the time it’s warm enough to put them outside, youâll already have beautiful, strong root growth. Watch the full video below for a step-by-step introduction to spring your seeds into action!Â
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-to-Start-Seeds-3-scaled.jpg25601644Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2023-02-15 16:18:562023-02-15 16:23:07VIDEO: Seed Starting for Spring with Kaleb Wyse!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/trees-thumbnail.jpeg360480Stephanie Muczykhttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngStephanie Muczyk2021-05-17 11:26:162021-06-11 12:10:55Video: Planting New Trees with Garden Answer
Laura from @Garden Answer is packing up her truck with some annual plants and trusty Espoma products to revamp her driveway and spruce up her local church! Follow along to see how she gets it done.
The weather is getting warmer, which means itâs time to start thinking about sowing spring veggies and planning ahead! Cool season crops can be directly sown into the ground as soon as the soil temperature is at or above 40ËF, but ensure youâre not working with wet or muddy soil since those are not favorable conditions for plant growth. Donât forget to include Espoma OrganicGarden-Tone to give your new vegetables the nutrients they need to grow big and delicious!
1. Spinach
Fresh baby spinach is not only delicious, but itâs also loaded with vitamins and minerals. This vegetable is versatile because you can eat it alone in a springtime salad or mix it into something like a smoothie! Now is a great time to sow spinach since it usually sprouts quickly and is somewhat frost-resistant in the face of unpredictable spring weather.
2. Swiss Chard
You may not be familiar with this beet relative, but itâs another amazing plant that is easy to grow from seed in the early springtime. You can eat chard raw or cooked and feel good knowing it contains 3 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 44 percent of the recommended amount of vitamin A! Remember to harvest only the outer leaves during the spring and leave the inside for a later harvest.
3. Lettuce
Lettuce may seem simple, but did you know it actually comes in a variety of colors, species, shapes, and sizes? Gardeners love this plant lettuce because harvesting the baby greens is quick and easy â sometimes it can be ready after just 30 days! Lettuce is low in calories, fat, and sodium and is also a good source of fiber, iron, folate, and vitamin C. You can use your lettuce in a traditional salad, or spice things up by putting it in soup, making a wrap, or even grilling it.
4. Radishes
Radishes are the quickest vegetable to grow on this list if you truly want an early spring harvest. Theyâre also rich in antioxidants and minerals like calcium and potassium. Did you know these nutrients can help lower high blood pressure and reduce your risks for heart disease? You can put radishes in salads or even add them to stir fry or tacos.
5. Kale
Kale is the perfect vegetable if you want to produce a lot of food with little effort. Itâs known as a âsuper foodâ for a reason â because cooked kale actually produces more iron than beef! It grows easily from a seed, so all you have to do is harvest the outer leaves for baby kale and let the rest of the foliage grow to full size. Kale, like spinach, is a great ingredient to add to your next salad or smoothie. Try a kale salad, or add it to a smoothie to make it healthier!
6. Peas
If you want to get your kids interested in gardening, the simplicity of planting peas is a great start. Fresh grown peas are a sweet and delicious side for any dish, or you can use them to make pea soup. Theyâre a good source of vitamins C and E, zinc, and other antioxidants that strengthen your immune system. Youâll want to read the seed packets closely to see if there are any specific growing directions and to get an idea of how tall this plant will grow. If you donât want to do all the shelling regular peas require, you should opt for sugar snaps or snow peas.
*****
Itâs much easier than you may think to grow delicious and nutritious veggies in your own backyard. Plus, itâs fun and simple enough for the whole family to help! Which ones are you going to include in your early spring garden?
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/inigo-de-la-maza-s285sDw5Ikc-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Stephanie Muczykhttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngStephanie Muczyk2021-03-16 12:03:252023-03-22 09:22:136 Vegetables to Sow During Early Spring
With the arrival of spring just around the corner, itâs time to learn how you can properly prepare your seeds for the best outcome possible! Seed starting is most commonly used by flower and vegetable farmers to get the best variety of plants while saving time and money. By allowing the seeds to germinate inside before transferring them to your outside garden, there is a greater chance of a successful outcome. Read more to learn how to get started!
Photo via @rebeccamaterasso on Instagram
1. Read the Packet
Seed starting allows you to get a head start on your warm weather gardening. When you purchase your desired seeds, the packet will instruct you when you can start your plants indoors and when you must move them outside. If youâre still unsure about specifics, you can double check with Epic Gardeningâs guide to seed starting methods. Make sure to only start a project that is achievable within your space!
Photo via @jazzybutterflygarden on Instagram
2. Gather Your Supplies
You can develop a seed starter in any type of container that has drainage (some people even use egg shells!), but there are also kits that can be purchased to help you start. Once you have your seed starter tray, youâre going to need soil. We recommend our Organic Seed Starter Potting Mix.
Photo via @jeradtb on Instagram
3. Plant Your Seeds
Once the starter soil is in the container, the seeds will be pressed down into the soil or placed on top to be able to germinate (the seed packet should indicate how far under the soil the seed needs to be placed). You want to make sure that your seeds arenât too compact in the tray, so be sure to add Vermiculite to help with loosening heavy soil for better root growth. If youâre a visual learner, check out this step-by-step video!
Photo via @sowinginsuburbia on Instagram
4. Label Your Seeds
You want to make sure that all of the seeds get labeled during the starter process so that you can identify them when itâs time to move them outside. Once the plants develop, it can be difficult to tell them apart while you transfer them. When you’re ready to move them, be sure to add our Bio-tone Starter Plus to the soil to help your new plants stay strong during the transfer process.
Photo via @living.life.zerowaste on Instagram
5. Double Check Everything
Ensure you know which types of seeds can be started indoors and when the correct time will be to relocate them outdoors. Itâs important to always read the instructions as different seeds may require different care. For example, vegetable seeds have different care than flower seeds! Consulting The Old Farmerâs Almanac can help you figure out whatâs best for your seeds if youâre still unsure.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/joshua-lanzarini-Vct0oBHNmv4-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Stephanie Muczykhttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngStephanie Muczyk2021-02-23 17:04:332021-02-23 17:04:33Seed Starter Tips for a Successful Spring Harvest
Everyone
loves corn on the cob. Itâs a staple of summer picnics and barbeques. Everyone
loves popcorn too, but most people donât realize you can grow your own. This is
a fun and easy way to get kids involved in gardening. Seeds are relatively
large and easy for kids to handle. Itâs fast growing and making your own popcorn
is a real treat.
Youâll Need Fertile Seed
No, you
canât open a bag of popcorn from the grocery store and plant it. Most store
bought popcorn isnât fertile because of the heating and sterilization processes
it undergoes. Youâll need to buy fertile
popcorn from your local garden center and there are plenty to choose from on
the internet. There are a few heirloom varieties that make great popcorn and
are beautiful too, youâll want to use them for fall decorating.
Strawberry Popcorn?
One heritage
variety named âStrawberryâ has short cobs, just 2-4 inches long with ruby red
kernels. âDakota Blackâ has 6-8 inch long cobs with kernels so deep purple they
look almost black. Think Halloween decorations! Perhaps the most beautiful is
called âGlass Gemâ. The kernels are yellow, orange, pink, purple, green and
orange with a glossy, glass-like transparency. They are as beautiful to look at
as they are to eat!
Choose a Bright, Sunny Spot
Plant corn
in full sun, with well-draining soil. Mix in some of Espomaâs All-Purpose Garden Soil
and Bio-tone Starter Plus to refresh your soil. While these varieties of corn are somewhat smaller
than eating corn, they still need plenty of room. Space the seeds, 2 per hole,
eight to ten inches apart with 18-24 inches between rows.
Theyâre
Thirsty
Popcorn is a
thirsty plant. They will drink about 2 inches of water a week if it doesnât
rain.
Add a layer
of mulch after planting to help hold moisture in the soil. Using soaker hoses
is a very efficient way to water, very little evaporates and the water is taken
up slowly and deeply. You should begin to taper off watering when you near the
harvest time, about 100 days.
Theyâre
Hungry!
Feeding your
popcorn is just as important as watering it. All corn needs nitrogen. Using a
product like Espomaâs Plant-Tone is a great choice. Itâs an organic,
long lasting, slow release fertilizer. Itâs a good idea to feed popcorn when
itâs about knee high, when the silk forms or if the leaves start turning
yellow. Or, simply feed plants once a month.
Protect the Kernels
If you
garden with kids, making a scarecrow is an absolute must! And, it may actually
help to keep the birds away. If birds are overly interested in your sprouting
corn, you could try using a chicken wire tunnel over each row.
Let the Corn Dry on the Stalks
In a dry
autumn, leave the corn on the stalks until they are dry. The husks should be
papery and dry and the kernels should feel hard. If itâs a wet fall, harvest
the corncobs and bring them indoors to finish drying. Simply pull back the
husks and spread them out on newspaper, out of direct sunlight. Popcorn is
generally harvested in October, 85-120 days after planting depending on weather
and when it was planted.
Pop Quiz
If youâre
not sure if your popcorn is dry enough, do a pop test. Put a few kernels of
corn into a hot pan with a little bit of oil. If it pops, itâs ready. If it
sticks to the pan, itâs not ready and needs to be dried longer. You can either
pop your corn the old fashion way, in a pan with oil or put one cob in a paper
bag and pop it in the microwave. Keep a close eye on your microwave cooking
time, until you know how long it takes for your popcorn to cook. Unpopped popcorn
can be stored in an air tight container all winter.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Corn-plant.jpg331500espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2019-05-01 08:00:272019-05-07 09:56:08Grow Your Own Popcorn
Pansies and violas look delicate but are in fact, tough as nails. They liven up our gardens and decorative pots in early spring and late fall, unfazed by cold weather or even snow. The first and last flowers of the year are the most precious and their âfacesâ shine even on the grayest days. Treat yourself to these little sunshines.
All pansies are violas but not all violas are pansies. Think of the smaller flowered varieties like the good old Jonny Jump Up as violas and the larger flowered varieties as pansies. Some violas are perennial, but they are mostly used as cool season annuals. Whichever you choose, theyâll provide seasonal color for weeks, and even months on end!
Another charm of this family of flowers is that they are edible. In the simplest form, you could float one small flower on top of a cocktail. Decorate cakes and salads with their fresh blooms, add them to herb butters or suspend them in honey or jellies. Just one petal of the larger flowered pansies looks heavenly when garnishing appetizers. They even go with grilled meat. When consuming, itâs always best to use your own organically grown flowers and give them a quick rinse before eating.
Both pansies and violas can be planted in the ground, accentuating the edge of borders or growing up together with your spring bulbs. They are marvelous in containers too. An early season container combination could include a closely planted base of violas with pussy willow branches stuck into the soil between them for height. In the autumn, look for the orange and black varieties for a Halloween theme.
When assembling your container, make sure to use good quality organic potting soil like Espomaâs Organic Potting Mix and feed your container plants once a month with a Espomaâs Bloom! Liquid Fertilizer. This foundation will ensure that your plants have everything they need to thrive and bloom and be safe to eat. If youâre planting your violas in garden beds give them a feeding of Plant-tone, an organic, slow release fertilizer.
Violas and pansies will grow in sun or part shade but will do best with about 5-6 hours of light per day. Pansies will bloom longer if they get late afternoon shade. They donât really like the heat. They both do best in moist but well-drained soil. In general violas tolerate both cold and heat better than pansies. Deadheading spent flowers is well worth your time and will keep plants flowering longer.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pansies.jpg6671000espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2019-04-03 08:00:002019-05-07 09:56:09Plant Some Pansies to Celebrate Springâs Arrival