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Start the Season off Right with these Garden Essentials

It’s finally time to play in the dirt! Getting the garden ready for another season is one of the most important tasks there is, so get it done right! Here’s a quick list of garden essentials to get you off to a great start this spring.

Soil and Compost

Whether it’s hardy landscape plants, annual flower beds, or your vegetable garden, soil matters. Our premium soil mix includes good black dirt, peat, compost, and a touch of sand and is an awesome foundation for garden beds. It also works perfectly for seeding and filling holes. 

If it’s been a while since you’ve given your landscape beds a treat, it might be time to add some compost. Cowsmo compost is just what the plant doctor ordered to improve soil’s fertility, texture, and microbiome. Trees and shrubs love a topdressing of compost in the spring. Likewise, many perennials like it too, especially heavy bloomers like delphinium and phlox.

Vegetable and flower beds are particularly great candidates for amendment. Heavy feeding annuals perform amazingly in fertile soil, so it’s a good idea to top up beds intended for these crops. Work compost into the top couple inches of new and established beds before planting or simply add it right on top. Don’t forget your raised beds!

Fertilizer

In addition to compost and high quality soil, a good fertilizer can do wonders.

We have a variety of slow release fertilizers for everything from trees to salad greens. Slow release fertilizer has the advantage of only needing to be applied once or twice during the season. It’s best to work it into the top inch or two of the soil or mix it in with fill dirt at planting time. If you’re in a pinch you can sprinkle it on the soil surface too. Great choice for the busy gardener! Organic and synthetic options available.

We also carry a variety of water soluble fertilizers that are great for plants that need an immediate boost and for gardeners that prefer to fertilize more frequently throughout the season. Excellent for heavy blooming, quick growing plants in containers and baskets that need consistent nutrition to perform their best. We have synthetic and organic options available.

Note: Some plants like sedum, heliopsis, and nasturtium do better in lean soil, so be mindful of the preferences of your plants when choosing what to fertilize and how much to apply.

Mulch    

Soil protection, weed suppression, moisture retention. Need we say more? Mulch is a magical thing. If it’s been a while since you’ve mulched your beds, now is a great time to top them up. Newly dug beds also benefit greatly from a layer of mulch; get it done before the weeds take hold! Wood much is an excellent choice throughout the landscape as it retains moisture and enriches soil as it breaks down. Straw is a great choice for vegetable beds.

When laying mulch, be sure not to pile it around the trunks, stems, and crowns of your plants- keep it an inch or two away from plants to discourage rot and allow for proper watering. Aim for a depth of 2-4 inches for best results. Less doesn’t do much and more can interfere with water penetration, smother roots, and create rodent habitat. It’s a good idea to wait to apply mulch until the soil has warmed a bit. We have several bagged and bulk mulches to choose from!

We’re here to help with all of your landscape needs. If you’re unsure how much mulch, soil, or compost you will need, just bring us the measurements and we can help you do the math. We’re also happy to help you choose the perfect fertilizers for your plants and preferences. Happy gardening!