FoxFarm Blog

Great Soil Prep

Now that the garden centers are bursting with spring blooms, it’s time to think about—dirt.  Okay, so maybe dirt’s not as glamorous as tropical red hibiscus or those tantalizing jasmines in full bloom.  But getting things right with your soil is the first step toward a lush, gorgeous garden.

 

Most experts recommend that you skip back-breaking double-digging and instead lightly turn over the soil with a spading fork, clearing weeds and breaking up hard clay.  Adding lime to clay soils will not only raise pH levels, but it will help in breaking up the clay. Then spread compost on top and let nature do the rest.  It really is that easy!  Top-dressing with a high-quality compost or mulch will add plenty of nutrients to the soil and give young plants everything they need to get growing.

 

All it takes is 3-4 inches of our Happy Frog Soil Conditioner or our classic FoxFarm Original Planting Mix.  Spread it around, water well, and get ready to plant.  Young flower and vegetable seedlings will benefit from a dose of Peace of Mind Starter or Happy Frog Jump Start fertilizer mixed into the planting hole when you get ready to plant.  That’s all you need to wake up your soil for spring!

Potting Soil 101

Here at FoxFarm we get a lot of questions about our potting soils. Now that it's spring and everyone is transplanting their seedlings and filling up their containers, it's a good time to think about choosing the right potting soil for the job.

 

We put a great deal of thought into our soil blends, mixing in organic nutrients and making sure the pH level has been adjusted so that plants are able to fully utilize all the nutrients in the soil. Adjusting the pH level also means the plants won't get stressed by having to adapt to a soil that is too acidic or too alkaline. All of our soils are pH adjusted between the ranges of 6.3-6.8. This ensures an optimal growing environment.

 

Helpful Hint: testing for pH in soil is very different than when you test in water. Testing the runoff from a container is not always accurate as the water just drains out nutrients. If you want to use your current pH instrument instead of one calibrated for soil, you must test your pH with a slurry test. Take ½ cup of soil and mix with 1 cup of water. Let it sit for 30 minutes and test away. We recommend that everyone test their pH as it is a top cause for many plant problems, but spend the extra money on a better meter and keep the tip clean.

 

Our soils have enough nutrients already in them to get your plants through at least their first month of growth. If you are in a dry environment that requires heavy watering, and your plants are already blooming or setting fruit, you will need to begin adding supplemental fertilizer after two weeks. For seedlings and young plants that are still growing, begin supplemental feeding after four weeks. For plants with a fast crop like tomatoes, we recommend that you begin feeding with Big Bloom after planting, and then incorporate Grow Big after 1-2weeks. If you are a dry fertilizer kind of gardener, we suggest amending either Happy Frog or Ocean Forest with either American Pride (for flowers) or Marine Cuisine (for shrubs, trees, ornamentals and veggies) before planting.  You only need to add them to the soil 1-2 times per year and you can continue with any other liquid fertilization program if you like.

 

We call Ocean Forest “the ultimate potting soil” for a reason.  Into one bag we’ve put everything we think plants need, including premium earthworm castings, bat guano, and Pacific Northwest sea-going fish and crab meal. A light, aerated texture is important in a potting soil to ensure that it both holds moisture and also allows for good drainage, so we use composted forest humus, sandy loam, and sphagnum peat moss, and a larger grade of perlite for aeration and drainage.

 

Our Happy Frog Potting Soil has the added benefit of soil-dwelling microbes and fungi that help break down organic matter and feed the plant roots. Happy Frog has the same earthworm castings, bat guano, and composted forest humus that make up all our fine soil blends.  And as always, there are no cheap fillers, no topsoil, and no sludge. It’s nothing but the best.

 

Once you’ve made an investment in great potting soil, you’ll find that the rest takes care of itself. We'll be back soon to talk about one of our favorite fertilizers for spring.

Worm Castings Rock!

Earthworm castings are the powerhouse ingredient in many of our products, including our premium Ocean Forest Potting Soil. So why do we get so excited about worm poop?

We start with rich compost. Remember that worm castings are nothing more than compost that has passed through the gut of a worm. Compost, or decomposed organic matter, is a basic building block of healthy soil.

Worms make it even better. As compost passes through the body of an earthworm, beneficial bacteria flourish. These helpful microbes fight off plant disease and help transform nutrients in the soil into a form that easier for plant roots to use.

Our high-quality earthworm castings are a cornerstone to many of our earth-friendly gardening products. It’s what makes our potting soils so rich and our liquid fertilizers so delicious—for plants, that is.

Start Your Seedlings!

There’s nothing better than a home-grown tomato, and who can resist starting the plants from seed? Check average temps in your area and find out when you can expect regular temperatures in the 70s. Count back 8 weeks, and get those tomatoes going!

Start with our Light Warrior Seed Staring Mix, with mycorrhizae and humic acid. If it’s cold in your seed-starting area, use a heated grow mat to keep your seeds warm. You’ll need bright lights, so unless you’re growing in a greenhouse, plan on adding a few shop lights from the hardware store and placing them just six inches from the soil. You’ll need to raise the lights as they grow, always keeping them about six inches above the foliage.

Plant your favorite tomato varieties in seed flats, and keep the seeds watered well. When they start to germinate, choose the sturdiest, most vigorous seedlings, making sure to select about twice as many as you plan to grow in your garden in case a few fail (and so you’ll have extras to share!) Pluck out the remaining sprouts so your “survivors” will have room to flourish. Then begin feeding with a light application of 100% organic Liquid Big Bloom to get those roots growing.

Once the plants have two sets of healthy leaves, they’re ready to graduate to pots and real potting soil. Repot them into four-inch pots using Ocean Forest, making sure you continue to give them regular water. For a little extra push, mix Peace of Mind Starter or Happy Frog Jump Start into the soil before planting.

A week after planting, they’re ready for some fertilizer! Check out our feeding schedules for liquid plant feeding, or simply use our Peace of Mind Tomato & Vegetable according to package directions. Only a few more weeks until spring!

Bareroots

Do you dig bareroots? This time of year, you’ll find asparagus, strawberries, fruit trees, flowering shrubs, and roses in bareroot form at the garden center. These plants are ready to be put in the ground as soon as they get home, so be sure you’re ready for them.

Dig a hole that’s just deep enough to give the roots room to spread out.  Mix half native soil with Happy Frog Soil Conditioner, which is packed with beneficial microbes and nutrients.  Add Happy Frog Jump Start fertilizer according to package directions, and you’re ready to plant.

Carefully spread the roots out and cover them gently with soil.  You may need to form a mound in the bottom of the hole for the base of the plant to rest on; this depends mostly on the shape of the plant’s root system.  Cover it well, leaving only the branches or trunk aboveground.  Mark the area with a stake, and wait for spring!

The Mulch Protection Program

As the temperatures drop, mulch is more important than ever.  One of the best things you can do to get your garden through the winter is to add 2-4 inches of mulch around shrubs, trees, and perennials. 

Has the vegetable garden gone dormant?  Add six inches as a top-dressing, cover with grass clippings or dried leaves, and plant directly into it next spring. A good layer of mulch will help suppress weeds, prevent soil erosion, and add valuable nutrients that feed the plants at the root zone. 

One bale of Happy Frog Soil Conditioner will cover 12-15 square feet of bare ground.  It’s the best investment you can make this winter.

Overwintering

Unless you live in an ultra-mild tropical or coastal climate, you probably have at least a few favorite plants that don’t make it through the winter.  It’s worth it to dig these up and re-plant them in the spring.  In fact, you may end up with bigger, healthier plants if you do.

First, trim back any dead or diseased foliage and get the plant down to a manageable size.

If you can, give it a week or two to recover from its haircut, and then dig out as much of the root ball as possible.

Place the roots into a clean plastic or clay pot, and fill with Happy Frog Potting Soil. Water well.

Remember that you may not need to bring the plants indoors.  It might be enough to move them to a sheltered area near the house that isn’t as affected by frost, and keep burlap or floating row covers nearby to wrap them up on especially cold nights.

If you do bring them indoors, make sure that they have a good light source, and don’t worry if they drop some leaves. Most plants will go through an adjustment period as they get used to the climate inside your house.

In spring, give the plants some time to adjust before you replant them.  Set the pots out during the day, and bring them back in at night for a week or so. Then plant them carefully, trying not to disturb the root ball, and feed with a gentle organic fertilizer like Big Bloom Liquid Plant Food.  It’s especially good for helping stressed plants adapt to new conditions.

Vacation!

Sooner or later, you're going to have to abandon the garden and go on vacation with your family. We understand-it's not fair that they expect you to go to the beach just when the garden is really taking off. But just think of it this way: it's an excuse to give your plants a little extra boost just when they need it the most. So before you find a plant sitter and start typing up watering instructions, look around and see what you can do to help your plants survive on their own.

Mulch. If the ground is looking a little bare, this might be the perfect time to add a layer of Happy Frog Soil Conditioner to help hold moisture in and add beneficial microbes, which help plant roots extended their reach and acts as water and nutrients located far away.

Feed. Giving the vegetable garden an extra boost now will guarantee a luscious harvest when you get back from vacation. If you haven't been feeding the vegetable garden all summer, this would be the perfect time to work in some Happy Frog Tomato & Vegetable to really get things going.

Water. If you're going to be gone for a week or less, give the garden a good, long soaking. Walk around with a hand shovel and dig in the dirt around some of your plants to make sure that the water has soaked in. It may be that one exceptionally deep soaking will be enough to get your garden through the entire week. If you're going to be gone longer, consider adding soaker hoses or drip irrigation so that it easy for a neighbor to turn on the faucet and get the watering done. And if you really want to get fancy, put the irrigation on a timer and tell the neighbors that all they have to do is come over and help themselves to your ripe tomatoes!

School Was Never THIS Cool!

And now we bring you Mrs. Ritter's kindergarten class at Jacoby Creek Elementary School in Arcata, CA.They've been growing wheat grass seeds in some Light Warrior Agro-Ponic Grow Medium that we donated.  And check out that grass--that's only two weeks' growth!  Looks like we've got some future gardeners in this class.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

We just can’t say enough about the wonders of mulch. If you do one thing for your garden this winter, get out there and spread a few inches of mulch around.  We’re partial to our Happy Frog Soil Conditioner—give it a try and let us know what you think.  We pack it with beneficial microbes, earthworm castings, bat guano, and forest humus.  It really is a meal for your garden, and a nourishing meal is exactly what plants need to keep them going through the winter.

A good mulch will increase drainage and prevent rot; suppress weeds; help control erosion; support healthy root growth; protect tender plants against frost; and give earthworms something to munch on.  What’s not to like?