It's time once again to dust out the tool shed after it's winter neglect and begin planting the spring and summer garden! Hundreds of varieties of tomato plants have already filled the shelves in the local nurseries awaiting adoption by a proud garden plot owner. Added to the stock is the vast myriad of edible plant life, which includes eggplant, strawberries, beets, Brussels sprouts, potato, kohlrabi, various summer squash and numerous types of hot and sweet peppers along with many others. The selection can be baffling, but as you ponder over a grouping of heirlooms don't forget to stock up on ample organic soils and fertilizers to help get the job done properly.
Whether you're building a castle or planting a garden it's always best to begin from the ground and work your way up. As long as a given plant has a suitable bed of earth to tuck it's roots into, composed of a soil blend specific to the environmental needs of that plant, it may grow unchallenged. In other words, ease of root growth is in direct relation with ease of foliar growth.
I employ the benefits of a few different types of bagged, high quality soils from my local garden center. For planting directly into the ground I prefer Fox Farm's 'Happy Frog' soil conditioner paired with a rich, organic manure blend to curtail the drainage capabilities of the 'Happy Frog'. For potted veggies and herbs a mix of the Fox Farm 'Ocean Forest' and Dr. Earth brand potting soils make an incredible base. Simply add more of the ultra-rich 'Ocean Forest' for increased moisture retention or more fluffy Dr. Earth to increase aeration. Potted plants that enjoy superior drainage, will also appreciate a handful or two of 'Happy Frog' in the mix as well. And don't forget to top it all off with a generous scoop of homemade earthworm castings from your worm bin for increased microbial activity!
The nutrients available in a fresh bag of potting or planting mix will surely sustain a new transplant through it's initial settlement, however, within a couple weeks, supplemental feedings will help guide the little sprout toward maximum fruition. Whether you use liquid or dry fertilizers do yourself a favor and make sure they are organic products! Look for the OMRI symbol on the label. This is the stamp of the Organic Materials Research Institute which dictates whether or not a product for retail markets may be deemed organic.
For liquid treatments a blend of Alaska brand fish emulsion(5-1-1) and Dr. Earth all-purpose(3-3-3) seems to do the trick. The high nitrogen of fish emulsion is complemented by the pro-biotic nature of the Dr. Earth, which aids the plant in processing nutrients efficiently.
If the recipe calls for a dry feeding the best results typically come with a unique blend of isolated fertilizers such as blood or fish meal for nitrogen, bone meal for phosphorous and kelp meal for potassium. Other adjuncts may be added to affect soil Ph. Cottonseed and feather meal, for example, increase acidity while crushed oyster shell and lime help neutralize the soil. Dr. Earth, along with a few other companies, offer these products in their organic form along with suggested blends formulated for specific types of plants. The best of these items will be inoculated with a special blend of beneficial soil based bacteria, known as mycorrhizae, which will bond with the roots of plants and help transfer nutrients from the soil to the root. Remember that it generally takes up to five days for a dry fertilizer to begin taking affect as it needs to break down in the soil before hungry roots may absorb it. It should also be noted that organic fertilizers in general will slow, and often cease their activity when soil temperatures fall below 65 degrees(F). This is simply because the optimum temperature range for microbial activity in the soil hovers between 70 and 85 degrees(F). Don't fertilize in cold weather and this shouldn't be an issue.
It may be difficult to hunt down these exact organic products depending upon your location but rough equivalents should be available with a little research and/or advice from a competent nursery employee. 7 Day Nursery in Santa Barbara, CA, for example, takes pride in it's highly knowledgeable staff and dedication to providing a vast array of organic products for the home gardener. All products mentioned in this article can be found there 7 days a week.
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