We’re always excited to see our brand partner Farmer Nick (@farmernick) bringing his garden to life with organic fertilizer — and his latest reel is packed with great tips for every gardener!
In his recent project, Nick repaired his planting trug and got it ready for a fresh season of growth using organic fertilizer.
Here are his top takeaways:
✅ Even if your soil still looks good, always amend it before planting — Nick uses Espoma Organic Garden-tone to recharge the soil and get it ready for seedlings.
✅ Some fresh organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost can also help boost the soil’s nutrient content.
✅ Nick recommends mixing in an organic fertilizer like Espoma OrganicGarden-tone with rich organic compost like Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost at least once a month during the growing season to keep plants fed and thriving.
✅ Many gardeners forget that plants need regular feeding — consistent fertilizing leads to healthier plants and bigger yields.
✅ Espoma offers specialized “Tone” fertilizers (like Tomato-tone, Rose-tone, and Plant-tone) so you can meet the unique needs of different plants.
Ready to help your garden thrive? Take a page from Nick’s playbook and feed your plants throughout the season!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_4939-copy-2.jpg16001200Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-07 13:43:472025-05-07 13:43:47VIDEO: How to Plant a Raised Bed Like a Pro with Farmer Nick
Laura from Garden Answer Preps Her Garden for Blooming Success!
Spring is in full bloom, and Laura from Garden Answer is busy giving her garden the nutrients it needs to thrive! In her latest video, Laura shares essential care tips for roses and hydrangeas, starting with careful pruning to encourage healthy new growth. After pruning, she feeds these beautiful flowering shrubs with Espoma Organic Rose-tone, a gentle yet effective slow-release fertilizer specially formulated to deliver vibrant blooms without the risk of burning plants—something common with synthetic fertilizers.
While Rose-tone is primarily designed for roses and other flowering plants, it’s safe for use on hydrangeas as well. However, for optimal results, especially if you’re aiming for blue blooms, Espoma Organic Holly-tone is typically recommended. Holly-tone is formulated for acid-loving plants and contains elemental sulfur, which helps lower soil pH—a key factor in achieving those sought-after blue hydrangea flowers . That said, using Rose-tone won’t harm your hydrangeas and can still provide beneficial nutrients.
Meanwhile, her husband Aaron works to ensure the rest of the garden plants get some love too, applying Espoma Organic Plant-tone to arborvitae and boxwoods. Plant-tone is enriched with beneficial microbes and humates, promoting robust growth and enhancing overall plant vitality.
Watch Laura’s full video for detailed tips on how to care for your garden and learn why Espoma Organic fertilizers are her go-to choice for healthy, flourishing plants!
For more hydrangea care tips, check out our complete guide to growing hydrangeas!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/How-to-Care-for-Hydrangeas-Roses_Thumbnail_WP.jpg338600Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-02 15:42:052025-05-02 16:36:28VIDEO: How to Care for Roses 🌹 & Hydrangeas 🌸 with Garden Answer
For all her new plantings, she trusts Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to ensure her plants receive the essential nutrients they need to establish strong roots and thrive in their new environment.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Meadow-House-Backyard-Tour-Part-2-IMG_3810-1-scaled.jpeg17072560Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2024-08-13 18:19:022024-08-15 16:16:38VIDEO: Designing a NEW Garden Part 2 ???with Summer Rayne Oakes
Everyone knows the classic red rose, but how about mocha-colored roses, or even purple? Follow along with Summer from Flock Finger Lakes as she uses a variety of Espoma Organic products, like Rose-tone, and Espoma Organic Land & sea Gourmet Compost to transform a once-weedy bed into a beautiful rose patch!
Follow along with Laura @Garden Answer as she helps her mom beautify her garden by planting a variety of bare root roses. Laura demonstrates a clear approach to handling bare root roses, from hydrating the roots prior to planting, proper spacing and planting depth as well as the importance of using a good starter fertilizer to help mitigate transplant shock as well as provide the proper nutrients for the plant to mature successfully. Laura uses Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus to enrich the soil and create an ideal growing environment for all her new plantings.
Summertime brings plenty of sunshine, relaxing days outdoors, fresh veggies ready for harvest farmers markets — and best of all, fresh flowers from your garden. The season’s hot weather makes it perfect for enjoying outdoor blooms and snipping a few off to create your own sun-kissed bouquet. Check out the below varieties that will add a big burst of color from late summer into fall.
Sunflowers
Nothing says summer quite like a bright and cheery sunflower. Choose dwarf varieties which typically have smaller blooms and reach about 1 foot in height. They are perfect for small space gardening and children love planting these bright flowers. Grow in full sun or partial shade in Zones 1-10. Start sunflowers indoors in Espoma’s seed starting mix for extra flower power.
Dahlias
A classic favorite, dahlias dazzle with blooms from mid-July until September. Available in a variety of sizes, colors and designs, it’s hard to plant just one. These dazzling beauties will add style to your garden anywhere you plant them. While they are technically a tuber, you plant them the same way you would plant a bulb. Dahlias are winter hardy in zones 8-11, but gardeners in zones 2-7 can plant them in the spring.
Zinnias
Find zinnias in a variety of bright and beautiful colors. These heat-tolerant plants bloom quickly from mid-summer until frost and are easy to grow. The more you cut your zinnias, the more flowers the plants will produce. While these flowers are deer resistant, they are monarch butterfly favorites. Grow in full sun in Zones 1-10.
Hydrangeas embody everything we love about gardening. They have billowy texture, come in bright colors and are easy to care for. With their larger-than-life blooms and immense foliage, they can be planted anywhere from container to flower bed. Check with your local garden center to find the best hydrangea variety for your zone.
Lavender
Perfectly purple lavender is a garden must-have. Their flowering period covers the summer months of June to August. As a bonus, their scent is known to deter pesky mosquitoes. Use lavender in a bouquet just on its own or as filler with other summer blooms. Best suited for zones 5-8.
Roses
Roses are the most classic flower to include in a garden. They’re prolific bloomers, fragrant and colorful. They are hardy in zones 4-9 and with the right care, can come back to thrive year after year. Feed your roses monthly with Espoma’s Organic Rose-tone to ensure proper growth.
Gerbera Daisies
With a bright and cheery demeanor, gerbera daisies have quite a bit of flair. They will have single, double or even multiple petals, which can add some texture and contrast to your garden. They will withstand the summer heat with their sturdy stems and big blooms. Feed regularly with Flower-tone to give their stems a boost.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/shutterstock_786179203.jpg6641000espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2018-08-01 08:00:082022-04-13 13:31:237 Flowers for a Sun-Kissed July Bouquet
While getting ready to decorate and hang the flag high for the Fourth of July, think of your garden. Show off your patriotic colors with red, white, and blue plants for your garden or containers.
Don’t worry though, patriotic colors stay in season all year long. Red hues will make your garden look bigger, white plants are perfect for a moon garden and blue plants bring peace of mind for relaxation.
Plants for the Fourth of July
Rocket’s Red Glare – picks for red plants:
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Red Roses
Red roses are one of the most traditional plants to grow in the garden. They either become the statement plant or are a fine complement to a focal point. You can use roses to cover up an unsightly area or add fragrance. Feed regularly with Rose-tone to ensure bright colors and thriving blooms.
Red Gerbera Daisies
With a bright and cheery demeanor, gerbera daisies have quite a bit of flair. They will have single, double or even multiple petals, which can add some texture and contrast to your garden. They will withstand the summer heat with their sturdy stems and big blooms. Feed regularly with Flower-tone to give their stems a boost.
Broad Strips and Bright Stars- picks for white plants:
Ox-Eye Daisies
Ox-Eye daisies’ will be in full bloom by the Fourth of July. With their white rays and yellow centers, they will be sure to brighten up a patriotic space. They grow 1-3 feet tall so they will not take up too much space. Feed regularly with Bloom! liquid plant food for vibrant whites and beautiful fragrance.
White Dahlias
With a variety of sizes and varieties, dahlias can add a lot to a garden. As one of the most popular summer flowers, dahlias live up to their reputation. Whether you choose a ball or a collarette, the dahlia will be the talk of the neighborhood. When planting, feed with Bulb-tone for full, bulbs that will last all summer.
Twilight’s Last Gleaming – picks for blue plants
Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries
Blue Hydrangeas
Large, beautiful blue hydrangeas are a great addition to your patriotic garden. Their bold blooms make them perfect for freshly cut or dried flowers. Getting off to the right start in the right location is key to keeping your hydrangeas blue. If you are having a little trouble keeping your blooms blue, feed with Holly-tone and amend the soil with Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier to keep the soil acidic.
Photo courtesy of Bushel & Berry
Blueberries
A quirky take for your patriotic garden, but perhaps one of the most American fruits, blueberry is another great choice. With their red insides and blue exteriors, they would be perfect with red and white companions. Plus when you are itching for a holiday snack, head right outside and pick one off! Be sure to feed with Holly-tone to give it the nutrients it needs.
We recommend using Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus at the time of planting to help produce large root systems very quickly. This will help ensure that new plantings get maximum water and nutrients from the soil to minimize transplant loss.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/white-dahlia-.jpg6671000espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2018-07-03 17:00:422024-08-17 09:06:56Plant America – Red, White and Blue Plants
Roses are the most classic flower to include in a garden. They’re prolific bloomers, fragrant and colorful.
With a little care and maintenance, you’re only a few steps away from success. Yet the ideal conditions for growing roses aren’t always there. We have you covered. Here are the best roses for each situation.
Learn how to plant roses with Laura from Garden Answer.
Roses for Full Sun
Roses thrive in full sun. When they get anywhere from 6 to 8 hours of sun a day, they bloom vibrantly and to their fullest. Any variety will be spectacular when grown in these conditions. They are hardy in zones 4-9 and with the right care, can come back to thrive year after year. Feed your roses monthly with Espoma’s Organic Rose-tone to ensure proper growth.
While all roses thrive in the sun, our favorites are…
Sunblaze® Miniature Roses
You can’t go wrong with any variety of the Sunblaze miniature roses. The name says it all and these sun-loving beauties won’t let you down.
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Autumn Sunblaze® is the perfect variety to showcase this summer. It is a miniature rose, so it is ideal for a beautiful container. Put that container in the full sun for these roses to thrive!
PLANT TYPE: Miniature Rose
FLOWER COLOR: Orange
FLOWERS: Small, 40 petals
FOLIAGE: Glossy
FRAGRANCE: Slight
GROWTH HABIT: Bushy
HARDINESS ZONE: 5 – 11
HEIGHT: 12-15″
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full Sun
SPREAD: 15″
Sunny Knock Out® rose is beautiful in full sun. As the name implies, the blooms are a bright yellow that fade into a cream color from center to petal. It’ll stay bright and colorful even as cooler months approach.
PLANT TYPE: Miniature Rose
FLOWER COLOR: Yellow to cream FLOWERS: Abundant and continuous
FOLIAGE: Dark green, semi-glossy
Want to have a beautiful rose garden, but don’t have the space in your garden to include them? Turn to containers! As long as the containers are placed in full sun, they will thrive.
Some roses are too big to plant in containers, but miniature varieties work well for smaller spaces. Don’t be fooled, just because they are miniature doesn’t mean they aren’t spectacular.
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Rainbow Sunblaze® is a great variety for any summer garden. The petals are multicolored, which will help them stand out anywhere you plant them. Pair them with a beautiful container and it will be the talk of the neighborhood.
PLANT TYPE: Miniature Rose
FLOWER COLOR: Multicolored
FLOWERS: Small, 25-30 petals
FOLIAGE: Semi-glossy
FRAGRANCE: No Fragrance
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
HARDINESS ZONE: 5 – 11
HEIGHT: 12-18″
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full Sun
SPREAD: 18″
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Sweet Sunblaze® is a beautiful variety to add to any container in your space. This rose, introduced in 1987, has gentle pink blooms that add softness to your garden. Pair with an edgy container for a striking contrast or with a neutral container for a more classic look.
PLANT TYPE: Miniature Rose
FLOWER COLOR: Pink
FLOWERS: Small, 26-40 petals
FOLIAGE: Glossy
FRAGRANCE: Slight
GROWTH HABIT: Bushy
HARDINESS ZONE: 5 – 11
HEIGHT: 15-18″
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full Sun
SPREAD: 18″
Disease Resistant Roses
Some gardens and plants are more susceptible to diseases. Black spot is the most common disease in roses. It is caused by a fungus that spreads from plant to plant and can wipe out an entire garden. Planting disease-resistant roses helps prevent the spread of disease.
We rounded up our favorite roses that are disease resistant.
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Knock Out® Family of Roses
Known for their punch of color, these roses are perfect to add to any sunny garden. Knock Out are disease resistant and love 6-8 hours of sun a day.
PLANT TYPE: Shrub Rose
FLOWER COLOR: Cherry red, hot pink
FLOWERS: Abundant and continuous
FOLIAGE: Deep, purplish green
FRAGRANCE: No Fragrance
GROWTH HABIT: Bushy
HARDINESS ZONE: 5–11
HEIGHT: 3–4’
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full Sun
SPREAD: 3–4’
Photo courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants
Double Knock Out® Rose
The Double Knock Out gives a double the punch. It has twice as many petals and is offered in a multitude of colors, depending on the variety. You cannot go wrong with these roses.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Red-Sunblaze-courtesy-of-Star®-Roses-and-Plants.jpeg50573371espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2018-05-24 17:30:452019-05-07 09:58:08The Best Roses to Grow in Any Situation
Rose gardens are one of the most classic pieces you can add to your landscape. With some love and regular upkeep, they can last for years.
Roses bring beauty by either becoming the statement plant or a fine complement to focal point. You can use roses to cover up an unsightly area or introduce a new fragrance, they are incredibly diverse. Roses are offered in a large variety of colors and patterns to match anyone’s need.
When choosing the best rose for you garden, be sure to know how much sun the area gets. Check the tags on the rose plants to ensure you are picking up ones that will thrive in yard. If you aren’t sure what to choose, your local garden center can help choose for your space and your region!
Planting Tips for Rose Gardens:
Plant Time. Wait until after the last frost to get your roses in the ground. Most roses want to establish roots in the spring before the weather gets too hot.
Space is Key. When planting, dig a hole deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots. If you are planting more than one bush, keep at least 3 feet in between each plant. Add Bio-tone Starter Plus to promote bigger blooms.
Feed Often. Give roses Espoma’s Organic Rose Tone to help keep roses vibrant and looking their best. Feed regularly as described.
Watering Deep. Roses don’t do well in drought conditions as they need a good deep drink often. At least once per week water about an inch deep and evenly around the plant. It does better as the soil is even throughout. Try to get the water around the roots and not the leaves.
As your roses start to bloom, be sure to keep up with the maintenance. If the blooms are looking dead, remove the spent flowers. This will give the bush extra energy to produce bigger and fuller blooms. Roses will continue to flower throughout summer, so don’t be afraid to deadhead into August.
Watch as Laura from Garden Answer plants her own roses!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Rose-garden-sunrise.jpg8471280espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2018-05-01 17:15:532019-05-07 09:58:43Nosey Rosy – Guide to a Rose Garden
Do you love roses but are stuck with limited space? Is your rose collection growing faster than your raised beds?
Container roses are a great solution for gardeners short on space or those who want the freedom to move their roses around. They give you the option of having roses wherever you want them.
So whether you are trying to cover up some unsightly spot or wanting sweet-smelling roses near your front door, we’re here to help you figure out the best roses for you.
Depending on the size and structure of your container, most roses won’t be a problem. Just be sure the container can hold the roots and soil needed for your roses. Be sure to choose roses recommended for your USDA Hardiness Zone.
Best Types of Roses for Containers
Miniature Roses – Don’t let the name fool you — these roses may be small in bloom size but still produce radiant color. Miniature refers to the size of the bloom, not the size of the bush. Typically they grow between 12”-18”, depending on growing conditions. These roses also love to hangout in window boxes. Choose a container that is at least 10” deep.
Small Roses – These low-growing roses help show off gorgeous containers. Small roses usually reach up to 2’. The variety of small roses is expansive and offer different styles, colors and smells to keep your garden rocking. Due to their small stature, they are perfect for the urban gardener — use these to spruce up your balcony or front stoop. Choose a container that is at least 12” deep.
Patio Roses – With big, colorful and robust blooms, you cannot go wrong with patio roses. They have a neat, bushy growth and regularly blooming rosette flowers. Choose a container that is at least 12” deep.
Floribundas – These one-of-a-kind hybrid roses have vibrant, colorful blooms that will dress up your yard. Grown in clusters, floribundas are wonderful to keep your guests in awe. They require a little more breathing room, so make sure to pick a larger container to keep them comfortable. Choose a container that is at least 15” deep.
6 Steps to Planting Your Rose Bush in a Container
Select a container with drainage holes. The taller the containers the better since roses are deep-rooted.
Place the rose in the soil no deeper than it was growing in the container. Planting depth should be such that the graft knuckle is just below the soil level. Add more potting mix to the container and level out soil.
Water thoroughly.
Feel like you need more container plants? Learn what hydrangeas need to thrive in containers!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Roses-in-containers.jpg9451280espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2017-07-20 09:00:472019-05-07 10:01:37Stop and smell the roses… Right outside your door!
