This post brought to you by Scotts®. All opinions are 100% mine.
One of my home goals is to becoming more self sustaining on our homestead. I’ve been gardening for years, and yet last summer was the first time I had tremendous success with providing enough to feed my family throughout the summer months.
There’s a huge learning curve with really being able to grow produce and flowers well,and it’s finally gotten through my brain that I need to research my ground soil and then prepare my soil well. So many years, I spent tons of time buying starter plants and planting, but my soil was not prepared and then I didn’t spend the time fertilizing. We have acidic soil and a successful garden is so much more than just putting the plants into the garden.
I’ve tried organic gardening, but last year, I think a huge part of my success was supplementing just a bit with Miracle Gro. Throughout the years, this has been key to so many people achieving beautiful plants and my experience was no different. It continues fertilizing, even when my gardening guru status wanes.
This year, I am really excited to use Expand ‘n Gro™
All natural Coconut choir is at the heart of this product. Coir is a lightweight, all‐natural material derived from coconut husk. I spent a lot of time tilling (or I tasked my big boys to do it for me) and tilling this planting mix into my soil can reduce the soil’s bulk density – making it up to 40% lighter, and creating up to 90% more air space. This is KEY for my soil. It makes it more workable with better water holding ability, moisture distribution and drainage, and by July, when I want to throw my “gardening hat” to the ground when it’s 100 degrees outside, this is so important.
Some of it’s benefits:
-Up to 3X the Flowers and Vegetables!* *versus native soil
-Significantly improves soil for multiple years
-Concentrated planting mix expands up to 3X when water is added
-Feeds for up to 6 months
-All natural fibers hold up to 50% more water than basic potting soil
If you are thinking ahead to your veggie and flower garden this summer, I highly encourage you to check it out. Some of you may already be getting your cool weather plants in the ground and this will be a great help in soil prep.
Are any of you thinking ahead to planting season, whether you are doing some container gardening or beds? Are you wanting to try something different this year?
I’d love to pick someone to sample this Expand and Gro. Comment about what you are doing with your garden this summer.
I’ll be growing veggies of all sorts! 🙂
I’ve tried growing veggies in the past but it hasn’t worked out so well but am going to try again this year. I’ll be doing some planning this weekend!
I am working on a window herb garden this month, and then when the weather is a bit warmer I am hoping to start blueberries in containers and plant an apple tree!
In the past we have done some container garden with limited success. I just saw a raised bed kit that can be bought at the hardware and I am thinking about making a spot and trying it.
I had about decided to not plant any veggies this summer because I never have very good luck but this may have changed my mind! would love to try it out
Last year was the first year for my new raised garden. After much preparation, it got planted, but because shingles hit in May, the garden didn’t get any attention and the soil didn’t get the nutrients it needed. This year, I’m getting ready to try again and this would be great to help lighten the heavy clay soil we have here.
I was just talking to my husband this morning about this, we were talking locations. We just bought a farm, but I think I need to build a green house first so all the wildlife doesnt eat my garden. So I wont be planting until I get one.
We will be planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, eggplant and herbs.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
This year I’m container gardening on a deck; I’ve already got two huge containers of tomatoes planted and ready to rock and roll. I also have blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries …and containers of thyme, basil, lavender, oregano, and rosemary. (These, in addition to my massive collection of mature cane begonias that over-wintered in the house and are all outside, pruned and groomed, fertilized and re-soiled already, with lots and lots of fresh new growth and all of the cuttings a-rootin’ away…)
Yes, i would love to give this product a try!
I’d love to sample it as well. 😉
I’ve been an organic gardener (mostly) for about 30 years.. I say mostly because I have used 7 dust occasionally on squash bugs.. I really dont like those things.
I dont have space or sun for much of a garden at my house, but I decided to rejoin a community garden a few miles from my house.
I also plant all sorts of veggies around two sides of my house and I have a small 8×12 garden bed that I also plant in. Its got a whole lot of hardneck garlics in it at the moment.. I also will grow a few things in large pots.
I need to get my stuff out today & start my peppers, tomatoes, & broccoli starts.. Its time.
We moved into this house in the fall and it came with 2 large garden beds! I’m so excited to grow a garden this year but am on a huge learning curve! I have no idea what I’m doing!! I’m hoping to grow veggies we can enjoy this summer… We are trying to become more self reliant and healthy in our eating habits… Thanks for the post… Looks like this is something to try.
Had poor results with garden for last 2 years. Will try this summer after letting dirt rest for a year. Planted tomatoes in pots on deck with limited success. Compost is ready…I’m ready…lets try again this year. Have lettuce and carrots in ground already. Soon other seeds can be planted. Here’s to a good year. PS: Squirrels eat lettuce! Found them laying in the planter boxes munching on my lettuce. They are a challenge.
I am a veggie gardener!
I won’t be able to do as much this year but will have a few vegies–tomatoes, zuchinni, flowers, and whatever the rabbits don’t eat.
I would love to sample this product. My husband, daughter and I just purchased the stuff needed for us to plant our first raised bed garden this spring. I am so looking forward to having fresh corn and purple hull peas, especially! At this point I’m just hoping I can keep our dog out of it!
We are going to be planting veggies for the first time in 8 years. Praying this year is a success so we can expand next year.
We are gardeners but haven’t had the best crop since moving to our new home a few years ago. I would love to try this!
Just came in from a beautiful 65 degree day in New York; I had been turning over the soil in the garden my husband is expanding. And look what post I ran into?! We are expanding the veggie garden just a bit and would love to try this product. Happy garden dreams!
Down here, we’ve already begun planting! I’ve been putting in new roses, some summer bulbs, and a rosemary bush. I’m also planning an herb garden, as soon as my husband builds me one!
I just moved to Georgia where I am a stay at home mom for the first time. I will be planting rosemary and beef steak tomatoes tomorrow. I then plan on purchasing banana peppers, bell peppers, jalapenos and zucchini to plant as well. I also have rose bushes that came with the house.
I am trying for a garden for the first time. I am going to try for tomatos and zucchini. If I am successful with those two then next year I will add to it.
Last year we had raised beds, this year we are having a real garden and planting a lot more to help save on the food bill.
We are in a new house, so are still in the ‘trying to decide’ stage. We are thinking we will need to do mainly container gardening, with hopefully a few raised beds. We just have to figure out how to protect the plants from the javalinas and deer.
This year, we’re expanding out container gardening to raised beds instead. Growing tons of lettuce. This products sounds very interesting and we’d love to try it.
The plan is to keep the rabbits out of the garden this year. Our other goal is to improve the soil! This product is right up our alley!
My husband and I just bought a new home so we are cleaning out all of the flower beds and garden and starting over.
I had my first “victory garden” last year. It is a 4×8, because our yard is so small. We have a water source nearby, so it was well watered. The plants grew pretty large, but it didn’t have as many flowers or fruit as I thought it should. Maybe it should have been fertilized. I would love to give this product a try. I need to get my soil ready. Thanks