All About Soils

The soil around your plant acts not only as its home, but as a way to get water and nutrients to its roots. Choosing the right soil is an important step in helping any plant thrive. While creating your own soil mix is an option, it can be costly and very complicated. That's why we are pleased to offer a wide selection of ready-to-use specialty soils for a broad range of applications.

In-Ground Plantings

When putting a plant in the ground, whether it is an annual, perennial, shrub, or tree, it is important to know a little about the area it's going in. When selecting a planting site always check the soil in the area. Is it dry and sandy, dark and rich, wet and compact? Knowing what conditions you're dealing with will not only help you select the right plant for the area but will also help you know how to prepare the area for your plant. If your area is particularly wet or very sandy, a nurseryman can help you choose plants that can tolerate those conditions. For most areas and most plants, however, a simple addition of a soil amendment can make an area more hospitable. For general use, we recommend mixing Bumper Crop 50 / 50 with the existing soil. A soil amendment helps the soil retain and drain water properly so that the roots can thrive. Other excellent soil amendments include manure and lobster compost. It is never advisable to use potting soil in the ground; these mixes are specially designed for the confines of a pot or container and will encourage roots to stay in this soft media rather than reaching out into the native soil.

If you're looking to put down grass seed or simply fill a hole in your yard, we sell top soil in bags and in bulk.

Check out our Recipe for Success to learn more about planting in the ground.

Potted Plantings -

Planting in pots or containers is more straightforward but can require more decision making. Potting soil can vary significantly depending on the plant it was made for. Cactus and succulents, for example, require a soil with excellent drainage. Orchids prefer a soil primarily made of bark, and African Violets need a soil that can retain water. We offer specialty soil for each of these applications to ensure that your plants have the best chance for good root development and proper feeding. For all-purpose potting soil we offer Miracle Gro and Black Gold. We plant all of our plants in Black Gold soil.