Better Blooms Next Season...

Last year, a reporter asked me a seemingly simple question: “What are 7 or 8 things gardeners and professional landscapers should add to their gardens this fall for better blooms next season?” 

I remember feeling a little silly as I struggled to narrow it down to just a handful of recommendations. Especially since they had to be easily obtainable products, limiting my at home diy remedies. How could I possibly fit years of gardening knowledge, experience, and lessons learned into one little list?

But that question sparked something in me. I realized just how much knowledge and wisdom I've gathered over the years, much of it tucked away in my head, waiting to be shared.

And that's when it hit me: What good is all this knowledge if I don't share it?

So, here we are! I've decided it's finally time to put some of those thoughts, tips, tricks, and garden-grown lessons into words and share them with all of you.

Whether you're a seasoned landscaper, a backyard gardener, or someone just getting their hands dirty for the first time, I hope you'll find a little inspiration, a little education, and maybe even a new perspective on the wonderful world of gardening.

1. Compost: When in doubt, add compost! Whether it be homemade from garden & kitchen scraps, or bagged up from a trusted source at your local garden center, compost is the key component for perfect soil. Compost enriches and revitalizes soil by improving its structure, increasing nutrient and water retention, and encouraging beneficial microorganisms. As organic matter, it is a crucial amendment that "feeds the soil," which in turn supports the healthy growth of plants. Your soil will be significantly stronger to fight off unwanted fungus & disease. Some microorganisms in compost can even fight off plant pathogens directly by outcompeting them or producing natural antibiotics.

Brand Recommendation: SeaCoast Compost

“SeaCoast Compost is redefining compost with its high – grade recipe of diverse, wild – caught seafood by-products (fish, crab, and shrimp), organic cow manure, pristine red alder, and the enlivening biodynamic preparations. Each raw material is carefully selected for its unique nutritive and revitalising qualities. Slow – aged for 2 years, SeaCoast Compost is a rich, one – of – a – kind treatment that helps your soil bear more vigorous and healthy plants.” 

2. Soil Building Conditioner: Similar to compost which is made of decomposed organic matter and is primarily known for adding nutrients and organic content to the soil, Soil Building Conditioners are broader amendments that may contain both organic matter (like compost) and inorganic materials (like sand or pumice) to address specific structural issues, such as heavy clay or compacted soil. 

Soil Conditioner is all about structure. They can loosen compacted and dense clay soils, allowing for better air circulation and water penetration creating a more hospitable environment for roots to grow and develop. Conditioners will also enhance drainage when dealing with heavy clay soils, improving structure to prevent waterlogging and poor drainage, which can lead to root rot. When dealing with sandy soils that drain too quickly, conditioners with absorbent materials like peat moss or biochar help the soil hold onto water and nutrients longer. 

Many conditioners also increase the soil's cation exchange capacity (CEC), or its ability to store and exchange vital nutrients with plant roots. They also provide a slow-release source of nutrients as their organic components decompose.

Brand Recommendation: FoxFarm’s Happy Frog 

“In every bag of Happy Frog® Soil Conditioner you’ll find finely-screened aged forest products, earthworm castings, and bat guano, not to mention soil microbes to help increase root efficiency and encourage nutrient uptake. We also add humic acids, which may increase the uptake of important micronutrients.

3. Biochar: Biochar improves plant growth primarily by enhancing soil quality as a long-lasting, stable carbon soil conditioner. Its extremely porous, charcoal-like structure retains water and nutrients, provides a habitat for beneficial soil microbes, and improves soil structure. Over time, biochar binds soil particles together into stable aggregates. This improved soil structure allows for better root penetration and reduces soil erosion. Biochar's high surface area and chemical properties allow it to attract and hold positively charged nutrients like potassium, ammonium, and calcium. This prevents them from leaching out of the soil and makes them more available to plant roots.

Brand Recommendation: GreenGro Earthshine Biochar Blend

“This all-purpose soil amendment is made from a blend of biochar and other organic materials, and is designed to improve soil structure, increase water and nutrient retention, and promote healthy plant growth. Biochar is a type of charcoal that is created through a process called pyrolysis, which involves heating organic matter in the absence of oxygen. When added to soil, biochar can have a number of beneficial effects, similar to those found in Terra preta, a highly fertile soil found in the Amazon rainforest.”

4. Leaves: During the fall, fallen leaves serve as a natural soil conditioner, enriching the soil with nutrients and organic matter. By mimicking the natural cycle of a forest floor, leaves protect, feed, and improve your garden's soil over the winter. We often think we must rake up all the leaves that fall otherwise the garden looks unkempt, but try to broaden your horizons and allow the leaves to drop and cover the ground. You won’t believe how much better the soil will look and feel in comparison to areas where it is constantly raked or blown. Mind you, not all leaves are going to be beneficial. If you have plants that are dropping leaves that are diseased, you must dispose of them. If you have acidic leaves dropping in an area you are trying to make more alkaline, dispose of the leaves. My favorite leaf variety to leave is Oak! Tips for using oak leaves in garden beds:

1. Shred the leaves: Oak leaves are tough and waxy, so they decompose slowly. Running a lawnmower over them will shred them into smaller pieces, which speeds up the decomposition process and prevents them from forming a soggy, matted layer that blocks air and moisture.

2. Use as mulch: Apply a 2-inch layer of shredded oak leaves around plants to provide insulation, suppress weeds, and enrich the soil. In vegetable gardens, a thicker layer of whole leaves can be covered with straw to keep them from blowing away.

5. Cover Crops: The best fall cover crops for garden beds depend on your specific goals, such as adding nitrogen, breaking up compacted soil, or suppressing weeds. Many gardeners in mild climates favor a mix of legumes and grains to get multiple benefits. My personal favorite is crimson clover. I use it mainly as a weed suppressant & nitrogen fixer. In the Spring, I always leave a few areas of it growing to flower because they produce stunning crimson flowers that are up to two inches. Pollinators and other beneficial insects love them too! How to choose and plant… 

Consider your goal: Match the cover crop to your biggest soil needs. Is it fertility (legumes), organic matter and structure (grains), or pest issues (brassicas)?

Check your hardiness zone: Choose a cover crop that will either survive the winter in your area (e.g., hairy vetch, winter rye) or winter-kill (e.g., oats, daikon radish) to leave behind an easy-to-manage residue.

Plant a mix: Combining a nitrogen-fixing legume with a grain provides a wider range of benefits. A classic example is hairy vetch with winter rye.

Sow your cover crops about 4–6 weeks before your first frost to allow for strong establishment. In the spring, cut down the cover crop before it produces seeds to prevent it from becoming a weed. 

Brand Recommendation: Botanical Interests Cover Crops

6. Lime: 

Garden lime, also called agricultural lime, is a soil amendment made from finely ground limestone rock. Its primary purpose is to increase the pH of excessively acidic (or "sour") soil, making it more alkaline. Most flowers prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (around 5.5 to 7.0). In acidic soils (pH below 7), essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can get "locked up" and become unavailable to plants, even if they are present in the soil. By raising the pH, lime unlocks these nutrients. In addition to correcting pH, lime supplies essential minerals like Calcium & Magnesium that promote healthy root growth, cell wall formation, and photosynthesis.

Fall is the ideal time to apply lime for several reasons: 

• Time for it to work: Lime dissolves slowly. The cool, moist conditions of winter, along with the natural freeze-thaw cycle, help the lime work into the soil gradually over several months, ensuring the pH is adjusted for spring planting. 

• Avoids plant stress: Applying lime during the summer or hot weather can stress or burn actively growing plants. Applying it in the fall to dormant beds eliminates this risk.

• Convenience: The garden is typically cleared of annuals in the fall, making it easier to apply and work the lime into the soil. 

I cannot stress enough that you should never apply lime without first getting your soil tested. We offer at home soil tests for purchase that are helpful, but if there is something more seriously out of balance going on you need to seek professional help from your local agriculture department. They will provide a full soil analysis!

Brand Recommendation: Down to Earth’s Garden Lime

“Down To Earth’s Garden lime sweetens your soil (raises the pH) to improve plant growth and maximize fertilizer performance. Natural limestone is ground into an ultra-fine powder and then formed into uniform mini granules (prills) for easy spreading and rapid reaction time. Lime supplies calcium, an essential nutrient required for proper plant growth.”

7. Sulfur: Elemental sulfur is applied to soil in the fall to lower the pH, making it more acidic over time. This is a slow, microbially-driven process that takes months, so the fall application allows the soil to adjust before spring planting. In alkaline soil, some essential nutrients like phosphorus, iron, and manganese can get locked up and become unavailable to plants. By lowering the pH, sulfur unlocks these nutrients, making them available to your plants. This treatment is only necessary for gardens with alkaline soil (pH greater than 7) and plants that require acidic conditions. You have probably seen old boxes or bottles of True Blue in grandparents' garden sheds to keep their hydrangeas as blue as can be! We also commonly use Sulfur for Rhododenrons, Blueberries and Azaleas that have extreme pH issues. Do keep in mind, a fall application is effective, so long as the soil is warm enough for the microbial activity to begin. Applying sulfur to freezing or waterlogged soil is ineffective so make sure you are not in an area that freezes heavily! You can apply sulfur and then top dress with mulchs to enhance the heat needed for the microbes to get to work. There are other great products out there that you can use in the Spring that do not require the months-long process explained above. 

Again, I cannot stress enough that you should never apply sulfur without first getting your soil tested. We offer at home soil tests for purchase that are helpful, but if there is something more seriously out of balance going on you need to seek professional help from your local agriculture department. They will provide a full soil analysis!

Brand Recommendation: Down to Earth’s Garden Sulfur

“Garden Sulfur is a valuable amendment that can lower soil pH, help improve soil characteristics, and enhance plant nutrient availability. When dealing with problem soils, such as alkaline or saline soil, it is important to address the conditions that are negatively affecting plant growth. If your hydrangeas, blueberries or evergreens aren’t performing up to expectations, unsuitable soil pH may be the root cause. Alkaline soils (pH > 7.5) can cause nutrient deficiencies which may appear as stunted growth, yellow leaves, or other physical symptoms. Garden Sulfur contains two essential plant nutrients: calcium & sulfur. These nutrients provide numerous benefits and are key to myriad natural chemical and biological processes in soil and plants.”