Organic Potting Soil - Organic Mechanics Soil

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Patio Container Plants Can Be Beautiful AND Edible!

I’m a fan of container plants. I’ll give you several reasons why in a minute. But first, I will start with a story about the most obvious reason: Planted containers add an immediate pop of color wherever they are placed. A friend in the horticulture business figured that out pretty quickly. No, she doesn’t sell beautifully composed containers (well, sometimes). She rents them to people! She plants containers of all different sizes, color themes and styles and loans them out for weddings and outside gatherings of all kinds. When the party is over, she picks up the pots, takes them back to her holding area for continued care and awaits the next event.

Reasons For Container Gardening

Okay, that wasn’t much of a story, but I think her business idea is genius. And as promised, here are my reasons container plants—whether they are flowers or fruits and veggies—are such good things:

Instant pop of color. A patio or deck with just a few chairs and a table is just a functional space. Add plants and you add color, beauty and a natural element that enlivens the area.

A pot of surprise. The blue-greens of kale, ruby reds of chard stems and the frills of dill are fun ways to add color, texture and a bit of surprise among the usual shapes and colors of annual flowers. Most veg are quite leafy, adding a textural foliage component to the container

Garden where you don’t have one. A container gives you gardening space where you have no actual in-ground space to grow flowers and veg. This allows people in condos or urban areas to grow fresh food and beautiful flowers in any outdoor space they have access to.  

Easy access. Your vegetable garden is at the back of your property and you don’t want to trudge all that way for a handful of basil for the sauce or tomatoes for the salad. Grow your go-to herbs and veggies closer to your kitchen in containers.

Fool the insects. I’ve had issues with certain insects devouring my edibles before I’ve had a chance to harvest. Combining them with flowers and placing them on a patio has limited insect access to my edibles, and the flowers attract beneficial insects to help out in the garden. Not to mention, soil-inhabiting pests are not a problem if using fresh Container Blend potting soil each season

They move. Unless they are monster-sized pots, you can move containers if the need arises; e.g. move them if a storm is coming, or if you need more space for a dinner party on the deck.

Fertilizing Your Container Plants

Combination containers look their best when they are cared for with proper watering and fertilizing. Their underground growing space is finite and can hold only so much water and nutrition for the plants. Start them off right at planting time by mixing in a fertilizer along with the Container Blend soil. We like to recommend the Insect Frass Fertilizer, a 3-2-2 vegan fertilizer from Organic Mechanics.

Wait, what’s insect frass? Well, it’s the excrement of insect larvae—and in Organic Mechanics’ case, from crickets and mealworms. Frass contains all sorts of beneficial nutrients, and if you’d like to know more about the science of frass, you can read this article from Nature or this article on sustainable protein alternatives and frass from Frontiers.

Insect Frass as a top dressing

Insect Frass Fertilizer can be used both as a dry ingredient and as a foliar spray:
As a soil amendment: Add ½-1 cup of Insect Frass Fertilizer per 1 cu.ft. of potting soil. You can top dress (i.e. sprinkle the container’s soil surface) with the fertilizer 3-4 weeks after planting for an additional boost.

As a foliar spray: Soak ½-cup Insect Frass Fertilizer per 1 gal. water in a watering can for up to two hours to make what we call an insect frass infusion (a.k.a. “compost tea”). Use this frass infusion to water your containers throughout the growing season. Foliar sprays of any kind are best applied in the early morning or evening hours, or on cloudy days to allow the nutrients time to soak in before the water evaporates. When foliar feeding, apply until the mixture drips off the plant. Be sure to get up and under the leaves, as well, taking care not to be too rough with the plant branches. Being gentle is best.

It’s prime time to hit the garden centers for the flowers and veg that’ll make your patios and decks look fabulous. And for once, we’re actually calling on the insects to help keep them looking beautiful all season long!

Not finding Organic Mechanics Insect Frass Fertilizer at your local store? Ask them to carry it, and pick up a couple of bags HERE in the meantime.

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Starting January 1, 2020, our products may not be purchased by retailers or wholesalers for resale on third party marketplace websites including, but not limited to: Amazon, eBay, Sears, Wal-Mart, Jet, etc. Any and all customers may continue selling our products on their own websites. The only exception is for our authorized online partner, Esbenshades Garden Center. Please call our office for clarification if needed. Thank you!

Office Phone: 610-380-4598

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Planting Seeds! With Seed Starting Blend

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Learning Center

  • Quick Tips for Summer’s Mixed Patio Containers and Baskets
  • A Cool Start to Vegetable Garden Planting
  • Perennial Garden Perk-Up
  • Perennial Vegetables are Delectable
  • Growing Herbs Indoors
  • Microgreens for Winter Indoor Growing
  • Houseplant How-Tos
  • Getting a Leg Up for Next Spring

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Summer is for planting! And we're all about it in Summer is for planting! And we're all about it in our June e-newsletter. Read about how you can join us at the #phillyflowershow @phsgardening with Planting Potting Party host @tubloom, get tips on how to water more wisely this summer—and how #insectfrass can help with that and get inspired with some fun combo container ideas. 

Looking to follow more gardeners? Meet our Happy, Smiling Customer of the month, @peoniesandpalomas and then check out @mostardinursery, an awesome area garden retailer who loves to help you grow successfully. 

Find it all—plus a promo code!—at the first link in our bio up above. Have a great, gardening-filled weekend!

#growlikeaboss 
#organicgardening 
#containergardening 
#summer2022 
#igcs 
#organicsoil 
#organicmechanicsoil
Is planting up some summer-loving containers on yo Is planting up some summer-loving containers on your to-do list this weekend? We have some tips for you about how to prep and some ideas on how to mix 'em up. It's the topic of our latest blog post! Head over to our bio and click on the link, then select the June Blog Post. I'm kinda lovin' this salvia - what'll you plant? 
#growlikeaboss 
#summercontainers 
#summercontainerideas 
#organicgardening 
#organicmechanics 
#vegetablegarden 
#veggiesinpots
It's time to get growing, people! In our May e-new It's time to get growing, people! In our May e-newsletter you'll find info on 
- the benefits of amending soils so early in the growing season
- how #biochar, #compost and #wormcastings are like Popeye's spinach
- why you shouldn't pack up your frost cloth just yet!
Also, we highlight two awesome entities, both of whom love #organicmechanics - @year_round_farmer and @capcityhydro.organics - thank you for loving our stuff! 
Read the May e-news "Ready, Set, Grow!" via the link in our bio above (Pssst: There's a promo code for Worm Castings!). Then tag us (@organicmechanicsoil) when you're using any of our soils and amendments this spring. 
So get out there and #growlikeaboss 
#organicmechanics 
#organicgardening
It's been a cool start to the veggie gardening sea It's been a cool start to the veggie gardening season. Frost cloths, landscape fabric, topdressing and getting as much pre-planting work done as possible have been on our agendas. Read all about it in our latest #organicmechanics blog post—link in our profile!
How have you been coping? Tag us in your clever crop coverings with @organicmechanicsoil #organicmechanics #growlikeaboss
@htgsupply in Cranberry Township PA today till 6pm @htgsupply in Cranberry Township PA today till 6pm! Stop by to talk soils, pick up some samples, and score killer deals on Organic Mechanics products! 

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Had a blast @urbanjunglephilly yesterday! Thanks t Had a blast @urbanjunglephilly yesterday! Thanks to all who came out to talk soils with Eric! Good to see so many Organic Mechanics, both big and small! 🌅✨🪴✨🌅

#organicmechanics #urbanjungle #teamwork #philly #gardencenter #local #soil #growlikeaboss #miniboss #chill #fuhgeddaboudit
Hey Philly, you're invited! Come down to Urban Jun Hey Philly, you're invited! Come down to Urban Jungle on Water Street today 10am-4pm to level up your organic soil game! Shop their lush and local plants, high five Eric from OM, then talk with him about the benefits of going organic with your soil and choosing the right products for a successful garden. There’s free parking available under I-95. Bring your cards, no cash, this space is card only. See ya there!!

#urbanjunglephilly #urbanjungle #visitphilly #shoplocal #philly
#shopsmall #urbangarden #cityjungle #houseplantclub #phillyplantexchange #landscapedesign #containergardening #organic #soil #flowers #herbs #organicmechanics #growlikeaboss #fuhgeddaboudit
Hey Philly Phriends! Join Eric from Organic Mechan Hey Philly Phriends! Join Eric from Organic Mechanics at the NEW Urban Jungle retail nursery located at 1721 S. Water Street in Pennsport this Saturday from 10am-4pm. Come check out their plant selections and talk with Eric about choosing the right soil for your needs. You know us, We Work On Your Soil!

#urbanjunglephilly #urbanjungle #visitphilly #shoplocal #philly #organicmechanics #soil #organic #local #growlikeaboss #fuhgeddaboudit
Happy Earth Day y’all! While we strive to make e Happy Earth Day y’all! While we strive to make everyday Earth Day, today is a day to reflect on how we impact Mother Earth with everyday decisions. Collectively our actions can create impact - one garden at a time, one decision at a time. We salute each of you working to make a difference everyday! Hope y’all get to spend some time in your gardens today and this weekend!

#earthday #earthdayeveryday #earth #day #ecological #landscape #alliance #ela #community #impact #reduce #reuse #recycle #organic #organicgardening #soilfoodweb #grow #love #respect #growlikeaboss #oneearth #onelove #🌎
@htgsupply in Rock Island IL today till 6pm! 4/20 @htgsupply in Rock Island IL today till 6pm! 4/20 partay all day! Lots of Vendors. Foodtruck! Stop by to talk soils, pick up some samples, and scOrganic Mechanics products! 

#biocharblend #cocodelphia #ricehulls #insectfrass #fuhgeddaboudit #containerblend #organic #soils #dealsonwheels #revupyourgarden #rockisland #IL #420 #420partay dealsdealsdeals #htgsupply #gyo #growyourown #growlikeaboss

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