Even though it's still winter-ing pretty hard out there, gardeners' hearts are now turning to spring. And, what says spring more than compost (to a gardener, anyway)? Read on for some compost tips and tricks.

• Tomato tip - You've started your tomato seeds, they are growing fast towards the light! Now what? Tomatoes need more space as they grow, so they are generally potted up (moved to a larger pot) once or twice throughout their lives as seedlings. Try potting up directly into our buffalo compost - it is gentle enough not to burn the roots, but contains plenty of nutrients the growing plants need. You can tell your tomatoes are doing well if they have thick stems - that will help them hold up the weight of heavy fruit later in the season. 

• Know what you're putting into your garden - With compost from Yankee Farmer's Market, you always know exactly what is going into your soil. We only feed our buffalo our own hay that we make, plus a small amount of oat-based grain, so there will be no nasty pesticides that end up in your garden!

• Test! - Even though compost heals many ills, it is always a wise idea to get a soil test at least every few years. UNH provides an excellent service for a great price - remember, it is far easier to pay for a $20 soil test than spend $100 on seedlings, only to have them fail! This test will tell you your soil pH, organic matter, and recommend any fertilizers (commercial and organic) that you may need. 

• French Hot Bed - Not a tip or trick, but a fun fact: Did you know that in early 1990's France an intensive gardening technique used manure to heat garden beds in winter? That's right, fresh manure was shoveled in a hole underneath a raised garden bed, and covered in composted manure and soil, then covered with a pane of glass if possible. The "hot," or fresh, manure, usually from horses, underneath created a surprising amount of heat as it rotted away. This heat rose up into the garden beds and helped the seeds germinate and the plant grow in the cold winter months. While this technique showcases the ingenuity of the turn-of-the-century French growers, it isn't recommended today due to possible contamination from pathogens in the fresh manure. You can replicate this with electricity by burying electric soil heating cables in a cold frame, however! Our buffalo compost is fully composted manure, not fresh, so there is no need to worry about your plants overheating or carrying harmful pathogens. 


If you are interested in purchasing compost, it will be available soon! Email us to get on the waitlist - we will contact you when it is ready, probably in April/May. We will have compost in bulk available for pickup and delivery, plus bags and buckets for sale. Stay tuned for more info on pricing and availability!

If you need any more convincing, how about a testimonial? I have been growing plants professionally and personally for nearly a decade, and this stuff is great! I recommend it to all of my landscape design clients at KT Designworks. You can't go wrong with more buffalo compost. I'll let you in on a secret - it is the key to growing those beautiful snap peas, melons, and figs you see pictured above!

Katie Malloy
Retail Operations Manager, Yankee Farmer's Market
KTDesignworks.com