Fertrell Blog

Springtime has arrived. The days are officially longer than the nights and cold weather is giving way to warm days. It is that time of year when it feels good to get outdoors and do something meaningful. Starting a garden is the perfect way to add purpose to your outdoor activities.

With so much of our daily lives disrupted by the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, planting a garden can provide feelings of stability and productivity—a sort of comforting daily routine to help manage the uncertainty.  Of course, gardens have the added benefit of providing a useful harvest in the future, which seems especially important right now. So, today is a great day to start a garden!

Gardening is an activity that can be done at any level. My grandparents used to plant several acres of vegetable gardens, likely a hold-over from their depression-era upbringing—while my son grows fresh herbs for cooking in hanging pots above his kitchen sink. I have adopted a somewhere in-between, small-scale approach to gardening. I choose to grow things that I really enjoy eating fresh and cannot routinely purchase, like herbs and greens. Both of these are things that can be planted right now and enjoyed in just a few weeks.

Last week I put in my spinach, arugula, lettuce, and radish seeds. I planted just a few rows in a small (2’ x 4’) cold frame.  I water them daily, close the lid at night, open it in the morning, and I already have been rewarded with small sprouts coming up. Based on my planting date I should have some baby arugula and radishes before Easter, with spinach and lettuce not long after.  I did plant inside of cold frames, which I built a few years ago so I could extend the growing season, but honestly our weather here in Pennsylvania is warm enough now that these kinds of cold tolerant plants could be seeded directly into the ground or in regular uncovered pots.

If you are planning to start a garden today, no matter the scale, check out Fertrell’s soil amendments and fertilizer products. Our fertilizers blend organic and natural components to encourage soil life and improve the health of your plants and soil. We have always supported full-scale produce growers and home gardeners, but we also have small-package products—like Earth Friendly All Purpose 5-5-3, Vegetable Blend 5-3-4, and Aragonite—available through our website.

Our production facility is currently operating and we are shipping fertilizers, soil amendments, and animal nutrition products daily to support farmers and home gardeners. Visit us at www.fertrell.com.