Dig It!

Time to bring in marginal hardiness plants now, or put under protected overhangs- they may not like the frequent rains.

**Fertilize your gardens and lawns with a complete organic fertilizer that includes Kelp and Rock phosphate, also use these in each planting hole when planting new plants, along with Yelm worm castings or homemade compost. Rock phosphate leaches out of our soils from all the rains, and Kelp is one of the best materials for an earth garden. For one thing, kelp helps stimulates soil bacteria. This, in turn increases fertility of the soil by humus formation (which feeds on the bacteria), aeration and moisture retention.

**Leave the seed heads on flowers like grasses and flowering perennials for winter interest, but also, because the birds will eat up all this free food

**Use daylily foliage, or leaves, as a mulch around shrubs or in the back of perennial borders, where it will break down and add nutrients back to the web of life underground.

**As far as tree leaves go- personally I just leave them, or rake them into the borders, especially maple, alder, and birch, they break down by spring, the worms and beetles use it as a protective canopy under which they get down to work, and create that healthy soil you admire in the forest. Or you can rake it up, compost it and put it back in the spring- but use it, it’s free, adds nutrients, and quite valuable!

Make sure to plant flowers around the garden to attract beneficial bugs to prey on the BAD bugs… Nasturtiums (edible flowers and leaves), Calendula (flowers for tea), Zinnia, Alyssum, Fennel, Echinacea (medicinal root), sunflowers, marigolds
and many more. Remember to use homemade compost, and/or earthworm castings and a good organic fertilizer at planting time to get plants off to a good start. Good soil is THE KEY to good production, so don’t skimp on the organic nutrients that plants need to stay healthy and be more resistant to pests and diseases.

Barefoot Soil Earthworm Castings- adds active microbial life to your soil while slowly releasing valuable trace minerals and important plant growth enhancers. Being high in available nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and many other minerals, Barefoot Soil **Earthworm Casting is a perfect Year Round Organic Fertilizer. are a rich, all-natural source of organic matter with lots of nutrients- and moisture-holding capabilities. Earthworm castings are known to have an extraordinary effect on plant life. Castings improve the soil structure and increase fertility, which make them one of the most enriched soil conditioners available.

Living Soil
Barefoot Soil has attained the highest attainable rating of EXECELLENT from an independent testing laboratory. The soil contains 60% worm castings 40% worm compost that has been double sifted into a black nutrient-rich humus. The soil is odor free and will not burn. The high species diversity of micro – organisms serves as a protector against disease as well as helps to control disease. In addition, the micro-organisms break down soil nutrients making them readily available to plant root hairs to utilize. Other benefits include stabilizing soil aggregates to enhance water holding ability.

Barefoot Soil is high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and trace minerals that are available immediately and time released for maximum results. There are special plant growth enhancers as well that are only apparent in worm-worked soil. Studies show plants or seeds demonstrate the following attributes when grown
in worm castings: greater plant height, leaf area, root mass, better germination and faster growth. Long-term benefits include improvement of soil, and subsequent subsurface water quality. Can be used to make worm tea to spray on soil and plants, which multiplies the beneficial effects of the micro - organisms.

We now also carry Steer manure and chicken manure for mulching & amending clay/sandy soils.

Spraying worm tea helps to break up clay soil & boost living microorganisms. Covering with straw or wood chips for 6 months to a year also helps to change the soil structure, creating a perfect cool dark environment for worm activity, and
allowing them to work hard, something they enjoy- eating, pooping, creating new fluffy, healthy soil.

I use this combo for planting perennials, trees and shrubs as well. With so much rainfall in Seattle, we need to replenish our soils with organic fertilizers, as so much is leached out.