Lime Compost (Organic Matter) Mulch Fertilizer Russell's has the soil amendments you need to improve your garden, available in bags that can be loaded into your car. Stop in the Garden Shop for soil test kits to learn what your soil needs. Russell's is committed to organic gardening, and offers a full range of products to keep your plants healthy. Below are explanations for some commonly used organic products and other soil amendments. ADDING ORGANIC MATTER AND IMPROVING SOIL STRUCTURE Fafard Complete Planting Mix-- blend of 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 composted cow manure, and 1/3 peat. Recommended for rose planting and many other uses. ORGANICA Microbial Soil Conditioner-- Converts soil elements into a plant-available form, increasing nutrient absorption. Improves soil structure. GYPSUM-- Loosens heavy clay soil, helps counteract road salt and turf burns caused by pets. COW MANURE Composted- MooDoo (.5 -.3 -.5)-- fully composted. Does not burn roots. Dehydrated- MooPlus (1-1-1)-- PEAT HUMUS-- Improved soil structure, increasing drainage and improving water retention. COMPOST Lobster Compost: Studies have shown that chitin, found in shells, supresses parasitic nematodes that inhibit plant growth, and possibly other pathogens. Chitin also increases water retention in the soil, and provides calcium which allows the plant to absorb more nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil. Using lobster compost helps reduce waste from shellfish processing. Coast of Maine- Fundy Blend-- Blend of kelp and humus. Recommended for top-dressing beds. Coast of Maine-Penobscot Blend--Peat, fish, blueberries and mussels. Great for vegetable and flower beds. pH ADJUSTMENTS LIME Granular-Soil Sweet (Dolomitic)- High in magnesium. If you use lime regularly, you might switch to Calcitic lime to avoid high Mg levels. Pelleted-Correct Lime (Calcitic)- Low in Mg, higher in calicum, which is also needed by plants. Pelleted lime is a fast-release form. Pelleted-Lime Rite (Dolomitic) Back to Top	PLANT FOOD Each fertilizer is labeled with three numbers in the form (10-10-10) which tells you the percentage of nitrogen, phosporus, and potassium (N-P-K) by weight. In this case the bag would contain 10% of each of these nutritional elements. Stated simply, nitrogen promotes green leafy growth, phosphorus increases flowering and root growth, and potassium promotes the general vigor of the plant. Fertilizers come in two forms: quick release, like fish emulsion or MiracleGro, and slow release, like Osmocote, some chemical fertilizers, and those organics listed below. Slow release fertilizers release small amounts of nutrients over a long period of time. ESPOMA Ammonium Sulfate (21-0-0)-- Lowers soil pH, makes phosphorus more available, and is a fast, water-soluble form of nitrogen. Bone Meal  (6-12-0)-- An organic source of phosphorous and nitrogen. Cottonseed Meal (6-2-1)-- Organic plant food for trees and shrubs. Dried Blood  (12-0-0)-- Organic nitrogen source and animal repellent. Flower Tone Garden Food (3-5-7)-- Formulated for annuals and perennials, rich in potash and trace nutrients to promote flowering. Green Sand -- Contains the soil conditioning element Glauconite. Also a source of potash and trace elements. Holly Tone  (4-6-4)-- For acid-loving shrubs. Muriate of Potash -- Provides potassium, for plant vigor, in the form of KCl. Chloride is another essential nutrient. Plant Tone (5-3-3)  -- An all-purpose food approved for organic gardening. Rock Phosphate (0-4-0)-- 32% total phosphate, washed free of impurities. Rose Tone  (6-6-4) -- Long-lasting organic fertilizer for roses. Sulfate of Potash (0-0-50) -- Source of natural potassium and sulfur, with very low salt content. Super Phosphate (0-20-0) -- Helps in root growth, flowering, and fruit formation. Tomato Food Triple Phosphate (0-46-0)-- an enriched version of Super Phosphate. NO-PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS This year we are featuring a new line of fertilizers by Scotts and Greenview that contain no phosphorus. NORTH COUNTRY ORGANICS Pro-Start (2-3-3) Pro-Grow  (5-3-4)  MILORGANITE (7-3-.5) Also a source of needed trace elements and an animal repellent. ORGANICA LAWN FOODS Lawn Booster (8-1-.6) w/ corn gluten (for use only on established lawns) Kelp Booster- natural biostimulator containing plant growth hormones. Also helps plants to resist stress. JONATHAN GREEN RINGER LAWN RESTORE (10-2-6) CONCERN Weed Preventer Plus (8-2-4) MULCHES -- A layer of mulch helps retain moisture and suppress weeds. Back to Top