As the days get shorter and drearier, it’s helpful to think about the bright and beautiful blooms of spring. It takes just a little bit of planning to ensure happy splashes of springtime color. Because spring flowering bulbs need to spend the winter outdoors, late October is an ideal time to prepare containers that can…
Is there a shrub or a small tree that doesn’t quite fit in its current location? Are you in the mood for a landscaping ‘makeover’? Mid-autumn is an ideal time to transplant perennials and shrubs, at least here in the Pacific Northwest where relatively mild and rainy conditions help ensure that plants have plenty of…
Cascade Minerals’ own Chuck Canham will be giving a special presentation about the benefits of soil remineralization as part of the “Forever Fuchsias” celebration at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewold, Washington during the first weekend of September. (Chuck will speak to visitors at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 6, 2014; additional event details can be found…
We’re always conducting tests on a wide variety of plants to demonstrate the overwhelmingly positive benefits of soil remineralization on plant health and crop yields. This year, our test greenhouse in Madras, Oregon is filled with lots and lots of lovely leeks. What we’ve found is that plants that were planted in mineral-rich soil that had been…
Colorful hanging baskets that bloom all season long are a hummingbird’s best friend—and an eye-catching addition to any garden. So why would you want to fill your light and airy hanging baskets with a dark and gritty material like volcanic basalt? As a byproduct of violent volcanic activity, basalt is not something that gardeners (or…
A summer heat wave has hit Portland, Oregon. Here in The City of Roses, we don’t get that many days in the mid-80’s much less a whole week of temperatures in the mid- to upper-90’s. Needless to say, people—and plants—are drooping just a bit. While it’s true that roses aren’t as fussy as most people…
Gardeners frequently ask, “How much rock dust should I apply to my garden to get results?” Let us start by saying that not all rock dust is alike and that we cannot speak for other products, only for ours. But without taking anything away from our competitors, we see Cascade Minerals as an improved replacement…
As the byproduct of violent volcanic activity, basalt is not an amendment that people associate with dependable crop production. Yet adding basalt to soil and potting mixes is a natural coming-together of geology and biology. It’s Mother Earths own form of soil remineralization. Results include stronger root systems, healthier plants and increased yields. Here’s what…
For years, gardeners “in the know” have been amending their garden soil and potting soil with coconut coir. Coconut coir, or coir, is a natural fiber that is found between a coconut’s hard internal shell and its outer coat. Commercial coconut harvesters remove the long coir fibers for use in products like doormats, brushes and…
Spring is the ideal time to remineralize the soil with all-natural rock dust, before these fast-growing beauties really take off. If it helps, think of roses as teenagers. With the proper nutrition and in the right conditions, they will blossom right in front of your eyes! It is not enough to rely on commercial rose…
