RESOURCES
Soil Options
How much soil should I get? Bulk? Bags?
A basic 3’ x 5’x 10” Simple Box requires about a half (.5) cubic yard.
If you have two boxes, a bulk order of one cubic yard will suffice.
Two 12” deep boxes will hold the entire yard; while two 10” boxes will leave some surplus to fill smaller pots around the yard.
If you are buying soil to fill only one box, consider the number of bags required; depending on the size of the bag, this could be roughly 14 bags of soil. The garden center will help you determine the number of bags you need based on the size of boxes you have.
For the most cost-effective option, consider partnering with a neighbor or fellow gardener and going bulk.
CARDINAL GARDEN CENTER
272 Milltown Road Springfield, NJ 07081
(973)-376-0440
Cardinal has a signature blend they refer to as “Top Soil with Mushroom Compost”. This is clean soil, high in nutrients for a healthy garden yield. Though their pricing and delivery region can be restrictive to some, this is the blend we use in our own home garden. Call to schedule delivery in advance and be there to guide their truck to your garden area (instead of having the soil dumped curbside). If their price and delivery region works for you, this is one of my two strongest recommendations for soil. The other is Coast of Maine soil available from The Farm, noted below.
THE FARM AT GREENWAY VILLAGE
403 Green Village Road
Green Village, NJ 07935
(973) 377-8703
Welcome to Mecca. The Farm is our top recommendation for all things plants, trees, and garden service. They have a wide variety of soils, mulch, and composts that work great in the garden, though they do not offer bulk supplies. Regardless, the brands they do carry are all high-quality, especially the Coast of Maine brand. Costly, but worth it. Those who are concerned with having the highest grade of tested soil for their edible garden should take a close look at The Coast of Maine brand.
THE GREAT SWAMP GREENHOUSES
553 New Vernon Rd
Gillette, NJ 07933
(908) 647-3725
While I don’t have personal experience with The Great Swamp Greenhouses, many gardeners in my community recommend their products and services and their location often serves those around their general area. And, they have wine! The paragraph below was lifted directly from their website.
Soil and Mulch
We stock bagged and bulk soil and mulch all year long. We carry everything from a small bag of potting soil you can reseal (great for apartments and small repotting jobs) to truckloads of mulch for larger projects. We also now carry organic alternatives to most of our options. Talk to one of our experts to determine which type of soil or amendment is right for you.
ORANGE GARDEN CENTER
360 Alden Street
Orange, NJ 07050
(973) 672-2212
Another solid resource for plants, soil, and other garden materials used by many members of my gardening community. While I do not have personal experience with them, countless customers swear by them and are happy with their products and services. I’ve heard the owners often go out of their way to solve problems and help people out in need.
MILLWORK LAWN & GARDEN
1 Pierson Rd, Maplewood, NJ 07040
(973) 763-6633
Millwork is local to the Maplewood area. From their Facebook page:
Millstone is a neighborhood garden center that offers a variety of services including but not limited to land scaping, hard scaping, irrigation.
"THE MILL" is a Pop and Pop, garden center, owned and operated by two brothers, Steve and Will Saggio. Between them they offer 50 years of landscape and gardening experience.
THE MILL, previously known as Pierson's Mill, is a one stop shop for all your home gardening needs. They also provide free estimates on landscaping, hard- scaping, (patios, driveways and walkways), and irrigation
Garden Solutions
Lowery Farms > w/Karen Shelby
Karen is my garden buddy; a consultant’s consultant, Karen and I work together autonomously; two separate businesses. Feel free to contact Karen directly, even if you’re not receiving any product or services from #FlowerBoxJoe. She’s a gem. You’re welcome. Instagram.com/loweryfarms17. LoweryFarms17.com
CropKeeper > Made by Jay in Maplewood
Artist Jay Pingree invented a masterful solution to keep critters at bay while protecting your investment of boxes, soil, plants, and time. The CropKeeper is a durable wood and metal cage designed to surround your garden with an easy-to-use locking mechanism, which breaks down for easy storage off season. Check out the CropKeeper on Instagram.
Seeds
The Living Seed Company >
The Living Seed Company is my choice for organic, non-gmo seeds. I met the owners while visiting Point Reyes with my family in California and immediately fell in love with their products. Their seeds are robust and yield a healthy harvest.
Compost
Java’s Compost >
This family-owned business is redefining the compost process. Take a look at their website and you’ll know a great deal more than when you started. Check out their all-season, insulated compost tumblers. Oh, my…