Supplies
Soils, Mulch & Amendments
What kind, How much & Why???
Are you having trouble deciding which soil, compost or mulch to use? Or struggling to determine the amount needed for your project? We’ll make it easy and help you answer both of those questions!
Here at Swan River Gardens, our bulk supply yard and bagged material is stocked with quality products well suited for Montana. Whether you’re a beginner gardener, experienced landscaper or maybe you’ve been gardening for years but haven’t quite seen the results you’d like from all your efforts. In any case, we’ve got what you’re looking for to create the healthiest growing conditions for your garden and landscape.
How much do you need?
Don’t let this scare you! We have made it easy with the Bark & Mulch Coverage Chart.
Click here for this simple chart to assist you on the amount of product you will need.
Tips & Techniques
Bags or bulk (by the yard), which would be best for your gardening project?
If you have a smaller project or are limited on ways to haul the material then bagged material is right for you. Bagged product is easy to load in your car, haul to your garden area and can be easily stored.
Whereas, if your garden project is larger and you have a means to haul the material or have space for it to be delivered then bulk is right for you. Bulk is a more economical choice but will require extra effort to get it to your garden area. You will become one with your wheelbarrow and shovel!
Our bulk yard is open 9am-3pm Monday-Friday all season for loading of your truck or trailer. A pickup truck can accommodate 1 to 2 yards of material.
Soils
Does it really matter which soil you use?
Soils are considered the foundation of all plantings. If it’s in a container or your landscape, starting with the appropriate soil for your task will ensure proper growth of your plants. Here you’ll find quality products necessary to create that foundation. For those gardeners who prefer a more organic approach, explore our Espoma line for organic options.
We have the experience and knowledge to help make your Montana garden thrive. Come chat with us and together we will help make your soil decision easy.
Click on the product you’re interested in for detailed information.
Excellent choice for container pots, baskets and vegetables.- Premium potting soil we use to plant our annuals, custom container plantings and hanging baskets.
- A soilless mix, contains compost, perlite, coconut coir and peat moss.
- Good choice for container pots and raised gardens.
- Value priced potting soil combines the benefits of Glacier Gold Compost with added materials to provide a quality soil product.
- Blend of mineral soil, sphagnum peat moss and perlite.
Excellent choice for new and raised gardens, landscape beds or to improve garden soil performance.- Weed seed free! Ready to go garden soil we use to plant our perennials, shrubs and trees.
- This custom blend contains Glacier Gold compost, peat moss, sand and fine bark.
Great choice for new and raised gardens, landscape beds or to improve garden soil performance.- Mostly weed free, budget friendly garden soil blend.
- Blend of Glacier Gold compost, mineral log yard soil and sand
Great choice for grass preparation or planting trees and shrubs.- This mix is produced from our composted plants, leaves and recycled potting soil here at Swan River Gardens. May contain weed seed.
- Comprised of our compost, washed sand, soil pep, and top soil.
- Good choice to use in the landscape, as a top dressing or filler as well as any land reclamation projects.
- A mixture of 3/8 minus screened bark, peat moss and native soils.
- Good choice to use for all indoor and outdoor containers.
- A premium organic potting soil designed to promote root growth, increase water uptake, reduce drought stress and transplant shock.
- Blend of sphagnum peat moss, aged forest products, humus, perlite, limestone, earthworm castings, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, feather meal, yucca extract and Myco-tone®.
- All-natural seed starting mix used for all seedlings and cuttings, promotes root growth and improves moisture retention.
- Blend of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, peat humus, earthworm castings and lime.
- All-natural premium soil mix for African Violets and other house plants.
- Designed to improve aeration, moisture retention and promote root growth.
- Sphagnum peat moss, peat humus, perlite and limestone.
- All-natural potting soil mix for cactus, succulents and citrus.
- Provides optimum aeration and drainage while promoting root growth.
- Peat humus, sphagnum peat moss, sand, perlite, earthworm castings and limestone.
Mulch
Say YES to Mulch!
Mulch serves several important purposes in the garden and landscape. Not only will it make your landscape and garden beds look good, it also suppresses weeds and holds moisture while keeping your plant’s root system cool. Mulch can also be used in your pathways to keep dirt off of your kids, pets and you!
Click on the product you’re interested in for detailed information.
Excellent choice of mulch for moisture retention and weed suppression.- Our smallest chip option and will break down after a few seasons.
Good choice of mulch for moisture retention, weed suppression and paths.- Small uniform nuggets are safe to walk on and will take longer to break down than Mini Bark.
Good choice of mulch for moisture retention, weed suppression and paths.- Use at least a 3-inch layer for good weed suppression.
- Largest nugget of chipped conifer bark we offer.
Great choice of mulch for moisture retention, weed suppression, paths, slopes and windy areas.- The advantage of Shredded Western Bark is its ability to ‘knit’ together to stay in place.
- A blend of small, medium and large shredded fir and pine bark.
- Good choice of mulch for moisture retention, weed suppression and paths.
- The aromatic oils in the cedar provides an added benefit of a natural bug repellant.
Good choice of mulch for moisture retention, weed suppression, paths and improving soil texture.- Excellent clay buster!
- Soil Pep contains no nutritional value or weed seed.
- Made up of finely ground bark, chips and soil.
As a mulch, this is great choice for moisture retention and weed suppression while adding nutrients for plant development.- Breaks down quickly, yearly application is recommended.
Amendments
What you feed them matters!
Just like us, plants require proper nutrition to ensure overall health. When you have the right nutritional balance, you will be rewarded with strong root systems and an eye-catching appearance of your plants, flowers and lawn.
Where to start can be difficult but our knowledgeable crew will help you identify your garden’s deficiencies and will teach you how to properly use soil amendments to create a healthy garden. For those gardeners who prefer a more organic approach, explore our Espoma line for organic options. When you supplement your soil with the proper amendments, your garden will appreciate your efforts!
Click on the product you’re interested in for detailed information.
- Use to amend garden soil, rejuvenate container soil, top dress fruit patches and landscape trees, shrubs and perennials to add nutrients and keep weeds down.
- Great for breaking up clay soils to improve drainage and helps sandy soils with moisture retention.
- Too rich to plant directly into, best used when mixed no more than 50/50 with existing soil.
Use to amend garden soil, rejuvenate container soil, top dress fruit patches and landscape trees, shrubs and perennials to add nutrients and keep weeds down.- Locally produced compost from the Missoula area.
- Too rich to plant directly into, best used when mixed no more than 50/50 with existing soil.
This is a great way to add nutrients to containers or garden beds organically.- If organic gardening is in your practices, then this is the compost for you.
- An excellent source of nitrogen for Vegetable gardens, flower beds, or any general soil preparation.
- Another great way to add nutrients to a vegetable garden, flower beds, or any general soil preparation.
- Good to use on all types of gardens and lawns to achieve the optimal soil pH for growing plants.
- This mineral lowers the pH of alkaline soils and is great for acid loving plants.
- Good to use on acid loving plants (blueberries, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, azaleas etc.).
- Helps lower pH of alkaline soils to achieve the optimal soil pH for growing plants.
- Good to use as a soil conditioner to help improve soil structure in raised beds and vegetable gardens.
- An ideal all-natural nitrogen supplement for all annuals and perennials.
- Promotes rapid growth and deep, dark green color.
- Ideal for bulbs, flowers and roses to add an all-natural source of phosphorus and nitrogen.
- Helps plants develop sturdy root systems and promotes plant growth.
- An excellent natural and organic supplement to other plant foods and soil conditioners.
- Provides nitrogen and potash to promote plant growth.
- This mineral raises the pH of acidic soils.
- Usually, this is not needed in our area of Montana due to our already high soil pH.
- Although, there is an exception, Clematis can benefit from a high pH soil.
- For use on indoor and outdoor plants.
- All-natural organic source of nitrogen for improved plant growth.
- Good for blending a custom potting mix for seed starting.
- All-natural ingredient that improves drainage and aeration for root growth.
- Helps loosen heavy soils and prevents compaction.
Plant Care
As a local resource, we are here to help with pest, disease and cultural issues in the garden. With our product knowledge and selection of organic and non-organic chemicals, fertilizers and amendments, we are sure to solve your gardening issues. Whether you’re after garden tools, watering wands, fertilizer, soil amendments, disease and pest control products, landscape fabric, trellises or plant supports, we are your one-stop shop.
Garden & Flower Fertilizer
Yes, all plants need fertilizer!
Adding organic or non-organic fertilizers to your garden and potting soil, will maximize the development of your trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Let us help you choose from our wide variety of fertilizers with mineral, plant or animal-based origins. Or pick from the specific fertilizers designed for landscape plants, flowers, vegetables, blueberries, roses and more.
Tips & Techniques
For our annual flowers, hanging baskets and tomato plants, we recommend using a water-soluble fertilizer, like Jack’s, regularly for endless flowers and fruit production.
Apply a granular fertilizer to your lawn and landscape plants. A slow release granular, like Osmocote, provides a slow-released feeding for your trees, shrubs, perennials, fruit trees and small fruits. Our favorite fertilizing method, one time and done!
Disease & Pest Control
Do you know what bugs me?
Yep, were talking about the bad bugs and plant diseases that affect your plant’s health. Our wide selection of both organic and chemical-based products are proven to solve any garden issue. Bring us pictures or a sample of your plant problems (in a plastic bag, please) and our knowledgeable crew will get you the right solution.
Tips & Techniques
Fighting disease or pests on your plants? Giving them a little extra “love” by way of fertilizer and water helps the plant recover faster and build up its natural defenses to fight the problem.
Repellants
Wait, is that a Deer? I love deer!
We’ve all had that moment, we see those dark eyed beauties and think “how cute!” That is until they start eating your garden, landscape and flower pots! Whether you have deer, voles, woodpeckers or the cute little chipmunk chomping your plants, we’ll help you discover the right product for real results.
Tips and Techniques
For the best results when gardening with deer, we recommend using a rotation of foliar sprays. Our favorites are Liquid Fence, Deer Out and I Must Garden Deer Repellent.
Gardening Tools
Tools Rule!
Having the right tool for working in the garden, turns a chore into an enjoyable experience. Choose from Felco pruners, high-quality shovels, hula hoes, Dramm watering wands, watering cans, gloves, Hori Hori garden knives to everything in between. We aim to carry the tools needed to make your gardening easy.
Gardening Supports
Plant Whisperer
When you whisper to your plants to stay strong but yet they fall over, you know it’s time to give them support. Choose from our wide selection of tomato and peony cages, to bamboo stakes and trellises. Come see us today, we are happy to help you find the best solution for your plants.
