Horsford Gardens & Nursery uses a product called Farm-Crafted Compost which is produced by the Champlain Valley Compost Company (CVCC) in collaboration with several Vermont farms. Starting with high quality dairy, poultry and horse manure, CVCC creates optimum conditions for beneficial compost organisms to transform these raw ingredients into a superior soil amendment. Farm-Crafted Compost is made from 100% animal manure which has long been prized for its high nutrient content and fertility-enhancing properties. And unlike some agricultural composts which are simply “aged” manure, the “turned-windrow” composting method used by CVCC ensures the high temperatures needed to kill weed seeds and pathogens.

Having a pleasant earthy aroma, Farm-Crafted Compost is ideal for vegetables, flower, trees, shrubs, and lawns. Generous applications of compost will increase the moisture-holding capacity of sandy soil and will improve the drainage and aeration of heavy clay soil. “Feeding the soil” with compost also provides a steady supply of humus and essential nutrients resulting in more vigorous plants with greater resistance to disease, pests and drought. Using compost to maintain soil fertility often eliminates the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides with their inherent environmental and health hazards.

Purchasing compost made from surplus manure also redistributes valuable nutrients to gardens and farms where they are needed. And with a percentage of all revenue returned to CVCC’s partner farms, customers are also supporting local agriculture. Horsford’s is proud to support this collaborative effort by offering bulk Farm-Crafted Compost by CVCC here at the nursery for pick-up or, for your convenience, we will gladly deliver any amount to your home (call for delivery rates and schedule).

Application Rates:
New Gardens 1 cubic yard/100 square feet
Established Gardens 1 cubic yard/300 square feet

$42/cubic yard

Delivery available - Call for rates

Partially decomposed, double-ground pine bark is an effective mulch for trees and shrub plantings. The mulch conserves water in the soil, suppresses weed growth, eventually adds organic matter to the upper soil profile, and gives established beds a fresh tidy look in spring.

For new beds, first dig and remove the sod from the bed. This sod can be incorporated into your compost pile. After you have planted your shrubs or trees, spread a 3-4 inch layer of mulch. A word of caution - Never place mulch against a plant’s stem or trunk!!! Your 3-inch layer will eventually settle to 1/2 of its original depth. Each spring, re-mulch with 1 1/2 inches to freshen the look, being careful not to accumulate too thick of a layer. Over time our bark mulch decomposes and can be safely incorporated into the soil.

The process of decomposition can deplete the supply of nitrogen available to your plants, however. We have found this especially true with annuals and perennials. If you use mulch on annual and perennial beds, top dress the garden with Farm-Crafted Compost or Pro-Gro Fertilizer before mulching lightly.

Garden Tip: One key to suppressing the weeds is to dig a deep edge between the bed and the grass. Try to make a 4” vertical slice into the soil, which you can then fill with mulch. This slice, or edge, will suppress the grasses and weeds from migrating from the lawn and surroundings into the bed.

Pine Mulch $37.50/cubic yard
Hemlock Mulch $60/cubic yard
Spruce Mulch $37.50/cubic yard (limited supply)

Delivery available - Call for rates