Bagged Goods

Bagged Goods

Every great garden starts with great soil just like healthy soil grows healthy plants.  Soil is just as much living as your plants and believe it or not, they work together 24/7.  When I had the opportunity to make our line of premium soils even better, I JUMPED on it!  Our bagged soils and mulches are being made in Connecticut, so they are close to home which is great for freight bills and keeping money in the CT economy!  These ingredients are amazing… I get asked why we do not carry soil from the green and yellow marketing machine… let me tell you, I have been to their bagging facility, and I will never carry their stuff.  I think that is all you ever need to know.

Need a lending hand?  Order at the register and we will gladly load your car.

Van Wilgen’s Planting Mix

40% Peat Moss, 35% Aged Bark Fines, 20% Compost, 5% Manure

Use the “purple bag” for anything you are planting in the ground. This is specially formulated for our CT soil. The Peat Moss has a water-holding capacity of 2 to 3 times more than our regular soil which is great for retaining moisture for your new plantings. Aged bark fines are great at conditioning your existing soil and breaking up clay soils. In addition, the bark breaks down slowly and slowly adds organic material to the soil, creating a food source for all those living organisms that are so beneficial to our soil. The compost is EXTREMELY rich in organic material and nutrients. Compost brings those beneficials to your soil and adds a great food source to the beneficials that are already living in your soil. Manure is another form of compost with the same benefits but brings different micronutrients to your plants.

Van Wilgen’s Potting Mix

35% Peat Moss, 35% Aged Bark Fines, 20% Compost, 10% Pearlite

Use the “brown” or “green” bag in ANY container.  Pots, window boxes, elevated gardens, hanging baskets, indoors or outdoors. This mix is excellent for pots compared to soil found in the ground because it can hold a lot more water and nutrients which is crucial because you will be watering your plants often when they are in pots. Some Van Wisdom is to use Van Wilgen’s Controlled Release Fertilizer in your containers as it will slowly feed your plants over time and subsidize with a liquid feed every couple of weeks. 

The peat moss is designed to hold as much water as possible to keep water available to your plants as constantly as possible. The bark fines and the perlite are to create good drainage and provide oxygen to keep your roots happy, healthy, and bright white. There is an exceptional amount of compost in these potting mixes compared to other soil mixes.  The nutrients and organic material from the compost provide an excellent jump start for your plants and long-term organic material.

Van Wilgen’s Premium Topsoil

20% Peat Moss, 40% Compost, 40% Native Topsoil

When people think of topsoil, they usually imagine rich, almost black soil. We blended our soil to come as close to people’s vision as possible. We used native topsoil as a key ingredient because it will match your CT soil closely. Our next key ingredient is compost and A LOT of it. This is what gives out topsoil that rich dark color and brings all those beneficials and nutrients. The peat moss is added to lighten the mix because the native soil and compost are heavy. This creates an amazing, fluffy, nutrient-rich topsoil that is ready to grow some great grass! The peat and compost hold water and help get seed germinated quickly. I am confident you will have great results with our topsoil… this is NOT discount sand and left-over junk thrown in a bag that won’t grow anything.

Soilution

From the makers of Sweet Peet, this compost has everything but the kitchen sink! Soilution® with biochar, a special form of carbon formulated specifically for the earth, and houses, and provides an environmentally friendly habitat that exponentially multiplies and energizes beneficial microorganisms. Soilution encourages life and vitality in all soils and plant life and is the best organic soil mix for vegetable gardens. Our form of biochar manages moisture, pH, and nutrients, aiding in the prevention of excessive leaching, thus keeping more available for target crops. Our process diverts carbon, destined for the air, into the soil where it belongs, making organic topsoil and organic garden soil. This is our newest venture and crusade. Sold in 1.5 cubic foot bags.

I love to mix this in with my veggies because of all the micronutrients and extras that are in it! Biochar, Worm Castings, Peat Moss, Probiotic, Ecto and Endo, Mycorrhizae, Kelp, Blood Meal, Aged Bark fines, Lime. Don’t be surprised to find a lobster claw rubber band here or there because they get a lot of their nutrients from ocean compost.

CT ORGANICS COMPOSTED COW MOO-NURE

Composted Cow Moo-Nure is an ideal soil conditioner. Lightweight and easy to use, it is moist and fibrous while providing natural nutrients to any planting application that you may use it for.

CT Organics PREMIUM compost

100% natural leaf compost made from locally sourced composted leaves, which compost over a one-year period and are screened to ½’ in. A match to our compost in bulk; excellent for any garden bed or landscape planting, from bedding annuals, perennials, and vegetables, to trees and shrubs. Sold in 0.75 cubic foot bags.

Stone and Sand:

Bluestone

Pennsylvania blue stone in its full-color range of blue-gray, rust, brown, and gray-green. This will have a natural cleft surface as described above. It is the full-color range that gives this blue stone its characteristic beauty. Used for walkways, stepping stones, and patios. Sizes range from 12×12, 12×18, 18×18, 24×24, 24×30.

Cobble Stone/ Belgium Block

Granite that is hand squared with a worn finish so the size varies. The average is 7.5×11.5 x 4”.

Drainage Rock

Similar to the ½ Trap Rock in bulk, this crushed blue stone is an economical choice for basic utility use. Used for general landscape applications, driveways, drainage, & under sheds. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

All Purpose Sand

This is a match to our Mason Sand in bulk. This yellow-washed mason sand is conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Patio Base Fine

This is a match to Stone Dust in bulk. This very fine crushed blue stone is very easy to compact and often used below pavers, bluestone, and cobble. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Patio Base Course

This is a match to our ¾” Processed Stone in Bulk. A mixture of crushed stone and fine-screened aggregate. Used mainly for driveways, backfill, and first base layer under pavers and flagstone before the Patio Base Fine is applied. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Delaware Blend Small

This ⅜” stone is a natural round granite that comes in variations of gray, red, and tan. Ideal for general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Delaware Blend Medium

This is an exact match to our ¾” Delaware Blend in Bulk. A natural round granite that comes in variations of gray, red, and tan. Ideal for general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Delaware Blend Large

This is an exact match to our Delaware Blend 1-3” in bulk. A natural round granite that comes in variations of gray, red, and tan. Ideal for general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Barn Red Medium

This ¾” stone is dark red argillite. Ideal for walkways and general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

Ocean Pebble Medium

This ¾” stone is a naturally round yellow to buff-colored quartzite. Ideal for walkways and general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

White Marble Chips Medium

This is a match to the ¾” Arctic White stone we carry in bulk.  Almost pure white crushed calcite marble. Ideal for concrete and general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

White Marble Chips Large

A 1 ¼” stone is almost pure white crushed calcite marble. Ideal for concrete and general landscape applications. Conveniently packaged in 1/2 cubic foot bags.

VAN WILGEN’s PREMIUM MULCHES:

NEW ENGLAND PINE BARK

#1 Best Seller
Our Premium Pine Blend
50% Pine, 40% Hemlock, 10% Hardwood
Locally Sourced: Made in Connecticut

By far our customers’ most sought-after aged bark. Its high hemlock content sets it apart from all other bark mulches. It is aged for up to 9-12 months, which gives it a dark, rich color. Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

HEMLOCK

Locally Sourced: Made in Connecticut

This is what we use in our beds around the garden center because it lasts such a long time. Aged upwards of 12 months makes this unlike most of the mulches of this kind in the industry. This allows for a deep, rich color that lasts longer in the landscape. Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

Black

*Black Mulch is a blend of softwood and hardwood that is naturally colored
Color-enhanced black
Year-long color
Locally Sourced: Made in Connecticut

Black Mulch is 100% natural wood fiber. A blend of virgin softwood and hardwoods; it is enhanced with an impressive midnight black finish. Our Black Mulch is specially aged to ensure the longevity of the color. Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

DARK BARK

Pine-Spruce Bark
Premium Product
Year-long color
Locally Sourced: Made in Connecticut

Dark Bark is the fastest growing, most eye-catching 2-year-aged bark in our product line. It consists of mixed pine and spruce bark. The one–of–a–kind aging process we use to create this mulch continues to gain customer demand far beyond expectations. The best at retaining moisture and color! This is a product that we have worked on for years to perfect… Watch out NE Pine Bark, this is now our number 2 seller and gaining in popularity every year! Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

CEDAR

Aged upwards of 6 months, unlike most of the mulches of this kind in the industry. This allows for a deep, rich color that lasts longer in the landscape. This mulch has natural oils that turn pests away. Cedar mulch is a great addition to your yard because it’s known to repel insects like ants, moths, mosquitoes, and carpet beetles. Available in 2 cubic foot bags

PINE BARK NUGGETS

A premium decorative top mulching product consisting of coarse chunks that range in size range from 1½ to 2½ square inches. Because of the size it is decay and insect-resistant, field tests have seen 10 years plus survivability. Does not propose a projectile threat to windows while weed-whacking. Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

PINE BARK MINI NUGGETS

This is a dense top mulching that consists of coarse chunks ranging in size from 5/8 to 1 ½ square inches.  Because of its size, it is decay and insect-resistant. Available in 2 cubic foot bags.

SWEET PEET

When Martha Stewart gardens… she only uses Sweet Peet…this matches the “Best Mulch on Earth” bulk Sweet Peet only in a 1.5 cubic foot bag. Sweet Peet® buffers both acid and alkaline (low and High pH) soils by helping to maintain the desired gardening Sweet Spot. During its formulation, Sweet Peet® goes through a thermal stage where weeds and weed seeds are destroyed, preventing contamination in your garden.

Sweet Peet® is the best organic mulch for a vegetable garden because it enriches the soil, transforms it into humus, improves tilth, encourages beneficial earthworms, and replenishes microbes that are often destroyed by harsh chemicals and acid rain.

Like most mulches, Sweet Peet® suppresses weeds by smothering the soil. But Sweet Peet does more; it is produced to optimize the naturally occurring cat-ion exchange which creates an undesirable growing medium for weeds. This is where to buy organic mulch, the best organic mulch, for your vegetable garden.

MAINELY MULCH

Grown in Maine, Mainely Mulch (Get it?) offer a special blend of chopped straw, timothy, and alfalfa hay perfect for your lawn and garden. Heat-treated to help minimize germination, our products are 100% natural, giving you more than just shredded straw mulch in a bag.

Mainely Mulch does more than cover your ground, it enriches the soil, adding valuable nutrients and encouraging beneficial earthworms. This straw and hay ground cover product is lightweight and SUPER easy to apply. Protect your newly sown grass seed from birds and the threat of being washed away or drying out. Conserve moisture and help prevent weeds from springing up in your garden!