| Dear Roland,
This is the first of our new look Bountea Newsletter. Let us know what you think by clicking the feedback button above. We would love to hear from you.
If you are using Bountea products, you are one of the few who recognizes the importance of a bio-organic approach to growing.  We at Organic Bountea are dedicated to bringing you the most biologically effective gardening products. These not only make plants grow better but also create a sustainable soil ecology. With Bountea products, you help the environment as you increase the fertility of your garden.
December is a quiet month for most of us gardeners — a time for resting and planning. It is also a good time to think ahead to planting time. Do you have the Bountea products you need? With our 10% winter discount, you can get that Bountea Compost Tea Refill and stock up on Alaska Humisoil. Our first article explains how to use Humisoil as an essential additive to your planting mix and potting soil. It also tells about the amazing benefits of Soil Life Starter.
Our second article gives hints on how to jump start your growing season. Using simple and cost-effective materials, it is easy to plant early and plan to harvest nourishing vegetables throughout the year.  That is a great thought for the holidays!
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| Bring Life to Potting Soil
Did you know that the majority of commercial potting soils are devoid of biological life?  Many are simply peatmoss and ground up organic matter. Even bagged organic compost may not have been properly composted to generate the right soil microbes.
Your plants need those beneficial microbes to thrive without chemicals. The answer is Living Alaska Humisoil and Soil Life Starter.
Whenever you are planting or repotting, add 1 cup of Humisoil to 5 cups of potting soil or planting mix and you know your plant roots will have a rich, moist, living environment to grow in. If you are doing a lot of planting, mix 2 quarts of Humisoil to each 1.5 cubic foot bag of compost or top soil.
When I make potting soil, I also add about a tablespoonful of Soil Life Starter to every gallon of mix. Soil Life Starter is amazing. A special combination of stabilized bacteria, mycorrhizae fungi, minerals and nutrients, it
gives even the poorest soils a tremendous boost of life.  In my depleted soils, I use it everwhere, particularly when I am planting or preparing a new bed. It is great to have around for those times when I am too busy to make a brew of Bountea Compost Tea.
Using Living Alaska Humisoil and Soil Life Starter when you are potting or planting will reduce plant shock and losses. You will see your plants perk up and thrive. As one of our customers said to me, “Can’t you see? Those plants have the glowing Bountea aura!”
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Simple Plant Protectors
At my altitude, 7,400 feet in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the growing season is short — last frost early June, first frost any time after Labor Day. In order to achieve the goal of fresh vegetables twelve months of the year, I have learned to extend the growing season through simple protective coverings: floating row covers and transparent polyethylene film.
Floating Row Covers
The most basic and useful protection in the garden is floating row covers – often marketed as Remay. You can purchase row covers from most seed catalogs or gardening store. Row covers are multipurpose: they moderate temperature, reduce moisture loss, protect from frost, and provide shade. When I plant seeds, I cover the soil with the fabric and water through it. This stops the seeds being disturbed and cools the soil through evaporation in summer. Whenever my plants look stressed, whether from cold, heat or bugs, I reach for the row covers.
Polyethylene Film
If row covers are multi-use, transparent 6 mil polyethylene films are best thought of as solar collectors,
harvesting the sun’s energy and maximizing its benefit through the “greenhouse effect.” The clear skin allows the sun’s rays or photons to pass through; these are captured through partial reflection from the undersurface. Under a transparent covering, the soil warms up; heat is stored in the ground and released slowly during cooler times. Whenever there is a shortage of energy for your plants, whether in the form of light or heat, use a transparent solar collector.Simple Support Structures
Floating row covers do just as the name implies — float on top of your plants as they grow. The covers need no extra support; simply peg them to the ground with garden staples so they do not blow away. In contrast, transparent film
requires support structures.Â
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