Compass Acres

05/20/2025

When you ask where do I get my plants— this is it!

My favorite nursery to buy limelights, shrubs, grasses, and more!

LOCATED in beautiful Apalachin NY!

Our first BIG SALE of the season! Too big to list, but here's a sneak peak!
🌼4" Annuals BUY 3 get 1 FREE
🥕All veggies & Herbs 25% OFF...just in time for planting!
🍎Fruit Trees & Shrubs 15% OFF
🌿ALL Perennials are 15% OFF
🌳Many Shade and Ornamental Trees at reduced prices!

05/09/2025

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND working with Fox Photography by Melinda Fox

If you dream it, she can help bring it to life. Look at what beautiful things can be created when creative minds work together 🙌🏼🙌🏼

02/21/2025

Feeling a lot of ✨ gratitude ✨ today! Thank you Bold Journey Magazine for the interview!

Tell your story, as many times as you can. Someone out there is needing to hear it. ❤️

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Stroup a few weeks ago and

02/20/2025

I have been neglecting this step and it’s starting to show on my plants!

Fertilizing your indoor plants is key to keeping them lush and thriving.

Here’s why: over time, soil loses essential nutrients, and without replenishment, your plants can struggle to grow.

Here are three easy ways to keep your green babies well-fed:

🌱 Organic Fertilizers – Use options like worm castings or fish emulsion for a natural nutrient boost.

Both worm castings and fish emulsion are rich in essential nutrients, but one of their biggest benefits is that they improve soil health and microbial activity.
🪱 Worm Castings: These act as a natural slow-release fertilizer, enriching the soil with beneficial microbes that help break down organic matter and improve plant nutrient absorption. They also enhance soil aeration and moisture retention.
🐟 Fish Emulsion: This provides a quick nutrient boost, especially nitrogen, which promotes lush, green growth. It also supports beneficial soil bacteria, improving overall plant health and resilience.

🌿 Slow-Release Pellets – These gradually provide nutrients over time, making plant care effortless.

One major benefit is their long-lasting effect—instead of needing frequent applications, the pellets gradually break down with watering, feeding your plants for weeks or even months. This makes plant care easier and ensures your indoor plants get a balanced diet without sudden nutrienT spikes.

🍌 DIY Banana Peel Fertilizer – Soak banana peels in water for 24 hours, then use the nutrient-rich water to hydrate your plants!

I haven’t used the banana method but my MIL and she likes it!

If you’re looking for worm castings or slow release pellets check out




When is the last time you fertilized your indoor plants🌱💚

02/18/2025

This doesn’t mean NEVER, but here’s what I mean 👇🏼

I am here to show people how to start getting into gardening, so these are some plants I would avoid if I started again because guess what I planted my first year and it did not go well lol!!

Here are three reasons why roses, macrophylla hydrangeas, and vines/ground cover are not ideal for beginner gardeners:

Roses 🌹
1. High Maintenance Needs – Require regular pruning, deadheading, fertilization, and mulching to thrive.
2. Disease and Pest Prone – Susceptible to black spot, powdery mildew, rust, aphids, and Japanese beetles, requiring constant monitoring and treatment.
3. Soil and Sun Sensitivity – Need well-draining soil, full sun, and proper spacing for airflow to prevent disease, making placement and care more complicated

Macrophylla Hydrangeas 🪴
1. Complex Pruning Requirements – Bloom on old or new wood depending on variety, and improper pruning can eliminate flowers for the season.
2. Soil pH Affects Flower Color – Requires soil amendments like aluminum sulfate or lime to maintain desired bloom color, which can be tricky to manage.
3. Watering Challenges – Needs consistent moisture but is prone to root rot if overwatered, making it difficult to find the right balance.

Vines/Ground Cover 🚫
1. Aggressive Growth – Can quickly spread and overtake other plants, requiring regular trimming to prevent invasiveness.
2. Structural Support Needs – Many vines need trellises, fences, or other supports, and improper training can lead to tangled, messy growth.
3. Pest and Disease Susceptibility – Some ground covers, like English ivy, can harbor pests and fungal diseases, and certain vines can develop mildew in humid conditions.

‼️in all honesty, I avoid vines and ground cover because they are so aggressive and most likely invasive- they can take over your space quicker than you will anticipate, and ruin structures like roofs if you let them get out of hand. ‼️

For beginners, it’s often best to start with hardy, low-maintenance plants before attempting these more demanding varieties.

Do you agree with this advice?

02/13/2025

Follow along so you can have these beautiful marigold borders!

I’ll show you step by step how we start and grow our marigolds, when we start our seeds, and when and how we put our plugs in the ground.

For now, start by getting your seeds!

We will be starting seeds in about a month! So get your seed starting medium around, whether you use peat plugs or seed starting soil 👏🏼 I’ll put in my stories what we use for the marigolds!

Also we order our seeds from , but if you find some you like, you do you!

Follow and we will journey together to make sure you have the gardens and outdoor space you have always dreamed of! ✨

Are you planting marigolds this year??

02/12/2025

We only have a few openings! And October 18th is one of them!! 🍂

✨ A Timeless Wedding, Effortlessly Planned ✨

Imagine exchanging vows in a charming barn-meets-modern venue, surrounded by lush gardens in the heart of the Finger Lakes. With our all-inclusive wedding package, your dream celebration is beautifully curated—for under $8,000.

From the venue to catering, décor, and more, every detail is seamlessly handled so you can simply savor the moment.

Availability is limited—schedule a tour today and let the magic begin. 💕

Message us on FB messenger or through our website at compassacres.com

02/10/2025

Hello Facebook! We have a little announcement!! 📣📣📣📣

You may have noticed we have been posting more gardening reels than before and we are going to start taking our page in a direction of a diy, gardening, social media experience than solely focusing on weddings.

Compass Acres has grown from a small wedding venue to almost its own entity and I (Nicole) love making reels about being around this space and gardens.

We have been given incredible opportunities to collaborate with gardening brands and we want to showcase those on here, instead of just Instagram.

I also may have a couple more tricks up my sleeve for services we are going to offer 👀 That announcement will be coming soon enough!

So YES we are still doing weddings, but maybe not to the degree we once were, our family is young and we want to cherish these moments while we can! Think of it, if you get a wedding spot at Compass Acres, it will be super exclusive (ohh lala 😆) Remember to check out our website or wedding instagram if you want to see our wedding content!

As always, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the continued support, likes, loves, comments, and messages. Your love keeps this machine moving forward, and I want to continue to spread smiles and kindness through our mission and business.

And don’t worry, you will still get to see this old barn. Thanks for being on this journey with us! 🧭

-Your Compass Acres Crew
Nicole & Matt