If your refering to the "little tan balls" thats between the 'John Creech' & 'Angelina' it's a slow release fertilizer we use all over the yard for the grass,young bushes etc... It had just been put out that day & it hadn't been mixed in the soil yet,that's why it's so obvious. I do mix a little into all my beds.Usually i use Osmocote (is that spelling right,to lazy to go look).