How-To-Garden

Native and seasonal flower garden design to feed pollinators from early spring to late fall.

Why Female Cannabis Plants Matter

Compact 4×7 raised bed divided into 1×1-foot squares for easy planning, planting, and harvesting.

Four 4×8 beds plus a warm-season tomato bed for a productive garden.

The Great Peat Debate

How and When to Apply Bone Meal

A simple guide to growing and enjoying homegrown popcorn

Select varieties that you can eat and store all year

Perennials: Low-Maintenance Plants That Keep Coming Back

How to Germinate Seeds: Vegetable Seed Germination Temperature Chart

Discover your garden’s ideal soil pH, test methods, natural adjustments, and pH preferences for common plants and vegetables.

Learn how to grow a vibrant, low-maintenance wildflower garden from seed, attract pollinators, and enjoy blooms all season long.

Need a great present for someone who loves gardening? Start here!

Never lose your favorite varieties by saving tomato seeds.

Why Bottom Heat Works—and How to Use a Seed-Starting Heat Mat Safely

These cold-tolerant vegetables thrive when started in late winter—no greenhouse required.

The art of organizing the garden and potting shed!

Not Your Grandma's Coleus

From Seed Inventory to Indoor Seed Starting: Everything You Need for a Successful Garden

Why Overwintering Plants Matters Before Fall Frost

The simplest solution for threshing dry beans.

How to Use Wildflowers and Indigenous Species to Encourage Insects and Discourage Pests

Best vegetable pairings in the garden—rooted in research and time-tested gardening wisdom.

Simple, flexible designs that help you grow herbs successfully in any space

Good soil makes good gardens. Here's how to get it ready for planting.

Expert Advice for Choosing, Designing, and Growing a Beautiful Flower Garden

A traditional, productive row vegetable garden with wide walkways and companion planting.

A leafy garden design that relies on colorful leaves instead of flowers.

How to Germinate Plant Seeds for the Garden

Learn how to grow healthy tomato seedlings from seed, choose the best varieties, and get juicy fruits faster than buying plants from the store.

Tips for Pruning in Winter and Early Spring

Learn All About The Differences Between Perlite and Vermiculite

Seven 4×8 beds plus two bonus beds in a 24×18-foot layout, perfect for expanding over time.

An Annual Raised Bed Flower Layout for Cutting and Bouquets

A Beginner-Friendly Garden Layout for Areas With Limited Sun

Easy layers of shrubs, flowers, and bulbs for a welcoming front yard

A Mixed Cutting Garden That Blooms Year After Year

A flexible, beginner-friendly vegetable garden you can grow entirely in pots

A low-maintenance perennial garden plan with reliable blooms year after year

A classic perennial flower garden using dependable flowers and ornamental grasses

A Small Backyard Garden Layout with Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruit

Lighten Up! Learn How Vermiculite Can Improve Your Potting Mix

A gardening "toolbox" for timing, tending, and troubleshooting—season by season

8 Steps Toward Growing Organically

The Pros and Cons of Perlite: A Gardener's Guide

What Is Direct Sowing—and Why It’s Simpler Than You Think.

Winter is the perfect time to sow hardy perennials

Choosing the Right Autoflower Seeds for Your Garden

The Basics of Planting and Growing a Vegetable Garden

How to Know If Those Seeds Are Still Good

Agave: The Star of Low-Maintenance Gardening

Are Pine Needles Good Mulch? The Answer is YES!

Growing New Plants from Softwood, Semi-Hardwood, and Hardwood Cuttings

Yes, coffee grounds can be good for the garden.

How to plant a garden with children

Learn to Start Your Vegetables From Seed Whenever Possible

When to Harvest (and Eat!) Watermelon

What to Look for Before Harvesting Garlic

10 tips for choosing the right greenhouse structure

How to Winterize and Protect Your Garden

Learn How to Mulch Your Garden in Fall, Winter, and Spring

It's easy to grow the cute and vibrant Polka dot plant!

What Are the Best Organic Soil Amendments?

Expert tips for picking your garden’s fruits and vegetables at their tastiest.

Lowering Our Home-Grown Expectations

Gleaning in Gardening and in Life: Making the Most of What Remains

How to Sterilize Soil in Oven, Microwave, and Pressure Cooker

How to Prepare Your Soil in Fall for Next Year’s Garden

Saving and Storing Your Pumpkin Seeds to Grow Next Year

Choose the Best Pumpkin for Carving this Halloween!

Harvesting potatoes is like digging for gold!

Hydrangea Pruning Guide: When and How to Prune

What gardening tools do you really need? Here's our short list!

Which Type of Root Cellar is Right for You?

The Best Herbs to Plant in the Garden . . . and Why!

Learn All About Using Fertilizer in the Garden

How Often Should a Garden be Watered?

Testing Soil pH and Soil Health (Right at Home!)

Learn Why Fall is the Best Time to Move and Divide Peonies

From vine to oven—rescue imperfect tomatoes, encourage ripening, and savor every juicy bite

Use Our Lookup Tool to Find the Right Time to Prune—By Plant, Bloom Type, and Season

Signs Your Sweet Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest in Your Garden

A simple guide to keeping beets fresh in a root cellar—without rot, fuss, or soggy sand

How do you know if your soil is well-draining?

Preserve Your Garden’s Harvest With a Root Cellar That Keeps Crops Fresh All Winter

Keep your garden’s glory going strong—well into the snowy season.

Collect, dry, and store seeds from your favorite blooms—like zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos—to replant next season.

Testing the Best Ways to Melt Snow and Warm Garden Soil

Planting a Three Sisters Garden

Dividing and Moving Iris, and How to Transplant Iris

Seed-Saving 101 Guide for Gardeners

Gardening Tips for Midsummer

How Much Water Do Flowers Need?

How to store food in the fridge vs. countertop

All life depends on the hidden world beneath our feet

Explaning top soil, potting soil, and potting mix

Soil is the soul of the garden bed!