Basics

Whether you're new to gardening or experienced, everyone needs some gardening basics to get going!

In this category, you'll find a wealth of information that spans a wide number of topics. From seed starting to grow bag gardening, pruning tips to raised bed tricks, you'll find the fundamentals of gardening awaiting you here.

While it's optimized towards new gardeners, even a pro can find useful tips in our Basics category. We all need to get back to basics sometimes, and there are always useful tools and tips that other gardeners have developed along the way to add to your own practices.

Our Basics category can inspire you to new gardening heights, too. Those who have experience with in-ground planting can learn about other techniques such as raised beds or vertical gardening.

A cluster of small, native, straw-colored dried flower seed pods, ready to be collected in November.

Seeds

13 Native Plants You Can Collect Seeds From in November

Why buy new seeds every year when you could simply collect them? Whether it’s from your garden or a nearby natural space, if you want to collect native seeds, November is an ideal time to do so. Master naturalist Sarah Jay gives you 13 native seeds to collect in November.

Prepared raised garden bed for winter shows a wooden bed filled with various cold-hardy plants, covered by a protective plastic tunnel.

Raised Bed Gardening

How to Prepare Your Raised Garden Beds for Winter

The gardening season isn’t over yet! The fall and early winter seasons are perfect times to prepare raised garden beds for the oncoming cold. Remove old plants, spruce up the soil, and plant overwintering crops. Learn how to prepare your raised garden beds with backyard grower Jerad Bryant.

An area with a natural garden look, having different trees, shrubs and flowers looking visually pleasing with a natural aesthetic

Gardening Inspiration

Perfect Gardens Are Out: What to Plant for a Natural Look

Natural, messy gardens aren’t only desirable for their wild design—they also provide valuable habitat space for wildlife! Help the critters in your local environment by converting a perfect, cultivated garden into one that’s low-maintenance with a natural look. Native plant gardener Jerad Bryant shares expert recommendations.