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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 close-up shot of a large purple colored flower, growing alongside a cluster of ripening fruits, showcasing intercropping zinnias with tomatoes

Companion Planting

Can You Plant Zinnias With Tomatoes?

Combining flowers with vegetables in the same growing space is a great strategy to maximize garden productivity and visual appeal at the same time. But not all plant partnerships work equally well together. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explores whether zinnias and tomatoes make good companions and how to successfully grow them together.

A close-up of a small snail pest with a coiled shell crawling on wavy, bright green, glossy lettuce leaves.

Gardening Inspiration

What’s Eating My Lettuce? 7 Common Lettuce Pests

Lettuce is easy to grow in the ground, in raised beds, and in pots, indoors or out. However, the crispy crunch of a fresh leaf is not immune to several pests who may beat us to the goodness. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores what to scout for and how to stave off common lettuce invaders.

A close-up shot of a person's hand in the process of directly sowing a germ of a plant, highlighting when to do fall seed-starting

Seeds

When to Begin Fall Seed-Starting: Tips for Your Zone

We may be in the heart of summer, growing and harvesting, but it’s not too early to begin planning or even starting some of our favorite fall seeds. From blooms to vegetables, with direct sowing or starting indoors, garden expert Katherine Rowe outlines when to begin fall seed starting for your growing zone.

close up shot of purple spiked blooms

Gardening Tips

15 Deer-Resistant Perennials That Love the Heat

While no plant is totally deer-proof, those with qualities they find distasteful are the first line of defense against widespread damage. With heat-tolerant, deer-resistant perennials, the summer garden can flourish despite cloven visitors. Garden expert Katherine Rowe explores unpalatable ornamentals that thrive in hot weather. As a bonus, they’re also low-maintenance, easy to grow, and support pollinators.

cuttings of rosemary rooting in water

Propagation

13 Plants You Can Grow From Cuttings in Summer

If you missed spring cutting season, summer is prime for propagating many of our favorite perennials and annuals, and even some woody shrubs. Join gardening expert Katherine Rowe in exploring which plants to grow from cuttings in summer to expand the garden collection.

A close-up shot of a ripe and sliced crops with their germs exposed, showcasing how to grow store watermelon seeds

Seeds

Can You Plant Seeds From Store-Bought Watermelons?

Yes, you can plant seeds from store-bought watermelons! Although you can grow them, you may not get the exact results you’re looking for. Watermelon flowers will cross-pollinate with other varieties, forming new hybrids when you plant their seeds.

Woman picking pink flowers and pruning plant in July

Gardening Tips

13 Plants You Should Prune in July

July is typically a month for sitting in the shaded parts of the garden and sipping lemonade. If you're looking for a project to keep things looking neat and tidy, there are some plants that take well to pruning in the summer. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares some plants you can prune this July to keep the garden in order.

A garden bed with plants you don't plant in July, including beets, lettuce and other crops

Gardening Tips

Don’t Plant These 13 Garden Plants in July

Timing is key to growing lots of lovely, healthy fruits and veggies. Planting at the wrong time can make or break a plant’s lifespan, and there are certainly plenty to avoid sowing in July. When it comes to these 13 plants, don’t plant in July. Wait for the right time.

A close-up shot of a wooden spoon filled with seeds, alongside plants, showcasing when to harvest flaxseed

Seeds

How and When to Harvest Flaxseed

Common flax is an ornamental and rewarding crop to incorporate into the home garden, from edible beds to informal borders and everything in between. Seeds are powerhouses of nutrition, and growing our own means plenty of protein and omega-3s on the table. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe outlines how and when to harvest the historic grain for versatile applications.