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 gardener waters a vegetable bed containing cabbage, dill, lettuce, and other plants using a hose with a spray nozzle.

Gardening Tips

9 Tips For Watering the Fall Garden

Fall is almost here, and with it, the reduced pressure of watering to beat the summer heat. But autumn is also prime time for adding new plantings, and some climates don't get enough rainfall to ensure proper root development. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores what to consider in fall watering sessions to establish thriving plants this season and beyond.

A vibrant blanket of small, bright purple flowers clusters together, forming a dense mat, with a few green leaves peeking through in the background.

Gardening Inspiration

25 Shade-Tolerant Lawn Alternatives To Plant In Fall

If you’re ready to reduce your lawn expanse or need to perk up bare areas where turf isn’t thriving, consider shade-loving alternatives. Robust, low-growing perennials happily infill shaded zones across varying conditions. From ultra-low groundcovers to durable uprights, these top performers enrich the garden with seasonal appeal and ecological services. Explore the breadth of shady lawn alternatives with gardening expert Katherine Rowe.

Brown flower heads slouch against a wooden fence, surrounded by fading green foliage.

Gardening Tips

End of Season Tips: Cut Dead Plants or Pull Them Out?

Summers end invites rain, frost, and cool weather that zaps the life out of tender annuals. Your blooming garden may look brown, dreary, and dead this fall—but should you pull out those dying plants, leave them be, or chop them to the ground? Discover what you can do alongside seasoned grower Jerad Bryant.

Bright orange Cucurbita pepo fruits with deep ridges rest on rich, dark soil among sprawling green vines and leaves, basking in the warm sunlight.

Gardening Tips

How Long Can You Leave Ripe Pumpkins on the Vine?

Your pumpkins may look ripe and ready to harvest, but should you pick them just yet? Leaving your vegetables on their vines has surprising benefits, like boosting flavor and making storage easier. Learn how long you can leave your ripening pumpkins in the field alongside seasoned grower Jerad Bryant.

Child in a yellow long sleeve top and grey pants using a garden hose to water a raised bed in a kids pollinator garden, featuring flowering, multi-colored phlox plants on tall stems with rounded clusters of pink, burgundy, and purple flowers.

Gardening Tips

Planting a Pollinator Garden With Kids: 5 Pro Tips

Planting a pollinator garden with kids is a delightful way to introduce them to the wonders of nature and the crucial role that birds, bats, butterflies, moths, and bees play in our ecosystem. Lindsay Miller, gardening expert and mom, shares her best advice for planting a pollinator garden with kids.