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.

Hugelkultur is one of the popular ancient gardening methods. The Hugelkultur method is a gardening technique characterized by its raised beds built from mounds of decaying organic matter, such as logs, branches, leaves, and other plant materials. The gardener's hands in yellow gloves add branches to the garden bed.

Gardening Tips

5 Ancient Gardening Methods That Work in the Modern Garden

From passive clay pot irrigation to clever combinations of plants, we can leverage natural ancient gardening methods by using our local resources to create more ecological modern gardens. Former organic farmer Logan Hailey digs into five ancient methods for nourishing your soil and improving crop yields without fancy technology.

rain garden design. View of a rainy garden with a green lawn, trees and bushes. In the garden there is a large metal barrel into which rainwater flows through the gutter.

Gardening Tips

13 Beautiful Design Ideas for Rain Gardens

If you have a rainy garden, fear not. There are plenty of creative ways to divert, repurpose, and economically use the water, even during times of heavy rainfall. Join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she goes through 13 unique designs and ideas for rainy gardens.

xeriscape design. The flowerbed contains plants such as Sedum telephium, purple African Daisy, bright orange marigolds, Lobularia maritima, purple petunias, Coleonema, and others. The flowerbed is fenced with decorative stones, and the soil is covered with small white pebbles as mulch.

Gardening Tips

15 Beautiful Design Ideas for Xeriscape Gardens

If you’re looking for creative ways to incorporate native plants into your garden while reserving your natural resources and working with your landscape instead of against it, join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she discusses 15 design ideas for xeriscape gardens.

Seed-sowing tips. Close-up of several starting trays with young seedlings on a wooden table. There is also a plastic glass on the table with several sticks for labeling.

Seeds

15 Best Tips for Seed-Sowing Success This Season

From labeling and taking notes to watering carefully and fertilizing early, there are many ways to boost your seed sowing success. Gardening expert Madison Moulton breaks down 15 of her best tips for seed sowing this season.

short growing season. Krupnyy plan pripodnyatoy gryadki s rastushchimi buryakami i morkovkoy ryadom s gryadkoy rastushchikh ogurtsov v solnechnom sadu. Beets obladayet kruglymi, gladkimi korneplodami purpurno-bordovogo ottenka. Beets have leafy green stems, featuring deep green, slightly crinkled leaves attached to reddish stems. Carrot leaves, attached to the edible root, are feathery and fern-like in appearance, growing in a rosette from the top of the root. Carrots are root vegetables with a distinctive appearance characterized by their long, slender, tapering shape and vibrant orange color, although they can also be found in shades of yellow, purple, red, or white, depending on the variety. The smooth skin is typically glossy and may have fine root hairs, while the flesh is crisp, crunchy, and ranges from pale orange to deep orange. Carrot leaves, attached to the edible root, are feathery and fern-like in appearance, growing in a rosette from the top of the root. Carrots are commonly cultivated for their sweet flavor, crunchy texture, and versatility in culinary dishes, making them a popular ingredient in salads, soups, and side dishes. Показати більше ​ 1 150 / 5 000 Результати перекладу Результат перекладу short growing season. Close-up of a raised bed of growing beets and carrots next to a bed of growing cucumbers in a sunny garden. Beets has round, smooth, purple-burgundy roots. Beets have leafy green stems, featuring deep green, slightly crinkled leaves attached to reddish stems. Carrot leaves, attached to the edible root, are feathery and fern-like in appearance, growing in a rosette from the top of the root.

Gardening Tips

13 Ways to Make the Most of Your Short Growing Season

One of the most challenging parts of gardening in a cold climate is dealing with the short time between the last spring and first fall frost. While you can’t change your climate, you can take steps to work with your limited frost-free days. Join former vegetable farmer Briana Yablonski as she shares 13 ways to make the most of your short growing season.

drip irrigation schedule. Close-up of young garlic plants growing in a garden with drip irrigation. The garlic plant displays a distinctive appearance characterized by its upright, slender stalks and elongated, linear leaves. Growing from a bulb buried in the soil, the plant's leaves are a rich green color and have a slightly flattened, strap-like shape. Drip irrigation is a water-efficient system characterized by a network of tubing and emitters that deliver water directly to the base of plants.

Basics

How Often and How Long Should I Run Drip Irrigation?

Adding a drip irrigation system to your garden allows you to apply water to your plants’ roots easily. However, installing a drip irrigation system is just the first step. Join former vegetable farmer Briana Yablonski as she explains how often and how long to run drip irrigation.

Best wood raised beds. Close-up of two raised beds in a sunny garden. Raised beds are made of wooden, smooth planks in a light shade. Cucumber and radish plants grow in the garden bed.

Gardening Tips

What’s the Best Wood for Raised Garden Beds?

Before you grab some lumber to construct a raised bed or order a wooden garden bed online, remember that not all wood is the same! Choosing the proper type of wood is the difference between a garden bed that crumbles within a year and one that lasts for over a decade. In this article, Briana Yablonski will introduce some of the best types of wood for raised beds.

A beige, blue, and rock-walled home features beautiful rock bed gardens.

Gardening Tips

How to Find the Right Plants For Your Home’s Style

Looking for plants that are right for your home but not sure where to begin? Wondering what style of architecture you have and what kind of plants will best enhance it? In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jaros takes a look at the home styles that apply to most residences and suggests plants that are well-suited to each.