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.

Adjacent to the sunlit window, potted plants stand with wilting, drooping greenery. The plants appear weak and thirsty, their leaves sagging and lacking vibrancy, yearning for hydration and care.

Gardening Tips

How to Tell If You’re Underwatering Your Plants

Unsure if your plant needs water? Horticulture professional and former organic farmer Logan Hailey can help you identify the key signs of underwatering so you can quickly rehydrate your plants. This article also explores how to differentiate drought stress from other plant problems.

Underneath a glass drinking bowl resting on a brown table, numerous bees gather to sip water. They are small, striped insects with delicate wings, their fuzzy bodies shimmering in the sunlight as they hydrate.

Gardening Tips

How to Create a Bee-Watering Station

Adding a watering station to your garden is a great way to help support and protect local bee and pollinator populations. Read on to learn why a watering station is a valuable addition to your pollinator garden and how you can make a simple one yourself!

a gardener uses a wide rake to smooth the soil over a garden bed.

Gardening Tips

How to Transition to a No-Till Garden

No-till gardening can dramatically improve soil health and reduce weed pressure. But transitioning to no-till may seem daunting. In this article, former no-till organic farmer Logan Hailey makes it simple by teaching you how to minimize soil disturbance and do less heavy lifting in the garden.

start strawbale garden

Gardening Tips

11 Tips for Starting a Straw Bale Garden

In gardening, there are many options for growing plants, including in-ground, containers, raised beds, and hydroponic systems. Why choose to plant in a straw bale garden? Gardening expert Kelli Klein shares the benefits of straw bale gardens and how to build your own!

close up of a branch laden with bright green leaves and ripening fruit.

Gardening Tips

What Trees Work Best in a Permaculture Garden?

Are you starting a permaculture garden and wondering what trees to grow? Permaculture is a great way to create a sustainable garden in your own yard! You can grow a wide variety of plants and enjoy an edible landscape. In this article, gardening enthusiast Liessa Bowen will discuss the types of trees that work wonderfully in a permaculture garden.

A vibrant garden brimming with an array of plant species, showcasing nature's diversity in a harmonious arrangement. Sunlight gently caresses the leaves and petals, casting a warm, inviting glow.

Gardening Tips

How to Build a Regenerative Garden

Regenerative gardening is a restorative way to grow food and flowers, revitalizing our soil. We can all take small steps to lower our carbon footprint by gardening more naturally. Join small-scale farming expert Jenna Rich as she explores what regenerative gardening means and how you can take small steps now to bring these practices into your own backyard, helping to mitigate climate change one garden at a time.

A black and orange parasitic wasp waits on a green leaf to strike in the garden.

Gardening Inspiration

Parasitic Wasps: Nature’s Pest Control

Tired of caterpillars ravaging your garden every summer? Meet your secret allies: parasitic wasps. These tiny warriors target caterpillars, leafhoppers, aphids, and more by laying their eggs within pests. Learn how to attract them to your garden through our guide on their life cycle, preferred plants, and food sources, ensuring they stay to protect your garden from unwanted visitors.