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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 sunflower's crown, forged in fire and spun from gold, bursts open to the sun's warm embrace. Velvety petals radiate outwards, their tips ablaze with the kiss of light. Golden fire dances on their edges, setting alight the pollen's secret dust, a million tiny stars glittering within.

Gardening Tips

What is the Difference Between Full Sun and Direct Sun?

If you’re confused about the sunlight requirements for your plants, rest assured that you aren’t the only one. While full sun and direct sun are sometimes used interchangeably, they have a few nuances. Former organic farmer Logan Hailey explains how you can optimize plants’ light exposure to ensure happy, healthy leaves.

Top view of a woman's palm full of seeds over large cell trays filled with soil mixture. Cell trays for starting seeds are rectangular plastic containers with multiple individual cells, each serving as a small compartment for germinating and growing individual seeds. On top of the cell tray is a small garden tool - a spatula.

Seeds

How to Sow Seeds in Cell Trays

Master Naturalist Sarah Jay is getting ready for seed-starting at her home in Texas. In this piece, she considers seed cells, their use, and the types out there on the market.

A diverse garden display featuring varied plant sizes, colors, and textures. Small, delicate white flowers contrast with vibrant orange blooms and soft pink blossoms. Lush green leaves provide a verdant backdrop to this lively floral composition.

Seeds

When to Start Seeds in Zone 9

Wondering when to start seeds in zone 9? Join former vegetable farmer Briana Yablonski as she shares when to plant seeds so you end up with healthy crops.

An automatic sprinkler system waters a field of green plants, delivering a gentle shower. The soil glistens with moisture, forming small puddles that nourish the roots. The plants stand refreshed, soaking in the rejuvenating rainfall.

Gardening Tips

Is Overhead Watering Bad For Plants?

When you’re starting a new garden or have grown to a size where an irrigation system is necessary for success, you must decide which type of system you’ll choose. Join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she shares what she’s learned about overhead watering and if it is, in fact, bad for plants.

Two images of winter sowing vs. starting seeds indoors. The first picture has some milk jugs with potting mix and seeds sown. Another image shows a close-up of a man's hand sowing small seeds into a seed starter tray. The trays have many in-depth cells filled with soil mixture. The seeds are small, flat, round in shape, yellow in color.

Seeds

Which Is Better: Winter Sowing or Starting Seeds Indoors?

If you’re wondering how to decide if winter sowing or starting seeds indoors is better, you’re in the right place! Organic farmer Jenna Rich will go through some of the pros and cons of each, as well as common mistakes growers make when trying a new method.

A blue butterfly lands on a spike of purple flowers on a rainy day.

Gardening Tips

29 Best Plants for Your Rain Garden

Stop waterway pollution, prevent flooding, and cover mucky low-lying areas with rain garden plants that are as functional as they are beautiful. Former organic farmer Logan Hailey digs into the best species for wet, low-lying areas.

Three white plastic trays sit on a windowsill, filled with dark, moist soil. Sprouts of various heights and thickness carpet the soil, their leaves a vibrant shade of green. A few delicate stems stretch towards the window, bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun.

Seeds

21 Easy to Start Seeds for Beginner Gardeners

As you embark on your first gardening season, there is no need to be intimidated by complex growing methods. Former organic farmer Logan Hailey shares 21 seeds that are easy to plant and quick to germinate so you can enjoy fresh food and flowers ASAP.

A red Gladiolus bloom is covered in a thin layer of frost.

Gardening Tips

How to Find Your Last Frost Date

When planning your spring garden, your last frost date provides the best estimate for when it’s safe to seed certain crops. Former organic farmer and garden expert Logan Hailey explains how to find the last frost date for your specific location.