Are you ready to start flower and vegetable gardening but don’t know where to begin? Start with the basics! From soil preparation to pest management, having a comprehensive knowledge of the essentials will get you off on the right foot. Our plant professionals have crafted guides on all of the topics that you need to start developing your green thumb. Let’s get growing!
When your herb garden produces more than you can use fresh, freezing is a great way to preserve their flavor, fragrance, and nutrition. It’s fast, easy, and there’s no specialized equipment needed. Plus, it’s a smart way to reduce food waste. Learn about five of the best ways to freeze herbs in this guide. Read more now.
Many common plants in our gardens have the potential to harm. But sometimes, the risk is overblown. Should you avoid things like yew and datura altogether? Only if you have little kids or curious puppies? Or just exercise caution? Learn which plants to watch for, especially if you have kids or pets, in this guide.
Looking for an easy way to get an early start to the spring season? Why not try planting next year’s seeds in the fall? With minimal effort this autumn, you can get a head start on next season with a healthier, heartier crop. Read on to learn how to pre-seed the vegetable garden this fall for an early spring harvest.
Are you wondering what to do with your end-of-season surplus of green and ripe red tomatoes? Some can be kept in boxed storage to continue to ripen and enjoy fresh. But for a bumper harvest, long-term preservation is often needed. Find all the details on how to store your homegrown tomatoes right here. Read more now.
Chemicals should be a last resort when tackling garden pests and weeds. Start with proper identification, then works through cultural, mechanical, and biological controls before chemicals enter the picture. Learn how to apply garden chemicals safely plus organic alternatives in this guide.
Carrots, and cabbage, and collards, oh my! Fall is here and it’s time to head back to the garden to plant your autumn vegetable crops. For a bountiful harvest from your fall veggie patch, there are a few tips and tricks you’ll need before you sow your seeds and transplant your seedlings. Ready to learn more? Read on!
Interested in learning how to grow plants? It’s essential to learn the fundamentals before diving into this fun new hobby. This introduction to growing plants covers the basics of gardening and touches on what plants need to live. After reading it, you’ll be ready to begin your gardening journey. Let’s begin!
Looking to learn a new gardening skill? Collecting and replanting flower seeds is a fun and economical way to enjoy your favorite flowers year after year. Though collecting seeds for saving only takes a few minutes, it can also become something of a hobby all on its own. Learn how and when to harvest flower seeds.
Do you enjoy the excitement of buying or receiving fresh cut flowers, then throw them away in disgust when they wilt in stagnant water? It’s time to learn how to make vase and dish arrangements last more than a few days. Learn seven useful tips for keeping your blossoms first-day fresh in this guide. Read more now.
Before you can enjoy the spring and summer bounty, you have to do the preparation work. Laying mulch, pruning, building and repairs, preparing the beds, and cleaning your garden tools are all important tasks. Learn how to prepare your garden for spring so you can enjoy all the wonderful summer abundance in this guide.
Some vegetable seeds should be sowed directly in the garden – while others are more successful when started indoors, and transplanted later. Find a list of which veggies are which, understand the reasons behind these guidelines – and learn about some exceptions you should know about, too. Read on to learn more now.
Myths and folklore are as much a part of gardening as shovels, soil, and seeds. In this guide, we examine some of the most popular garden myths and analyze whether they are true, should be taken with a grain of salt, or are just plain wrong. And if they are factual, we offer tips for using them in the garden. Read more.
Gardening naturally reduces stress and anxiety. Time spent tending plants engages attention, promotes mindfulness through rhythmic tasks like weeding and digging, and exposes you to beneficial soil bacteria that improve emotional wellbeing. Discover the science-backed mental health benefits of gardening in this guide.
When the thermometer takes a sudden dive, you may wake up to a vegetable garden coated with frost. Some crops can tolerate it, but others are ruined instantly. Learn about the hardiness of vegetables, what to do when frost is in the forecast, and how to deal with the damage that may occur in this guide. Read more now.
The glory days of summer may be over but there are still a few things to do in the garden before winter arrives. Take the time now to get these tasks done and your plants will be protected from freeze and frost, the soil will be nourished, and your garden will be ready for action when spring arrives. Get the list here.
Do you want to spice up your Halloween display this year? Why not grow your own? Try decorating your home and yard with a collection of mysterious and scary plants just spooky enough to make your skin crawl. Read on to learn about 13 of our favorite creepy and bizarre plants to make Halloween extra chilling. Read more.
Saving seeds from your homegrown carrots now can ensure a bounty of garden vegetables in future seasons. If left to flower, each plant produces over a thousand seeds, so saving them is a no-brainer in terms of cheap food production. Learn how to harvest and store your own carrot seeds with this guide. Read more now.
If you are growing bay laurel in containers indoors or out in the garden and it’s getting too big for its current home, it may be time to transplant. If you need to move your bay tree, check out this guide to learn when and how to transplant bay laurel and ensure it thrives in its new location. Read more now.
If you’re new to the world of vegetable gardening, you’re in for a treat! Fresh veggies have a flavor that can’t be beat, and they’re healthy and nutritious. Plus, growing your own is friendly on the budget, and gardening is an excellent way to reduce stress. Learn all about these positive benefits right here on Gardener’s Path.
Cauliflower is a cool-season crop that can be challenging to cultivate. Did you know that some varieties require your intervention to be able to produce unblemished heads? The technique is called blanching, and it protects the developing heads from sun damage. Learn when and how to do it. Read on for easy instructions.
If you love amaryllis, did you know that you can grow these dramatic flowers from seed? The process requires a few years of patience but allows you to create your own hybrids for spectacular results. Learn how to pollinate, harvest, and sow amaryllis seeds for years of glorious blooms with this guide. Read more now.
If you love the vibrant, evergreen bird of paradise plants, did you know that you can grow them as houseplants? Whether you are bringing your outdoor plants in for the winter, or want to add some tropical flair to your decor, learn how to grow and care for bird of paradise indoors in this guide. Read more now.
Kale has healthy nutrients, a delicious taste, striking beauty, and is easy to grow – making it a beloved staple in the vegetable garden. Why not increase your enjoyment of this super-veggie with plants grown from your own seed collection? Smart, organic, and economical, here’s how to harvest and store kale seeds.
Advancing age makes it challenging to bend and dig in a garden. Learn about the benefits of gardening for seniors and discover 7 top tips for making it easier. By raising beds, working from a seated position, and using ergonomic equipment, it’s possible to enjoy cultivating plants for years to come. Read more now.
In gardening, understanding the difference between annuals and perennials is one of the most important things you can know. Most of us use a combination of both to make our gardens stand out, but do you know what the benefits are? Or why plants have different lifespans? Is one better for your garden than the other?
Starting an organic garden might seem like a daunting task, but with a little planning it’s much simpler than you may think. Nature provides everything from pest control to natural fertilizers, but it’s up to the gardener to employ green systems and discard synthetic ones. Get started with organic gardening now.
Fresh cut flowers from the garden or florist are a pleasure. With nourishment, they may last a week or more. Purchased blooms may come with a packet that contains enough for the first day, but then what? Read on for easy instructions on how to replicate the contents of a flower food packet with household ingredients.
A bountiful harvest of tasty homegrown tomatoes is a treat that shouldn’t be missed. But sometimes plants need a helping hand. Don’t let bad weather or a lack of pollinators thwart your green thumb. Learn four easy ways to hand pollinate tomatoes and you’ll always enjoy an abundant crop. Read more now.
Dehydrating is an excellent way to preserve your garden or orchard harvests for later use. And once you learn how to dry fruits and vegetables, it will be one of the easiest means of food preservation you can use. Read more now to learn everything you need to know about dehydrating fruits and veggies from the garden.
Why not try starting an herb garden this spring? There are many edible, medicinal, fragrant, and ornamental herbs to choose from. And there are gardening options for everyone, whether it’s in the landscape or in raised beds, window boxes, or pots. Learn how to start your own herb garden this spring. Read more now.
Do you want to grow crisp and flavorful celery that’s perfect for adding to soups, salads, and smoothies? Our guide to blanching celery in the garden will teach you three of the best methods to grow your own crop that isn’t bitter, with a satisfying crunch. You don’t want to skip this step! Read more now.
The flavor of homegrown tomatoes is an experience no one should miss. Even if you don’t have the real estate for a vegetable patch, you can still enjoy their rich taste with fast growing and prolific container plants on your deck or patio. Learn how to grow tomatoes in containers and pots with this guide. Read more now.
Square foot gardening is a beginner-friendly way of cultivating healthy, super local, homegrown produce, but this space-saving method has more to it than just growing in raised beds. Keep reading to discover the roots of square foot gardening and learn what steps to take to get started with it in your own backyard.
Want to become a succulent gardening pro? We share our top tips for planting, watering, fertilizer needs, dealing with winter weather or warm spells, pests and diseases, and more. Whether you’re planting outdoors in Zone 11 or growing a few potted plants in a sunny windowsill, read our guide now on Gardener’s Path.
It’s all too easy to overwater your garden without realizing it – until it’s too late. Cheap and easy to use, rain gauges can help. An inch of rain a week can spare you an unnecessary watering session, saving you time and money, and protecting your plants from too much of a good thing. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
What’s even better than just-picked berries from the garden? The ones you harvest yourself from a wild source. With some basic how-tos, attention to detail, and a keen appreciation for the outdoors, you can take a trip back to our hunter-gatherer days and safely consume wild foods. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
Does your garden face the same issues year after year? The answer could be in your soil. Nutrient deficiencies, pH imbalances, texture, and the percentage of organic matter can all be revealed through a simple test. Collecting a sample and sending it off for professional analysis and advice is easier than you think.
Seed packets are loaded with important growing information, like sowing, spacing, and thinning. To help make sense of it all, your friends at Gardener’s Path have put together this quick guide. Check it out before planning, purchasing, and digging. Your plants will thank you.
Who can resist a mailbox full of seed catalogs? Browsing them is the dreamy pastime of many a gardener waiting for snow to melt and the growing season to begin. These interesting publications have been guiding gardeners for over 300 years. Get tips for navigating their colorful pages, right here on Gardener’s Path.
Sometimes full sun doesn’t really mean full sun. Before buying plants, gardeners in hot and dry regions of the southern United States should take our expert advice into consideration, to learn where and what to plant. Read more about hot weather gardening now on Gardener’s Path.
Peat moss has been a go-to soil amendment for gardeners for decades. More recently there has been some controversy as to its sustainability. Should gardeners use it? What alternatives are available? Find answers to these questions and more on Gardener’s Path.
Pruning a bonsai well requires equal parts technical skill and artistic vision. You need to know how to prune the plant without damaging it so you can bring the living piece of art that you dream of to life. In this guide, we’ll help you to achieve both goals with a little bit of technical and creative guidance.
Bonsai is where horticulture meets art, and practitioners strive to capture nature in a miniature display. If you’re new to bonsai, you might be curious about where it came from and what it takes to create your own. This guide will fill you in on everything a beginner needs to know to get started. Read more.
Love roses? Even though you’ve probably heard all about the diseases, pests, and other problems that gardeners face, growing roses doesn’t have to be complicated. We’ll provide the foundation you need to care for your flowers like a pro. Read more to learn the basics of growing these stunning blossoms in your garden.
Citizen science is an open invitation to record your observations of the natural world for the greater good. Organizations ranging from conservation societies to universities offer opportunities for lay people to submit data for analysis by scientists in a variety of fields. Read on to learn how you can contribute.
Protecting fruit trees from harsh winter weather only takes a few minutes, and it’s absolutely worth the effort. Don’t ignore this important step to ensuring healthy growth and production the following season. Read more to learn how to winterize fruit trees in the garden, as well as those planted in containers.
Did you know that you can regrow bok choy from kitchen scraps? With just a bowl full of water, a leftover stalk, and a few days to spare, you can easily regrow this plant from leavings that you might have thrown away otherwise. Read more to learn a quick and easy technique for growing bok choy from a stalk.
Milkweed is wonderful for attracting monarch butterflies and other pollinators to the garden, and with minimal winter care, this attractive perennial herb will reemerge from its impressive root system year after year. Ready to learn how to winterize your milkweed plants for a bounty of blooms next season? Read more.
If you are growing peonies you’ll need to know how to care for them over the cold winter months. Peony plants require a period of dormancy and chilling hours to bloom again next season. So how do you prepare your plants for winter? Learn all about winter care for peonies in this guide. Read more now.
If the feathery, spiked blossoms of astilbe plants adorn your gardens in late summer, you need to know how to prepare them for a good winter’s sleep. While they are cold-hardy, they benefit from a little TLC to ensure that they return each spring with vigor. Learn how to winterize your astilbe plants in this guide.
Your delphiniums bloomed splendidly during the summer, and now they’ve died back. You know they’re going to return in the spring, but only if you prepare them for dormancy and keep them warm during the winter. But how do you do that? What steps are involved? Learn everything you need to know in our guide. Read more.
Broccoli is a popular veggie around the world, and it’s easy to grow your own. But what should you plant nearby? Knowledge of the best companion plants can help you to repel pests and balance out broccoli’s heavy feeding habits. Plus, find out which plants benefit the most from broccoli’s towering shade. Read more now.
Store bought avocado seeds can be turned into a simple, fun project that you can do with children, at home or in the classroom. This educational activity extends learning opportunities through the summer. Demonstrate the plant life cycle and spark a love of gardening by growing a lovely tree to enjoy for years to come.
Do you fancy the idea of picking tasty, tangy cherry tomatoes fresh from the vine? Easy to grow and vigorous, they produce an abundance of bite-sized fruit in an array of beautiful colors. Among the earliest to ripen, they deliver a long season as well. Get all the best tips for growing cherry tomatoes right here.
The fresh taste of juicy homegrown tomatoes is one of the joys of summer gardening. Whether you enjoy them tossed in a summer salad or cooked in a classic sauce, tomatoes are a must-have in the veggie garden. Learn how to plant and grow your own tasty tomatoes and enjoy the fresh taste of summer. Read more now.
It’s the perfect time to start growing your own herbs, fruits, veggies, and mushrooms at home, or to take up a new hobby like terrarium-making or succulent propagation. We’ve found the best kits to help you get started. Most include everything you need, with helpful instructions. Pick your favorite, and get growing!
Planning to spend some time outdoors in the garden this summer? Learning how to work safely in hot temperatures and hours of sun exposure is essential knowledge for the gardener. It’s time to brush up on the basics and maybe even learn something new. Beat the heat and stay safe from the summer sun with this guide.
Have you tried nude gardening? World Naked Gardening Day is the first Saturday in May, and it’s time to get out there and feel the soil beneath your feet. Gardening can be a sensual, healing experience to enjoy through all of the five senses. To get our tips for celebrating this year, read more now.
Ready to add some classic heirlooms to your vegetable patch? We explain this often misunderstood gardening term, and share some of our favorite varieties and where to find them, from pink tomatoes and purple beans to rainbow carrots and a variety of delicious options in between. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
Did you know the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones have changed? This introduces a new array of plants that can grow comfortably in your garden while also denying a few old favorites. Read on to learn about why these changes have taken place, and how they may affect new plantings as well as seasoned perennials.
Like many of your other landscape plants, trees need a little extra attention as winter prepares to rear its chilly head. Get the best tips now on Gardener’s Path for preparing your beauties for the arrival of Jack Frost.
It is frustrating and alarming when the top part of an otherwise healthy tree dies inexplicably. Want to learn why this happens, how you can treat this odd problem, and how to prevent it from happening to other trees in the future? Our expert tips can help. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
“Ish” gardening is a perspective that encourages more awareness while in the garden. From old-fashioned tricks to planting with purpose and even making friends with the plants outside (no, really!), “Ish” gardening offers a fresh approach to getting our hands dirty. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
TV gardening personality Joe Lamp’l says modern edible gardening is becoming the wide availability of tools and products make modern gardening easier and more appealing to a larger variety of people around the country. Read our interview with the gregarious Joe Gardener on Gardener’s Path now.
Are you gardening with children? You’ll love this guide from Gardener’s Path. From seeds to harvest, there are suggestions for kid-friendly flowers, veggies, supplies, methods, and activities that will please the children at your house, and teach them a few things about mother nature in the process.
Kids and gardening go together like chocolate cake and ice cream, and gardening with kids can be easier and less expensive than you might think. Read more now.