General Gardening Articles

Article / Updated 07-28-2022

The best advice for planning your first vegetable garden is to start small. Just be sure you locate your garden in a sunny spot where expansion is possible. As for actual size, it depends on what you want to grow. Here's what you can put in the following standard-size gardens: A 6 x 8 foot plot can support a couple tomato plants, maybe some bush beans, and some lettuce. A 10 x 18 foot plot can hold all that, plus a couple space-consuming squash plants and cucumbers, and maybe some carrots or beets. A 20 x 24 foot plot can hold all that, plus peppers, leeks, broccoli, turnips, and maybe some herbs. A 40 x 60 plot allows you more of everything, plus some bigger items, such as corn (corn isn't worth growing unless you can have a dozen or more plants because otherwise they don't pollinate or pollinate completely, and you end up harvesting gap-toothed ears) and asparagus or rhubarb. Sketch out your vegetable garden plan on paper before planting. Figure out how much space to allot to individual plants — and don't forget to allow for space between the rows, or paths, so you can tend the plants. (Mature sizes of various vegetable varieties are noted on seed packets and often in catalog descriptions.) Allow for succession planting: If something is harvested early in the summer, lettuce, say, or peas, you can then free up that space for another crop, such as carrots. Succession planting is a good trick, but to pull it off, you may need to do some research as well as some trial and error — and be willing to invest the time and effort. You could also plan for a constant vegetable harvest by intercropping, or interplanting. This method is simple: Just have two different plants share the same part of the garden in an alternating or checkerboard pattern. This setup can look rather nifty, but it has practical advantages as well. Smaller, faster-maturing plants can grow with larger, slower-growing ones and so you always have something to harvest. And plants that appreciate a little shade can grow in the shelter of taller ones (have pole beans next to lettuce or spinach, for example).

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-18-2022

Gardening in Canada presents specific challenges due to our cold climate and short growing season. This cheat sheet offers tips for getting the most out of your Canadian garden. Start by checking the frost dates in your region and consult some of the many online gardening resources that are available. Protect your perennials through the winter and choose the best grasses for Canada’s climate to maintain a beautiful, thriving lawn and garden year after year. Read on to see how.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-08-2022

Gardening sustainably just makes sense in our fragile world. Doing it in your own backyard takes a little effort, but more and more gardeners are finding that every step is worth it to create a sustainable garden that not only looks after your plants and you, but also helps the whole planet.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-01-2022

To have the garden of your dreams, make sure you pick the right plants for your hardiness zone and select the right fertilizers for your plants. If your garden is shady, this Cheat Sheet offers a list of plants made for the shade. When you're planning and measuring your garden use the handy conversion chart for metric and standard measurements.

Article / Updated 03-31-2022

The Southwest deserts encompass mild-winter climates of the low-elevation deserts of Arizona and California. (The mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, as well as west Texas, have a more typical cold-winter, summer-only season for growing annuals.) Glory time for annuals is late winter and early spring in low-desert Arizona, primarily around Phoenix and Tucson, and California’s Coachella Valley. This calendar starts in September to reflect the true beginning of the planting season: If you live in a temperate, high-altitude climate, follow the calendar recommendations for Northern gardeners. September: Prepare planting beds. Midmonth or later, set out nursery transplants for winter and spring bloom — maybe even by Christmas. Provide temporary shade during the hottest weather. Early in the month, you still have time to start annual flower seeds in flats or pots to transplant into the ground later in the fall. If summer annuals are still going strong, keep them watered thoroughly and fertilize every two or four weeks. October: Continue to set out annuals for blooms before the end of the year. Water thoroughly after planting and provide temporary shade during extra-hot spells. Sow seeds of low-spreading annuals to cover bare spots in bulb beds. If your timing is good, everything will bloom all at once. Start regular feeding a few weeks after planting annuals. November: You still have time to plant for winter and spring bloom. Cooler weather encourages a new crop of aphids, plus slugs and snails. December: You still have time to plant seedlings. Watch your soil for signs of dryness, and water as needed. January: After the holidays, nurseries stock up with blooming annuals in small pots. Shop for color that you can use right away in pots or in gaps in planting beds. Watch for aphids and take steps to control them. Pull or hoe seasonal weeds, or mulch beds with a layer of organic matter to smother weeds and weed seeds. February: Cool-season annuals are peaking this month in the low desert. Maintain top performance by removing dead flowers, watering thoroughly, and feeding regularly. Start seeds of warm-season annuals indoors to transplant into the garden in four to six weeks. Prepare beds for spring planting. March: In the low desert, transplant warm-season annuals. Pinch back at planting time and snip off flowers to encourage bushier growth. A few weeks after planting, fertilize young annuals and begin a regular (bi-weekly or monthly) fertilizing schedule. April: Plant heat-loving annuals, such as marigolds and zinnias. Adjust the frequency of sprinkler systems as the weather heats up. May: Spring flowers are winding down. Pull them out and replace them with heat-lovers. Pinch tips of young annuals for bushier growth. June: This is your last chance to plant for summer blooms. Make sure that you choose from among the true heat-lovers: globe amaranth, salvia, and the most reliable of all, vinca rosea. July and August: Water and mulch. You don’t do any planting at this time of year. Feed summer annuals regularly. Remove faded flowers.

Article / Updated 03-30-2022

When you create a rain garden, you situate your garden to use rainfall and runoff from gutters and storm drains. Planning a rain garden is water-wise and ecologically low-impact, and it produces a beautiful garden that provides a home to birds, butterflies, and other insects. Not only do you save water when you create a rain garden, its placement (in the path of runoff water) prevents erosion. In addition, the path the water takes through the soil improves the water’s quality. Water from rainfall and snowmelt contains untreated pollutants, like salt and oil, and flows directly into storm drains, contaminating our water sources. Although you wouldn't want to drink this water, it's perfect for watering your garden. The soil and mulch that the water travels through in your garden act as a filtering system that breaks up contaminates. Two approaches to rain gardening There are two approaches to rain gardening, but in either case, you want water to drain from the garden surface within four hours: Underdrained: These gardens are useful when you have a high water table. They employ a water piping system to help water drain from your garden after a heavy rain. Self-contained: You must choose plants with roots that can tolerate wet conditions and your planting medium should be porous to promote drainage because no drainage system is used. When you look at a rain garden, you can’t really tell that it is different from any other garden. They can be formal gardens, cottage gardens, woodland gardens, or almost any other garden that strikes your fancy. But plants that have deep roots fare better and, as you might expect, native plants are always a good bet. Although annuals can be planted in rain gardens, they require much more care, and part of the allure of the rain garden is its low-maintenance nature. Generally, you create your rain garden in a low-lying area that gets rainwater runoff. You can create one near your downspouts (but not too close to your house) or at the bottom of a slope in your yard. Dig your garden 4 to 8 inches deep. Depending on the type of plants you intend to grow (bog lovers, perhaps), go ahead and line the depression with plastic. You can use any sod you remove to build up the sides of your garden. Amend the soil with a good-quality compost.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-29-2022

Growing your garden requires the aid and cooperation of many forces including the climate in your hardiness zone; insects, good and bad; fertilizers; and soil amendments. Decorative material (such as mulch, stone, sand, and gravel) adds a nice finish, so know how much you need to buy. Adapting each element to your garden's needs — as best you can — leads to a successful gardening experience.

Article / Updated 03-21-2022

Gravel, mulch, sand, small rocks, and soil amendments can play a healthy and decorative role in your garden. Gravel, sand, and rocks are generally sold by weight. For coverage that's 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep, use the following amounts: 1 U.S. ton covers approximately 100 square feet. 1 metric ton covers approximately 10 square meters. Soil amendments and mulch are generally sold by volume. For coverage that's 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep, use the following amounts: 1 cubic yard covers approximately 160 square feet. 1 cubic meter covers approximately 20 square meters. Use the following table to convert U.S. and metric measurements. In each case, the conversions are approximately equal: 1 centimeter ≈ 0.4 inches 1 inch ≈ 2.5 centimeters 1 meter ≈ 39 inches ≈ 1.1 yards 1 yard ≈ 0.9 meter 1 kilometer ≈ 0.6 mile 1 mile ≈ 1.6 kilometers 1 liter ≈ 1.1 quarts 1 quart ≈ 0.9 liter 1 kilogram ≈ 2.2 pounds 1 pound ≈ 0.4 kilograms 1 gram ≈ 0.04 ounce 1 ounce ≈ 31 grams

Article / Updated 05-08-2020

Caring for Succulents can be easy. These plants are native to drought prone areas. As a result, they store water to last them through long periods with little or no water. This feature makes them ideal as indoor-home plants or outdoor as part of a low maintenance garden residing in warmer climates. How to care for indoor succulents If you choose to grow a succulent indoors, your plant will need the following: Plant your succulent in a pot that drains: Succulents do not like to live in wet soil. As plants accustomed to high temperatures and little moisture, they can actually rot, contract disease, or die if overwatered. Potting in a planter that has slots for drainage can help prevent overwatering. Use succulent soil or soil that drains well: Using the correct type of soil will help your plant thrive. Because succulents don’t appreciate overwatering, using soil that drains will keep your plants appropriately moist. Plenty of sunlight (at least half a day): These plants hail from hot, dry climates and love plenty of sunlight. Although they will go dormant in the winter and require less sunlight, most succulents like at least a half day to a full day of sunlight depending on what type of plant you have chosen. Water heavily, but not often: Overwatering is an issue with succulents. Watering every day and leaving the plant with soaking soil will kill your succulent. However, simply misting them will also leave them wanting more. Supply your plant with a large amount of water about once a week (also varies depending on the variety). Check the soil to see that it is drying between waterings. Maintain a warm temperature: Succulents like about 70-80 degrees in summer months and 50-60 in winter months. How to care for outdoor succulents Succulents make great houseplants, but they can also add an exotic edge to your outdoor garden. When planting an outdoor garden, choose your succulents and accompanying plants carefully. Succulents prefer lots of sunshine, dry soil, and little watering. If this doesn’t fit the surrounding flora, consider using your succulents as houseplants or moving them to a separate location. Choose a sunny spot: Give your succulent lots of natural sunlight. Make sure you have appropriate soil: Does the soil drain well? If not, backfill the hole with sand or gravel to increase drainage capability. Many succulents will fall victim to rot if they are not set in the right kind of soil. If watering is necessary, pour water directly onto the base of the plant to keep the leaves dry. Water heavily until soil is moist. Let the soil dry before the next watering. Check out Succulents and Sunshine for more specific information on watering your plant. Bring your succulents indoors for the winter: Many of these exotic plants do not fare well in the winter. If you live in an area that has a cold winter, you an easily transplant into a container for indoor storage. Regardless of what kind of succulent you choose, make sure you water it properly and it will be an interesting addition to your home or garden. How to grow a succulent If you already have existing succulents, you can propagate them yourself. Propagation is typically done with a leaf cutting or an offshoot. Propagating succulents with leaf cuttings indoors To grow a new succulent from a leaf cutting, follow these steps: Remove a leaf from the plant below the main flowering element.Make sure the leaf comes away clean and contains all parts of the leaf. Put leaf in dry area and allow to dry.This process generally takes a few days. When leaf becomes calloused, it is time to plant.When calloused, the leaf will appear splotchy, discolored, or brittle. Place well-draining or succulent soil in a drainable pot. Set leaf on top of soil. Leave for several weeks. Water your succulent very little, about once a week.Be careful to avoid overwatering. When roots appear, remove the parent leaf.Typically, this leaf will wither. Be careful not to damage the new roots in this process. Your plant will take root and you will have a new succulent.Happy gardening! Propagating succulents with offshoots If your succulent develops an offshoot at the base of the plant, you can gently remove it to grow a separate plant. To do so, simply allow the offshoot to develop roots for a period of 2-3 weeks. Once you see roots, remove with snips or simply twist to remove. Then follow steps 2-7 above to propagate your new succulent.

Article / Updated 05-01-2017

Planting bulbs is simple. But before you start the planting process, be sure the chosen spot has good, well-draining soil. Bulbs rot in soggy ground and struggle in sandy soil; although adding some organic matter can ease these problems considerably, it is still in your best interest to select a location that resembles an ideal environment for your bulbs. Learn how to plant bulbs for the best results with these steps: Dig an appropriately sized hole. If you're planting only a few bulbs or you're spot-planting (tucking bulbs in among other plants in a mixed bed), use a trowel. If you're planting lots of bulbs, break out the shovel and make a trench. Not all bulbs are the same size, so not all bulbs should be planted the same depth. The general rule is three times as deep as the bulb's height. This guideline varies a bit based on your soil type. In sandier soils, you can plant a little deeper; in heavy clay soils, a little shallower. If you forget how deep to plant your bulbs, consult the supplier's label or catalog. Too shallow, and your bulbs may poke their heads above the soil surface too early and get damaged by wintry weather; too deep, and they'll take longer to emerge. Roots grow out of the bottom of the bulb, so the quality of the soil underneath it is more important than what you pack the hole with. If you're amending the soil with organic material like compost or sphagnum moss, dig somewhat deeper-than-recommended holes so you can accommodate this addition. Distance apart varies with the type of bulb and the sort of display you have in mind. If you crowd the bulbs underground, the eventual show may suffer. Certainly, don't let the bulbs touch one another. The general rule is at least three bulb-widths apart "on center" (from the center of one bulb to the center of the next). But experience can tell you what the bulbs you've chosen tolerate and how dense you like your displays. Add a fertilizer. Use a fertilizer that has a higher phosphorus number, such as a 5-10-5 fertilizer. Phosphorus (the P in the N-P-K on fertilizer labels) is important for the root growth as well as flower production. Just sprinkle the fertilizer in the bottom of the hole and scratch it in so it mixes with the soil a bit. If the ground is bone dry, water a day or so before planting so the ground is damp but not muddy when you're planting the bulbs. If you want to wait to fertilize, you can scratch the fertilizer into the surface of the soil in the spring as the bulbs are growing. Securely place the bulb’s basal plate against the bottom of the hole. You want the nose, or growing point, to point up and the roots, or basal plate from which they'll grow, to point down. (If you can't tell, plant the bulb on its side — the plant will figure it out in due course! Botanists call this nifty skill gravitropism.) Make sure the bottom of the bulb is in contact with soil; if you leave an air pocket, the roots can dry out and the bulb won't grow or won't grow very well. Backfill with soil and water generously. As you scoop soil back into the hole, firmly press it in place to prevent air pockets. Water well (some settling will occur) and then add a bit more soil as needed. Indicate where you've planted your bulbs so you don't plant other flowers in the same place. Mark the locations with permanent nonrusting, nonrotting labels like those made of zinc or copper.