Gardening Basics

Compost is an excellent organic material which can fertilize, condition and enhance the quality of your garden soil greatly. Often referred to as black gold by gardeners, compost is very dark in...

Wood chips make an ideal mulch for use in planting beds, around trees, and in decorative gardens. They also aid in maintaining adequate soil moisture and preventing weed infiltration. The...

Raised garden beds vary from 5 1/2 inches all the way up to 3 feet in height. Trying to find the correct height can be baffling, but you should choose the right height for your needs.

Raised planter beds are easy to construct, inexpensive when using recycled wood and have many benefits including easy upkeep and planting.

Many garden plants are sensitive to the frost and if they aren't protected, the frost can kill or hurt tender plants. If you can spare your plants during those nights of frost, you can prolong...

Learn to grow fall vegetables in hot dry desert areas. This is not always simple but it can be done.

Everyone knows how important mulch is to plants---providing a barrier against weeds, conditioning the soil, providing nutrients as it decomposes and even keeping roots cool---but how do you figure...

Building a raised garden bed creates an interesting dilemma: If you use pressure-treated wood or commercial wood sealers, you risk having unwanted chemicals leak into the environment and into your...

Asparagus is a tasty mealtime treat that is fun to grow. The color, shape, taste and texture of asparagus adds interest to any meal. Equally appealing is the chance to plant your own asparagus...

This is the time to start planning your flower beds for next year. During the summer months little bedding plants such as impatients, petunias and all tender perennials and annuals need to be...

Raised bed gardening is a method of growing plants where the ground soil is too hard for planting. Generally constructed of timbers, these dirt beds can accommodate the most finicky of plants....

It can be difficult to know where to start to make a raised bed in a garden. Home gardens are gaining popularity with the global recession looming, as gardening is an easy way to save money. ...

How and why would you want to make a raised flower bed? If you can't physically bend down or stoop this might be an answer for you. If you have hard earth or rocks in your ground you may want to...

Strawberries, an early fruit producer, are winding down by the time summer reaches it's hottest temperatures. But instead of waiting until fall to clean up the strawberry bed, now is the time to...

Pachysandra is a perennial evergreen ground cover. It flourishes in shaded, moist areas with rich, slightly alkaline pH soil. Pachysandra has a slow growth rate, taking about three years to...

Designing and making a raised-bed garden gives those who have poor soil the ability to grow those sought-out garden treasures. With a little effort, almost anyone can grow a raised-bed garden...

Burlap—a loosely woven fabric made from natural fibers—comes in handy in the garden in a variety of ways. You can use it as a biodegradable weed barrier, as a base layer for sheet mulching, even...

This is the season for planting new life. You and your children can do so by making your own garden bed. Introduce your kids to the basics of gardening. Let them experiment with flower,fuirts,...

The new plants you bought look so small as you lay them out in a garden bed or border. Even with the best eyeballing, the proportions are deceiving and it's all too easy to plant too closely. Time...

Growing sweet and hot peppers in a cool climate is not impossible! It just takes a little more effort on your part. Peppers are native to tropical areas of South America—where the air and soil is...

Raised bed gardening offers several advantages over traditional gardening. There is no weeding, the soil can be prepared for specific types of plants, and if done correctly, can enhance your...

Homegrown strawberries are sweet, juicy, and delicious. Many varieties of these small prennials are available for home growing. Here are the steps you need to get started.

Designing and preparing a flower bed does not require a large amount of space; simply lay out compost and soil, plant short plants in the front and taller plants behind them. Use rocks, bricks or...

A raised bed is ideal for home owners with poor soil quality or limited workable ground. It also is often easier to work in a raised bed because the soil is warmer sooner in the season, and there...

When making a garden bed ideally you should double dig the bed first. Double digging takes time and effort but it's well worth the extra work involved by improving soil structure and fertility,...

Many people want to know how to make raised bed gardens because of the many advantages they offer. The soil in raised bed gardens warms up quicker, excess water drains off faster, soil is usually...

Edging a flower bed with bricks is a little more expensive than using wood, but bricks will never have to be replaced, and they add a more refined look to a flower bed. Learn about cementing...

Flower beds can exist in the yard or even in a container, but the proper drainage and high-quality composted soil is important for the best growing results. Create a flower bed in a small or large...

Planting a garden bed can be done in a small area on a porch or on a large plot of land, but variety is key to create a visually pleasing design. Use trees, bushes, plants and flowers in a garden...

Creating compost is efficient for two reasons: It allows you to eventually have organic fertilizer for your garden and it is a way to recycle food scraps to decrease landfill waste. After food...

Here’s how to make easy-to-build raised garden beds that are so functional, one market gardener uses them exclusively and earns a full-time income from her raised bed gardening. See Resources...

Raised beds have become the latest gardening trend; they reduce weeds, maximize the growing season with early soil warmth, and even afford flexibility to elderly and handicapped gardeners. The...

Having a raised bed garden will allow you to raise large quantities of fresh vegetables in a small area. Excellent way to garden for people who live in the city or have limited space. If you use...

A raised bed garden is ideal for the modern gardener. With yields double the traditional home garden. In this article I'll explain how to build and the benefits of a framed raised bed garden.

Start a flower bed by putting down several inches of quality organic compost, planting a variety of perennials and annual flowers and keeping taller flowers in the back of the garden. Move smaller...

Shore up a raised garden bed by adding corner pieces to the surround wood or placing rocks all the way around the raised bed. Avoid using weather-treated wood for a raised garden bed, as chemicals...

Boxed raised garden beds are great for growing vegetables, fruits and other plants. The raised beds contain more nutrient-rich soil than is typically found in an average garden, and the raised bed...

Building your own raised garden will make planting, growing and maintenance easy. Raised gardens are easier to water, avoid soil and drainage problems and are less vulnerable to wildlife damage....

Drip irrigation systems are a great way to conserve water and also contribute to healthy plants and a maintenance-free irrigation system. They are also cost-effective and fairly simple to install.

Getting rid of grass in a flower bed is a headache. Bermuda grass will creep and take over the flowers if left untouched. Killing the grass outright before any flowers are added is an efficient...

creating a new bed or border in the garden

Riverbeds are powerful features in a landscape. They can be functional as space dividers, vital as drainage conductors, beautiful as decor. Here are some pointers on building a successful riverbed.

Learn how to construct raised garden beds in this free video series on gardening.

Learn how to construct raised garden beds in this free video series on gardening.

Learn how to construct raised garden beds in this free video series on gardening.

Learn how to construct raised garden beds in this free video series on gardening.

Learn how to construct raised garden beds in this free video series on gardening.

Whether you are making a garden bed or a walkway, get tips for picking the perfect garden edging in this free garden craft video from a mosaic artist.

Learn about raised bed gardens in this free online video on low maintenance gardening.

Whether you are exploring the yard of your new home or changing the use of one of your old beds, planning a new garden takes some time. Your new landscape, vegetable bed, or shady perennials bed...