Gardening Basics

Landscape cloth helps keep weeds out of your garden. Landscape cloth is readily available from most garden and home improvement stores. Choose a strong cloth--if you can tear it, that's a sure...

Drip irrigation is a method of applying low-pressure water to soil and plants at slow, even rates. Designed for efficient water use, drip irrigation systems help prevent loss of water through...

A garden or farm pond is not only an attractive landscape element. A pond can also be a convenient and bountiful source of water for your garden or potted plants. Dissolved organic material and...

It happens to the best gardeners. We go out in the spring to plant our flowers, but the pots are stuck together from being stored all fall and winter. Don't fret. There's an easy way to get the...

Many gardeners face the challenge of working with heavy soil--that is, soil with clay. Clay is impermeable to water and roots, and devoid of most nutrients a plant needs to grow. To successfully...

A pond can be a wonderful addition to any backyard. You can create a serene private space in one corner and enjoy the calming sound of running water. A pond in the middle of the yard can be an...

Fruit trees have special nutritional requirements depending on age, size, type of tree and what nutrients are already present in the soil where your fruit trees are planted. Determining what your...

You don't need a big yard or heavy equipment to grow your own produce. You can raise vegetables in pots on your deck, patio or balcony. The soil in pots warms up sooner than the ground does, so...

Rhododendrons are a type of shrub that are found all over the world. They produce bell-shaped floral blooms and are generally considered to be slow-growing plants. However, when fully grown, some...

Creating a composting wormery is a great way to speed up the composting process, and to recycle organic wastes and food scraps into usable and potent fertilizer. A wormery can be created easily...

Compost is decomposed vegetative material that enriches garden soil. A traditional compost pile is housed outside, requires regular maintenance, and can smell quite pungent. One alternative to the...

Composting with worms, also called vermiculture, is a simple way to compost fruit and vegetable scraps at home. Red wriggler worms require only bedding, moisture and food. Once established in...

It is often recommended to water your outdoor plants at night because without the sun and warmth of daytime, water dries less quickly and has more time to soak into the soil. This conserves and...

How to grow pineapple tomatoes in pots.

The Olive tree originated from Africa and holds a special place in human history for over 8000 years in its native region of the Mediterranean Basin. The Olive tree survives and thrives where...

Container gardening is a wonderful alternative for those who do not have room for a traditional garden. Blueberries make a very pretty container plant. Blueberries are also easy to grow. There are...

Growing vegetables indoors with grow lights allows gardeners to get a head start on spring and extend the growing season. Keep in mind that plants need light, space, air, water and nutrition to...

The average household produces a great amount of organic waste. In New York City, the average home will throw away about two pounds each day, according to a report by the city's Department of...

The lucky bamboo plant (Dracaena) is popular in households across the world because of its low maintenance and the belief held by many that it brings good luck into the home.

If you are working in the garden or around your yard, a wheelbarrow is a big help and huge time saver. Not only can it carry heavy loads of sod or compost, but you can easily move them from place...

Asiatic lilies create bright, beautiful blooms throughout spring that must be removed when they die out. Deadheading (or removing spent blooms) from the lilies conserves the plant's energy and...

Grow boxes and earth boxes are part of the container gardening craze sweeping the world. Both offer advantages to the more traditional forms of gardening but many gardeners think one is better...

There are such a vast number of plant varieties, capable of living in such a wide range of environments, that it is not usually possible to pinpoint an exact time frame that all plants can survive...

Creating an indoor window garden requires a window, some sunlight and moisture. Make a windowsill garden with expert tips from a gardener in this free video on creating an indoor window garden.

If you garden, you know the importance of adding nutrients back into the soil. You can choose to purchase manure and fertilizer. To save money, and to minimize the volume going to landfills, you...

If you compost your organic food waste but live in a cold-weather climate, bucket composting is a great way to extend the process year-round. Although you can continue to put your scraps on your...

Weeping cherry trees have a graceful, arching form that provides interest to the landscape during each season. The flowers bloom in early to mid-spring, usually before the leaves appear. The...

Composting with worms (vermicomposting) produces some of the best fertilizer that can be found. It allows people that don't have the space for a regular compost bin to still compost their waste....

It's fall time and the leaves are falling. Raking leaves and bringing them to the local compost dump can be very time consuming. Also when you need mulch it can be a pain driving to and from the...

In times like these of rising prices anything useful that can be acquired for free is a big plus. Plant propagation can provide the home gardener on a budget with a plethora of beautiful new...

Are you tired of the same ol' look to your lawn? Ready to add some life to your yard that will make your wife smile as she pulls in the driveway tonight? Then throw on your bagger and sharpen that...

These days everyone is going green and it’s a good thing. I am in favor of all things green. You drive car with reduced emissions, you use solar power in your houses, you use wind power, water...

Outdoor plants need to be protected from harsh, cold winter weather. Some plants grown in a container are simply too big and too heavy to bring indoors. You may not have room inside your house for...

San Mateo County has three climate zones, with the inland areas, including Portola Valley, most conducive to fruit tree growth. In the coastal regions of South San Francisco and Daly City, too...

A flowering perennial of the Strelitzia genus, it is colloquially referred to as a bird of paradise plant. The shrub is native to certain parts of South Africa, though it can now be found in...

Potted flowers make a beautiful addition to any porch or stoop, but flower pots can rack up in cash. Here I'll tell you how to save your money and reuse generally discarded supplies to plant in.

Does the thought of starting a compost pile intimidate you? It is a little work, but well worth the effort. Your fruit and vegetables will be so much more flavorful if they have been composted. ...

Many people pour their hearts into their lawn and gardens. After all that work and time caring for beautiful plants, flowers and shrubs, no one wants an unsightly garden hose to be in the way....

Potted plants easy to organize and transport, and they can transform a room, porch or balcony into a garden. But potted plants dry out faster and typically need more watering than plants in the...

You need to consider basic needs when attempting to grow plants or nurture your lawn. Sufficient sunlight for the plants, as well as the correct amount of water, go a long way toward obtaining...

Characterized by a freshwater ecosystem in which organisms depend upon each other and the immediate environment, the pond habitat relies on a variety of different plants. To protect the pond...

A well-planned garden is a joy to behold and work in all year long. Taking the time to observe and carefully plan the spaces, noticing the texture of your soil and where the light falls in...

Grafting is a process used to propagate woody plants without the use of seeds. The stem from one plant joins to another plant so that the tissue is united and grows together. Grafting is useful...

Want to grow a blueberry bush at home? Growing blueberries can be tough. Blueberry bushes are extremely fussy when it comes to the soil they are planted in. Blueberry bushes can make a great...

Every gardener knows a good compost pile will help their garden grow from all the rich nutrients the compost provides. To insure your compost breaks down properly and in a timely manner there are...

Epsom salt isn't new to cupboards, garages and medicine cabinets, but few people are aware of the immense benefit Epsom salt provides to plants. A simple concoction of Epsom salt and water will...

Every type of garden fence has different assembly requirements. For instance, a picket fence must be built beforehand and put up in sections, and a bamboo fence must be put up one piece at a time....

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...

Wide row planting is a method of gardening designed to optimize space. The benefit of wide row planting is that one can grow a large amount of produce in a relatively small area. By grouping...

Grafting is the uniting of the bottom and top portion of two different trees. This is a common practice when propagating fruit trees. The bottom part is called the rootstock and the top part is...