Gardening Basics

Simple gardening tips for growing thriving plants, flowers, and vegetables.

A Gardener's Glossary: 40 Terms You'll Encounter in Your First Season
Featured · Gardening Basics

A Gardener's Glossary: 40 Terms You'll Encounter in Your First Season

Quick definitions for the gardening terms beginners encounter most — from hardiness zones and deadheading to tilth, mulch, and succession planting.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 5 min · Oct 16, 2024
Companion Planting: The Science and Folklore Behind Growing Plants Together
Gardening Basics

Companion Planting: The Science and Folklore Behind Growing Plants Together

Companion planting has a long history but mixed evidence. Explore what research supports, what's anecdotal, and how to experiment safely.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 7 min · Jun 5, 2024
Composting at Home: Turning Kitchen and Yard Scraps Into Garden Gold
Gardening Basics

Composting at Home: Turning Kitchen and Yard Scraps Into Garden Gold

A practical walkthrough for setting up a backyard compost system, balancing green and brown materials, and knowing when compost is ready to use.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 7 min · Jul 4, 2026
Garden Myths That Lead New Growers Astray
Gardening Basics

Garden Myths That Lead New Growers Astray

From 'more water is always better' to 'gravel improves drainage,' these widely repeated gardening beliefs don't hold up to scrutiny.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 6 min · Jan 24, 2025
Keeping a Garden Through the Seasons: A Year-Round Maintenance Overview
Gardening Basics

Keeping a Garden Through the Seasons: A Year-Round Maintenance Overview

A comprehensive look at what gardens need across spring, summer, fall, and winter — so beginners can plan and sustain momentum all year long.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 7 min · Mar 14, 2026
Organic vs. Synthetic Fertilizers: What Changes in Practice
Gardening Basics

Organic vs. Synthetic Fertilizers: What Changes in Practice

Organic and synthetic fertilizers differ in how they work, how fast they act, and how they affect soil over time. Here's a balanced comparison.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 5 min · Dec 3, 2024
Raised Beds vs. In-Ground Planting: Weighing the Tradeoffs
Gardening Basics

Raised Beds vs. In-Ground Planting: Weighing the Tradeoffs

Raised beds and in-ground plots each come with real advantages and limitations. Here's how to decide which setup fits your space and goals.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 6 min · Feb 9, 2025
Seeds vs. Transplants: Which Starting Method Makes Sense for You?
Gardening Basics

Seeds vs. Transplants: Which Starting Method Makes Sense for You?

Starting from seed and buying transplants each have distinct tradeoffs in cost, timing, and effort. Here's how to choose for your situation.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 5 min · Nov 17, 2025
Spring Garden Prep: What to Do Before You Put Anything in the Ground
Gardening Basics

Spring Garden Prep: What to Do Before You Put Anything in the Ground

A step-by-step checklist covering soil testing, bed clearing, tool inspection, and timing — so your garden season starts on solid footing.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 26, 2026
The Case for Growing Native Plants in a Home Garden
Gardening Basics

The Case for Growing Native Plants in a Home Garden

Native plants require less maintenance and support local ecosystems. Explore the honest advantages and a few genuine limitations of going native.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 5 min · Jan 22, 2026
Understanding Sunlight: How to Read Your Yard Before You Plant Anything
Gardening Basics

Understanding Sunlight: How to Read Your Yard Before You Plant Anything

Full sun, partial shade, and dappled light aren't interchangeable. Learn how to map your yard's light patterns before choosing what to grow.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 9 min · Feb 14, 2023
Vegetables That Are Genuinely Forgiving for First-Time Growers
Gardening Basics

Vegetables That Are Genuinely Forgiving for First-Time Growers

Some crops are naturally more tolerant of beginner mistakes. This list covers which vegetables reward new gardeners most reliably and why.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 31, 2024
Watering Habits That Keep Plants Healthy Instead of Stressed
Gardening Basics

Watering Habits That Keep Plants Healthy Instead of Stressed

Discover how watering frequency, timing, and technique affect plant health — and the simple signs that tell you when to water more or less.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 6 min · Nov 23, 2023
What Kind of Soil Does Your Garden Actually Need?
Gardening Basics

What Kind of Soil Does Your Garden Actually Need?

Learn the difference between clay, sandy, loamy, and silty soils and how each affects plant growth — plus how to improve what you have.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 9 min · Apr 20, 2025
Why Your Seedlings Keep Dying Before They Get Going
Gardening Basics

Why Your Seedlings Keep Dying Before They Get Going

Damping off, overwatering, and light starvation are among the most common seedling killers. Learn what's happening and how to stop it.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 4 min · Nov 8, 2025
Your First Garden, From Bare Dirt to Thriving Beds
Gardening Basics

Your First Garden, From Bare Dirt to Thriving Beds

Everything a first-time gardener needs to know — from choosing a site and preparing soil to planting and watering with confidence.

By Home & Garden Editorial Team · 9 min · Nov 17, 2025