All guides
Every article and guide on the site, A to Z. Plant profiles and videos have their own pages too.
- About Zen Garden Life
Zen Garden Life is a free guide to home gardening, from vegetables, herbs and flowers to soil, watering and pests, published by Abontu LLC. - Armenian Cucumbers
Armenian cucumber is a long, ribbed melon eaten like a cucumber. How it differs from true cucumbers, how to grow it, when to pick it, and varieties… - Awesome Acorn Squash Varieties
Acorn squash varieties compared, from heirloom 'Table Queen' to compact, mildew-tolerant 'Honey Bear', plus when to plant and how to tell when it's… - Beet Family (Amaranthaceae)
The amaranth or beet family (Amaranthaceae), covering beets, Swiss chard, spinach, quinoa and amaranth, and the growing habits and pests these crops… - Brassicaceae in the vegetable garden
Kale, broccoli, cabbage, radishes and turnips are all one family. Growing them together: varieties, timing, spacing, rotation and shared pests. - Building a Butterfly Garden: Attracting and Supporting Butterflies
How to plan a butterfly garden: nectar flowers, caterpillar host plants for common US butterflies, layout, water, shelter, and pesticides to avoid. - Building Healthy Soil in the Home Garden
How to build healthy garden soil step by step, from identifying your soil type and testing pH to adding organic matter and avoiding compaction. - Bulb Vegetables
Bulb vegetables such as onions, garlic, shallots and leeks, what a true bulb is, why fennel only looks like one, and the key growing points for each. - Cabbage Family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae)
The cabbage or mustard family explained, from its cross-shaped flowers to the vegetables, condiments, flowers and weeds in it, and why to rotate them. - Cabbage Moth
How to identify the cabbage moth and its caterpillars, tell it from the cabbage white, looper and diamondback moth, and protect brassicas from all of… - Cabbage White Butterfly
Identify the cabbage white butterfly and its green caterpillar, the imported cabbageworm, and protect brassicas with netting, hand-picking and Bt. - Can watering in sun burn plants?
Water droplets almost never burn leaves in sunshine. What the research found, what really scorches leaves, and the best time of day to water a garden. - Capsicum annuum
Capsicum annuum is the species behind bells, jalapeños, poblanos, cayenne and most other garden peppers, sweet or hot. How to recognize and grow it. - Capsicum baccatum
Capsicum baccatum is the ají pepper of South America, such as ají amarillo, Lemon Drop and Bishop's Crown, with fruity heat and a long season. - Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense includes habanero, Scotch bonnet, Datil and the superhots, plus mild seasoning peppers. Despite its name, it comes from the… - Capsicum frutescens
Capsicum frutescens includes the tabasco and malagueta peppers, small, hot, juicy fruit held upright on bushy plants that can live for years. - Capsicum pubescens
Capsicum pubescens, the rocoto or manzano pepper, has hairy leaves, purple flowers, black seeds and thick, hot fruit, and prefers cool weather to… - Cardinal Flowers: A Magnet for Hummingbirds
Why cardinal flower draws hummingbirds, and how to grow it in moist soil or pots and keep these short-lived native perennials coming back each year. - Carrot Family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae)
The carrot family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae), covering carrots, parsnips, celery, parsley, dill and fennel, how they grow, and poisonous wild… - Clay
Clay soil holds water and nutrients but drains slowly, compacts and warms late in spring. How to recognize it, water it and improve it with organic… - Common Tomato Plant Diseases: Prevention and Treatment
How to recognize and manage early blight, septoria, late blight, Fusarium and Verticillium wilt, bacterial spot, speck and canker, and tomato viruses. - Composting: How to Make and Use Compost
How to make compost at home, what to put in and leave out, how hot composting works, fixing a smelly or cold pile, and how much compost to use. - Container Gardening
Minimum pot sizes by crop, the right potting mix, watering and feeding, and the pros and cons of each pot type for growing vegetables and herbs in… - Cover Crops in the Home Garden
How to use cover crops at home, from choosing rye, oats, clover, vetch, buckwheat or radish to when to sow them and how to cut them down in spring. - Crops That Can Be Planted in August
What you can still plant in August depends on your first fall frost date. Count back with this weeks-before-frost table for greens, roots and beans. - Cruciferous Vegetables
What makes a vegetable cruciferous, which common crops belong to the group, what they offer nutritionally, and where to find growing guides for each. - Cucumber
Slicing, pickling and specialty cucumbers, planting by soil temperature, spacing, watering, the main pests, and when to pick. - Cucumber Beetles
How to identify striped and spotted cucumber beetles, how they spread bacterial wilt, and the controls that work, from row covers and trap crops to… - Cucurbits
Cucumbers, squash, melons and pumpkins share the same needs and pests. What cucurbits need to grow well, the problems to expect, and guides to each… - Cutworms
Cutworms are moth caterpillars that sever young transplants at the soil line overnight. How to spot them, protect seedlings with collars, and control… - Drip Irrigation: A Practical Guide for Home Gardens
How home drip irrigation works, the parts you need, emitters versus inline drip tubing, how long to run it, and how to maintain and winterize it. - Eggplant
Eggplant needs heat and a long season. Varieties, seed starting, transplant timing, spacing, flea beetle control, and how to tell when fruit is ready. - English Cucumbers
English (hothouse) cucumbers are long, thin-skinned and nearly seedless because they set fruit without pollination. What that means for growing them. - Fertilizing Your Garden
How to read a fertilizer label, what N, P and K do, signs of deficiency, how much to apply, and when to fertilize vegetables, flowers and shrubs. - Flea Beetles
How to recognize flea beetle damage on brassicas, eggplant and greens, when the beetles are active, and how row covers, timing and trap crops stop… - Fruit Vegetables
Fruit vegetables are crops eaten as vegetables that are botanically fruits, like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and squash, and their needs. - Garden Pests
How to identify garden pests from the damage they leave, prevent most problems before they start, and pick the least toxic control that works. - Garden Type
Raised beds, in-ground gardens and containers compared: cost, soil, watering and the crops each suits best, to help you choose a setup for your space. - Garden Zone and Frost Dates by Zip Code
Enter a US zip code to get your USDA plant hardiness zone plus typical last spring frost and first fall frost dates from the nearest weather station. - Garden Zones
How USDA plant hardiness zones work, the temperature range of each zone, what changed in the 2023 map, and what zones don't tell you about your… - Gherkins
"Gherkin" can mean a small pickling cucumber, the West Indian gherkin (Cucumis anguria) or the cucamelon. How they differ and how to grow gherkin… - Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae)
The gourd family (Cucurbitaceae): cucumbers, melons, squash and pumpkins. Main genera, shared traits, and what they mean for rotation and seed saving. - Growing Acorn Squash in the Home Garden
Acorn squash planting time, spacing, watering and feeding, pests, how to tell when it is ripe, and why this squash should not be cured. - Growing Arugula in the Home Garden
Arugula is fast and easy in spring and fall. Sowing depth, spacing, harvest timing, slowing bolting, and keeping flea beetles off. - Growing Asparagus in the Home Garden
How to plant asparagus from crowns, with site and soil, trench planting, how long to wait before harvesting, asparagus beetles, and the best… - Growing Basil in the Home Garden
Basil wants warm soil and full sun. Planting after frost, spacing, pinching for bushy plants, avoiding downy mildew, and storing the leaves. - Growing Beet Greens in the Home Garden
Beet greens: the best varieties for leaves, sowing and thinning, how much to pick without hurting the roots, and pests. - Growing Beets in the Home Garden
Beets in spring and fall: sowing dates by frost date, thinning the seed clusters, watering, leaf miners, harvest size and storage. - Growing Bok Choy in the Home Garden
Bok choy bolts in heat and long days. Spring and fall planting dates, spacing for baby and full-size heads, pests, and when to harvest. - Growing Broccoli in the Home Garden
Broccoli in spring and fall: transplant timing, spacing, feeding, harvesting side shoots after the main head, common problems, and a table of… - Growing Brussels Sprouts in the Home Garden
How to time Brussels sprouts so they mature in frosty fall weather, with spacing, feeding, topping, aphid control and how to harvest from the bottom… - Growing Bush Beans in the Home Garden
Bush beans are sown in 60°F soil after frost. Spacing, watering, Mexican bean beetles, blights, succession sowing, and picking pods. - Growing Buttercup Squash in the Home Garden
Buttercup squash planting time, spacing, care, vine borer and squash bug risk, signs of ripeness, and curing for the sweetest flavor. - Growing Butternut Squash in the Home Garden
Butternut needs a long season but resists vine borers. Planting time, spacing, care, pests, signs of ripeness, curing and storage. - Growing Cabbage in the Home Garden
Green, red, savoy and napa cabbage: planting dates, spacing, feeding, how to stop heads splitting, pests, harvest and storage. - Growing Carrots in the Home Garden
Choosing a carrot type for your soil, getting the tiny seed to sprout, thinning, carrot rust fly, harvest timing and storage. - Growing Cauliflower in the Home Garden
Cauliflower buttons or goes ricey when stressed. Planting dates, spacing, steady water and feeding, blanching, and when to harvest. - Growing Celery in the Home Garden
Celery is started from seed 10–12 weeks before the last frost. Avoiding bolting, watering, blanching, black heart, pests and harvest. - Growing Chickpeas in the Home Garden
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are a cool-season crop. Timing, the chickpea-specific inoculant, spacing, watering, and harvesting green or dry. - Growing Chives in the Home Garden
Chives are a hardy perennial onion relative. Planting from seed or divisions, spacing, cutting, dividing clumps, and garlic chives. - Growing Collard Greens in the Home Garden
Collards grow in spring, fall and through mild winters. Planting dates, spacing, feeding, pests, and picking leaves for months. - Growing Coneflowers (Echinacea)
Native coneflower species vs. hybrids, sun and soil, planting from seed, deadheading vs. leaving seed heads for birds, aster yellows, and varieties. - Growing Curly Kale
Curly kale is the hardiest kale for winter picking. Varieties, planting dates, feeding, harvest, and keeping pests out of the curls. - Growing Delicata Squash in the Home Garden
Delicata is a thin-skinned winter squash. Varieties, planting and spacing, care, pests, when to harvest, and how long it keeps. - Growing Dill in the Home Garden
Dill from seed: when to sow, spacing, succession planting to delay bolting, harvesting leaves and seed heads, and swallowtail caterpillars. - Growing Edamame in the Home Garden
Edamame (vegetable soybeans): sowing in warm soil after frost, the right inoculant, rabbits and beetles, and the short harvest window. - Growing Endive in the Home Garden
Curly endive (frisée) and escarole: spring and fall timing, spacing, watering, blanching the hearts to tame bitterness, and harvest. - Growing Fennel in the Home Garden
Bulb (Florence) fennel and herb fennel: timing to avoid bolting, spacing, watering, harvest, swallowtail caterpillars and self-sowing. - Growing Flowering Plants in Your Home Garden
Choosing garden flowers: annuals vs. perennials, reading hardiness zones, pollinator-friendly picks, native plants, and invasive species to avoid. - Growing Green Cabbage
How to choose and grow green cabbage, from early spring heads to big storage and sauerkraut varieties, with timing, feeding, harvest and pest control. - Growing Green Onions in the Home Garden
Green onions (scallions) from seed, sets or kitchen scraps: bunching vs. common onions, spacing, pests, and cut-and-regrow harvests. - Growing Green Peas in the Home Garden
Peas go in 4–6 weeks before the last frost. Shelling, snow and snap types, trellising, powdery mildew, and when to pick. - Growing Herbs in the Home Garden
Which culinary and tea herbs to grow, which come back each year, their sun and soil needs, and how to harvest and preserve them, with links to each… - Growing Jerusalem Artichokes in the Home Garden
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) spread fast. Planting tubers, keeping the patch in check, digging after frost, and storage. - Growing Kale in the Home Garden
Kale from spring through winter: planting dates, spacing, feeding, picking so plants keep producing, overwintering and pest control. - Growing Kohlrabi in the Home Garden
Kohlrabi in spring and fall: sowing dates, spacing, steady watering, varieties, and harvesting the bulbs before they turn woody. - Growing Lettuce in the Home Garden
Lettuce from spring to fall: varieties for cool weather and heat, sowing depth, spacing, watering, cut-and-come-again harvests and pests. - Growing Mustard Greens in the Home Garden
Mustard greens range from mild to fiery. Spring and fall sowing, spacing, varieties, harvest timing, bolting and pest control. - Growing Oregano in the Home Garden
Greek oregano has the best flavor. Planting from seed or plants, soil and spacing, when to harvest, drying, and winter care. - Growing Parsley in the Home Garden
Flat-leaf vs. curly parsley, getting the slow seed to sprout, when to sow, spacing, harvesting, winter care, and its biennial life cycle. - Growing Parsnips in the Home Garden
Parsnips need fresh seed and a long season. Sowing time, slow germination, spacing, digging after frost, and sap that can burn skin. - Growing Pattypan Squash in the Home Garden
Pattypan (scallop) squash varieties, planting time and spacing, care, pests, and why to pick these flying-saucer squash at 2 to 4 inches. - Growing Plants: Seed Starting, Zones and Frost Dates
Which crops to start indoors or sow directly, when to start seeds relative to your last frost, soil temperatures for sowing, and how zones fit in. - Growing Pole Beans in the Home Garden
Pole beans keep producing until frost. When to sow, spacing, five trellis designs for twining vines, care, pests and picking. - Growing Potatoes in the Home Garden
Potatoes from certified seed: planting time, hilling, watering, Colorado potato beetle and blight, harvest, curing and storage. - Growing Radishes in the Home Garden
Spring and winter radishes: sowing dates, spacing and thinning, why radishes go pithy or hot, root maggots, flea beetles and storage. - Growing Red Cabbage
Red cabbage from quick spring heads to storage types: planting dates, feeding, deeper color in cool weather, and pest control. - Growing Red Russian Kale
Red Russian is a tender, very cold-hardy Brassica napus kale. Planting dates, feeding, harvest, pest control and saving seed. - Growing Rhubarb in the Home Garden
Rhubarb crowns, spacing, when to start harvesting and how many stalks to take, removing flower stalks, and why the leaves are toxic. - Growing Rosemary in the Home Garden
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) hardiness by zone, the cold-hardiest varieties, soil and watering, pruning, cuttings, and overwintering indoors. - Growing Rutabagas in the Home Garden
Rutabagas are a fall crop sown in summer. Spacing, root maggots, flea beetles and clubroot, brown heart, harvest after frost and storage. - Growing Sage in the Home Garden
Garden sage hardiness, varieties, planting and spacing, spring pruning, harvesting, winter care, and when to replace a woody plant. - Growing Spaghetti Squash in the Home Garden
Spaghetti squash planting time, spacing and trellising, care, pests, how to tell it is ripe, curing, and why it keeps only a month or two. - Growing Spinach in the Home Garden
Spinach bolts as days lengthen. Spring, fall and overwintering dates, soil pH, spacing, varieties, heat-tolerant substitutes and harvest. - Growing Sweet Potatoes in the Home Garden
Sweet potatoes from slips: soil temperature, spacing on ridges, watering, weevils and other pests, digging before cold, and curing. - Growing Swiss Chard in the Home Garden
Swiss chard handles both heat and cold. Planting dates, spacing, picking leaves for months, varieties and pests. - Growing Tarragon in the Home Garden
French tarragon comes from divisions, not seed. Spotting Russian tarragon, soil and spacing, harvesting, dividing, and winter care. - Growing Thyme in the Home Garden
Culinary vs. creeping thyme, planting and spacing, lean well-drained soil, harvesting, spring pruning, winter care, and renewing old plants. - Growing Tomatoes
How to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest, with timing by frost date, soil, spacing, deep planting, watering, feeding, pruning and common problems. - Growing Turnips in the Home Garden
Turnips for roots and greens: spring and fall sowing dates, spacing, harvest size, root maggots and flea beetles, and varieties to try. - Growing Watercress in the Home Garden
You don't need a stream for watercress. Growing it from seed or store-bought cuttings in water-filled containers or boggy beds, harvest, and a safety… - Growing Yams in the Home Garden
True yams (Dioscorea) versus sweet potatoes, where yams can grow in the US, invasive species to avoid, and how to plant, stake, harvest and store… - Growing Yellow Straightneck Squash
Yellow straightneck squash varieties, planting time and spacing, watering and feeding, the pests to watch for, and picking at 4 to 6 inches. - Growing Zucchini in the Home Garden
Zucchini planting by soil temperature, spacing, watering and feeding, pollination problems, vine borers and other pests, and when to pick. - Hand Pollinating Tomato Plants for More Tomatoes
How to pollinate tomato flowers with an electric toothbrush, why vibration works, the best time of day, and why it can't fix flower drop caused by… - Hardiness Zones vs First and Last Frost Date
Zones tell you which perennials survive winter; frost dates tell you when to plant. How the two differ, how to read frost odds, and when to use each… - Harvesting Seeds from Flowers
How to save flower seeds: easy flowers to start with, when seed heads are ripe, drying and cleaning, storing seed cool and dry, and testing… - Hay vs Straw for Mulching
Straw or hay for garden mulch? How they differ in weed seeds and nutrients, the risk of persistent herbicides, how to test for them, and how to use… - Heirloom
What makes a tomato an heirloom, why they taste and look different, their weak points as garden plants, and how to save seed from them so they come… - Home Garden Design
How to design a home garden step by step: map sun and soil, decide how you will use the space, lay out beds and paths, choose plants, and add… - Home Garden Irrigation: An Overview
How much and when to water a home garden, and how hand watering, soaker hoses, drip irrigation, sprinklers and wicking beds compare on cost and… - Hot Peppers (Chili Peppers)
How hot peppers are rated on the Scoville scale, typical heat from jalapeño to habanero, where the heat sits in the fruit, and tips for growing… - How to Know When to Harvest Sweet Potatoes
When to dig sweet potatoes, using days to maturity, a test dig and the soil temperature deadline, why yellow vines mislead, and how to cure the roots. - Hybrid
What hybrid (F1) tomatoes are, how they are made, what resistance codes such as VFN and TSWV mean, and why seed saved from a hybrid won't come true. - In Ground Gardening
How to start an in-ground vegetable garden: choosing the site, clearing lawn, and deciding between digging and no-dig methods, with pros and cons. - Indeterminate
Indeterminate tomatoes keep growing and fruiting until frost, often to 6–10 feet. How they differ from determinates, how to support them, and… - Indeterminate Tomatoes
What makes a tomato indeterminate, how tall the vines grow, how to support, prune and top them, and good varieties to try, compared with determinate… - Introduction to Organic Garden Soil Amendments
Common organic soil amendments compared: compost, manure, peat moss, bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, kelp, worm castings and rock phosphate. - Japanese Beetles
How to recognize Japanese beetles, their one-year life cycle, the plants they favor, and controls that work, including why beetle traps backfire. - Kale in the Home Garden
A guide to kale varieties for home gardens, from curly and Lacinato to Red Russian, Siberian and tronchuda, with leaf type, hardiness and best uses. - Kirby Cucumbers
Kirby is a market name for short, bumpy, unwaxed pickling cucumbers. What to look for, how to use them, and which varieties to grow for Kirby-style… - Late Summer and Autumn Crops to Grow
Cool-season crops to sow in late summer and fall, timed in weeks before your first frost, plus which survive frost and what to plant for next year. - Leaf Miners
How to recognize leaf miner tunnels on spinach, chard and beets, how the pest's life cycle works, and how row covers and hand-picking keep it in… - Leafhoppers
Leafhoppers in the vegetable garden: hopperburn on beans and potatoes, the leafhoppers that spread aster yellows and curly top, and how to control… - Leafy Greens
What counts as a leafy green, the main plant families they come from, why most are cool-season crops, and links to growing guides for each green. - Leafy Vegetable
Crops grown for their leaves, such as lettuce, spinach, kale and chard, the plant families they come from, and what they have in common in the garden. - Legumes
How legumes are grouped in the kitchen, from dry pulses and fresh beans and peas to soybeans and peanuts, with links to garden legume guides. - Legumes (Beans, Peas...)
Beans, peas, edamame and chickpeas compared, with when to plant each, days to harvest and support needs, and how legumes add nitrogen to soil. - Lemon Cucumbers
Lemon cucumber is a round heirloom cucumber with mild, non-bitter flesh. How to grow it, and why you should pick it pale yellow, before it turns gold. - Lettuce Family (Asteraceae or Compositae)
The lettuce, daisy or aster family explained, how its composite flower heads work, and which vegetables, herbs and garden flowers belong to it. - Medium Heat Peppers
Medium-heat peppers such as jalapeño, Fresno, Hungarian wax and serrano give noticeable but manageable heat. Typical Scoville ranges and growing… - Mild Peppers
Mild peppers such as poblano, Anaheim, banana, pepperoncini, shishito and padrón have flavor with only a little heat. Examples, uses and growing… - Nightshade
The nightshade vegetables you can grow, from tomatoes and peppers to tomatillos and ground cherries, with the growing points and cautions they share. - Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
The nightshade family includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant, plus petunias and tobacco. Shared traits, toxic members, and rotation. - Onion Family (Amaryllidaceae)
The onion family (Amaryllidaceae) includes onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, daffodils and amaryllis. Traits, toxicity and growing notes. - Pea Family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae)
The pea family (Fabaceae) covers beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, clover and lupines. Key traits, nitrogen-fixing nodules, food crops and toxic… - Peppers
Sweet and hot peppers: seed starting at 80°F, transplant timing, spacing, feeding, blossom drop, pests, and when to pick for color. - Persian Cucumbers
Persian (Beit Alpha) cucumbers are short, smooth and nearly seedless. Many set fruit without bees and can grow under netting. Growing and picking… - Pickling Cucumbers
Pickling cucumbers are short, bumpy and thin-skinned. Varieties to grow, what size to pick for gherkins, dills and spears, and tips for crisp pickles. - Plants per Foot in Square Foot Gardening Method
How many plants to put in each square in square foot gardening, with a chart for 37 vegetables and herbs and notes on crops that need more than one… - Pollinator Flowers for the Fall
The best late-summer and fall flowers for bees and butterflies, including asters, goldenrod, sedum and Joe-Pye weed, with bloom times and growing… - Protecting Greens from Leaf Eating Pests
How to keep caterpillars, flea beetles, aphids and leaf miners off lettuce, kale and other greens with insect netting, laid loose or over PVC hoops. - Rainwater Harvesting for the Home Gardener: A Sustainable Approach
How much rain a roof can collect, how to set up rain barrels or a tank, keeping out mosquitoes, using rainwater safely on vegetables, and local rules. - Raised Bed Gardening
How to plan and build raised garden beds, including size and height, wood, block and metal frames, what soil to fill them with, and the real pros and… - Root Vegetables
What counts as a root vegetable, from true roots like carrots and beets to tubers, tuberous roots, bulbs, corms and rhizomes, with garden examples. - Root Vegetables
Root vegetables and tubers to grow at home, with planting times, days to harvest, soil tips and storage for beets, carrots, potatoes, radishes and… - Slicing Cucumbers
Slicing cucumbers are the long, dark green cucumbers grown for fresh eating. Good varieties, when to pick them, and how they differ from picklers. - Slicing/Salad
Slicing tomatoes are medium to large, round and juicy, the all-purpose tomato for sandwiches and salads. How they compare with beefsteak and paste… - Soaker Hoses in the Home Garden
How to use soaker hoses in a vegetable garden, how long to run them, avoiding clogs and uneven watering, and choosing a hose material safe for food… - Specialty Peppers
Specialty peppers are grown for a particular dish or use: shishito, padrón, paprika, ají dulce, ajíes and ornamentals. What they are and how to grow… - Square Foot Gardening: Maximizing Your Garden Space
How square foot gardening works: building a 4-by-4 bed, Mel's Mix, the grid, plant spacing, vertical crops, and replanting squares through the season. - Squash Bugs
How to identify squash bug adults, eggs and nymphs, the damage they do to squash and pumpkins, and how to stop them with egg checks, boards and row… - Squash Vine Borer
Squash vine borer: how to recognize the moth, eggs and larvae, which squash it attacks (butternut resists), and how to prevent and treat infestations. - Stem Vegetables
Stem vegetables are crops grown for their stems or stalks, such as asparagus, kohlrabi, celery and rhubarb. Which are true stems and which are leaf… - Stem Vegetables
Asparagus, celery, rhubarb, kohlrabi and fennel compared, with which part you eat, perennial or annual, when to plant and how long until the first… - Succession Planting to Extend Your Harvest
How succession planting keeps a bed producing all season, with staggered sowings, follow-on crops, relay planting and sowing intervals by crop. - Summer Squash
Summer squash types compared: zucchini, crookneck, straightneck, pattypan, cousa and round. Varieties, planting, spacing, pests and when to pick each. - Supporting Cucumbers in the Home Garden
Growing cucumbers up strings or a trellis: building the support, anchoring the string, training and pruning the vines, spacing, care and harvest. - Supporting Flowers in the Home Garden
Which flowers need staking, the right support for each (stakes, rings, grids, netting, trellises), when to install it, and ways to grow sturdier… - Supporting Plants in the Garden: Stakes, Cages and Trellises
Which garden plants need support and why, how each type climbs, and when to use stakes, cages, the Florida weave, trellises, netting, teepees or… - Supporting Tomato Plants
How to support tomatoes with cages, stakes, the Florida weave, strings or trellises, which suits determinate or indeterminate plants, and setup tips. - Sweet Peppers
Sweet peppers have no heat. Bells, Italian frying peppers, Cubanelles, pimentos and minis compared, why green peppers are unripe, and getting color. - The Art of Bonsai Gardening
Bonsai basics: where the art came from, indoor vs. outdoor trees, pots and soil, watering, pruning, wiring, repotting, and collections to visit. - Thrips
How to recognize thrips damage on vegetables and flowers, how they spread tomato spotted wilt virus, and controls that work, from water sprays to… - Tomato Hornworm
How to identify tomato and tobacco hornworms, spot their damage and life cycle, and control them with hand-picking, Bt, tilling and parasitic wasps. - Tomatoes
Tomato types, heirloom vs. hybrid, determinate vs. indeterminate, and growing basics, with links to every tomato guide and variety on the site. - Tomatoes Turning Black at One End: Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
Why tomatoes turn black and sunken at the bottom, why uneven watering matters more than soil calcium, and how to stop blossom end rot now and next… - Tubers
Potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and yams are true tubers (swollen stems); sweet potatoes, cassava and dahlias are tuberous roots. With growing tips. - Understanding Garden Netting, Why Quality Matters
Why cheap insect netting falls apart, what to look for in garden netting that lasts, and how to install it so it actually keeps pests off your plants. - Using a Motion-Sensing Sprinkler to Deter Deer
How motion-activated sprinklers keep deer, rabbits and groundhogs out of a garden, how to set one up, their limits, and how they compare with fences. - Vegetable Classification
How vegetables are grouped by botanical family, part eaten and growing season, with the main crops in each family and how to use families in crop… - Vegetables
Vegetable garden basics (sun, soil, water, cool- and warm-season timing by frost date, rotation) plus links to every vegetable guide on the site. - What's Going on With My Cucumber Plants?
Diagnose cucumber problems by symptom, from mildews, bacterial wilt and mosaic virus to leaf spots, poor fruit set, bitter fruit and pests, and what… - When to Pick Tomatoes
Why picking tomatoes at the breaker stage and ripening them indoors beats birds, pests and splitting, with the ripening stages and how to ripen fruit… - Why Do My Tomatoes Grow Deformed?
Why tomatoes come out lumpy, scarred, cracked or hollow, from catfacing and zippering to puffiness and stink bugs, and how to prevent each next year. - Why Do Tomatoes Remain Green for a Long Time?
Why tomatoes stay green for weeks, from summer heat and cool nights to slow varieties and heavy nitrogen, and what really speeds up ripening. - Why Tomato Plants Look Bad in Mid to Late Summer
Why tomato plants turn yellow, spotted and ragged by late summer, from leaf blights and wilts to heat, mites and hornworms, and what you can still do. - Winter Squash
Winter squash types compared by species, days to maturity and storage life, plus when to plant, spacing, pests, how to tell when they're ripe, and…