A sunny kitchen garden with flowers, vegetable beds and a wheelbarrow on the lawn

Practical gardening guides

Plan, plant and fix your garden with plain, checked advice

For new and returning home gardeners: when to plant, what to grow, soil and pot basics, plus tools that use your own frost date and pot sizes.

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  • 11 guides
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  • 5 tools

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Vegetables2 guides Flowers1 guides Soil2 guides Pests2 guides Containers4 guides

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Does Your Container Plant Need Repotting? Check Before UpsizingAbout 1 hourFreeHow to Tell if Garden Soil Drains Poorly (Simple Test)About 30 minutesFreeHow to Revive Wilted Container Plants in SummerAbout 30 minutes a weekUnder $100Easiest Vegetables and Herbs for Beginner GardenersAbout 15 minutes to diagnoseFreeWhy Tomato Leaves Turn Yellow: Causes and Fixes5 minutes a dayFreeHow Often to Water Container Plants in Hot WeatherA weekend to set up$25 to $100What Grows Best in Containers: Plants and Pot SizesA few minutes a dayUnder $25Garden Pest Control: Start Gentle Before You Spray

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Planting Date Helper: Vegetable Windows From Your Last Frost DateType in your own average last spring frost date to see when to start seeds indoors and set out common vegetables, using extension-service week offsets.Container Size and Watering Planner: Pot Volume, Mix and Check RhythmEnter your pot's size to get its volume in gallons, whether it meets extension minimums for your plant, how much mix to buy and how often to check it.Soil Drainage Test Checklist and Rate Calculator (Printable)Run a 12-inch percolation test step by step, tick each stage, then enter the water drop and time to see whether your soil drains slowly, well or too fast.Garden Season Checklist: Planting Tasks by Frost Date (Printable)A tickable, printable vegetable-garden checklist counted from your last spring and first fall frost: prepare beds, sow, harden off, protect and clear up.Garden planning tools guide: match the tool to the problemChoose planning aids by growing problem: calendars, soil thermometers, moisture checks, drainage tests, pot sizing and row covers, with typical prices.

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