Forget everything you know about gardening. Hold up. Maybe that's a bad idea. But if you've always had an in-ground garden and you're planting in raised beds this year, there are some differences you may want to know about.   READ MORE 

So you've decided to start planning raised beds for your garden, but aren't sure where to start? Good news, I went through a pretty elaborate garden transformation just last year and lived to tell the tale. If you're planning on building your own or having them built, I've put together what I consider a fairly…  READ MORE 

What's the right size for raised garden beds? That's a great question! The answer? Well, it's not complicated, but it does take some consideration.  Of the many wonderful aspects of a raised bed garden, one of the things I love most is that they can accommodate a variety of gardeners. While some of us are…  READ MORE 

If there's one thing I love to do in a deep February New England winter, it's planning out my vegetable garden. Last year it was a whole new ballgame because I decided to plant new raised beds and I have almost always planted my garden directly in the ground. One thing I knew was that…  READ MORE 

The only thing better than enjoying the produce from your garden is planning your garden. I could spend hours looking through seed catalogs, checking out the latest garden equipment, drawing maps of what my garden might look like, and, naturally, thinking about the best type of wood for raised beds. After all, you want something…  READ MORE 

Keeping your garden warm in late fall or early spring can be accomplished in a number of ways. One of the more permanent solutions is to build a cold frame. A cold frame attaches to your raised bed and can be propped up to offer a greenhouse effect during the day, and closed to keep…  READ MORE 

Ah ... the infamous clay soil. The nemesis of gardeners everywhere. When it comes to the loose, well-drained soil that gardens love, clay soil is the opposite. Tender roots have a hard time cutting through it, and water pools in clay soil, leaving you with waterlogged plants. Alas, many of us gardeners have to figure…  READ MORE 

Is your backyard less of a yard and more of a concrete desert? Or maybe the terrain is too rocky or uneven for you to live out your vegetable garden dreams. There’s no reason to throw in your green-thumb-towel yet! There are lots of options to build a garden bed on concrete. Heck, people use…  READ MORE 

When I updated my garden from in-ground to raised beds, one thing became apparent very quickly—that I'd need to come up with a DIY irrigation system, which is something I know most gardeners realize, at some point.   READ MORE 

As much as I love harvesting a bowl of sweet peas or enjoying an heirloom tomato right off the vine, part of the fun of gardening is planting raised garden beds. Garden design is where that artistic side comes out. I get to plan how my garden will look, where I want a footpath, and…  READ MORE 

When you’re digging into the wonderful world of raised bed gardening, one of the best-kept secrets to success is companion planting!  READ MORE 

When first planning your tomato garden, you should consider the type of land you can tend. If you have a large outside plot of land with the right soil and the right conditions for watering and draining, you might have the ideal situation for planting directly in the ground.   READ MORE 

After choosing which varieties of basil you’ll grow, then you need to decide where and how you’ll plant them.  READ MORE 

Radishes can be planted directly in the ground or in raised beds, four to six weeks before the last frost.   READ MORE 

There are many great reasons to grow your own lettuce, and I personally prefer to grow it hydroponically indoors from fall through spring. One of the most compelling reasons for me is that there are so many recalls on processed lettuce in the stores. That alone is enough to make most people want to grow…  READ MORE 

If you live in an area with a long growing season, the easiest way to plant bell peppers is to plant seeds directly in the ground.   READ MORE 

Onions are easy to plant and grow; the key for successful onions is the right amount of sunlight. If you have a large outside plot of land with the right soil and the right conditions for watering and draining, you might have the ideal situation for planting your onions directly in the ground.  READ MORE 

When growing spinach, you have various options to suit your gardening preferences and available space. Whether you decide to cultivate spinach in open land, raised beds, or containers, each method has its own benefits and considerations for success.  READ MORE 

You have plenty of choices for growing strawberries, depending on preference and availability of garden space. For those with limited space, it’s easy to grow strawberries in hanging baskets, though in order to get more than a token harvest you’ll need to have several baskets.  READ MORE 

Once you've selected the zucchini varieties destined for your garden, it's time to embark on the journey of planting and nurturing these versatile summer squashes. Growing zucchini in open land or raised beds Zucchini, with the potential to sprawl, requires careful spacing for optimal growth,…  READ MORE 

The easiest way to plant beets is to plant seeds directly in the ground. For spring plantings in temperate zones, plant your seeds once the soil temperature has reached at least 40 degrees F. Keep in mind that beets do not tolerate heat well, so choose a variety that won’t get caught in the harsh heat of summer. In areas with hot summers, stop sowing beet seeds 60 days before full summer arrives.  READ MORE 

Planting garlic doesn't require a green thumb or much space. You can easily plant garlic in the ground, raised beds, or containers. With just a little bit of effort, you'll have an abundant harvest of flavorful cloves for cooking! Growing Garlic in the Ground or Raised Beds Since garlic doesn't like to be soggy, it's…  READ MORE