Looking for gardening tips for your container garden? Container gardening is a method of growing plants in containers as opposed to planting them directly into the ground. This gardening practice is a great way to add pops of color to a variety of outdoor spaces like the patio, balcony, yard, etc. If say, you are working with a small space for a garden, this gardening technique allows you to grow a broad range of garden plants even if you have little room to spare. Container gardening is quite versatile; it is suitable for small spaces and sizable yards alike.

Speaking of plants, not all plant varieties thrive in containers. To grow your garden successfully, you have to select the right plants.

Choosing the right plants for your container garden is just the beginning. To make this project a success, you have to prioritize good drainage. Exposure to excessive moisture is worse than under-watering your plants. Always check your planters, make sure that they have drain holes at the bottom so the plants won’t drown.
 
If you are unsure about a certain plant’s growing habits, etc., do not be afraid to ask for help. Talk to your local nursery employees and seek expert advice from experienced gardeners. Do your research to know what types of plants thrive in your local climate and micro-climate. Check if your garden is receiving direct sunlight and plan the plants to get accordingly.

Apart from giving providing helpful gardening tips, we will also outline our top picks for your container garden:

This striking perennial plant is known for its broad palette of foliage colors. The leaves have a unique look to them and the colors range from dainty peach to deep burgundy. Coral bells are suitable for a container garden because they do better in pots as opposed to being planted into the ground. This plant is so easy to grow so it's a great starter plant for people who are new to gardening.

Just a couple of gardening tips: Coral bells thrive in sunny or shady spots although the leaves will burn from too much sun. This plant hates standing water so always check the soil for moisture before watering.

Begonia is an easy to grow, low maintenance annual plant that's perfectly suited for container gardening. It will not take over your garden; rather, the begonia plant will enhance the look of your outdoor space thanks to its beautiful blooms and fabulous foliage. Begonia blooms come in a full spectrum of colors, ranging from pink, red, yellow to pristine white! Just like Coral bells, begonias hate standing water so water this plant with care and use well-drained soil. This plant performs best in warm environments and semi-shady spots.

Also known as Summer Snapdragon, Angelonia will add color and life to any container garden! Angelonia is also known for its unique blooms. Each flower is shaped like the open mouth of a dragon, hence its name. Its delicate blooms come in vibrant shades of blue, purple, even white and red! The best part? This plant produces flowers all summer long. Angelonia will keep blooming with no deadheading required.

Angelonia loves spots with good airflow so do not crowd the plants. If set in a shady spot, Angelonia won't produce a lot of blooms. This hardy perennial loves dry environments but it can handle humidity with relative ease.

Euphorbia is an easy-to-grow annual plant with pretty, frothy blooms. This drought-resistant plant can withstand intense heat and severe weather conditions. Best of all, Euphorbia has the uncanny ability to ward off a variety of critters including rabbits. Euphorbia is best displayed in an arrangement because its baby's breath-like effect will enhance the look of other potted plants!

Do note that Euphorbia secretes a milky sap that can irritate the skin. This is the reason why Euphorbia is able to ward off nibbling animals. This plant requires moderate moisture and regular pruning. Euphorbia thrives in a semi-shady spot but it can handle the full sun with ease. This plant is not fussy about soil conditions either; it can tolerate long periods of drought.

Nemesia is the perfect addition to any cool-season container garden. It's an annual plant although it's best grown in milder climates. This is a great plant to grow if you want to add a dash of color to your garden. Its colorful and fragrant blooms last all season long! The blooms come in an array of colors to choose from, including shades of cranberry, yellow, orange, pink and purple!

This plant is quite sensitive to moisture so plant it in a well-drained soil. Use light potting mix if you're adding Nemesia to your container garden. This plant needs more water during the summer. For maximum bloom production, set the Nemesia in a spot that gets the full sun.

This flowering shrub can flourish in a container garden too! Hydrangea is known for its clusters of pink, blue, and white blooms. Depending on the Hydrangea variety, this plant does not grow too large at all so it's a great plant to get for a small container garden.

Hydrangeas are a little tricky to care for but the effort is well worth it once they start blooming! You’ll love the explosion of colors.

Some varieties love the full sun, others prefer semi-shady spots. The Mopheads variety is quite sensitive to soil pH while the panicle isn't affected by soil pH at all. This is the kind of plant that requires more maintenance so do not be shy, ask your local nursery employee for gardening tips.

Roses are available in different varieties and each variety has different growing habits and needs. This is a no-brainer but choose the variety that suits your climate. Some rose varieties thrive in warm, humid climates, other prefer the milder weather. Some are more disease resistant, others have to be coddled and coaxed to bloom. But when well taken care of, roses will reward you with colorful and fragrant blooms!

Generally, roses hate the full shade but there are rose varieties that thrive in partial shade. This plant requires regular watering, about an inch of water every week during the growing season.

Roses are available in different varieties and each variety has different growing habits and needs. This is a no-brainer but choose the variety that suits your climate. Some rose varieties thrive in warm, humid climates, other prefer the milder weather. Some are more disease resistant, others have to be coddled and coaxed to bloom. But when well taken care of, roses will reward you with colorful and fragrant blooms!

Generally, roses hate the full shade but there are rose varieties that thrive in partial shade. This plant requires regular watering, about an inch of water every week during the growing season.

Cosmos is a beautiful annual plant that yields daisy-like blooms all season long! This plant variety is a great addition to your container garden because it's easy to grow, it doesn't need a lot of room to spread, and it's best mixed with other plants!

Caring for the cosmos plant is simple; avoid adding too much fertilizer so the foliage won't spread all over. This is the kind of plant that can tolerate drought and moderate heat. If your container garden is compact, we highly suggest getting the dwarf varieties such as Cosmos sulphureus or Cosmos bipinnatus.

Rounding up our list of the best container plants for your garden is the classic garden favorite, geranium. Geraniums make the best plants for borders, flower beds, and container gardens because of their striking foliage and delicate blooms. Geraniums are often grown as annuals but they are perennial plants in some zones. Most geraniums varieties love warm and dry conditions and they will hold up nicely during the summer season.

Traditional geraniums are easy to grow but the regal types are fussier so here are some gardening tips. Geraniums are prone to water retention, the leaves hold more water than they can handle. So water the plant only when the soil is dry and water regularly when the weather's hot. Regal geraniums cannot tolerate the hot climate and prefer the milder weather.

Before going on a shopping spree at the local nursery, choose the right combination of plants that thrive in similar conditions. For instance, if your zone gets a lot of sun, choose plants that thrive in warmer weather. This way, your garden will always appear lush and blooming despite the punishing heat.

Looking for the perfect spot for your container garden? We highly suggest a spot that’s in dire need of color, texture, and character. Plants add color, texture, and character to any space, particularly bland, naked outdoor spaces that are crying for a makeover.

When it comes to choosing planters for your container garden, you are spoiled with options. You can buy traditional planters from your local nursery or make your own using recycled wood, half barrels, unused tubs, etc. One thing to keep in mind, however, is the size of the planter. A petite planter won’t work for a spreading plant. The planter should provide ample room for the plant to grow.

Always read and keep the plant tags so you can collect different plants with similar care requirements. If you are unsure about a certain plant’s growing habits, consult an expert gardener or ask a nursery employee for help.

Did you know that overwatering plants is worse than not watering them at all? Some plants hate excessive moisture and other plants, like geraniums, hold more water than they can handle so water your plants with care. Always check if your planters have drain holes in the bottom. If they do not have drainage holes, use a drill and drill the holes at the bottom of your planters to avoid standing water.

Don’t get plants randomly just to fill a space. You have to think the plant pairings carefully to perfect the look of your container garden. For instance, geranium works well with asparagus fern, pineapple sage, and Cosmos. Always choose plants that add contrasts, texture, and shape to your outdoor space. You want to thrill onlookers with the scent, color, and texture of your garden so never be afraid to layer plants in different heights.

Put all your gardening tools in one place. This will help reduce clutter while also making your container garden even more space efficient. By designating one area for your gardening tools, you will spend less time looking for things you misplaced and more time upgrading the look of your garden.

You have to enrich your potting soil with nutrients if you want to maintain the lushness of your garden. To do that, you have to add fertilizer to the soil. To add fertilizer to your potting soil, mix a slow release fertilizer into your potting mix in a bucket. You can also add the appropriate amount of fertilizer straight to the pot and mix with the potting soil.

You can use chemical fertilizer although we recommend using organic fertilizer because it’s more eco-friendly. It’s cheaper too, you can use kitchen waste as composting material for your organic fertilizer.

Even the most experienced gardeners deal with dying plants. The more plants you grow, the more plants you will kill, it’s inevitable. But don’t give up! If a plant is starting to look unhealthy, you can cut the yellowing or browning leaves, give it enough water, and then monitor it until it becomes healthy again. If the plant is showing signs of a serious disease, remove it from the garden and quarantine it to contain the disease. Throw the plant if it’s beyond saving. If the plant didn’t pull through, replace the dead plant with another plant in its place.

A container garden is the perfect gardening style for small spaces. The method requires the same level of work and dedication as tending a large garden. As long as you keep these gardening tips in mind, you can build a beautiful garden that you’d be proud to show off! Keep it here for more gardening tips and helpful resources. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the best eco-friendly resources straight to your inbox.

There are so many ways to simplify gardening tasks and even the most skilled green thumb will benefit from a tip or two! You see, certain gardening tasks are time-consuming or labor-intensive. If you want to grow a garden smartly, there is no need to work harder than you should! That’s why we are outlining some of the most brilliant gardening hacks to lighten your load.

Do you use raised beds or flower beds in the garden? If you do, then you know that weeds tend to grow in raised beds too. Sure, weeding is much easier when you grow your garden in contained spaces but you can get rid of weeds without much effort by trying this trick: use old cardboard boxes to deprive the weeds of sunlight.

Just flatten the plain cardboard (not glossy!) boxes so they lay flat around the bases of the plants. Use a box cutter and cut holes in the boxes for the plants. Cover the cardboard with a layer of mulch and that’s it. The cardboard will prevent sunlight from reaching the soil around the plants, preventing weeds from growing. If you don’t have extra cardboard boxes to spare, you can use plastic sheets instead.

Gardening can be hard on the back because most tasks involve moving sacks of mulch, soil, or fertilizer around. If you have a big garden to maintain, you have to double your efforts when moving things around. This goes especially if you do not have a wheelbarrow. Next time you have a heavy load to move in and around the garden, try this trick: use a tarp or a vinyl tablecloth to move bags of awkward loads around. Just roll the bags of load onto the tablecloth then drag the whole thing to your work area, it’s that easy.

Any type of vegetable plant needs a structure of sorts for support. The stems could get heavy once the plant starts bearing flowers and/or fruits. Apart from making a trellis or any type of structure to support delicate vegetable plants, you can also repurpose your old terry cloth towels as plant supporters. Just cut an old bath towel into thin strips. Then, tie a plant’s heavy stems with terry cloth to set them in place.

Since the towel strips are made of soft terry cloth, the delicate stems will not bruise at all. Tying towel strips in a vegetable patch do not make for a pretty garden but your plants will have the best chances of growing healthier and bearing more fruits.

It’s definitely more rewarding to grow plants from seeds as opposed to buying fully-grown plants from the nursery. But you don’t have to buy fancy seed-starting kits or seedling pots to grow seeds to seedlings, you can use an old egg carton to grow and transport your seedlings.

Just fill each section of the egg carton with potting soil. Plant the seeds and set the egg carton on a partly sunny spot then wait for the seedlings to grow. Once you are ready to transplant the seedlings, cut the egg carton into mini planters using a pair of scissors. Plant each seedling without removing it from the egg carton section.

The egg carton is made from biodegradable material so it will break down into the ground as the seedling grows. Even better, using an egg carton as your seedling’s first planter minimizes transplanting shock, ensuring the survival of your precious plants!

Speaking of seed starting, here’s a handy gardening tip that will speed up germination: soak the seeds for at least 24 hours. This old-timey gardening trick helps soften the seeds' hard coats. Since the seed coats soften after soaking, the embryonic seedlings could break out much easier.

Do note that some seeds are suitable for soaking, others aren't. Generally, big seeds (pea, beet, cucumber, bean, corn, chard, and squash seeds) with hard coats are best suited for soaking. Small seeds (lettuce, radish seeds) are recommended for soaking.

To soak the seeds, just put the seeds in a shallow bowl and pour a little water. If you are soaking seeds with a hard coat, let stand for at least 10 hours and up to 24-hours. For thin-skinned seeds, you can soak the seeds for a maximum of 4 hours. Do not soak the seeds for too long or the seeds will decompose! After soaking the seeds, they are ready for planting.

Are your clay pots stained with salt buildup? Clay pots are made with a porous material and small particles travel through the pots when wet. These particles include salts and minerals from the soil. When the salt particles dry up, they leave a white film on the terracotta pots. The discoloration won’t affect the performance of the pots but you can remove the powdery deposits if you like.
 
Removing stubborn salt deposits using a wire brush can be taxing. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to get rid of clay pot stains. Just mix equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Give your stained terracotta pots a generous spritz of the solution and salt deposits should rub off effortlessly with a sponge. The vinegar melts the chalky residue while the alcohol removes stains from the pot.

Is your garden teeming with garden slugs and snails? Some gardeners tend to use pesticides to kill common garden pests but chemical repellants do more harm than good. Pesticides harm the earth, poisoning the soil and nearby water sources. The good news is, you can keep your garden slug and snail-free without using chemicals. The best part? These eco-friendly solutions are much cheaper than buying pesticides.

You can use crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, or beer traps to keep slugs and snails at bay. Snails and slugs have soft tissues and these critters dislike moving over sharp or gritty surfaces. A generous sprinkling of crushed eggshells or coffee grounds around the edges of your garden should be enough to deter these critters. The best part? Eggshells enrich the soil with calcium while coffee grounds neutralize alkaline soil.

Beer traps are a popular slug deterrent too. To make a beer trap, just bury a ramekin or a jar into the ground. The soil level should be below the top of the container. Pour cheap beer into the container until half full. The beer aroma will lure slugs into the container. Soon these critters will climb all over the trap and drown in the process as they slither inside it.

If you are new to gardening then expect some of your plants to die because that’s just how it is when you are growing a collection of plants. The more plants you grow, the more plants you kill. Your first forays into gardening can be a success by growing herbs first.

Herbs make the best plants for newbie gardeners because they are easy to grow, hard to kill, and they require minimal maintenance. In addition, herbs come in an array of varieties to choose from so if you enjoy growing different kinds of plants, you are spoiled with options. As you get the hang of gardening, you can add more plants to your collection, eventually moving to other plant varieties such as flowering or vegetable plants.

A complete set of gardening tools is nice to have especially if you are just getting into gardening. However, there is no need to spend a small fortune on these tools when common household items could pull double duty as gardening tools. For instance, your kitchen scissors could be used as pruning shears. Kitchen scissors are cheaper than brand name pruning shears but they get the job done just the same.

Forks could be used as pest repellant while spoons could be used as a mini trowel in a pinch. Spoons are quite helpful when transplanting seedlings too. You can also use a spoon to dig around the roots of delicate plants. You can also turn old plastic containers into watering cans for the garden. Paper towels work great when testing old seeds for planting. Got lots of plastic milk jugs? You can turn these into scoops.

Did you know that the way you plant new plants in the ground could affect their chances of survival? What most newbie gardeners don’t know is that there is a right way and a wrong way of digging holes in the ground. Ideally, you want to go wider – not deeper – when digging holes for new plants.

Why?

Burying new plants too deeply into the soil could kill them! By digging wider holes, the plants’ delicate root systems could extend horizontally and vertically, absorbing more moisture and nutrients from the soil. The depth of the hole matters too. The top of the plant’s crown must be evenly level with the soil. If the hole is too deep, the crown could be buried into the dirt, which may cause rot.

A potting bench is an essential tool for serious gardeners because repotting plants is a messy job. If you don’t have a potting bench but you want to keep your work area spick and span, you can always turn a plastic dishpan into a portable potting bench.
 
Use a dishpan that’s large enough to hold several potted plants. Fill the dishpan with potting mix and chuck your gardening supplies into it. Then, carry the dishpan to your work area. Talk about portability! As you re-pot the plants, use the dishpan to catch the excess dirt to avoid the mess.

Is your garden plagued with cutworms? Cutworms are nasty-looking critters that feast on tender seedlings at night. These plant-hungry pests could really do a number on a garden, large or small, so you have to contain the infestation as soon as possible. Most gardeners use chemical repellants to keep cutworms at bay. Thankfully, there is a simpler way of getting rid of these critters without poisoning the soil: reuse plastic yogurt containers as plant collars. It’s easy!

Using a box cutter or kitchen shears, cut the bottom of a yogurt container. Pop the cut container into each seedling, burying an inch of the container into the soil. The yogurt container acts as a physical barrier that keeps burrowing pests like cutworms at bay. Once the seedlings have developed harder stems, you can remove the plant collar.

If you’d like to try your hand at seed starting, there is absolutely no need to buy a fancy kit or peat pots to grow seeds. You can use discarded toilet paper rolls as biodegradable seed starters. Toilet paper rolls are perfectly sized for growing a number of seeds.
 
Just fold the roll in half one way, fold it again the other way to create a square shape. Cut the rolls in half then cut one end of the roll to make four little flaps. Fold the flaps to create a mini pot. Fill each mini pot with potting soil and then plant the seeds. Once the seedlings are ready for transplanting, just bury the toilet paper pot into the soil. The toilet paper roll will break down as the seedling grows.

Baking soda has many practical uses in the garden. This kitchen staple can be used to keep garden slugs away. It protects plants from fungal spores while neutralizing diseases such as foliar disease and powdery mildew. What’s more, you can use baking soda to produce sweeter fruits and veggies.

If you are growing climbing, fruit-bearing plants such as tomatoes, try sprinkling a little baking soda around the base of the plant. The plant will absorb the baking soda from the soil, neutralizing the acidity of the tomatoes, which makes the fruits less tart.

One of the easiest ways to grow different types of vegetables is to save leftover cuttings. Some plants, particularly vegetables, have the ability to regrow themselves. If you've always wanted to grow your own vegetable garden but you'd rather not grow the plants from seeds, save the cuttings. This trick will work for a variety of vegetables such as scallions, celery, garlic, Romaine lettuce, carrots, basil, onions, bok choy, etc.

Just use the fresh scraps! Some vegetable scraps need potting soil to grow; others need standing water and nothing more. Our advice is to read up to learn more about the growing habits of each vegetable. Also, give your growing vegetable scraps the light and water they need to grow.

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On the hunt for the best landscaping fabric for your garden? Gardening is such a wonderful hobby but let's face it, certain activities can be downright taxing such as getting rid of weeds. As you know, weeds rob plants of nutrients. If you want to preserve the look of your garden, you have to remove the weeds before they take over the whole garden. And weeds can take over the garden in such a short period of time.

You can get rid of weeds every day but they have a way of sprouting from unexpected places. It’s a never-ending chore! Unfortunately, not all homeowners have time for daily weeding. If such is the case with you then we highly suggest looking into landscape fabric to keep weeds at bay!

Landscape fabric is a type of material made from tightly woven plastic fibers with perforated holes. It’s often sold as a solid sheet. This product is used to eliminate weeds and promote plant growth without using chemicals.

Landscape fabric is placed around trees, flowering plants, and shrubs, etc. It kills weeds by blocking out the sunlight weeds need to grow. Since the material is permeable, the landscaping fabric gets rid of weeds without blocking air and moisture. Landscape fabric has practical uses other than getting rid of weeds. You can use it to prevent soil erosion and control water flows.
 
Landscape fabric comes in different grades; some are more durable than others because of the tighter weaves. The best landscaping fabric for your garden will depend on many factors.

Sold in rolled sheets, landscape fabric varies in thickness, material types, weaving, and grades. There are two major types of landscaping fabric, woven and non-woven. To maximize the benefits of landscaping fabric, you need to choose the right product that suits your needs. Below are the different types of landscape fabric to choose from:

This is the most common type of landscape fabric. The product is made from either polypropylene or linen. The woven material has tiny holes for nutrient and water exchange between the plants and the soil. This landscaping fabric is best suited for flowerbeds. You can also place it around trees and shrubbery to kill weeds.

Before installing the woven landscape fabric, you have to till the soil. After covering parts of the garden with woven landscape fabric, create holes that are big enough for your plants to grow into the soil.

This landscape fabric is made from non-woven polyester or polypropylene. It is best used to eliminate weeds in rock or gravel landscapes. The material prevents weeds from taking over the gravel path or desert landscape. It also prevents gravel from settling into the soil.

This product allows for some water movement and drainage to the soil below. But while the woven landscape fabric allows for some drainage and water movement, the material is not as porous as other landscape fabrics. If the non-woven landscaping fabric was installed improperly, it can suffocate the plant roots.

This is one of the most hardwearing types of landscaping fabric. Spun landscape fabric is a type of non-woven landscaping fabric made from bonded fabric. This material is hard to shred or tear.
 
Spun landscape fabric is quite versatile. Apart from getting rid of weeds, it can used around borders to create a barrier between the soil and the grass. If you are dealing with pests or destructive insects, you can install spun landscape fabric to keep unwanted critters at bay without affecting the soil and the plants. Since the material is permeable, air and moisture can still seep into the soil.

Perforated landscape fabric is perhaps the most affordable landscaping fabric on the market. It is best suited for gardens with lots of annual plants. This landscape fabric is lightweight so it is perfect for areas of the garden with minimal foot traffic. You can also use perforated landscape fabric to protect vegetable gardens and raised beds from weeds and invading insects. The lightweight material is highly permeable so it won’t suffocate delicate plant roots that are vulnerable to drought.

As you can see from the selection of landscaping fabrics we have outlined above, different landscaping fabrics have different features. If you are shopping around for landscaping fabric, get a product that’s designed specifically for the kind of garden that you have.

Generally, landscaping fabrics are best for gardens with lots of shrubberies or those with a serious weed problem. If most of your plants have delicate plant roots then it is not advisable to use thick, heavy-duty landscaping fabric to remove weeds.

Landscaping fabrics vary in material thickness. Generally, products with the thickest materials are the most durable because they do not tear easily. Also, these products could withstand harsh weather conditions and extreme wear and tear. However, thick landscaping fabrics are quite expensive and these products are designed for specific applications. The thickness of the landscaping fabric depends on your garden application. For instance, if you need landscaping fabric for gravel landscapes, choose thick landscape fabric because the rocks will wear out thinner fabric material much faster. The same thing goes for gardens with tough weeds, use thick landscape fabric.

On the other hand, if you need landscape fabric for your herb garden, you can opt for lightweight landscape fabric with perforated holes. Herbs are delicate plants with fragile root systems and thin landscape fabric will not weigh the plants down nor block air and water.

Being exposed to the sun all day, every day leads to material breakdown. Some landscaping fabrics are chemically treated to make them more resilient against the elements. You can always get UV treated landscaping fabrics to delay material breakdown but if treated fabrics are out of the questions, set the landscaping fabric away from the sun to extend the life of the product.

If you are using landscape fabric to control weeds, go for the one made with breathable materials. Some landscaping fabrics are either too thick or woven too tightly, inhibiting plants’ moisture and nutrient absorption. Landscaping fabric made with breathable material allows for optimal light, nutrient, and moisture absorption. It keeps weeds at bay without choking the plants. You can get either plastic landscape fabric with perforated holes or linen landscape fabric for maximum breathability. As an added plus, breathable landscape fabric is lightweight, it won’t weigh your plants down.

Some gardeners dislike using landscape fabric because it can make the garden look tacky or artificial. If you’re all about preserving the appearance of your garden, we suggest choosing a landscape fabric that adds beauty to your garden. How you install the landscape fabric could also affect the look of your garden so lay the landscape fabric as cleanly as you can.

Installing a landscape fabric is not rocket science but there is a right way and a wrong way of doing this. Installing landscape fabric will require simple tools and a little elbow grease. Some landscape fabrics are easier to install than others but if you are unsure how to do it, let a professional handle the installation for you. If you want to save more money then opt for landscape fabric that you can install on your own.

The durability of the material is one of the most important factors you need to consider when shopping around for landscaping fabric. Lightweight landscaping fabrics are generally less durable than thicker landscaping fabric. If you want landscaping fabric that can withstand every day wear and tear and last you years of service, opt for products made with a thick yet breathable material.

Although landscaping fabric gets bad press for the way it’s processed, some products are more eco-friendly than others. While chemically treated landscaping fabrics have their benefits, they’ve been known to harm beneficial insects. Chemicals could also seep into the soil, killing the plants.

The primary purpose of landscaping fabric is to eliminate weeds or control weed growth. Weeds rob plants of nutrients, causing stunted growth, lackluster yields, or minimal blooms. Weeds can get out of control quickly unless they are removed every day. If daily weeding is not possible, you can simply cover the ground with landscaping fabric to kill the weeds without using herbicides.

Landscaping fabric is particularly useful in places where soil erosion is a problem. Hilly places or sloping areas are prone to soil erosion especially during a heavy rainstorm. The flowing water exposes the roots of the plants, making them vulnerable to diseases, damage, and rot. Laying landscaping fabric under a layer of mulch protects the soil and the plant roots from streaming water.

When used in flower or plant beds, perforated landscaping fabric prevents the moisture from evaporating. The landscaping fabric keeps the soil moist, which is important for growing plants.

Landscaping fabric keeps mulch from compacting into the soil. Since the fabric works as a physical barrier between the mulch and the soil, landscaping fabric keeps organic mulch from breaking down quickly. You can also remove the mulch much easier using landscaping fabric.

Landscaping fabric protects flowering plants from pests without using pesticides. Since you are not spending a lot of time removing weeds or getting rid of garden pests, you can enjoy your garden with less effort.

If you are using the landscaping fabric to control weeds, start by clearing the garden of weeds, rocks, twigs and unwanted debris. Turn the garden soil with a fork or a tiller. Work the compost or fertilizer into the ground based on the plants that you want to grow in the area.

Once the soil is ready, smooth the ground with a rake one last time then unroll the landscaping fabric. Lay the landscaping fabric on the plot starting from one edge and then work your way across. With a utility knife or scissors, cut the landscaping fabric so it covers the area perfectly. You can also cut several pieces of landscaping fabric to cover a larger part of the garden. Just overlap the landscaping fabric pieces so the weeds will not grow in between the gaps.

Next, cut slits into the landscaping fabric for the plants. The slits must be big enough to give the plants room to grow without weeds sprouting all over the exposed soil. Keep the landscaping fabric from bunching by smoothing the fabric and then pinning the edges with a landscape staple. Make sure the joints where the two sheets of fabric meets are set as you secure the landscaping fabric.

Cut an X into the landscaping fabric, dig a hole under the X mark and then start planting the new plants. Reposition the landscaping fabric over the soil to create the perfect fit. Finally, cover the landscaping fabric with a couple inches of mulch. Place the mulch around the new plants but keep it away from the plants’ stems.

When it comes to landscaping fabric, you will get exactly what you pay for. Cheaper landscape fabric will tear easily especially with continued sun exposure. If you want the landscape fabric to last more than one season, go ahead and ask an expert gardener for recommendations.

Before installing the landscape fabric, enrich the soil with compost, peat moss, and other organic matter because you cannot amend the soil later. If you are unsure what types of soil amendments to use, have your soil checked at the local a county office that performs soil testing.

Always level the terrain by breaking up the clumped soil and raking the ground until smooth. This minimizes bunching as you lay the landscaping fabric. In addition, lay the landscaping fabric rough side down to keep the fabric in place.

Overlap the edges of the landscaping fabric pieces by at least 8 inches if you are using multiple pieces of fabric. Allow a 2-inch overhang around the landscaping fabric edges, just tuck the excess fabric underneath as you pin it in place. Skimping on landscaping fabric may cause weeds to sprout in places or worse, the fabric could come loose within a few weeks.
 
Always clear the landscape fabric of garden debris such as fallen leaves, flowers, etc., to inhibit weed growth. Water the plants as close to the stems as possible. Replace the mulch as it decomposes and never reuse in other parts of the garden.

For the best landscaping fabric that offer unparalleled weed control, check out our product here. Our easy to install, heavy-duty landscaping fabric keeps weeds at bay without blocking air or water. Subscribe to our newsletter today to get exclusive discounts on our bestselling products.

If you love gardening as much as we do then you probably have piles of unused, broken and rusting gardening tools gathering dust in storage. Give your rusty, unused gardening tools a new lease on life by repurposing them into something special. You can turn these tools into unique decors or give them a new purpose! By repurposing old gardening tools, you can reduce your household waste while also declutter your living spaces. Think of all the space you can save by making old garden tools feel new again! Try these gardening tips and ideas to get started:

Who knew that your old rake could be utilized in so many ways? For space-strapped gardeners, you can turn your old rake into a garden tool rack. The rake’s many spikes can be used to hang a variety of handheld tools. You’d be amazed at how many objects a single rake could hold.
 
Using a saw, cut the handle of the rake but leave about 2 inches of the wooden handle. Get your drill and drill a hole on one side of the wooden handle going through the other side. Loop a rope into the drilled hole, cut the rope to the desired length then tie the ends into a knot. Now hang your tool rack on the wall.

You can also transform your old rake into a rustic wine glass holder. Again, just cut the handle but leave about 2 inches of the wooden handle. Drill a hole through the sides then loop a rope into the drilled hole. Tie the rope ends into a knot and hang the rake atop your wine rack. Use the spikes to hold several wine glasses. Not a fan of wine? Use the rake as an accessory holder instead!

This is an old-timey gardening tip but it still works. The wheelbarrow planter could be a focal point of the garden or just an accent that'll enhance the look of your garden. Just give your rickety wheelbarrow a good dusting to get started. Set it on a spot that draws the eyes naturally. Load the wheelbarrow with a layer of pebbles then a thick layer of potting soil. Plant your favorite flowering plants, trailing plants, or herbs. Frame your wagon planter with potted plants, set a couple near it and you’re done.

Another project worth trying involves transforming an aging wheelbarrow into a portable fire pit. So when the summer season comes around, you can invite friends over for a barbeque! There’s nothing to it, just clean the wheelbarrow. Lay several cinder blocks on the wheelbarrow then cover with kindling and wood scraps. Pop a grill stand on top of the kindling and you are ready for your next garden party!

Here is yet another unique idea if you have shovels that you no longer use, transform these into birdhouses. This idea is also suitable for old rakes and other garden tools with a long wooden handle. Just cut the rounded top of the wood handle so the birdhouse has a flat base to sit on. Drill a hole through the cut handle top, attach a small piece of wood with screws, and then attach the house to the small piece of wood. To put your DIY birdhouse on display, just push the shovel into the ground.

If you already have several birdhouses in the garden, you can turn an old shovel into a makeshift trellis instead. Again, this idea is suitable for any garden tool with a long handle. Just bury the shovel’s handle into the ground and make sure it will not topple over. Cover the soil with large, smooth rocks and then start guiding your climbing plants or vines to the shovel’s handle. The climbing plants will do the rest.
 
Another variation of this idea involves placing three long handle tools to make a tipi trellis. To do this, make a hole in the ground, the hole should be big enough to fit the long handles of the tools. Bury the long handles partially into the ground. Bunch the tops of the tools, metal heads up, to form a structure similar to a tent pole’s frame. Set the tools in place by wrapping a long piece of metal wire. This way, the trellis won’t move around when it’s windy. Guide your climbing plants to the trellis and you’re done.

If you are wondering how to repurpose your handheld gardening tools, try this nifty trick: use them as cabinet knobs. This is a fun project that will keep you busy on the weekend. Start by giving your old handheld tools a fresh coat of paint. We recommend bright shades if your cabinets are in neutral colors. Once the paint has dried completely, remove the drawer’s regular pulls and knobs. Attach each gardening tool to the drawer using a power drill and a couple of screws. This idea also works for potting benches and other utility pieces that need a quick makeover!

A variation of the idea above involves using old faucet knobs as vanity pulls. The look is quite rustic so this is a perfect project for homes with cottage-style or classic interiors. To start, remove your vanity’s old knobs. Most knobs are attached with screws so just remove your vanity’s knobs by unscrewing each one. Then, insert a threaded bolt through an old faucet knob and then pop this into the old knob’s place. Set the faucet knob in place with a nut using a wrench. Repeat until all the vanity knobs are replaced with the faucet knobs and you’re done.

This repurposing idea only works for trowel heads that are not too rusty. You do not want the friendly garden birds to ingest bits of rust. To start, remove the trowel's handle. Most trowel handles are secured with screws or clamped into the metal base so check your trowels to figure out how to remove the handle. Once the handle is removed, you want to fold the back of the trowel head to form a flat base. This allows you to stick the trowel heads vertically. Using screws, attach the trowel heads on a flat wooden surface. Set the makeshift feeder in a spot that attracts a lot of birds, add a generous helping of bird seeds and you’re done.

If you have a small garden and you need to use your vertical space to put more potted plants on display, try this idea: use shovel heads as a planter holder. Just remove the shovels’ long handles all the way from the base. Attach the shovelheads on a pole using a power drill, long threaded bolts, and screws. Make sure the shovel heads are spaced out so the plants have enough room to grow. Once the shovel heads are attached firmly on a pole, you can start putting your potted plants on display.

This is such an easy DIY that requires old watering cans you have lying around somewhere in your garden. Just drill holes at the bottom of the watering can using a drill or a nail and hammer. Fill the bottom of the watering can with gravel or pebbles then cover this layer with potting soil. Plant your choice of herb or flowering plant and finish up with a layer of small rocks. Your new planter is done and ready for display. If the watering can is big enough, you can plant several plants in a single watering can.

We’re not done yet, we’ve got a bonus gardening tip for you! If you have a thing for rustic outdoor decors then do not miss this repurposing idea. This project requires a small scalloped edge farm tray and an old shovel.

Essentially, you'll just attach the cut shovel handle in the middle of the farm tray using a nut and a bolt. That’s all there is to it. You can use this decorative tray to put potted plants on display, such as cacti and succulents. You can also use the tray as an accessories organizer. Pretty nifty, right?

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Looking for container gardening tips and ideas? A container garden is a great gardening style to try if you have little room to spare for a garden. Just like your traditional garden setup, a container garden adds color and life to any available outdoor space! But unlike a traditional garden setup, a container garden doesn't require heavy equipment. Since the plants are contained in their own planters, the weeds are not growing all over the place!
 
A container garden is incredibly versatile too; you can play with different designs to liven up your space. But if you are running out of ideas, we’re here to help! Today, we’ve outlined some of our favorite gardening tips and design ideas for a container garden:

This is the perfect setup for a petite container garden because your plants are all fairy-size! We highly suggest rounding up the kids and making this a family activity. Get a dish planter and fill the bottom with gravel or pebbles. Add a thick layer of potting soil. Add your choice of plants (we recommend daisies and potted moss) and arrange the plants into a fairy forest. Finish up by decorating your fairy forest with a small birdhouse, smooth rocks or colorful glass beads! Make as many of these fairy forest planters as you can to complete your fairy-themed container garden.

Got a rickety old ladder gathering dust in the shed? This is the perfect planter stand for your container garden. This set up is a great idea for turning any tight corner into a blooming garden. Just repair the ladder if needed and then give it a fresh coat of paint. Set the ladder in a blank spot and start filling the steps with potted plants. We highly recommend flowering or trailing plants to give your garden a full look of lushness. Add several large potted plants near the ladder planter to frame your planter holder.

If you have zero outdoor space for a garden, you can still live out your dream of growing a garden by building a window box garden. This garden setup is more complex than an ordinary garden arrangement because you have to install special types of hanging planters on your window. But the extra effort will be worth it once blooming season comes, your home is filled with exuberance and life!

You can either use a store-bought window box planter (like this rustic beauty) or a box planter you made yourself if you’re quite the handyman. Attach the flower box to the window using brackets or screws then set it in place. Fill the bottom of the planter with a layer of pebble or gravel for proper drainage then add a layer of potting soil. Plant your choice of sun-loving plants (flowering plants are best for this setup) and you’re done. Come spring season, your home will be covered in colorful flowers.

Climbing plants create a romantic canopy that softens an outdoor space’s light. If you love the look of vines then fill your container garden with climbing and trailing plants! Of course, these plants need something to direct their tendrils upwards while supporting the weight of the plants. A regular planter just won’t do, you need to make a trellis to control the way vines and climbing plants grow.

Making a planter with a built-in trellis is easy. Just create a trellis on your own using sturdy pieces of wood + hammer and nails. Then, simply bury the base of your DIY trellis in a regular planter. Guide the plant tendrils into the trellis and in no time at all, the vines will creep their way into the trellis.

We love the look of regular hanging planters but a dash of color won’t hurt especially if you are trying to liven up old, tired spaces. Giving your planters a fresh coat of paint is a great way to complement your plants’ equally colorful blooms and fruits. You can use regular paint and lay the color using a paintbrush or you can use spray paint.

Of course, the kind of paint to use will depend on the material. If say, you are painting hanging clay pots, use acrylic craft paint. On the other hand, if you are painting hanging planters made from wood, use an all-purpose outdoor spray paint. Whatever material you’re repainting, make sure to finish up with a weatherproofing spray to extend the life of the planter!

Think a planter has only room for one plant? Planting multiple plants in a single pot is a space-efficient solution for a small container garden. This trick allows you to collect more plants without sacrificing precious floor space. In addition, growing plants of different heights, colors, textures, and patterns will give your garden a fabulous look of life and fullness.

Of course, the right combination of plants matter. The same thing can be said for the planter size. It’s not a good idea to plant several plant varieties in a tiny pot. Generally, you want to combine two to three plants in a sizable planter. A good-sized planter will give each plant room to grow. You can also add more potting soil to a larger planter so the plants won’t compete for nutrients. If you’d like to plant multiple plants in a single planter, here’s a step by step tutorial how.

You can use tubs, wooden dishes, even recycled canning jars and tins as unique planters to turn your container garden into the focal point of the space. These makeshift planters may not look good individually but grouped together in a fabulous arrangement; the final look will reflect your own kitschy, eclectic style! Making a unique container garden is easy, just play with different planter shapes, recycle as many containers as you can, and pick the right plant for the perfect planter. For style and arrangement ideas, you can scour the internet for design ideas!

Any type of vertical holder can be converted into a planter stand including bookshelves, shoe racks, A-shelves, etc. These everyday home objects are not only pretty to look at; they could hold several planters too. Since these home items are set vertically, they will fit the tightest corners, perfect if you are working with limited spaces.

Do note, however, that bookshelves, shoe racks, A-shelves, etc., are designed for indoor use only so a generous spritz of weatherproofing spray is essential to protect the finish from the elements. You can also give these pieces a fresh coat of paint to add pops of color to your container garden.

Ever heard of a pallet garden? This eye-catching gardening setup maximizes unused vertical space so it’s perfect for turning blank corners into a garden. Simply re-use a pallet and set it against the wall. Install metal clamps on the pallet and fasten your potted plants into the metal clamps using a screwdriver. That's all there is to it. You can add more plants as your pallet garden grows or keep your plant collection curated to save space; it’s all up to you. Just make sure that the potted plants have enough space to grow.

Who knew that a birdbath makes such a unique planter? This is a terrific container garden idea if you love growing succulents. Succulents thrive in shallow planters, you see! Depending on the size of the birdbath, you can plant several succulent varieties in one birdbath, creating a stunning display that will wow guests.
 
Just fill the bottom of the birdbath with pebbles then add a layer of potting soil. Choose your preferred succulent varieties then plant the succulents starting from the larger ones to the smaller plants. Finish up with a layer of pebbles, little gardening decors and voila, your birdbath planter is ready for display.

Who doesn't love the look and flexibility of a container garden? If you’d like to build your own container garden but you don’t know where to start, don’t be afraid to play with different looks and materials to create the perfect garden setup. Try any of the gardening tips and ideas we have outlined above to get this project started!

Gardening is a rewarding hobby but it can be frustrating if your precious collection keeps dying off! The fact is, the more plants you grow, the more plants you will kill. Dealing with dying plants is a part of gardening because not all plants are created equally! That’s why it pays to start your gardening journey with low-maintenance, can’t-kill-plants especially if you have a brown thumb!

Hardy plants can tolerate severe weather conditions and changing climates. These plants do not require regular watering and they can survive poor soil conditions. Some can’t-kill-plants could even survive partial or total shade. If you are new to gardening and you’d like to reduce the number of plants dying under your care, fill your garden with these hardy plants:

If you want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden all season long, try growing butterfly bush. This hardy shrub releases a fruit aroma that butterflies and hummingbirds find irresistible! The blooms also secrete sweet nectar that lures garden-friendly critters. The butterfly bush makes a great plant for garden borders thanks to its rugged trunk and thick foliage that arches with time.

This plant loves the full sun and well-drained soil. It's quite disease and pest-resistant although keep an eye out for fungal infections. To care for butterfly bushes, just water slowly and deeply during the summer season and go easy on the fertilizer unless the soil condition is poor. Remove the spent flower spikes as often as possible to encourage new shoots and flower buds.

Daffodils are not only known for their sweetly scented blooms that come in different colors, they are tough as nails too. These plants are so easy to grow and are surprisingly pest-resistant to boot. Daffodils love the full sun but can tolerate partial shade or filtered light! During the spring season, daffodils need an inch of water per week but in the summer, daffodils could withstand a bit of neglect.
 
Daffodils are grown in bulbs during the fall season. They are available in different types and each type come in with different sizes and shapes. Daffodils are the perfect plants to grow for aspiring gardeners looking to add variety and color to their garden.

This striking perennial plant is one of the best plants to grow if you are a new gardener. It's so hardy, daily lily grows on the side of the road. Hey, it’s not called ditch weed for nothing! Daily lily is known for its beautiful blooms but the flowers only last a day, hence the name. If you want the plants to bloom continuously, we recommend growing different varieties of daily lilies. Some varieties offer continuous re-blooming.

Daily Lily could tolerate poor soil conditions thanks to its thick, fleshy roots. Its vigorous growth habits mean the daily lily thrives even in the harshest of climates. Daily lily loves the full sun but it will do well in shady conditions too. Newly planted daily lilies need well-drained soil and organic fertilizer but once they have been established, daily lilies become drought-resistant.

This tall, wispy plant may look delicate but don't be deceived! This perennial plant does not require much maintenance and it is easy to grow too! Russian sage loves the full sun and requires little care. It can tolerate infrequent watering and it will survive clay soil.

This shrub makes the perfect addition to summer and fall gardens with its aromatic foliage and graceful leaves. Russian sage may be bushy, but it doesn't require frequent pruning either. It’s often planted in masses to add texture and color to bare or bland gardens.

Sedum is a versatile perennial that comes in many sizes, shapes, and colors to choose from. This plant can be grown in a container garden but it does better when planted in the ground. This plant is known for its dense, standout foliage that comes in many shades including bright chartreuse to deep, almost black.

Extremely drought resistant, sedum could withstand harsh heat and poor soil conditions. It can even survive years without dividing, mulching, or deadheading. The only thing to remember when growing sedum is to avoid overwatering the plant. Just like succulents, too much water could drown the sedum and cause the leaves to rot. In addition, place the plant in a spot that gets a lot of sun. Setting this plant in a shady spot may lead to dull-looking foliage.

Looking for a can’t-kill-shrub that could grow in dry shade? The Deadnettle is the perfect plant for you. This unique-looking perennial is one of the most adaptable plant varieties in nature. Dead nettles love moist soil but once they have been established, they can tolerate dry soil.

Dead nettles are also drought tolerant, deer-resistant, and they prevent erosion. They love partial shade and a wide variety of other growing conditions. When dead nettles grow, they develop soft, tumbling foliage and a bed of blooms!

Add a touch of laidback, tropical vibe to your garden by growing Philodendron. Loved for being tough-as-nails, this houseplant is known for its stunning foliage! Philodendron comes in different sizes, shapes, and colors to choose from. But no matter its appearance, Philodendron can tolerate a bit of neglect. It can also survive harsh weather conditions.
 
This durable plant prefers filtered light although some varieties love the full sun. Generally, Philodendron with colored leaves needs the full sun to get their foliage colors to show. Philodendrons are most active during the summer season so they will benefit from regular doses of fertilizer. Some varieties could turn leggy so cut off the lanky growths to encourage new shoots to form.

With its fuzzy, silvery-green foliage and silky blooms, Lamb's Ear has such a unique look to it. This standout plant attracts bees and they will be right at home in sensory garden settings! Lamb's Ear is incredibly drought resistant. This plant is best grown in a spot that gets the full sun but it can also tolerate the shade. Lamb's Ear could also withstand poor soil conditions and repel certain pests. However, this plant hates standing water.

Another thing to keep in mind when growing Lamb's Ear, it’s an invasive plant that will take over the garden if neglected for a long time. Lamb's Ear is a great ground cover although you have to contain the creeping roots if it’s planted in the ground.

Snake plant happens to be one of the toughest houseplants around so if you’re looking for an accent plant that’s a cinch to grow, look no further. This houseplant can survive most indoor conditions and cramped spaces. Its thick, striking, snake-like leaves hold a lot of water so the plant does not require regular watering. Some varieties of snake plant form small rosette leaves while others have tubular blooms that emit a sweet scent.

Snake plants do not require a regular dose of fertilizer. In fact, over-fertilizing could cause its leaves to droop. Snake plants hate standing water too. This plant loves partially shady spots. Some varieties could tolerate the full sun although the color of the leaves won’t be as vivid.

Best used as an indoor or outdoor accent plant, the Boston fern gives any garden fullness and lushness thanks to its thick, green-blue foliage. Its airy, graceful fronds arch and cascade as the plant grows so the Boston fern is best planted in a hanging planter.

Boston fern is relatively easy to grow. It loves high humid environments that get bright, indirect light. Growing this plant in a shady area may cause the fronds to turn dull. Boston fern loves the warmer climate. It does not do well in the winter so keep in indoors when the cold season hits. Like most ferns, Boston fern loves moist soil.

It’s easy to grow a variety of indoor and outdoor plants as long as the plants could tolerate a wide range of growing conditions. The plants that we have outlined on our list are extremely vigorous so they will thrive even if you are new to gardening.

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1. Divide your bearded irises.
2. Apply beneficial nematodes to your lawn.
3. Harvest your onions.
4. Save seeds from your flowers and vegetables.
5. Plant autumn greens.

Though you and the dog may prefer to lounge in the shade this time of year, you’ll want to take at least a little time away from your hammock and lemonade to accomplish the following chores. The dog, meanwhile, can continue to lounge!

If your bearded irises have become overcrowded, you can divide them now. After digging them up and pulling their rhizomes apart, remove any rotted sections. Then set your divisions about 1 foot apart.  

You’ll want to plant them shallowly so that the top of each rhizome remains just above the surface of the soil. If the aforementioned dog is inclined to digging in your flower beds, you may want to temporarily pin the rhizomes down with the large staples which also are used to hold landscaping fabric in place. Cut back the iris blades (leaves) into fans about 4 to 6 inches high, so the plants can concentrate their energy on establishing roots rather than sustaining foliage.

To sustain your lawn’s green, you may need to get rid of some grubs. Late summer generally is the best time to apply beneficial nematodes which can hunt down those grubs before they hatch into beetles next summer. Apply the nematodes in early morning or evening of a day when the soil is already moist.

Follow the directions which came with them, mixing them with the recommended amount of water and spraying them into your lawn. Afterwards, irrigate that turf so the nematodes will be washed beneath the surface.

Speaking of surface appearances, in late summer the onions you planted in your vegetable garden will appear to flop. Their foliage will no longer stand at attention but slouch sideways instead. Fortunately, this particular sort of flop doesn’t indicate failure but success. It means that the onions are ready for harvest.

Yank them up and spread them out in a warm, dry location—such as a shed or garage floor—to “cure” for a few weeks. Once their stems are dry, trim off their roots and cut back the stems to 1 inch. Then store the onions in an airy container, such as a mesh bag or bushel basket in a cool, dark location.
   
If you especially liked some of the vegetables and flowers you grew this year, consider saving seeds from them. For more details on that, see “Saving Money by Saving Seeds.”
 
You actually may want to sow a few just now to provide you with fall crops. Plants such as lettuces, spinaches, etc., thrive in cool temperatures and can keep you supplied with salads right up until the advent of winter. Perhaps even until actual Advent, if you plant them in a cold frame to keep them protected after the snows begin.

But who wants to think about winter? For now, it’s back to the hammock!

You gardeners can save mucho moola by harvesting seeds from your vegetables or flowers to plant the following year. Keep in mind, though, that this will only work with open-pollinated types, since hybrids won’t come true from seed.

You may not get what you expected even from open-pollinated seed, if you had two types of the same or of closely related species growing near each other. They could have crossed to produce either a pleasant or unpleasant surprise.
 
You may inadvertently have bred your own spectacular new daylily cultivar. On the other hand, your acorn squash may have crossed with your spaghetti squash to produce something that is barely edible. So, although seed saving is both fun and free, it isn’t necessarily problem free!

For most flowers, you need only wait until the seed heads are dry or the seed pods have begun to crack open to harvest their seeds. Spread them on paper towels to dry for a week or so before you enclose them in packets. The paper envelopes used by coin collectors work well for that purpose, as do the small zip-lock baggies intended for packaging beads.
 
Vegetables can be more problematic, since their seeds often aren’t mature at the stage at which those vegetables usually are eaten. So you may need to leave a few summer squashes, cucumbers, and string beans to grow hugely inedible before you harvest their seeds. Keep in mind that biennial vegetables, such as beets, carrots, and cabbage don’t flower until their second year, so you won’t be able to save seeds from them unless they are hardy enough to survive the winter in your garden.

In fruits such as tomatoes, the seeds often contain a gelatin-like coating and germination inhibitors to prevent them from sprouting inside the fruits.   In that case, it’s generally best to dump them into a covered container and allow them to ferment for three to five days—either in their own juices or a small amount of water—before you rinse, dry, and store them. Usually, most viable seeds will sink to the bottom, so those are the ones you want to keep.

Store your seeds in a cool, dark, dry place. If you decide to place the packets in a tightly capped jar in your refrigerator, you may want to add silica gel or powdered milk to that container to prevent the packets and seeds from drawing damp. Should you prefer to keep your seeds out of the fridge, one of those briefcase-like accordion files with a different pocket for every letter of the alphabet will allow you to sort your seeds by their names, so they are easier to find.

Even if you are one of those adventurous gardeners who prefer to try new types of flowers and vegetables every year, you still should make a point of saving seeds from your old ones. You then can trade them for other gardeners’ extras at seed swaps.
   
Don’t toss out your leftover purchased seeds from this year, either. Although a few varieties—such as sunflowers, pansies, and black-eyed Susans—retain their viability only for about a year or so, others can remain “good” for five or six years. And you can feel so good about the money you’ve saved that you might be able to afford that tree peony after all!

If you're passionate about gardening then a trip to the plant nursery is always a thrill. But don’t let your excitement over plant shopping lead to wrong decisions and lots of regrets! Most buyers believe that they cannot go wrong with a purchase but even the most experienced gardener is not exempted from making simple mistakes. That’s because gardening is a lifetime learning process.

That's okay, we’re here to help!
 
To make your weekend trip to the plant nursery an enjoyable experience, we’re outlining 10 of the common nursery mistakes most gardeners make and how to avoid them:

If you are an avid gardener then you probably know a few plant nurseries in your local area. Before planning your little weekend venture, check the quality of each nursery. Do not go to a nursery just because it’s the nearest to your home or you know someone from the inside who can give you cheaper plants. From the customer service to the health of the plants in the nursery, quality is everything.
 
You’ll know the quality of a plant nursery the second you stepped inside. If the staff members are helpful and they make no qualms about dropping knowledge instead of pushing products to your face then you are off to a good start. Look around and check the supplies, the products, the selection of plants, and the conditions of the greenhouse. If something about the greenhouse feels off, move on to the next nursery.

Most people tend to buy plants in springtime when in-season garden plants are in full bloom. Every gardener wants a blooming garden but do not get distracted by the beautiful flowers when scoping the plants. Instead of focusing on the colorful blooms, check the foliage closely. Pay close attention to the shape and structure of the plant.

Will the plant look good during the remainder of the year and not just in springtime? Choose plants with healthy foliage and avoid buying fully bloomed plants just because they look good. Learn more about the growing habits of each garden plant and don’t go around buying plants that only look good in one season.

Variety is everything if you've always dreamed of a lush, thriving garden. If say, you want to add a certain variety of plant to your garden, don’t just buy a pot or two. Since you are introducing a new plant variety to your garden, there is no way to tell if these plants will survive their new environment.
 
Buy at least 3 to 6 specimens for your garden so you do not end up with a lonely mix of plants. Getting more plant specimens ensures a good survival rate. You want to plan your garden in blocks to get the look of a lush garden.

Most greenhouses have a separate section for leftovers or off-season plants and usually, these plants are either sickly or over-watered so they are sold at bargain prices. It’s tempting to hoard off-season plants thinking you’d get more bang out of your buck but rescuing sickly plants is more trouble than their worth. There is a reason why the nursery folks want to get rid of these plants right away by offering discounts.
 
Caring for wilting, off-season plants is an uphill battle because you are working against the current climate. In addition, these plants could be harboring disease and pests that may potentially spread to the rest of your garden. Instead of spending time, money, and effort caring for sickly plants that will die anyway, just grow plants from seeds. You will get better results. Healthy, in-season plants have a better chance of thriving in your garden so get only the best-looking plants from the nursery.

Generally, plants with the healthiest roots have the best chances of thriving in your garden. If the plant roots appear to be soft, brown, and they fall apart easily when touched, do not get these plants.

Some plants are left in their nursery pots for a long time. These plants develop tightly bound tangled roots. Since their roots are tightly bound, the plants are unable to absorb all the nutrients from the soil and at some point, the plants die from suffocation. Avoid these plants at all cost.

You can check for root-bound plants simply by inspecting the pots for roots that grow out of the drainage hole. Potted plants that are unusually light are typically root-bound. Apart from root-bound plants, you should avoid plants with underdeveloped roots. These plants are not mature enough for transplanting.

We say it time and again, different plants have different needs and it is your responsibility to learn your plants’ needs. This goes especially when you are plant shopping. Don’t get into it willy-nilly because you might end up wasting money on the wrong plants or making poor pairings in the garden.
 
Before heading to the plant nursery, get to know different plants that will thrive in the local climate. Make a list of the plant varieties that you want and once you are in the nursery, check the nursery label of each plant. The nursery label will provide the plant’s basic requirements such as the ideal soil condition, bloom times, space and light requirements, etc. Keep these tags because the pieces of information you get from them will come in handy.

Sickly, pest-ridden plants are indicative of poor maintenance by the nursery staff. Always check for subtle and obvious signs of diseases and pests when inspecting the plants. You don’t have to be an expert to tell if a plant is suffering from a disease or is ridden with pests. Just inspect the plant carefully for black spots, white residues on the leaves, or holey leaves. Some of the most common plant pests found in nurseries are aphids, scale, and mites.

Seeing plants full of weeds is another sign that the staff members are not taking care of the plants well enough. Weeds and grass rob plants of nutrients. Even if you take the weeds out after your purchase, the plants could turn sickly once they have been transplanted into your garden.

Leggy and lanky plants are typically grown with insufficient lighting or they have been over-fertilized so they are not in the best of health. Avoid these plants at all cost. There is a good chance that lanky plants grown with insufficient lighting will die once they have been replanted in the garden.

Over-fertilized leggy plants, on the other hand, may introduce pests and diseases to your garden. Always choose plants with robust foliage and a sturdy branch structure. These plants are in perfect health and they can handle the stresses of being transplanted into your garden.

Even the most skilled gardener learned all the gardening tricks they know through trial and error. It won’t hurt to ask your local nursery employee for gardening tips to avoid simple mistakes. If you are unsure what plants work well with your garden’s soil condition or if you have doubts over certain pairings, ask away. The same thing goes if you are simply curious about an unfamiliar plant, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most nursery employees are more than happy to answer your questions and they will gladly give you all the gardening tips you need.

Does your garden have enough room for large plants? Do you have enough room in the garden for these purchases? Don’t hoard plants if you have zero room for them in the garden. Leaving the plants to grow out in their nursery pots is a bad idea. Crowding the plants to save more room isn’t good either.

Before heading to your local nursery, measure your garden and know exactly how much space you have. Know what types of plants are needed to fill the free spaces. Your garden will end up a cluttered mess if you shop around without thinking about the scale of the space and the size of the plants to get.
 
Shopping for plants is no doubt a thrilling experience but do not let all that excitement lead to avoidable mistakes. Don’t buy plants just to make your garden look good, think about the long-term benefits of each plant to get the most out of your purchase.
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Regardless if you are a new or a seasoned gardener, gardening becomes a lot easier when you know the tricks of the trade. Good thing we’ve got several gardening tips and tricks up our sleeves and we’re willing to share! If you love getting your hands dirty, try any of these outrageously smart gardening tricks:

A good planter should drain the soil well so the plants will not drown from standing water. Unfortunately, most planters have large holes at the bottom so bits of dirt tend to drop from the holes, leaving a muddy mess in the garden.

Usually, adding a layer of gravel or small pebbles help contain the potting soil but if you just ran out, try this trick: line your planters with coffee filters. Just pop a coffee filter at the bottom of the planter and add the potting soil. The coffee filter will strain the excess water from the soil without the mess!

If your mornings are not complete without a cup of freshly brewed coffee then you are probably throwing used coffee grounds in the trash. Don't! You can use the coffee grounds as a natural fertilizer! Adding the coffee grounds in your garden soil is a cheap and easy way of enriching the soil! You see, coffee grounds are naturally rich in nitrogen.

Apart from enriching the soil, coffee ground improves the soil's drainage and water retention. It also aerates the soil, helping beneficial microorganisms, like earthworms, to thrive while keeping slugs and snails at bay. Using coffee grounds as a fertilizer may increase the acidity of the soil, which is perfect if you have many acid-loving plants in the garden.

While most gardeners use seedling pots or trays for growing seedlings, you can use fruit rinds as eco-friendly seedling pots! Sure, you can buy biodegradable seedling pots at your local nursery but using fruit rinds will reduce your household waste. Just like commercial seedling pots, you can bury the fruit rinds directly into the soil, enriching the soil with a host of nutrients that will keep your newly planted seedlings healthy and strong.
 
From orange rinds to avocado, lemon to pomelo rinds, these fruit rinds are big enough to handle small to medium size seedlings. To make your own biodegradable seedling pots using fruit rinds, cut the fruit in half and then scoop the center out. Clean the hollowed rinds with running water and then drill holes at the bottom of the rinds using an ice pick. Plant the seeds according to the package’s instructions and you’re done. When it’s time to plant the seedlings, just bury the rind in the ground along with the seedling.

It seems crazy to use matchsticks to enrich the soil but this old -timey gardening trick works like a charm! Matchsticks contain phosphorous and phosphorous sesquisulfide, nutrients that are essential for growing green peppers.

Green peppers prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. If your soil is not acidic enough, the phosphorous in matchsticks will add acidity to the soil. Planting several matchsticks near the green pepper plants will definitely lead to a bountiful yield season after season. We recommend planting about 10 matchsticks (head first in the soil) two inches from the base of the plant. Never plant the matchsticks in the same spot as the plant, just near it.

Who knew this kitchen staple makes a wonderful plant fertilizer? Epsom salt is packed with magnesium that germinating seeds need to strengthen cell walls. As an organic fertilizer, Epsom salt enriches the soil with nutrients while improving moisture retention without harmful chemicals.

Epsom salt is also used to counter transplant shock, prevent leaves from yellowing and/or curling as well as deter garden pests. Using Epsom salt on fruit-bearing plants could lead to sweeter fruits. Flowering plants, on the other hand, will grow bushier with a little Epsom salt added to the soil. Adding Epsom salt to vegetable plants lead to larger, more bountiful yield.

Milk makes a useful addition to any garden. As a natural fungicide, milk protects plants from powdery mildew that cripples the plants' ability to grow. Powdery mildew refers to a group of fungal diseases that affect plant leaves, stems, and even the flowers. Powdery mildew will not kill the plants right away but it could weaken the plants leading to a slow die-off or a poor yield.

Plants infected by powdery mildew are unable to conduct photosynthesis because the fungi blocks light exposure and inhibits the leaves' gas exchange process. Worse, the infection could quickly spread from leaf to leaf, plant to plant. Although science has yet to explain how milk works in preventing the spread of powdery mildew, some believe the milk proteins interact with the sun to create a "brief antiseptic effect" that burns any fungi.

To use milk as a natural fungicide, just mix one part milk to 2 to 3 parts water in a spray bottle. Spritz the solution liberally on both sides of a healthy plant's leaves then let the plant soak up the sun until dry.
 
As a fertilizer, milk enhances the soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients. It protects the plants from pathogens, seasonal diseases, and destructive insects like aphids. It also enriches the soil with calcium, preventing blossom end rot.

Contrary to popular notion, collecting rainwater is not illegal. It’s actually a great way to conserve water if you have a garden! There’s nothing to it, just get a couple of buckets with lids. When the rain comes, set the buckets at the downspout so the water goes directly into the containers and not down the drain. Once the buckets are filled to the brim with rainwater, replace the downspout. Cover the buckets with the lid and set them near the garden so water is always accessible.
 
Apart from collecting rainwater, you can also recycle the water you used for washing your fruits or steaming/boiling your vegetables. The water you used for steaming your veggies are teeming with nutrients that will help your plants grows strong and healthy! If you have a fish tank at home, you can reuse the fish tank water to water your garden. Fish tank water is packed with nitrogen and phosphorous, nutrients that aid in healthy plant growth. These gardening ideas are perfect for places that either experience droughts regularly or get little rain every year.

Some plants have the tendency to take over the entire garden if they are not trimmed often enough. A great way to keep invasive plants in their rightful places is to contain the roots using a bottomless planter. To do this, just snip the bottom of a plastic planter with a cutter.

Choose a spot where you want to plant the invasive plant in question then dig a hole. The hole should be large and deep enough to fit the planter. Bury the planter in the ground, plant the invasive plant then cover the roots with more soil. The planter will act as a barrier that will keep the plant’s root system from spreading to other parts of the garden.

Keeping your handheld gardening tools nice and sharp is one way to make any gardening task easier but if the upkeep is too much to handle, try this trick: make your own cleaning and sharpening tool holder. It’s easy!

Use any of your free terra-cotta pot as a gardening tool holder. Fill the planter with a mixture of sand and mineral oil. The sand is abrasive and it will keep your tools sharp every time you take them out and place them back in the tool holder. On the other hand, the mineral oil added to the sand will lubricate your gardening tools, protecting the finish from rust and dirt.

Weeds and grass rob plants of much-needed nutrients so you have to dig and pull them out regularly. If the thought of pulling grass and weeds for long stretches of time is not your idea of a good time, consider investing in raised beds. The borders of the raised beds act as a barrier that protects your precious plants from weeds.
 
Since the plants are set in sections, weeding isn’t as taxing as it used to be. Best of all, you can control the quality of the soil by using raised beds. And if grass grows persistently in the raised beds, just cover the beds with black plastic, creating holes for the plants. The grass should be dead and easy to remove within a few weeks.

Growing a garden is such a joy when you’re seeing great results! Just keep these clever gardening tips in mind to simplify your gardening tasks and ensure am impressive yield!

Knowing the right time to grow different types of vegetables is important. Perfect timing ensures an impressive yield season after season. And contrary to popular notion, the spring season isn’t the only season for planting vegetables. Vegetables have their preferred growing conditions! Some vegetables thrive in the warm season (summer) while others are best planted during the cool season (spring and fall).

By knowing the right time and right vegetable to plant according to the season, you can spread out your crops and get more variety from your harvest. Today, we are outlining the best vegetables to plant according to the season as well as useful gardening tips for a bountiful yield:

January to February is the best time to start planning and preparing the types of vegetables you'd like to sow because the soil conditions aren’t ideal at this point. Just make a list of all the plants you'd like to sow in your garden, finish your seed orders, and start charting what date to start each plant variety.
 
Spring vegetables are best planted from March to May. These vegetables could tolerate the changing (cold to warm) climate and frost so they are quite hardy. In March, start planting cabbage, broccoli, endive, cauliflower, head lettuce, potatoes, radishes, onions, peas, spinach, turnips, and beets. By April, most of these vegetables are ready for harvest!

In April, you can start planting carrots, leaf lettuce, onions, chard, salsify, and collard. In May when the weather is finally warming up, you can start planting eggplants, melons, peppers, okra, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, summer and winter squash, tomatoes, lima beans, and cucumbers. By March and April, the leaf lettuce, collard, lettuce heads, green onions, peas, and spinach should be ready for harvest.

Gardening Tips: Do note that some spring veggies are semi-hardy, which means they can only tolerate light frost. These vegetables include beets, carrots, cauliflower, celery, endive, chard, and salsify. For newly transplanted seedlings with developing root systems, make sure the soil won’t dry out. Maintain your garden by getting rid of weeds before they even begin to spread. Also, watch out for pests and insect damage. Remove the affected leaves or dust the plants with organic pesticides, if needed.

Most of the vegetables you planted during spring season should be ready for harvest at the start of the summer season. By June and July, you can start planting cucumbers, snap beans, gourds, melons, pumpkins, Southern peas, summer squash, sweet potatoes, and sweet corn. In July, you can replant cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower so you have plenty of vegetables for fall.
 
By August, harvesting will pick up. Beans and cucumbers are abundant during this month. If you planted eggplants and watermelons earlier in the season, they should be ripe for the picking at this point. Peppers, okra, onions, sweet corn, summer squash, and tomatoes are also ready for harvest. August is the best time to replant your radishes, lettuce, kale, spinach, turnips, and beets.

Gardening Tips: If certain veggies are starting to droop, use bamboo stakes to keep them upright. Use organic compost to enrich the soil and remove the weeds that grow. Watering is best done in the early morning to reduce evaporation. Always check the soil for moisture and keep an eye out for insects, pests, and disease.

As the cooler season sets in, all the vegetables that were ripening during the last weeks of the summer season should be ready for harvest in September and October. These include lima beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, sweet corn, squash, and tomatoes. During the fall season, expect the ripening of your winter squash and pumpkins. If you replanted cabbages, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and turnips, they should be ready by this time. Some of the best vegetables to plant during the fall season are leaf lettuce, spinach, and turnips.
 
Gardening Tips: Vegetables, no matter how hardy, require protection from the extreme weather. Protect seedlings and winter crops with greenhouse plastic sheeting. Remove dead leaves, rotting vegetables, and garden debris with a rake. At this point, you can remove the stakes you installed during the summer season.

Vegetables that weren’t harvested in the fall season should be ready for harvesting in November or on the first week of December. Some vegetables can be planted during the winter season, especially if the frost came in late. These vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, baby spinach, cabbages, kale, leeks, and parsnips.
 
Gardening Tips: If there is not much rainfall, water the vegetables regularly. Add a water-soluble organic fertilizer every two weeks to keep your vegetables strong and healthy despite the drop in temperature.

The United States Department of Agriculture has developed a map determines the hardiness of plants according to the temperature of a certain North American region. The same map outlines the coldest and warmest zones in all North American regions, zone 1 being the coldest while zone 11 being the warmest. To ensure a bountiful harvest and avert a potential disaster, check your garden zone first before listing down all the vegetables that you want to plant. This way, you’ll know which plants could endure the local climate.

Microclimate refers to the climate in a certain area, as opposed to the climate around it. This area can be colder or warmer than the rest of its surroundings. For example, paved areas – such as patios, driveways, and sidewalks – can be much warmer than their surroundings because the landscape absorbs more heat during the day. Warmer areas are the perfect spot for planting tender plants.

On the other hand, balconies and rooftops tend to be cooler than the rest of their surroundings because these spots are above the ground. Balconies and rooftops also expose plants to frost, dry winds, etc. You can still plant veggies in these areas as long as you use gardening essentials that protect the plants from the wind while also radiating heat.

Annual vegetables spend the entire season producing fruits and these plants need rich soil to keep them strong, healthy, and disease-free. If the soil quality in your garden leaves a lot to be desired, you have to enrich the soil with organic matter by composting. Ideally, you want to add the composted matter during the spring and fall season when starting a new garden.

Another trick that will give your soil quality a much-needed boost is to invest in raised beds. Raised beds allow plants to grow in the higher ground if your garden is set on an uneven surface. What’s more, raised beds give you more control over the quality of the soil. The raised beds also protect the planting area especially if your plots are set in high-traffic areas of the home.

Some gardeners think installing fences is a drag and they can be an eyesore but all that trouble is worth it once destructive critters come for your blooming vegetable garden. Let’s face it, a fence-less garden is much harder to protect from invading creatures and pest. We recommend installing fences to protect your precious vegetables! To prevent burrowing animals from going under the fence, try installing fences above and below the garden.
 
Planting vegetables according to the season has its challenges but as long as you know all the important factors you have to consider, you can look forward to a bountiful yield! If you found these gardening tips useful then don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. You’ll receive the freshest gardening resources plus amazing deals and discounts on our bestselling gardening tools.

A modest space should not keep you from living out your dream as a gardener! Regardless if you live in a rental or you have no yard at all, it is possible to build a beautiful garden that will give you years of enjoyment. You just have to find creative ways of utilizing any available space you have! Here are some of our favorite gardening tips and ideas for small spaces:

You can turn a blank wall into a lush flower garden by building a vertical garden. This trick is perfect for homes with limited floor space. All you need for this project is a pallet planter, landscape fabric, plastic sheeting, staple gun and staples, potting soil, and your choice of plant varieties. If you have lots of unused wood plants gathering dust in the shed, you can use those to build your own pallet planter. It’s easy.
 
After building the pallet planter, attach the landscape fabric and plastic sheeting using the staple gun and staples. Fill the planter with potting soil and you are ready to plant your favorite greeneries. Pop the finished planter on the wall and your vertical garden is complete.

Some of the best plant varieties to grow in an urban space are succulents and cacti. These plants love dry, semi-sunny spots and they do not need frequent watering. The best part? Most succulents and cacti are small so they are space-efficient even when grouped together in a dish.

Building a succulents and cacti garden is easy; you can start with a couple of plants and then grow your collection from there. These plants are perfectly happy indoors or outdoors so you can set your garden in your balcony/patio or in a sunny spot inside the home. One thing to keep in mind though, do not set the garden in a place that gets direct sunlight. The succulents will burn. Also, limit the watering to once a week or only when the soil is dry to avoid overwatering.

Whatever garden you want, a petite flower, fruit, or vegetable garden, etc., opting for dwarf plant varieties helps maximize what little space you are working on. Unlike their full-sized counterparts, dwarf plant varieties will not take up too much space. They are the perfect plants to grow in a small yard or even a rooftop deck. Dwarf plant breeds are much easier to maintain since they are much closer to the ground.

Hanging planters are a godsend for people who want to build a garden but have zero floor space to spare. With hanging planters, you can turn blank spaces into a garden. You can even hang the planters in your balcony railings, windows, etc. Hanging planters come in an array of sizes to choose from. Some are large enough for mid-sized flowering plants but they are best used for vines or trailing plants. You can also use hanging planters for growing herbs. Hang the planters near the kitchen window so you can simply grab the fresh herbs while cooking.

Speaking of fresh herbs for cooking, if the idea of growing your own herbs appeals to you then why not build your own herb garden? Most herbs do not grow too big so these plants are perfect for small spaces, indoors and outdoors alike. Just put a couple of potted herbs by the windowsill and start from there. If you have less room to spare, try building a vertical herb garden.

A vertical herb garden is not only space-efficient; it’s also a great way of putting your gardening skills on display. You can go online to check for different setups or try our favorite: crafting a vertical herb planter made from driftwood or a wood plank. It’s easy.

Start by planting your choice of herbs in mason jars. Install several pipe clamps into a wood plank and fasten the potted plants into the clamps. Set each pot in place by tightening the metal clamp with a screwdriver. Repeat until all the potted herbs are fastened into the metal clamps then hang your herb planter on the wall.

Container gardening involves planting plants in containers. This is a great garden style for people with little to no indoor or outdoor space. Depending on the variety of plants you chose, you can set your container garden outdoors in the balcony or porch or indoors near the window, on empty corners and sunny spots.

Building a container garden is easy; any sunny spot could be transformed into a green oasis. Just transfer your plants in pots, tubs, and half-barrels then arrange the plants in groups. For small spaces, try grouping the plants closer together to save more space.

Add a pop of green to your home by making your own terrarium. Terrariums are living decors that you can set indoors or outdoors. These are the perfect solution for space-strapped gardeners. You can make terrariums using decorative glassware, candle jars, or clear tubs.

To make a terrarium, pour an even layer of pebbles at the bottom of your desired container. Succulents and cacti are quite sensitive to excess moisture. The pebble layer helps drain excess water. Cover the pebble layer with a thick layer of potting soil.

Make holes in the soil and start planting the largest plants to the smallest. Terrariums look best when you combine different plant species but make sure to give each plants room to grow. Finish the arrangement with a couple of landscaping decors and you’re ready to put your terrarium on display.
 
As you can see, there are so many ways of building a garden in small spaces. Any blank spot can be transformed into a lush oasis as long as you are willing to experiment with different gardening tips and ideas!

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