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Design it, plant it, keep it alive
Step-by-step guides to designing a border, choosing the right plants, and looking after them once they are in the ground — written by our team, not scraped from anywhere.
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Annual Flowers: 30 Best Picks for Sun, Shade, Pots and Cool Seasons
Thirty annual flowers that earn their bed space, grouped by sun, shade, containers, cutting and cool seasons, with heights, planting dates by frost, the cautions that matter and how to keep them blooming until fall.
Cedar Raised Beds: How Long They Last and How to Build Them Right
Why cedar heartwood resists decay, how western red, eastern red and Alaska yellow cedar compare with redwood, black locust, treated pine and steel, and the building details that decide how long a bed lasts.
How to Change Hydrangea Color: Blue, Pink and Purple
Bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas bloom blue or pink depending on how much aluminum their roots can reach. Here is how to shift the soil, what to use, when to apply it and how long the change takes.
Cucumber Trellis: Designs, Height and How to Build One
Vining cucumbers need a support 5 to 6 feet tall, anchored deep enough to ride out summer storms. Designs with real dimensions, a step-by-step T-post and twine build, spacing, training, feeding and how to stop the beetles that spread bacterial wilt.
Deer Resistant Plants: 35 Picks Deer Rarely Touch, by Category
The perennials, bulbs, ferns, grasses, shrubs, trees, annuals and herbs deer rarely damage, with ratings, zones and light, plus the plants deer eat first and how to protect them.
Evergreen Shrubs: 29 Picks for Hedges, Privacy, Shade and Flowers
Twenty-nine evergreen shrubs sorted by the job they do, from low boxwood-style hedges to tall screens, shade plantings and flowering evergreens, with the plants to avoid in your region.
Fast Growing Trees: 25 Picks Worth Planting and 13 to Avoid
Twenty-five fast-growing trees for shade, privacy screens, wet and dry ground and small gardens, with growth rates, zones and mature sizes, plus the fast growers to avoid.
Flowering Trees: 28 Best Picks by Bloom Season and Size
Twenty-eight flowering trees for front yards and patios, grouped from March magnolias to September seven-son flower, with zones, mature sizes, cautions and the invasive trees to skip.
Ground Cover Plants: 27 Picks for Sun, Shade, Slopes and Paths
Ground covers matched to the spot: hot sun, moist shade, dry shade under trees, slopes, and the gaps between stepping stones, with the invasive covers to skip and how to plant so the mat closes fast.
Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Pot Size, Varieties and Care
Pot size by tomato type, varieties bred for containers, planting depth, a watering and feeding routine, and fixes for flower drop, blossom end rot and split fruit.
Hostas for Shade: 25 Best Hostas for Every Light Level
Twenty-five hostas sorted by how much light they take, with mature sizes and spacing, the leaf-color rules for sun and shade, and how to keep slugs, deer and hosta virus X away.
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed: Size, Lumber, Soil and Steps
A raised bed that lasts is 3 to 4 feet wide, 8 to 12 inches deep, built from decay-resistant heartwood or ground-contact lumber and set on loosened soil. Sizes, a 4 x 8 cut list, safe lumber, fill recipes and soil volumes.
Hydrangea Not Blooming? 9 Causes and How to Fix Each
Leaves but no flowers? Find out whether pruning, winter cold, late frost, shade, nitrogen, drought, deer, youth or the wrong cultivar is to blame, and what to do over the next 12 months.
Hydrangea in Pots: Growing Hydrangeas in Containers
Pot size, compact varieties, watering, feeding, flower color and a winter plan for the roots: how to keep a container hydrangea flowering year after year.
Milkweed for Monarchs: The Best Native Species by Region
Sixteen native milkweeds matched to US regions, with sizes, sites and cautions, plus the milkweeds to avoid, how to sow and plant a monarch patch, and how to keep pets and livestock safe.
Perennial Flowers: 30 Dependable Picks by Season and Light
Thirty proven perennial flowers for sun and shade, grouped by bloom season, with zones, height, lifespan and one honest caution each, plus spacing, division and the plants to avoid.
Perennials That Bloom All Summer: 29 Long Bloomers by Season
Twenty-nine long-blooming perennials for sun and shade, grouped by when they start, with real bloom months, zones, height and one caution each, plus how to shear for rebloom and plan a border that flowers June to frost.
Pink Flowers: 30 Pink Flowering Plants From Late Winter to Frost
Thirty pink-flowered trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, vines and annuals that carry pink from February hellebores to December camellias, with honest cautions and the invasive pinks to avoid.
Purple Flowers: 30 Purple Flowering Plants for Spring, Summer and Fall
Thirty purple-flowered bulbs, perennials, shrubs, vines and annuals from March to frost, with honest color notes, zones and sizes, plus the invasive purples to skip.
Red Flowers: 30 Red Flowering Plants From Winter to Frost
Thirty red-flowered perennials, shrubs, vines, bulbs, trees and annuals, from December camellias to frost-bitten zinnias, with the hummingbird favorites, the invasive reds to avoid and how to place red so it reads.
Shade Plants: 30 Picks for Part Shade, Full Shade and Dry Shade
Thirty perennials, ferns, shrubs, annuals and bulbs matched to how much sun a spot gets and how dry it is, with the invasive spreaders to skip and a root-safe way to plant under trees.
Types of Hydrangeas: How to Identify Each One and Choose the Right Variety
Bigleaf, mountain, panicle, smooth, oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas side by side: how to recognize each, where each grows best, and 20 named varieties worth planting.
When to Divide Irises: Timing by Type and Region
Bearded irises need dividing every 3 to 5 years, in the summer weeks after they flower. Find the window for your region, the method that keeps rot and borers out, and how Siberian, Japanese and Louisiana irises differ.
When to Plant Broccoli: Spring and Fall Dates by Frost and Zone
Broccoli transplants go out 1 to 3 weeks before the median last spring frost and again 70 to 100 days before the first fall frost. Planting dates for 16 US cities, plus seed starting, varieties and how to avoid buttoned heads.
When to Plant Cabbage: Spring and Fall Dates by Frost and Zone
Cabbage transplants go out 1 to 3 weeks before the median last spring frost and again 11 to 15 weeks before the first fall frost. Planting dates for 16 US cities, plus seed starting, varieties and how to stop heads bolting or splitting.
When to Plant Carrots: Spring and Fall Dates by City
In most of the country, carrot seed goes into the garden from 3 weeks before to 1 week after the median last spring frost, in soil of at least 40°F, with a second sowing 10 to 14 weeks before fall frost. Dates for 16 US cities, plus depth, thinning and the varieties that change the timing.
When to Plant Corn: Soil Temperatures and Dates by City
Sweet corn is sown directly from the median last spring frost to about 3 weeks after it, once the soil reaches 55°F (13°C) at 4 inches (10 cm); supersweets wait for 65°F (18°C). The last sowing of an early variety falls in early July across the North and Midwest, between July 15 and 25 on the New York coast and by July 20 in middle Georgia.
When to Plant Cucumbers: Soil Temperature, Frost Dates and Fall Crops
Cucumbers go in after frost, once the soil holds at least 60°F: 1 to 5 weeks after your spring frost risk drops to 1 in 10. A second sowing 90 to 95 days before fall frost gives a fall crop.
When to Plant Daffodil Bulbs: Fall Timing by Region, Depth and Dates for 16 Cities
Where winters freeze, daffodils go in from about five weeks before the first fall frost, once the soil cools to about 55°F (13°C), with rooting time left before freeze-up. In the South the calendar rules. Dates for 16 cities, depth, spacing and the types that return.
When to Plant Garlic: Fall Timing by Zone, Region and City
Garlic goes in during fall: from about five weeks before the first frost to a week after it across most of the US, and in the two weeks after the first frost in the far north and Upper Midwest. Planting months by zone, dates for 16 US cities, hardneck vs softneck, depth, spacing and harvest signs.
When to Plant Grass Seed: Best Dates by Grass Type and City
Cool-season lawn seed goes down from mid-August to mid-September in the North and into early or mid-October in the transition zone; warm-season seed waits for 65°F soil in late spring. Dates for 16 US cities, plus seed rates, depth and watering.
When to Plant Green Beans: Soil Temperature, Frost Dates and Fall Sowings
Green beans go in once frost has passed and the soil holds at least 60°F (16°C), from late March in North Texas to late May in Minnesota. Bush beans can be resown every 2 to 3 weeks until 80 to 100 days before fall frost.
When to Plant Hydrangeas: Spring, Fall and Dates by City
Hydrangeas go in from the median last frost to about six weeks after, or in fall: October to December in the Southeast and Gulf South, and from eight to two weeks before the first hard freeze farther north. Dates for 16 US cities, plus depth, spacing and first-year watering.
When to Plant Lettuce: Spring, Fall and Winter Dates by Zone
Lettuce goes in from 4 weeks before the median last spring frost to 4 weeks after it, in soil at 40°F or warmer, and again 8 to 12 weeks before the median first fall frost. Dates for 16 US cities, plus winter seasons for Florida, Texas, California and the low desert.
When to Plant Onions: Sets, Transplants and Seed by Region
Onion sets and transplants go in from about four weeks before the last spring frost in the North, and from fall through February across the South. Planting dates for 16 US cities, day-length types by latitude, seed starting, depth and spacing.
When to Plant Peas: Spring and Fall Dates by Frost and Zone
In most of the country, peas go in from 4 weeks before the median last spring frost up to the frost date, once the soil is workable and at least 40°F. Texas sows earlier and the Pacific coast runs on its own calendar. Dates for 16 US cities, plus fall and winter crops.
When to Plant Peonies: Fall Timing and the Right Depth
Bare-root peonies go in from late August through October, any time before the ground freezes. Here is how deep to set herbaceous, Itoh and tree peonies, where to put them, and how long they take to bloom.
When to Plant Potatoes: Dates by Frost, Soil and Zone
Seed potatoes go in during the 3 weeks before the median last spring frost, once the soil 4 inches down reaches 45°F to 50°F. Planting dates for 16 US cities, plus seed prep, depth, varieties and fall crops for Texas, Georgia and California.
When to Plant Pumpkins: Dates by Frost, Zone and Halloween
Pumpkins go in 1 to 4 weeks after the date your spring frost risk drops to 1 in 10, into soil of at least 60°F (16°C) at 4 inches (10 cm). For Halloween fruit, count back the variety's days to maturity: late May to June in the North, mid-June to mid-July in the Southeast and Texas.
When to Plant Radishes: Spring and Fall Dates by City
Radish seed goes into the garden from 3 weeks before to 2 weeks after the median last spring frost, in soil of at least 40°F, with a second run of sowings 10 to 6 weeks before fall frost. Dates for 16 US cities, plus depth, spacing and the varieties that stretch the season.
When to Plant Roses: Bare-Root and Container Dates by City
In most zones, bare-root roses go in while dormant, four weeks to ten days before the median last frost, and container roses from that frost into midsummer. Texas, California, Florida and the low desert plant bare-root roses in winter. Dates for 16 US cities, plus graft depth, spacing and first-season care.
When to Plant Strawberries: Spring Crowns, Fall Plugs and Dates by City
Dormant strawberry crowns go in as soon as spring soil can be worked, in the 4 weeks before the median last frost; most mild-winter gardens plant plugs in fall instead. Dates for 16 US cities, plus crown depth, spacing and frost protection.
When to Plant Sweet Potatoes: Slip Dates by Frost and Zone
Sweet potato slips go out 3 to 6 weeks after frost danger has passed, once the soil 4 inches (10 cm) down holds 65°F (18°C). That means mid-May to late June in the North and May to June in the upper South, and April to June around Houston.
When to Plant Tomatoes: Frost Dates, Soil Temperature and Dates by City
Tomatoes go outside once the chance of frost is down to about 1 in 10 and the soil reaches 60°F (16°C) with nights above 50°F (10°C). Frost-safe dates for 16 cities, fixes for cool-spring cities, seed-starting math and fall crops.
When to Plant Tulip Bulbs: Soil Temperature, Regional Timing and Dates by City
Tulips go in during fall, once soil at bulb depth stays below 60°F (16°C) and at least two weeks before the ground freezes. Planting dates for 16 cities, regional months, depth and spacing, and how to pre-chill bulbs where winters are mild.
Vegetable Planting Calendar: When to Plant 17 Vegetables by Frost Date and Region
Plant by your last spring frost, your first fall frost and the soil thermometer, not the month. Timing rules for 17 vegetables, a worked example for Kansas City and month-by-month dates for six US regions.
When to Plant Watermelon: Soil Temperature, Frost Dates and Regional Windows
Watermelon goes in after frost danger has passed and the soil 4 inches down holds 65°F (18°C): April across the South, May to early June in the North, and winter to early spring in Florida and the low desert.
When to Plant Wildflower Seeds: Fall Dates by Region and City
Wildflower seed goes down in fall: from the first hard freeze where winters are cold and across the Southeast, and earlier on a fall calendar or with the fall rains in Texas and the West. Dates for 16 US cities, regional windows, seeding rates and what a new meadow looks like in years one to three.
When to Plant Zucchini: Frost Dates, Soil Temperature and Fall Sowings
Zucchini goes in after frost, once the soil reads at least 60°F (16°C) and ideally 70°F (21°C). That is 1 to 4 weeks after the date your spring frost risk drops to 1 in 10, with repeat sowings and a last sowing 90 to 115 days before fall frost.
When to Prune Forsythia: Timing, Renewal Cuts and Hard Pruning
Prune forsythia as soon as the flowers drop and finish by mid-July, before next spring's buds form. Timing by region, the annual renewal cut, rescuing an overgrown shrub, hedges and low-work cultivars.
When to Prune Hydrangeas: The Right Month for Every Type
Bigleaf, mountain, oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas are pruned right after flowering and left alone from August 1; panicle and smooth hydrangeas are cut in late winter. Timing, cut heights and steps for each type and climate.
When to Prune Lavender: Timing, Cuts and Care by Type
Shape lavender right after it flowers and finish about six weeks before your first fall frost, or wait for spring growth where winters are cold. Timing for English, lavandin, Spanish and French types, how far to cut, and how to rescue a leggy plant.
White Flowers: 30 White Flowering Plants for Every Season
Thirty white-flowered bulbs, perennials, shrubs, vines and trees from February to December, with zones and sizes, the best whites for shade and moon gardens, and the invasive whites to skip.
Yellow Flowers: 30 Yellow Flowering Plants for Every Season
Thirty yellow-flowered bulbs, perennials, shrubs, vines, trees and annuals from February to frost, with each one's true shade, zones and size, plus the invasive yellows to skip.
How to Make a Planting Plan: From Base Map to Plant Schedule
A step-by-step method for making a planting plan for one bed or a whole garden: measure the site, record the conditions, choose plants by mature size, lay them out, and write the plant schedule, with a template you can copy.
Sarah JohnsonHow to Plan a Perennial Border: Step-by-Step Layout
Plan a perennial border step by step: bed depth, spacing and group sizes, a 20 by 6 ft layout with plant counts, ecological drifts and the mistakes to avoid.
Sarah Johnson
Designing With Bulbs: Where to Plant for Every Season
Discover how to enhance your perennial gardens with bulbs, corms, and tubers, adding seasonal interest and delightful surprises throughout the year.
Sarah Johnson
Where to Plant Perennials: Placement by Bloom Season
Learn the ideal placement strategies for spring, early summer, and autumn-flowering perennials to create beautiful, year-round gardens.
Sarah Johnson
Garden Color Schemes: How to Combine Plant Colors
Unlock the art of using color effectively in perennial gardens to create stunning, harmonious landscapes.
Sarah Johnson
How Far Apart to Plant Perennials: Spacing & Grouping
Learn how thoughtful grouping, plant sociability, and planting distances contribute to vibrant, low-maintenance perennial gardens.
Sarah Johnson
Perennial Garden Design: Planning for All-Season Bloom
Plan a perennial garden that flowers from early spring to frost, with a month-by-month bloom calendar, sun and shade plant lists, bulb layering and upkeep tips.
Sarah Johnson
How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring Planting
Get your garden ready for spring: last frost dates by zone, soil temperatures for each crop, cleanup timing, soil testing and prep, and how to plant well.
Sarah Johnson
Container Gardening for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Start a container garden with confidence: the right pot size for each plant, potting mix, how many plants per pot, watering, feeding, winter care and fixes.
Sarah Johnson
Raised Bed Gardening: How to Plant and Care for Raised Beds
How to plant and look after a raised bed: block spacing by crop, a sample 4 x 8 layout, watering, feeding, rotation, a season-by-season routine and fixes for common problems.
How to Plan a Spring Garden: Timing, Layout & Plants
Get a head start on your spring garden with our comprehensive planning guide. Learn when to start seeds, how to prepare your soil, and the best plants for early season color.
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