Gardening Basics
Start here if you are new to gardening: choose a site with the right sun and drainage, plan beds and timing for your hardiness zone, prepare soil, make compost and mulch so your garden needs less water and weeding.
Better Home Garden
Better Home Garden is a practical guide to growing things at home. Plan a new garden, test and improve your soil, grow vegetables, flowers and herbs in beds or containers, water efficiently and keep a lawn healthy season by season. Planting and care timing depends on your climate, so our guides explain how to check your hardiness zone and your local cooperative extension advice.
Plants and Growing
How to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs in beds and containers: choosing plants for your conditions, sowing and transplanting, watering, feeding and the routine care that keeps plants healthy through the season.
Lawn Care
Keep a lawn healthy with the basics done well: mowing at the right height, watering deeply but less often, fertilizing to a soil test, aerating compacted soil, repairing bare patches and following a seasonal plan for your grass type.
Garden Tools
The hand tools and watering equipment that make everyday garden jobs easier: which basic tools a beginner needs for digging, planting and pruning, how to use them well, and how to water beds efficiently with drip irrigation and soaker hoses.
Soil and Plant Health
Healthy plants start with healthy soil.
Garden Design
Plan a garden that suits your space and the time you have: raised beds, paths and small-space layouts, low-maintenance planting and pollinator-friendly gardens that support bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.