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Measured plans, real timings, plain gardening advice.

Category: Building & Materials

Wood, galvanized steel, concrete block and fabric, compared on cost per square foot, lifespan and workable depth. The list of what never goes in a food bed is here too: creosote railroad ties, CCA lumber milled before 2004, and tires. Fixings, corner detail and how to level a bed on a slope.

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This section is still being planted. Try the sections below, or search for what you need.

Where to start

  • Vegetable Garden

    Start with the space you actually have. This is the vegetable garden section, where the crop is the subject: how far apart…

  • Container & Small-Space Gardening

    Container gardening starts with the pot, not the plant. Guides here give the volume a crop needs in gallons, the soil depth…

  • Raised Beds & Garden Plans

    Get the numbers before you buy the lumber. This section covers raised bed garden sizing from the ground up: bed depth by…

  • Planting Calendar & Zones

    Two dates drive most timing questions: your average last spring frost and your first fall frost. This planting calendar explains both, then…

  • Houseplants & Indoor Plants

    Most houseplant trouble is light or water, and both are measurable. Houseplant care here starts with what a window actually gives at…

  • Flowers & Perennials

    A flower garden that still looks planned in year three. You get perennials listed by mature height, spread and bloom window, so…

  • Soil, Compost & Feeding

    Garden soil and compost are the parts you can measure and change. Start with a real soil test from your state Extension…

  • Pests & Plant Problems

    Identify it first, then treat it in the order that costs least. This section covers garden pests and problems in a US…

  • Pollinators & Backyard Wildlife

    A pollinator garden feeds something other than you. This section covers planting for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, with bloom windows that span…