As the mercury rises, keeping plants properly hydrated and thriving becomes a battle that requires a significant change in watering practices, protecting plants from the sun’s scorching rays, and more. First things first: Make sure you’re staying safe, cool, and hydrated yourself. Schedule yard work during the cooler times of day, such as early morning….

WALNUT CREEK, Ohio—Amid the rolling green hills of eastern Ohio, Amish and Mennonite farms dot the landscape along roads traveled by horse-drawn buggies and automobiles. Here, self-sufficient living is a way of life. This is a reason why the Food Independence Summit has already become one of the country’s largest sustainable living events where experts…

Ah, summer. Overnight dew on lush green grass, high-climbing roses and sunflowers, afternoon picnics in the warm sun, evenings when light lingers late in the sky. Summer is the home gardener’s Eden. It’s also the time to think about winter. A large swath of the United States is generally mild enough, especially in a warming…

The cost of nursery plants can quickly add up. This makes cutting roots, saving seeds, and dividing clumping plants an easy and effective way to save money and have a great harvest. Understanding Cuttings There are three main types of cuttings. Softwood is the most common method in the vegetable garden, taking non-woody cuttings from…

Ever wonder why one garden is extremely lush, while the one next door in the same ecosystem is struggling along? And particularly when both get the same hours of sun and are appropriately watered and fertilized? As with anything else in life, it comes down to attention to detail. Pinching—which can be done with garden…

It’s just a specialized kind of grass. That horticultural description applies to almost all grains, but corn is the only one that home gardeners revere, the only one grown for fresh use—in fact, the only grain commonly found in home gardens period. Does the average American homeowner grow rice or wheat? No. But corn is…

Gardens need protection; rabbits, aphids, and sooty mold will love your harvest as much as you do, and Murphy’s law can send a once-in-a-100-years cold snap as soon as you put in new seedlings. Even if you’ve done everything right—planted the right crops in the right place and spaced them so they have room to…

Franklin D. Roosevelt wisely said, “The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” The date was Feb. 26, 1937, and he was making his case to state governors for effective soil management, explaining that healthy soil is an economic asset. Whether one is talking thousands of acres, a backyard garden, or even a compact container…

Think of your garden as a family, and plant it similarly to seating guests at a Thanksgiving dinner (which will hopefully feature some of your fall harvest!). You can seat Aunt Samantha anywhere and she’ll liven up the table. You want to put Aunt Olivia near the nieces she never gets to see so they…

No plant is an island. The right companion plants can increase yields, keep bugs away, and more. Conversely, the wrong plants can stunt, or even ruin, a crop. One of the best things about companion planting is that it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. One of the most…