Raised bed gardens are a great way to grow healthy plants with fewer weeds and better control over soil conditions. They create a neat, organized space that has fewer pests and is easier to maintain ...

Learn to test old seeds for viability. Learn where to get free garden advice. Find free local gardening classes and free and cheap garden plots.

Elizabeth has worked since 2010 as a writer and consultant covering gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living. She has also written a number of books and e-books on gardens and gardening. In ...

Soil is a key ingredient in any backyard garden, so it’s important to make sure it’s the healthiest it can be. That’s why longtime gardeners – and soil science experts – recommend testing. Knowing the ...

Clear the soil of diseased plants and weeds, then rake it flat. Test your soil for nutrient and pH imbalances and add amendments as needed. Plant cover crops in empty vegetable beds and mulch around ...

Remember those few nice warmer days we had in January? Did it make you think of how you were going to plant your spring garden? Why not give your soil a treat? Healthy soil is the main ingredient to a ...

Every gardener wants the best soil for their garden. How do you know if your soil is "good"? What do you add to make it good? When you go to a plant nursery or the gardening section of a big box store ...

A master gardener of 20 years says that this big mistake will deprive your plants of a truly healthy garden with soil that's ...

My gardening friend encouraged me to compost my leaves to improve my garden soil. She not only saves her own leaves but collects the leaves from neighbors. Are leaves really as valuable as she says ...

Checking the soil: Bees N Blooms hosts a soil testing workshop from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at 3883 Petaluma Hill Road.