How to Prepare Your Raised Bed for a Fall Garden

By the end of summer, my raised beds never look quite as full as they did in spring. The tomatoes come out, the squash vines are cleared away, and suddenly the soil seems a little lower than I reme...

Should You Line the Bottom of a Raised Bed? Here’s What to Use

You’ve built the raised bed. It’s sitting exactly where you want it. The soil is ready to go in. Then comes one last question: Should I put something underneath it first? Cardboard? Hardware cloth?...

One Raised Bed, More to Grow: A Smarter Top-to-Bottom Layout

A raised bed can start to feel surprisingly small once planting season gets going. You add a couple of tomatoes, a few peppers, maybe some cucumbers—and suddenly that 4×8 bed you thought was plenty...

September Still Feels Like Summer: How to Keep Raised Bed Soil Cool

Fall may be on the calendar, but in many gardens this year, summer hasn’t exactly packed up and left. After a record-hot summer across the U.S., September has brought more unusually hot days to par...

What Soil Should You Put in a Raised Bed? A Simple Mix That Actually Works

There’s something very satisfying about setting up a new raised bed. You get it assembled, find the right spot in the garden, stand back and can already picture it full of tomatoes, herbs, flowers,...

The Last-Minute Herb Garden: Flavors You Can't Buy in a Jar

The best cooking herbs are the ones you snip minutes before dinner. From basil and tomatoes to rosemary roast chicken, here's how to grow a last-minute herb garden full of flavors no store-bought j...

Raised Bed vs. In-Ground Gardening: Which One Fits Your Backyard (and Your Back)?

Raised beds or in-ground gardening? Before you dig or build, here's a practical side-by-side comparison—plus a look at raised bed materials to help you decide what fits your space and your body best.

Maximizing Your Raised Bed: The Big Five Strategies for Bigger Harvests

Want more from your raised beds? These five strategies—smart planting, soil feeding, watering, succession planting, and vertical growing—are the framework that turns a box of dirt into a serious ha...

How to Start Your First Vegetable Garden: Simple, No-Fluff Tips That Actually Work

Starting your first vegetable garden? These honest, no-fluff tips cover planning, choosing plants, soil, care, and harvesting—without making you feel overwhelmed when you're just getting started.

How to Start a Veggie Patch: A Real Beginner's Guide

A real beginner's guide to starting a veggie patch—learn how to choose the right spot, prep soil, pick easy plants, and grow with confidence.

Metal Raised Beds: Heat, Rust, Safety, and Maintenance

Thinking about a metal raised bed—or already growing in one? Here's what you need to know about rust, heat, safety, and the simple maintenance routine that keeps a galvanized steel bed going strong...

How to Choose the Right Soil for Your Raised Garden Bed: A Beginner's Guide

Confused by all the bagged soils at the garden center? I was too. Here's how I learned to read soil labels, pick the right mix for raised beds, and stop falling for marketing tricks.