Maintenance

Six Tips for Effective Weed Control
Here are some proven methods for controlling weeds in your garden by Barbara Pleasant

Garden Microclimates
Find spots in your garden for plants you thought you couldn’t grow by Dan Johnson

Preventing and Repairing Winter Damage
Learn how to identify, prevent, and fix it--no matter where you live by Bonnie Lee Appleton

VIDEO Introduction to Dividing Perennials
Mastering this technique is the best way to get more plants for free by Janet Macunovich

3 Ways to Prune Rhododendrons
Here's how to maintain, shape, or rejuvenate rhododendrons by Charles W.G. Smith

9 Garden Myths Demystified
Don't let these classic superstitions waste your time or harm your plants by John C. Fech

Improve Your Soil by Raking Less
Mowing leaves into your lawn can improve its vigor, and unraked leaves in planting beds don’t smother shade-tolerant perennials by Terry Ettinger

Container TLC
The right care and feeding are the secrets to keeping your pots lush and healthy all season long  by Jennifer Benner

How to Avoid Staking Plants
Minimize the need to prop up perennials with these four simple strategies by Addie Kinghorn

Q&A Containing bamboo
by Betty Shor

Q&A Trees on property lines
by Liz Karns

Making the Most of Mulch
John C. Fech answers frequently asked questions on mulch types and time of application by John C. Fech

Tilling is one chore you might be able to skip
by Lee Reich

Putting Your Borders to Bed
By performing a few simple tasks, you can wrap up the season on a high note by Jennifer Benner

Q&A Shred fall leaves for winter mulch
by Cheryl Cadwell

Weeding Made Easy
These hand tools may look strange, but they’re designed to get the job done right by Bob Denman

Q&A Naturalistic gardening
by Ann Lovejoy

Q&A Caring for variegated plants
by Mark C. Starrett

4 Ways to Use a Cold Frame
No matter what your climate, these plant shelters expand your gardening options by Adrianna Vargo

What Made My Good Plant Go Bad?
Use these seven questions to figure out what's wrong with any plant by Jim Chatfield

Q&A When to use antidesiccants
by Lee Reich

10 Tips on Dividing Perennial Plants
Divide to make healthier plants--and more of them by Janet Macunovich

READER'S TIP
Dividing a ground cover
by Liana Mackey

Off With Their Heads: Deadheading Perennials
Removing spent blossoms keeps perennials tidy and triggers more flowers by Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Vinegar-Based and Citrus-Based Weed Killers
Learn how they work, and how to use them effectively by Ann Lovejoy

READER'S TIP
Pruned branches become plant supports
by Sue L’Hommedieu

How Drought Affects Trees and Shrubs
Leaf scorch, stem dieback, and susceptibility to pests and pathogens can result when woody plants get too little water by Robert Childs

READER'S TIP
Electric nail care
by Ila Bossons

Bats Are a Gardener's Best Friend
Bats may look scary, but they help the gardener in many ways. Here's how to attract them to your yard. by Dennis Ferraro

It's Not Too Early To Get Outside
Put down your catalogs, put on your gloves, and get a jump-start on spring chores by Charles W.G. Smith

Creating a Low-Maintenance Garden
Sustainable approaches decrease chores and increase enjoyment by Ann Lovejoy

Q&A Benefits of fall maintenance
by Steve Silk

Say Good-bye to Weed Worries
Recognize your tolerance level, then decide what controls to use by William Quarles

READER'S TIP
Pain-free gardening
by Shirley Ghauri

Dividing Perennials: Tools, Techniques, and Timing
Take your cues from root systems and weather conditions by Todd Meier

Q&A Gardener’s tendinitis
by Barbara Ashmun

Q&A Ginkgo tree trouble
by Lee Reich

Shelter Plants from Winter's Worst
Simple seasonal cover-ups protect young and tender plants by Steve Silk

Mulch for a Healthy Garden
Top-dress your beds to protect plants, conserve water, suppress weeds, and nourish soil by Patrick Kelsey

READER'S TIP
Shrub savers
by R. B. Himes

Q&A Poplar suckers cause chaos
by Dan Dalton

READER'S TIP
Beat the heat with a wet towel
by Lynn Trahan

Q&A Gardening on a windy site
by Daniel Hinkley, Lainie Thompson

Q&A Potbound Agapanthus
by June Hutson

Q&A Frostbitten, but not forgotten
by Joe M. Freeman

Q&A Removal of ragged perennial stalks
by Sydney Eddison

Q&A Divide bleeding hearts delicately
by Erica Glasener

Q&A Killing kudzu
by Walter Skroch

READER'S TIP
Bread-bag mittens
by Kay Packard

READER'S TIP
Garden stakes from miscellaneous objects
by Yvonne Giese

READER'S TIP
Recycle old T-shirts into twine
by Carol Hiebert

READER'S TIP
An efficient way to pick up leaves
by Robert E. Semrad

READER'S TIP
Toothpick seed markers
by Susan A. Henderson

VIDEO Basic Pruning Tools
To maintain your shrubs and trees, you'll need a small pruning kit of just a few basic tools by Antonio Reis

Can You See The Stakes?
Give your garden an invisible support system that will help it look its best by Sydney Eddison

VIDEO Controlling Weeds
Here are some tips on turning your garden into a weed-free zone

VIDEO Deadheading Annuals and Perennials
by Lee Reich

VIDEO Deadheading Flowering Shrubs
Removing spent blossoms keeps plants tidy and triggers more flowers by Lee Reich

Designer Secrets for Over-The-Top Pots
Learn the dos and don'ts of creating jaw-dropping containers

VIDEO Edging a Garden Bed
Here are four tools you can use to keep your beds and borders looking neat by Steve Aitken

VIDEO Fall Leaves Make a Great Natural Mulch
Rake them in the fall, save them until spring, and spread them on your garden beds by Sydney Eddison

VIDEO Feeding and Mulching Roses
When roses start making their growth, it's time for maintenance by Andrew Schulman

VIDEO How to Divide Ornamental Grasses
Grasses are best divided in spring, but it is not a chore for the faint of heart by Daryl Beyers

VIDEO Pinching Stem Tips
by Lee Reich

VIDEO Planting and Pruning Roses
Experts show how to plant, maintain, and prune a variety of rose types

The Dangers of a Spring Cold Snap
Why does a plant that endured winter cold suddenly suffer when spring temperatures drop a bit? by Bert Cregg

VIDEO Training a Vine
Get your vines growing in the right direction by Danielle Sherry

VIDEO Trim a Hedge with Straight Edges
For straight sides and a flat top, use stakes and string as a guide by John Sosnowski

Whip Your Garden Into Shape
To spruce things up in a hurry, use this simple, three-step method by Travis Rumsey

Winning the Slug Wars
Sometimes these slimy creatures force gardeners into action

The Gardener’s Guide to Common-Sense Pest Control Least-toxic solutions for your garden More Info

Taunton’s Lawn Guide Maintaining a great-looking yard More Info