How-To - Fine Gardening

Garden Shoes to Keep You Going All Day Long

3 Ways Fallen Leaves Can Improve Your Garden

Green leaves are the energy engines that fuel our gardens. Without them there would be no flowers, no sugars for summer tomatoes, and no cooling or oxygenating the air while…

Episode 166: Gardening for the Greater Good with Andrew Bunting

Andrew Bunting is vice president of horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), where he promotes gardening for the greater good. PHS supports healthier neighborhoods through horticulture by cleaning and greening…

Everything You Need to Know About Persicaria

Exposure: Some shade is essential in warmer zones, but even in the North, Virginia persicaria (P. virginiana) appreciates afternoon shade and wind protection. Soil: While most species are tolerant of…

How to Use Compost in the Garden to Combat Intense Heat and Drought

There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly…

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Quince and Using Their Fruit

The topic of fruiting quince came up the other day when a friend shared just how productive his tree was shaping up to be this year. Everyone present enthusiastically chimed…

Setting Up a Three-Bin Compost System

The value of having compost available for use in the home garden is immeasurable, and the convenience of creating that compost on-site for instant availability adds to the reward. Of…

Lawn Replacements for the Southwest

With growing interest in waterwise gardening and water conservation, homeowners are looking for alternatives to water-hogging lawns, which are not always necessary or practical. Turfgrass can often be replaced by…

Tips for Designing a Meadow Lawn

I’ve designed, installed, and continue to manage two meadow lawns to date. Through these gardens, as well as my own study in nature and research in references, I’ve learned a…

Budget-Friendly Garden Hacks and Tips to Keep Things Organized

Winning tip: Handy garden tool tote Several years ago while shopping at a big-box store, I spotted this tote in the household-cleaning section. In addition to carrying cleaning supplies, it can…