How Much Soil Mix Do You Really Need for a Raised Bed?
Measure the interior of the frame, not the board, then convert cubic feet to bags or yards with the settling allowance built in instead of added twice.
Growing Systems
Alternative growing methods including containers, raised beds, and vertical gardening.
Why Roots in Pots Freeze Two Zones Colder Than Soil
Container roots freeze one to two USDA zones colder than in-ground roots. Here's why pot size, wall placement, and winter care decide who survives.
Low Tunnel Sizes That Fit Raised Beds and Tall Crops
Measure bed width, mature crop height, and end access before buying hoops or row cover fabric. These sizing rules keep low tunnels off the leaves.
Your Potting Mix pH Drifts Faster Than Garden Soil Does
Container potting mix has almost no pH buffer. Here's how ammonium fertilizer and hard tap water pull it apart in one season, and how to correct it.
Balcony Kale Growers Can Still Prevent Cabbage Worms
Cabbage worms reach balcony kale several floors up. Here's how to use row covers, weekly scouting, and Bt in containers where wind and heat change the rules.
Every Watering Washes the Fertilizer Out of Your Pots
Every watering flushes soluble nutrients out of a pot. Tie container feeding to watering frequency and pot size instead of a calendar, and feed wet mix.
You Can Rotate Crops in Containers on a Balcony
How to rotate crops in containers on a balcony: replace or solarize potting mix, shift pot positions seasonally, and group plant families without in-ground beds.
Does potting mix pH matter as much as garden soil pH?
Potting mix pH is buffered at the factory and rarely needs fixing. What matters is how you test a pot, and how much alkalinity your water adds.