Any gardener can tell you that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. But the second best time is today, so dig in and make it happen. Seedlings aren’t expensive and a tree provides untold benefits, including shade, birdsong and even an increase in your property value. Here are 14 top tips to get you started.

You and your family members aren't the only ones in your home who get hungry; your indoor and outdoor plants need a regular boost of nutrients that are essential for healthy growth. While you don't have to go through the trouble of cooking something special for your green companions, there are quite a few kitchen scraps and leftovers that your garden will appreciate and show its appreciation with healthy, green growth and lots of blooms.
So before you toss those scraps in the trash or garbage can, check out these 10 kitchen items that can nourish your plants.

The longest day of the year falls on June 20th, bringing warmer temperatures and extra sunlight. Flowers are blossoming, there’s lots to harvest in the vegetable garden, and keeping on top of bolting plants is a priority — particularly weeds! In the meantime, discover a comprehensive list of jobs to take care of in your flower garden this June.

June is an exciting month for gardeners. There is much to do in June to keep our plants thriving at their best. Tasks include late planting, trellising, weeding, watering and mulching. June is often our favorite time of the year in the garden. Sure, the rewards of the harvest can't be beat - and June does offer some harvest in June, especially in the warmer zones - but the tidiness of our just-planted rows and germinating perfection gives us a thrill that is both a reward for the hard work that has gone before and the promise of bountiful and beautiful things to come. There is nothing quite like sitting down in a lawn chair and surveying our garden kingdom, no matter how large: the neat rows of bright green seedlings planted just days before, the transplanted seedlings started weeks ago indoors and now flourishing in their new outdoor homes. Yes, there's a break in the action once the garden gets here - or maybe you're still feverishly busy getting everything in the ground - but that doesn't mean you can retreat and let things take care of themselves. Here are a few June gardening tasks and projects that will help you keep your garden looking it's best for the rest of the season. Find out what you should be doing in the garden this month.

The effectiveness of manure tea is one of the most hotly debated garden discussions. While many scientists contend that manure tea is not an effective soil amendment, the vast hordes of gardeners who have applied a dose to their plants disagree vehemently because they have seen the positive results. Manure tea is filled with aerobic bacteria and has been used for centuries as a valuable and economical fertilizer. Typically, it is made from a hot, nitrogen-rich manure. This creates a positive soil amendment for heavy garden feeders that require additional nutrition throughout the season; among these are asparagus, tomatoes, and peppers. Manure tea is a nutrient-rich concoction for your garden that is easy to make and apply. A bit of manure plus some brewing time, and you have a great source of organic nitrogen fertilizer for your gardens and container plantings. Learn how to make and use it in your garden.

One of the best ways to relax in the garden is to sit in the shade, surrounded by aromatic plants. So, this season, let's turn our attention to the patio. Here I’m sharing with you my top tips. In most properties, the terrace or patio is the link between the house and garden. Any paved or decked area can have a lovely room-like feel provided you pay a little attention to the detail. Decluttering, tidying, and cleaning are just as important here as indoors. The key to a speedy patio makeover is to cast a critical eye over the whole space and target the most urgent jobs. Dead plants, fading flowers, and limp leaves draw the eye for all the wrong reasons, so deal with these eyesores promptly and curb unruly growth. With this simple maintenance tips create a stunning patio that suits you, and one you can enjoy for many years to come.

Mulch is one of the best things you can do for your landscape. Mulch has many benefits throughout the year. Mulching the soil in flower, shrub and veg beds suppresses weeds, holds in moisture, looks smart and can help to feed plants as it breaks down in the long term. But making mistakes when mulching can keep your soil from reaping benefits such as conserving moisture, suppressing weeds, reducing erosion and decreasing water runoff. Discover top tips on the dos and don’ts of mulch to make the most of your garden.

Hacking your own garden soil is not as hard as it sounds: all you need is some amazingly rich, composted, all-natural material to toss in your garden beds. Layering the compost and other organic materials eventually transforms your garden soil into a wonderland of healthy microbes that your plants’ roots love. You don’t need to look further than most convenience store parking lots to find poly bags of mulch for sale. Bagged multi-purpose compost from the garden center makes great mulch as it’s weed-free, but it will work out expensive. But why pay $5 a bag for shredded and dyed mulch when other sources offer a bottomless source of free mulch? Here are five sources for free mulch that you can track down no matter where you live.

One of the most important things you must understand when planting a garden is that different vegetables require different amounts of room to grow. The possibilities are virtually endless as are the spacing calculations. Every variety you choose should not only be chosen for the end product (the veggies and fruits your family will eat and any flowers you have in mind), but also for their ability to fit into the space you have to work with. The space at which you plant out your crops has a direct effect on their size and quality. Space crops too closely, and yield is poor. If you set them too far apart, you’re wasting valuable plot space. But there’s more to it than that: light soils can’t support spacing as close as heavier ones due to their free drainage.
Root and bulb crops are very sensitive to spacing: for baby carrots thin to 1⁄2in apart, but for big main crop roots leave 3in between plants. If you fancy huge slicing onions, place sets 10in apart each way. Massive cauliflowers can be achieved at 3ft spacing, but mini-heads can be grown with 12in distances. So many kinds of vegetables need different spacing, and it can be difficult to remember how much space goes between each plant. Here is what I have learned about plant spacing, including a couple of plant spacing calculators which help do some work for you. In order to make growing a garden easier, I have put together a plant spacing chart to help you.

The right choice of tool in the garden can make a big difference. A hoe is used to dislodge weeds or for cultivating the garden, stirring up and mounding the soil. It’s an important tool for any serious gardener, but did you know that there are multiple types of garden hoes? Some are better for specific jobs, like weeding, while others are designed for bigger or smaller spaces. Choose the right hoe for the job and both the garden and your muscles will thank you. Check out our roundup of that essential garden tool, the garden hoe. Learn how to choose the right one for your situation.

We all dream of having the perfect lawn. Your lawn can be a source of pride, a place for your family to play, an oasis for relaxing - and you can make your lawn lush and beautiful with a few simple actions and regular yard care. Getting a healthy and beautiful lawn and garden isn't rocket science, but it does take time, patience and the right information. While a “perfect” lawn may be less than ideal, as there will always be something to deal with (like weeds or disease), you can still have a healthy lawn using the following lawn care tips. Learn how to turn your lawn and garden into a low-maintenance, high-beauty paradise.

Weeds. We’ve all got them. Weeds are often considered the organic grower’s biggest challenge as they compete with crops for nutrients, light and water. Ecological weed management begins with careful planning of the cropping system to minimize weed problems, and seeks to utilize biological and ecological processes in the field and throughout the farm ecosystem to give crops the advantage over weeds. In addition, mechanical and other control measures are usually needed to protect organic crops from the adverse effects of weeds. And while some folks turn to dangerous chemicals, many weeds are actually resistant to herbicides and respond better to different methods of control. Weed control is always a challenge. Pulling weeds out by the roots is the best way to eliminate them in an organic garden. It gets the job done with no chemicals and no drama. Yet with our busy lives filled with too much work and not enough relaxation, staying on top of the weeds is difficult, and it doesn’t take long at all for the weeds to get out of control. Below are a few quick garden hacks for eliminating weeds without heavy chemicals. With these simple weed control tips in your gardening arsenal, weeds won’t stand a chance!

Starting your own seeds at home is easier when you hack a starter mix that helps the seeds grow to their full potential. Healthy seedlings need a loose, well-drained medium made of fine particles of organic material. Potting soil can be used, but it usually doesn’t drain as well as a finer seed starting mix. The best DIY seed starting mix needs only three ingredients, and you can find them all in your local garden center. Save money and get my no-fail recipes for organic seed starting mix and potting mix that you can easily make at home (all without complicated soil amendments and fertilizers). Keep them dry and you can store them to use next season too. Today I’d like to share with you a marvelous recipe for making a homemade seed starting mix. It works very well as a light, airy, and sound starting mix for your seedlings.

As the weather in April grows more gardener-friendly, take advantage of it! Getting some things done now will reduce your workload later when the summer heat sets in.
If you haven’t begun a garden journal, now is a fantastic time to start one. Choose a format that you’ll actually use (paper or electronic). The longer you keep a journal, the more you’ll learn about your garden. It’ll become a prized resource. April is a busy time in the garden, there’s no doubt, and this checklist will help you keep on top of things! Keep reading to find out what to do in the garden in April.

Everyone loves the beauty and scent of roses! As Shakespeare wrote, “The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem For that sweet odour which doth in it live.” Roses have a reputation for being difficult to grow, but some of this may come from rose lovers' obsession with perfection and waiting for the ultimate blooms each season. However, rose care is easier than you might think—anyone can grow them successfully. You just need to plant your roses in a sunny location with good drainage, and fertilize them regularly for impressive flowers. Also, water them evenly to keep the soil moist. Prune established rose bushes in early spring. Watch for diseases like powdery mildew or black spot. If you’ve been afraid to start a rose garden, the truth is, roses are no more difficult to care for than other flowering shrubs. Today I’d like to share with you simple rules and tips to grow roses even if you have never done that before. Follow these essential rules to learn. Enjoy!