Gardening Basics
by P. Allen Smith Growing your own vegetables and herbs is a great way to start gardening. Many plants are easy to grow, and it’s so rewarding to eat what you’ve grown. Here are some of my favorites that will … Continue reading
Garden Glossary
We’ve gathered a list of common edible gardening terms and their definitions. Browse the garden glossary and learn. To quickly find the word you’re looking for, click on the appropriate letter below. A | B | C | D | … Continue reading
The Importance of Roots
Did you know that what you see above ground in your plants is really determined by what you can’t see that’s underground? What happens underground, where the plant roots live, drives plant growth. The bigger and healthier the root system, … Continue reading
Spacing in the Garden
Vegetable garden spacing isn’t an exact science. How do you know how far apart to place your plants? First, check the plant tags. The spacing requirements listed generally refer to traditional rows and to the distance from the center of … Continue reading
What is an Heirloom? What is a Hybrid?
In the world of veggies, two words can tip emotional scales: hybrid and heirloom. Some gardeners staunchly favor one over the other. Many plant both. Learn the difference and decide for yourself. Bonnie Plants offers both hybrid and heirloom varieties. … Continue reading
First and Last Frost Dates
To make it easier to plan your garden, the regions on this map will help you estimate the first date of frost in the fall and the last date of frost in the spring for your region. Median Date of … Continue reading
Find Your Gardening Zone
Find Your Hardiness Zone by Entering Your Zip Code. USDA Hardiness Zones and Average Annual Minimum Temperature Range 1976-2005 Temp (F) Zone Temp (C) -60 to -50 1 -51.1 to -45.6 -50 to -40 … Continue reading
You Need These Bees in Your Garden
We sometimes hear from customers whose first squash of the season shrivel. Cool, wet weather and fewer honeybees may be the cause. The weather usually corrects itself as summer arrives, and there are ways to encourage some special native bees—the … Continue reading
You Need a Good Sprayer
Your plants are likely to be visited by harmful insects or diseases. If you have more than two or three plants, a sprayer makes it easier to deal with the pests because you’ll need something better than a ready-to-use bottle … Continue reading
Why Grow Your Own Vegetables and Herbs?
People who have never gardened or those who haven’t in a while are now growing vegetables and herbs for fun, health, and economy. Garden for freshness and flavor. Most store-bought vegetables can’t match the flavor of homegrown. Vine-ripened tomatoes have fuller … Continue reading





