All marigolds articles

garden fundamentals

Nematodes

Slightly stunted plants seem chronically thirsty, even when well-watered. Knotted roots are the tell-tale sign.

garden fundamentals

Square Foot Gardening

Square foot gardening is exactly what the name says: dividing a growing area into 1-foot x 1-foot sections. In a true square foot garden, an actual grid is placed on the growing area to divide up the space. What you grow in each section depends on the mature size of the crop.

garden fundamentals

Your Gorgeous Front Yard Garden

Yes, you can plant vegetables and herbs in the front yard! Just keep in mind that while some neighborhoods may celebrate your efforts, others will frown. If your community has strict HOA policies, review them first, then check out these beautiful ways to work edibles into the front yard

garden fundamentals

Stink Bugs

These insects suck sap from plants, including fruit, blooms, and shoots. Most often, they’re usually present in small numbers.

garden fundamentals

How to Prevent and Get Rid of Cucumber Beetles

Cucumber beetles feed directly on plants, causing visible damage, and they may carry a bacterium that causes leaves to wilt. Infection typically occurs when plants are half-grown.

garden fundamentals

Mexican Bean Beetles

With beans, the most likely cause of leaf blemishes is Mexican bean beetles. The larvae eat the tender tissue between leaf veins, creating brown spots and eventually skeletonized leaves.

garden fundamentals

Gardening with an HOA

If you live in a subdivision, development, or condo, chances are you have to deal with an HOA (Homeowners Association). While the goal of this organization is to protect the value of your land by enforcing the rules, sometimes those rules can seem a bit unfair to those who like to grow their own food. Some communities limit gardening to back or side yards only, while others prohibit it altogether....

garden fundamentals

Flea Beetles

These tiny beetles jump like a flea. They typically create shot hole-like damage on leaves.

garden fundamentals

Choose the Right Container for Your Plants

Container gardening is easy and rewarding if you have the right containers. When choosing pots, you need to consider size, style, material, and weight, as well as what will be planted in them.

garden fundamentals

Army Worms

Tiny larvae crawl like inchworms, eating leaves to fuel growth. They vary in shades of yellow, green, gray, and brown.

garden fundamentals

Edible Container Designs

It doesn’t get any fresher (or more local) than having sun-warmed vegetables and flavorful herbs growing just steps away from the kitchen. And while starting your edible container garden can be as simple as putting a plant in a pot, why not create something that adds flair as well as flavor?

garden fundamentals

Keeping Rabbits Out of the Garden

Forget the fact that rabbits are soft, fuzzy, and cute. These critters can be one of a gardener’s most despised pests, wiping out entire crops overnight. Rabbits prefer young, tender shoots and are particularly fond of lettuce, beans, and broccoli.

garden fundamentals

Aphids

Hundreds of tiny insects, varying in color, appear on stems, buds, young fruit, undersides of leaves, and between leaves. Aphids cause some damage to plants by their feeding, but they can also transmit viruses to plants.

garden fundamentals

Colorado Potato Beetle

These voracious beetles strip the foliage of potato, tomato, pepper, and eggplant crops. Adults have bright yellow wings with black stripes.