In order to more closely control conditions, and to keep pest infestations down, many growers will opt to try growing in a greenhouse. Greenhouses have a lot to offer plants in terms of protection from severe weather, wild animals, and harmful pests. While greenhouses are extremely beneficial, insects can’t be totally avoided.

Plants have their own calendars, and for the most part, they’re extremely reliable. This internal clock is how we know we’ll see fresh flowers in Spring, and pumpkins in the fall – like clockwork! For those who are ramping up their spring planting, there may be some question about having a late start, and if it’s past the time period to expect a strong vegetative period.

As spring planting ramps up, many gardeners are planning out what they’re going to put in the ground, how big they expect their harvest to be, and what they can do to make it the best one yet! For those who are growing food crops – size is important. Everyone loves to have a bushel of large, ripe strawberries or a big yield of zucchini to give to their neighbors or take to the local Farmer’s Market.

A container garden has a unique set of benefits such as less of a risk of soil-borne disease, almost no problems with weeds, and more control over moisture, sun, and even temperature. These facts may make growing in a container seem like the ultimate choice for a successful growing season, but there is one important process that has to be taken - transplanting.

For gardeners of any type – whether hobby or professional – watering the plants is one of the most important chores of the day! It may seem obvious, but it’s not as simple as just walking out, pouring water on the plants and calling it a day; different plants have different needs when it comes to how much water, and when.

The growing season is usually a gardener’s favorite time of the year – the weather is starting to warm up, storms are few and far between, and the flowers are starting to bloom. The outside is inviting and growers can’t wait to get their hands in the dirt! Gardeners with limited space or those that live in an apartment or other space without a yard may be heading out to a community garden for their grow-time, setting up pots around the kitchen to grow herbs, or even setting up a grow tent to get a small crop of vegetables growing in an extra bedroom.

If you’re planting anything in your garden that grows on a vine – like cucumbers, grapes, squash, or peas – you’ll find that using a trellis is the best way to keep your garden organized, the veggies clean, and support your plants with heavier yields. A great way to have all the support but none of the wood-decay is the GeoPlanter Trellis Netting Kit by Sungrower.

There are popular mainstays in most gardens, especially for the hobby-gardener. From plastic pots to wooden planters, the majority of growers have done the easy thing and picked up whatever was on sale at the gardening store for the new season. One of the more expensive – and harder to get rid of – mainstays in many gardens is the wooden planter.

One of the most important aspects of growing is the harvest, and for many agriculturalists, this includes getting herbs, fruits, and other plant matter ready for drying. This form of preserving plant goes back as long as people have been farming, and it’s how a lot of the herbs and spices end up in your pantry!

Ask any gardener what they look forward to the most when planting season comes around and you’ll hear a lot about the clear skies, fresh dirt, and…the smell in the air. And while it’s tempting to joke about fertilizer, this smell is the byproduct of the photosynthesis that’s happening as all the new growth appears and releases fresh oxygen into the air.

Spring has arrived, and it’s time to get your seeds, sprouts, and cuttings started off the right way. Sprouts are vulnerable to things like pests, too-much or too-little sun, and even overwatering. These may seem like beginner mistakes, but even the most seasoned gardeners can slip up and make mistakes.

It’s still winter, so it may sound silly to already be thinking about the harvest season (seriously, almost a year away?!) but the most successful growers are also the most prepared, so let’s talk about that! You may still be recuperating (cleaning up!) after last year’s harvest season, so you know that growing – whether in a garden in your yard, or a professional size crop – is a ton of work.

It’s Spring, so getting seeds in the ground is on a lot of gardener’s minds. Depending on how long you’ve been growing in the same plot, you may have your garden planned out to down to the last seed. Conversely, you may now be looking as to how you can improve your plot layout, fertilizer, soil, or choice of seeds in order to improve your yields.