How-To-Garden

Learn how to garden with The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Find practical guides to soil preparation, planting, pruning, harvesting, and seasonal garden care.

Learn How to Mulch Your Garden in Fall, Winter, and Spring

Isolation Distances for Seed-Saving

How do you know if your soil is well-draining?

Plus, Add an Optional "Pest Protector" Screen Mesh Cover

Build a Bin, Boost Your Garden—The DIY Way to Start Composting

Beautiful (and Affordable) DIY Garden Path Ideas

A Back-Friendly Way to Grow Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers

Maximize small spaces with smart vertical gardening techniques, perfect for patios, balconies, and backyard walls.

What to Plant with Carrots for Higher Yields, Better Flavor, and Healthier Crops

How to plant a garden with children

How to Winterize and Protect Your Garden

Expert tips for picking your garden’s fruits and vegetables at their tastiest.

Are Pine Needles Good Mulch? The Answer is YES!

Lowering Our Home-Grown Expectations

Gleaning in Gardening and in Life: Making the Most of What Remains

What Are the Best Organic Soil Amendments?

Saving and Storing Your Pumpkin Seeds to Grow Next Year

Discover your garden’s ideal soil pH, test methods, natural adjustments, and pH preferences for common plants and vegetables.

Choose the Best Pumpkin for Carving this Halloween!

Best vegetable pairings for your garden—rooted in research and experience

How to Prepare Your Soil in Fall for Next Year’s Garden

Start Here Before Your Order Your Seeds This Year

Learn Why Fall is the Best Time to Move and Divide Peonies

Hydrangea Pruning Guide: When and How to Prune

Signs Your Sweet Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest in Your Garden

Learn how to grow a vibrant, low-maintenance wildflower garden from seed, attract pollinators, and enjoy blooms all season long.

Use Our Lookup Tool to Find the Right Time to Prune—By Plant, Bloom Type, and Season

Perennials: Low-Maintenance Plants That Keep Coming Back

How to store food in the fridge vs. countertop

Harvesting and Roasting Sunflower Seeds

From vine to oven—rescue imperfect tomatoes, encourage ripening, and savor every juicy bite

Choosing the Right Autoflower Seeds for Your Garden

Keep your garden’s glory going strong—well into the snowy season.

Collect, dry, and store seeds from your favorite blooms—like zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos—to replant next season.

Preserve Your Garden’s Harvest With a Root Cellar That Keeps Crops Fresh All Winter

Agave: The Star of Low-Maintenance Gardening

Dividing and Moving Iris, and How to Transplant Iris

Never lose your favorite varieties by saving tomato seeds.

Going Away? Prep Your Garden First!

What to Look for Before Harvesting Garlic

You Can Kill the Grass and Turn Your Lawn Into a Garden!

What Is Direct Sowing? And Why It’s Simpler Than You Think.

Tips for Starting Seeds in Summer's Heat

How Often Should a Garden be Watered?

Prune Perennials in Early Summer to Extend Flowering!

How to water the garden during long dry spells

When to Harvest (and Eat!) Watermelon

Learn All About Using Fertilizer in the Garden

Gardening With Straw Saves Time, Money, and Sanity!

Mostly Ad Hoc Tools That are Perfect for the Job!

What's the Best Fertilizer for Your Plants?

Are You Ready to Take On the Garden?

Ancient Gardening Wisdom for a Sustainable Garden

Does Epsom Salt Benefit Tomatoes, Roses, and Garden Plants?

What to Plant with Peppers for Bigger Harvests, Better Pollination, and Fewer Pests

What to Plant with Onions for Better Growth, Fewer Pests, and Healthier Bulbs

What to Plant with Basil for Better Growth, Flavor, and Fewer Pests

A simple guide to growing and enjoying homegrown popcorn

What Is a Three Sisters Garden? Planting Guide + Layout

What to Plant with Cucumbers for Better Growth, Higher Yields, and Fewer Pests

Easter Lily Care Guide: After Bloom, Planting, and Pet Safety

Select varieties that you can eat and store all year

Testing the Best Ways to Melt Snow and Warm Garden Soil

Learn to Start Your Vegetables From Seed Whenever Possible

The Best Herbs to Plant in the Garden . . . and Why!

Testing Soil pH and Soil Health (Right at Home!)

How to Germinate Plant Seeds for the Garden