seed-starting

  • cover seedlings to protect from pests
    How-To

    The Dos and Don’ts of Direct Sowing

    Sowing a seed directly into the ground, nurturing it, and reaping the rewards is one of the easiest gardening activities you can do—yet many gardeners don’t. There are many reasons…

  • annuals to grow from seed
    Design

    6 Fantastic Annuals to Grow From Seed in the Northwest

    There was a time when I used to eagerly await the arrival of seed catalogs in the mail each winter. Then I’d sit in the window and fold down the…

  • Get gobs of fruit from only 84 square feet. This small space can produce a bigger harvest than plots twice its size thanks to some tried-and-true techniques.
    How-To

    Getting Big Vegetable Production From a Small Space

    I have lived—and gardened—in three countries: England, Barbados, and the United States. In the United States, I found myself settled on the eastern tip of New York’s Long Island, a…

  • perennial seedlings
    Design

    Five Perennials That Are Easy to Grow From Seed

    The reasons one should start perennials from seed are many. The most obvious one is the cost savings. Many gardeners focus on seed-starting annuals and vegetables because they think those…

  • vegetable harvest including tomatoes and potatoes
    Design

    Beertayday in Minnesota

    We’re off to Minnesota to visit a garden that, on Instagram, has the username “Beertayda,” which means “my garden” in Somali. Today's contributor, like so many of us, says that…

  • snowdrop growing snow
    Design

    Surviving the Indiana Winter

    Today it is me, your GPOD editor, Joseph, checking in from my very snowy garden in northern Indiana. Recently, we had a warm day, some snow melted, and I saw…

  • artichokes
    How-To

    Growing Artichokes in the Northeast

    The artichoke that is cultivated as a vegetable is a variety of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus, Zones 7–10), or artichoke thistle, a thistle-type perennial in the sunflower family that’s native to…

  • oregano herbs
    How-To

    15 Great Herbs to Start From Seed

    No garden is complete without herbs. Not only are they attractive plants, but they also taste phenomenal. Herbs can be either annual (like dill or cilantro), or perennial (like sage…

  • tomatoes and seeds
    How-To

    How to Grow Tasty Tomatoes From Seed

    A long-standing myth among tomato lovers is that home-grown tomatoes taste the best. But it’s the variety of the tomatoes that actually influences the taste, not whether they’re grown on…

  • seed starting glossary
    Design

    Seed-Starting Glossary

    What does that mean? Lots of terms, classifications, and techniques are tossed around in casual conversation about seed starting. Some you may already know, but others may puzzle you. Here…