SHOCKING: 13 | Mind Blowing Facts

Should You Cover Freshly Sown Seeds With Burlap?

Freshly sown seeds have a surprisingly difficult job. They need moisture, good contact with the soil, and protection from the kind of downpour that can turn a carefully prepared seedbed into a tiny muddy landslide. A loose piece of burlap can help with all three, making it a useful trick…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 12

5 Garden Crops That Can Double as Attractive Border Plants

A garden border does not have to choose between looking good and putting food on the table. Several edible crops bring enough color, texture, shape, or sheer personality to work beautifully along paths, flower beds, patios, and other highly visible spots.

Frugal Gardening · Aug 12

Could a Cold Frame Be Useful Before Cold Weather Arrives?

A cold frame might look like a glorified box with a window slapped on top, but before cold weather arrives, that humble little structure can become one of the garden’s most useful pieces of equipment. It can protect cool-season vegetables, give seedlings a sheltered transition outdoors, and help keep fresh…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 12

6 Ways to Keep Raccoons Away From Sweet Corn Without Traps

Sweet corn and raccoons have an unfortunate relationship: the corn ripens, the raccoons notice, and suddenly somebody has a midnight dinner reservation in the garden. Raccoons especially love corn, and their calling card often includes partially eaten ears, pulled-back husks, and broken stalks.

Frugal Gardening · Aug 11

Why Are Your Pears Ripening From the Inside Out?

A pear can look like a botanical beauty on the outside, then reveal a mushy, brown surprise when the knife reaches the center. That frustrating problem happens because pears naturally ripen from the core outward, so the inside can become soft and overripe while the surface still looks perfectly respectable.

Frugal Gardening · Aug 11

Should You Remove Old Strawberry Leaves After Fruiting?

Strawberry plants can look a little rough after they finish producing berries, with tired-looking leaves, brown edges, and the general appearance of a plant that has clocked out for the season. That often leaves gardeners wondering whether those old leaves should go or whether the scissors should stay firmly in…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 10

8 Plants That Add Structure After Summer Flowers Begin Fading

Summer flowers know how to make an entrance. By August, however, some of those dazzling blooms start looking a little tired, leaving gaps where all that glorious color once stood. The good news is that a garden does not need to become a collection of floppy stems and fading petals…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 10

Can You Cut Back Mint Hard Without Losing the Plant?

Believe it or not, mint can take a surprisingly serious haircut without disappearing from the garden forever. In fact, cutting back an overgrown mint plant can encourage fresh shoots, improve its shape, and give gardeners another pile of fragrant leaves for tea, cooking, or drying. The trick involves knowing the…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 10

Why Are More Gardeners Treating Dandelions as Edible Crops?

The humble dandelion has spent decades getting blamed for ruining perfectly manicured lawns, yet more gardeners now look at those bright yellow flowers and see lunch instead of lawn trouble. The change makes sense because dandelions offer something many garden crops cannot: food that appears without a seed packet, greenhouse,…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 10

Is Your Garden Ready for Shorter Days and Longer Nights?

The calendar may still insist that summer has plenty of life left, but the garden already knows better. As daylight fades a little earlier each evening, plants begin shifting gears, even when afternoons still feel hot enough for lemonade and a shady hammock. That quiet seasonal change affects everything from…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 9