So, you've moved into your first house and you can't wait to get started sprucing up the place. The walls need painting, the carpets need replacing and the appliances need updating. And that's just the inside. When you walk out your front door, you're greeted by a brown lawn, dead bushes and trees that lean precariously close to your roof.

"No problem," you tell yourself. You'll just throw down some sod, plant a few flowers and cut back some brush. Your yard will surely be awarded Yard of the Month by the Home Owner's Association next spring. So you get to work.

Unfortunately, when next spring rolls around, your yard looks worse than it did before. What went wrong? You watered, fertilized and weeded. There was plenty of sunlight throughout the winter. And you made sure the neighborhood teenagers didn't cut through your property to the local high school anymore. Is your thumb really that black? Probably not; you may just need a little bit of help.

It turns out that the sod you planted was made for a shadier lawn. Those pretty pink flowers lining the walkway to your front door probably should have been planted in March, not November. And the bushes that flank your front door have become infested with little bugs that are out to eat every leaf they can get to.

What should you do now? Visit HowStuffWorks' Lawn & Garden section for everything you need to know to make your yard the envy of the neighborhood. We'll also take you through the process of keeping your garden pretty and thriving for more than one season. So break out those gardening gloves and get your shovel ready. Let HowStuffWorks dig you out of those lawn and garden blues!