Lawn and Garden

A study published in the journal Ecology Letters highlights the benefits of urban gardens for their human caretakers and local ecosystems.

By Rebecca Owen

Most of us just pee and flush without giving it a second thought, but your urine, when used correctly, can be a great fertilizer for your garden.

By Kate Morgan

Learn which plants benefit each other — and which plants shouldn't be neighbors — to get the most out of your garden.

By Kate Morgan

Did you know you don't need a plot of dirt or a ton of space to grow a lush vegetable and flower garden? You can get started with a bale of straw.

By Kate Morgan

"Lasagna gardening" is a no-till, no-dig method of organic gardening that helps create rich, healthy soil and requires very little work to get started.

By Kate Morgan

Farmers grow giant pumpkins heavier than cars using one seed variety. And one grower just set a new North American record, squashing the competition.

By Muriel Vega

Sandspurs are one of the most unpleasant weeds out there — if you've tangled with them, you won't soon forget it.

By Jesslyn Shields

Removing the spent blooms from your flowering plants will keep your garden looking its best and help your plants stay focused on reblooming.

By Laurie L. Dove

David Latimer put a plant and some compost in a bottle in 1960. It's still alive and thriving over 60 years later. How does a closed ecosystem like this work?

By Jesslyn Shields

Zoysia is that lovely springy carpet-like grass you often see on golf courses and lawns in warm climates. But is it easy to grow? And how do you care for it?

By Alia Hoyt

Ranunculus is a genus containing more than 600 species, all of which are beautiful, but toxic to both humans and animals.

By Carrie Tatro

Tiger lilies have it all – they're edible, have healing properties and act as perfect pollinator magnets. They're also long-lasting, strikingly beautiful and super easy to grow.

By Carrie Tatro

Bee balm is one of those staple plants that gardeners love for its beauty, its many varieties and its value as a magnet for pollinators.

By Carrie Tatro

Potting soil looks an awful lot like dirt, except there's likely no earth in the mix. So, what is it really made of? And is it better for potted plants than the stuff from the ground?

By Alia Hoyt

A cinch to plant and tend, forsythia is beloved for its vivid yellow blooms. They also mark the beginning. Here's how to grow and care for these beauties.

By Alia Hoyt

Providing a great backdrop for any sunny garden, the butterfly bush comes in many colors and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees galore.

By Wendy Bowman

The money tree has long been a symbol of good fortune in Asia. But how did the plant get its name?

By Alia Hoyt & Kathryn Whitbourne

Kohlrabi is a cruciferous vegetable, just like cabbage, with a slightly sweeter flavor. It's also known as a German turnip and can be eaten raw or cooked.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Those white beads you see in potting soil are made of a volcanic glass called perlite. And that's not the only place you'll see this versatile material. So how is it made and what is it used for?

By Nathan Chandler

You know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what's your IQ on the lesser-known fruits (and veggies) of the world? Take our quiz to find out!

By Alia Hoyt

One of the oldest and most widely used materials in the world, baked clay or terracotta, can be found on roofs, in museums and in gardens all over the world.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Curious to know how old those big trees are in your yard? We'll tell you how to use geometry to figure out their ages without risking their health.

By Stephanie Vermillion

If you don't already have a trellis working for you in your garden, you probably need one.

By Alia Hoyt

Despite being pretty in pink, oleander is a highly poisonous plant. And now it's being touted as a cure for COVID-19. We'll break down the facts from fiction.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

This pretty flower has been known for centuries to have chemicals that can regulate your heartbeat but also poison you.

By Alia Hoyt