Best Truck Bed

Courtesy iStockphoto/Thinkstock Growing gardens in parking lots or other urban areas is not a new concept, but Joe Kovach, a horticulturist at Ohio State University, is studying ways to make it more productive.

If you've ever longed for a lush garden full of vegetables but have put that dream aside because you live on a 1/4-acre lot or in a high-rise condo, you might be surprised to know that your high hopes really can blossom.

When it comes time to plant again, you can compost the biomass from the cover crop directly into the soil, making a moisture retentive mulch and adding further nutrients. This knowledge usually stems from hearing about planting clover to rejuvenate the...

While vehicle emissions themselves may have some impact on plant growth rates and plant viability, they tend not be a major issue for most growers. I'm looking into starting an inner-city garden on a property that's currently open to traffic on all four...

This occurs due to a variety of conditions.Hydrangeas can turn green due to a number of factors.According to HydrangeasHydrangeas, the flowers will naturally turn greenish as they age.

We used a quirky power tool, a Black & Decker Alligator, and it worked very well, but you could also do the job with a handsaw, circular saw or table saw. Although it might seem strange that you only fill one tube to get irrigation to the entire bed,...

With June-bearing strawberries, the amount of simultaneous fruit can be overwhelming, necessitating a bout of canning, preserving and freezing in order to avoid wasting the excess.

Ever-bearing selections are perfect for families looking to have berries at hand every day. Raspberries Raspberries are best for gardeners with some extra room to fill. Although you can expand your fruit options by growing dwarf-sized tree fruits, such...

Place trees at least 33 feet apart for full production, but you can plant them as close as 16 feet, although they will produce less fruit. Plant seeds 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart and 1/4-inch deep.

This winter staple is popular in soups, stews, and curries in a number of Asian countries, from the Vietnamese soup canh bi dao , to a coconut-flavored kumbalanga curry in India, to a Chinese pork and barley stew .

It pays to estimate how many seeds you will use and compare choices based on the cost per seed. Compare Carefully Many companies carry similar varieties of the same vegetable. Depending on the seed quality, weather and your care, some varieties will outperform...

In addition to acting as pesticide-free caterpillar and worm protection, the cover can prevent the spread of plant disease and provided a bit of shade for heat-susceptible plants during the hot summer months.

Cut rose stems under the water to eliminate air bubbles. Keep cut-rose bouquets looking fresh longer by storing cut roses at low temperatures, including in the fridge.Keep roses looking fresh and new by storing them in the refrigerator overnight.Cooler...

The decaying hay is perfect ready-made compost that can be mixed into your garden plot or landscape beds to enrich the existing soil with remnants of your bale garden. Bales will rarely last more than a single calendar year before the nutrient levels...

All organic materials from the garden leaves, grass, garden clippings — eventually decompose into the brown, earthy compost found on the forest floor. I've found a method that allows me to add kitchen scraps to the mix and gives me more compost with...

Most soils, however, contain appropriate levels of the trace nutrients, and deficiencies are less common than for the primary and secondary macronutrients. Soil testing is arguably the single most important step that a gardener or grower can perform to...

Watch Out For Pests Look for well-watered plant starts with evidence of new growth, but be sure to keep an eye out for pest problems. Buying plants at your big-box hardware store may certainly be cheaper than locally owned stores, but the supposed value...

In the spring the trees feature wonderful pink or white blossoms followed by colorful fruiting in the summer and bright orange foliage in the fall. Cherry Trees While fruit trees can be challenging to grow, cherry trees may be worth the effort.

As with any firewood, apple wood needs to be fully seasoned before it can be safely and efficiently burned.Bring small amounts of firewood indoors as it's needed, to avoid insect infestations.According to the Cornell University Extension, apple is among...

Because the bed is at chest height, I can stick the hose under the leaf canopy of the plants and water just the soil areas. Friggetelli are also all larger than the small green peppers sold frequently in the United States, called pepperoncini, and more...

Improve the soil. Place containers strategically. It's a science and an art, but growing food in an arid climate is possible. Use gravity to your advantage by placing higher-water-demand plants at the base of a slope and lower-water-demand plants at the...

Lynsey Grosfield As with most skills, practice makes perfect. My first wattle projects were positively rudimentary, but I find that as I work more with this technique, my results are more and more aesthetically pleasing.

Plant the peas in a prepared bed, about 2 inches apart in rows about 6 feet apart. Install a trellis of netting, fencing or even tall twigs between the rows. The trick is to not plant them too deep or too early.

Every garden I plant brings me such absolute joy—turning the earth, planting the seeds and starts, caring for the young seedlings and watching them grow to maturity. By honing in on the crops you love, you'll be able to spread that joy for “playing...

Until I manage to overthrow the poison ivy, I've decided to garden around the chickens' dust bath—the flock's exclusive hangout. It's only temporary; I have no doubt they'll look for easier trouble elsewhere.

Many coffee shops (Starbucks, for example) have them bagged and ready to take. Coffee chaff is soft, smells great, is easy to scoop, and breaks down beautifully in the compost. Sand has proven to be an easy-to-clean method in the run, provides a great...

Spray twice, five to seven days apart, and avoid spraying on a hot, sunny day. Remedy this by adding about 3 teaspoons of liquid soap per gallon of spray mixture to improve the liquid's adhesion.