Basics

Whether you're new to gardening or experienced, everyone needs some gardening basics to get going!

In this category, you'll find a wealth of information that spans a wide number of topics. From seed starting to grow bag gardening, pruning tips to raised bed tricks, you'll find the fundamentals of gardening awaiting you here.

While it's optimized towards new gardeners, even a pro can find useful tips in our Basics category. We all need to get back to basics sometimes, and there are always useful tools and tips that other gardeners have developed along the way to add to your own practices.

Our Basics category can inspire you to new gardening heights, too. Those who have experience with in-ground planting can learn about other techniques such as raised beds or vertical gardening.

Vibrant purple turtlehead flowers bloom gracefully against a backdrop of rich green foliage, creating a picturesque scene of natural beauty in a garden.

Gardening Tips

21 Plants that Thrive in Wet Soil

Wet, boggy, poorly drained gardens or pots missing adequate drainage are conditions that many gardeners consider problems, but for these plants, sopping wet soil is a positive, not a negative. Garden expert Christina Conner wades through 21 plants for rain gardens and swampy soils.

Close-up of a hori hori knife stuck into a raised garden bed, with a wooden fence in the background.

Basics

7 Uses for Hori Hori Knives in the Garden

It sometimes seems we need a million tools for different garden tasks, but the Hori-Hori is a tool that could replace them all. Garden expert Christina Conner shares her favorite uses for this multifunctional Japanese tool.

Oregon growing zones. A close-up of a large Berberis aquifolium bush that showcases glossy, holly-like leaves and clusters of small, bright blue berries, adding a splash of color to its dense foliage.

Gardening Tips

Which Growing Zones are in Oregon?

Known for its lush Pacific Northwest forests and abundant agricultural valleys, Oregon is a highly diverse region for gardening. Former organic farmer and Oregon State University extension specialist Logan Hailey outlines everything you need to know about the Beaver State’s growing zones.

A wooden raised bed adorned with an array of red and green lettuce leaves, their delicate fronds swaying gently in the breeze, surrounded by a tapestry of diverse plants.

Raised Bed Gardening

13 Raised Bed Garden Design Ideas

Ready to get into raised bed gardening and looking for design inspiration? Wondering how you can style your garden beds in unique and useful ways? In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jaros offers 13 ideas for designing a beautiful and productive raised bed garden.