❓ Gardening FAQ

Companion planting is the practice of growing different plants near each other so they can help one another thrive. Think of it like choosing good neighbors for your plants — some get along great, others not so much.

Plants can help each other in many ways. Tall plants like corn can provide shade for lettuce that wilts in hot sun. Strong-smelling herbs like basil can confuse pests and keep them away from your tomatoes. Deep-rooted plants can pull nutrients up from lower soil layers, making them available to shallow-rooted neighbors. And legumes like beans actually add nitrogen to the soil — a free natural fertilizer for nearby plants.

On the flip side, some plants don't play well together. Fennel, for example, produces chemicals that stunt the growth of many garden vegetables. Black walnut trees release a substance called juglone that's toxic to tomatoes, peppers, and many other plants. Understanding these relationships helps you avoid accidentally sabotaging your garden.

Try our Garden Planner to see which plants are friends and foes, or use the Smart Guild Builder to design a whole bed of compatible plants.

Your USDA hardiness zone tells you which plants can survive winter in your area. It's based on the coldest average winter temperature where you live. The zones range from 1 (coldest) to 13 (warmest), and each zone is split into "a" and "b" halves.

The easiest way to find your zone: on any Plot Buddies page with a zone tool, just type your zip code (US) or "city, state" (like "Portland, OR") and we'll look it up instantly. You can also visit the USDA's official map.

Knowing your zone helps you pick plants that will actually survive your winters and plan your planting calendar. Our Planting Calendar adjusts all its dates based on your zone, and our Zone Best Picks feature shows you the top 15 plants proven to thrive where you live.

The Three Sisters is one of the oldest and most famous examples of companion planting, developed by Indigenous peoples of North America thousands of years ago. It involves planting corn, beans, and squash together in the same mound.

Each "sister" plays a unique role. The corn grows tall and provides a natural trellis for the beans to climb. The beans, being legumes, pull nitrogen from the air and fix it into the soil — feeding the corn and squash. The squash spreads out along the ground with its big, prickly leaves, acting as a living mulch that shades out weeds and helps the soil retain moisture.

This trio is remarkably efficient: you get three crops from the same space that would normally only grow one, and they actually help each other grow better. It's a perfect example of how companion planting mimics the way nature already works — different species cooperating in a mini ecosystem.

Yes, tomatoes and peppers can be planted together — but with some important caveats. Both are in the nightshade family and have similar needs: full sun, warm soil, and consistent watering. They won't actively harm each other.

However, because they're closely related, they share the same pests and diseases. If one plant gets blight, aphids, or hornworms, the problem can spread quickly to the other. For this reason, many experienced gardeners prefer to separate them — or at least give them extra space for good airflow.

If you do plant them together, interplant with basil (which repels pests harmful to both) and marigolds (which deter nematodes). Also practice crop rotation: don't plant tomatoes or peppers in the same spot two years in a row to avoid disease buildup in the soil.

Some plant combinations are genuinely bad news for your garden. Here are the most important ones to avoid:

Fennel and almost everything: Fennel releases chemicals that inhibit the growth of most garden plants. Keep it in its own corner, away from your vegetables.

Black walnut trees and tomatoes/peppers/eggplants/potatoes: Black walnut roots release juglone, a chemical that's toxic to many plants — especially nightshades. The toxic zone can extend up to 50-80 feet from a mature tree.

Dill and carrots: Dill can cross-pollinate with carrots and cause the carrot roots to become stunted and bitter. Young dill is fine — the problem starts when dill flowers.

Onions/garlic and beans/peas: Alliums (onion family) can stunt the growth of legumes. Keep them in separate beds.

Sunflowers and potatoes: Sunflowers release allelopathic chemicals that can inhibit potato growth. Give them space.

Use our Garden Planner to check compatibility between any two plants instantly — we flag conflicts in red so they're hard to miss.

Starting your first garden is exciting — and simpler than you might think. Here's the step-by-step:

1. Pick your spot. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a spot near a water source so you don't have to haul hoses or buckets.

2. Start small. A 4x8 foot bed (or a few large containers) is plenty for a beginner. It's better to have a small, well-tended garden than a large, overwhelming one.

3. Choose easy plants. Radishes, lettuce, bush beans, cherry tomatoes, and herbs like basil are nearly foolproof. They grow fast, forgiving mistakes, and give you quick wins to build confidence.

4. Prepare your soil. Clear any grass or weeds, loosen the soil with a fork or shovel, and mix in a few inches of compost. Good soil is the #1 secret to a great garden.

5. Plant and water. Follow the spacing on seed packets. Water gently but deeply — you want the soil to be moist like a wrung-out sponge, not soggy. Water at the base of plants, not on the leaves.

Our Planting Calendar will tell you exactly when to plant based on your zone, and our home page has a complete searchable guide to 200+ plants.

When to plant depends entirely on two things: your growing zone and whether the plant likes cool or warm weather.

Cool-season crops (lettuce, spinach, peas, kale, broccoli, carrots) can go in the ground 2-4 weeks before your last spring frost. Many can also be planted in late summer for a fall harvest. These plants actually prefer cooler temperatures and will bolt (go to seed) or turn bitter in summer heat.

Warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans, corn) must wait until after your last frost date when the soil has warmed up. Planting these too early, even if there's no frost, can stunt them if the soil is cold.

Our Planting Calendar does all this math for you — just select your zone and you'll see indoor start dates, transplant windows, direct-sow dates, and harvest windows for every plant. No guesswork needed.

Yes — crop rotation is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep your garden healthy year after year. The basic idea: don't plant the same family of plants in the same spot two years in a row.

Different plant families take different nutrients from the soil and attract different pests and diseases. If you plant tomatoes in the same bed every year, tomato-specific diseases build up in the soil and deplete the same nutrients. By rotating, you break these cycles.

A simple rotation plan: divide your garden into sections and rotate by plant family. For example: Year 1 — tomatoes/peppers (nightshades). Year 2 — beans/peas (legumes, which add nitrogen). Year 3 — cabbage/kale (brassicas). Year 4 — carrots/onions (roots and alliums). Then start the cycle again.

Even in a small garden or containers, you can practice rotation by swapping what you grow in each pot. Your plants will be noticeably healthier for it.

Annual plants complete their entire life cycle in one growing season. You plant them in spring, they grow, flower, produce seeds, and die when frost comes. Most common vegetables are annuals: tomatoes, peppers, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, corn, and squash. You'll need to replant them each year.

Perennial plants come back year after year from the same root system. Once established, they're lower maintenance than annuals. Examples include asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, berry bushes, fruit trees, and many herbs like oregano, thyme, chives, sage, and mint.

There's also biennials — plants that take two years to complete their cycle. In year one they grow leaves and roots, then they go dormant over winter, and in year two they flower, set seed, and die. Carrots, beets, parsley, and kale are naturally biennial (though we usually harvest them in year one).

A well-planned garden mixes all three: annuals for your summer veggies, perennials for reliable yearly harvests with less work, and biennials where they fit.

Great soil is the foundation of a great garden. The good news: almost any soil can be improved with the right approach.

Add organic matter. Compost is the single best thing you can add to any soil. It improves drainage in clay soil, helps sandy soil hold moisture, and feeds the billions of microorganisms that keep plants healthy. Spread 2-3 inches of compost on your beds each spring and fall.

Don't till too much. Over-tilling destroys soil structure and kills beneficial fungi and earthworms. For most home gardens, a light turning with a garden fork once a year is plenty. Better yet, practice no-dig gardening by layering compost on top and letting worms do the mixing.

Use cover crops. In the off-season, plant cover crops like clover, rye, or buckwheat. They prevent erosion, add organic matter when turned in, and some (like clover) even add nitrogen to your soil.

Mulch everything. A layer of straw, wood chips, or shredded leaves on top of your soil prevents compaction, keeps moisture in, and slowly breaks down to feed the soil. See our answer on mulching below for more details.

If you're new to gardening or just want guaranteed success, start with these nearly-foolproof vegetables:

Radishes: Ready in just 25-30 days. Direct-sow them and keep the soil moist — that's it. They're the fastest path from seed to harvest.

Lettuce and salad greens: Cut-and-come-again varieties let you harvest outer leaves while the plant keeps growing. Great in containers, too.

Bush beans: No trellis needed, fast-growing (50-60 days), and they actually improve your soil by adding nitrogen. Kids love picking them.

Cherry tomatoes: More disease-resistant and productive than large tomatoes. One plant can produce hundreds of sweet fruits. Give them a cage or stake.

Zucchini: Almost too easy — one plant can feed a family. Give it plenty of space (it gets big) and harvest when fruits are 6-8 inches for the best flavor.

Herbs (basil, chives, oregano, mint): Most herbs thrive on neglect. Basil loves heat, oregano and chives are perennials that come back yearly, and mint is nearly indestructible (but plant it in a pot — it spreads aggressively).

You don't need harsh chemicals to have a pest-free garden. Nature has built-in solutions that work beautifully when used together:

Companion planting for pest control. Marigolds deter nematodes and many beetles. Nasturtiums act as a trap crop — aphids prefer them over your vegetables. Basil near tomatoes repels hornworms and whiteflies. Dill and fennel attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that eat aphids.

Physical barriers. Floating row covers (lightweight fabric laid over plants) keep cabbage moths, flea beetles, and squash bugs away. Copper tape around containers stops slugs. Hand-picking large pests like tomato hornworms is surprisingly effective if you do it daily.

Encourage beneficial insects. Ladybugs, praying mantises, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps are your garden's security team. Plant flowers like yarrow, alyssum, and cosmos near your vegetables to attract them.

Homemade sprays. A simple soap spray (1 teaspoon mild liquid soap in 1 liter of water) kills soft-bodied pests like aphids on contact. Neem oil, derived from the neem tree, is a natural pesticide and fungicide that's safe for beneficial insects when used correctly.

Remember: a few pests are normal and healthy — they feed the beneficial insects. Only intervene when there's real damage happening.

Absolutely! Container gardening is one of the most accessible ways to grow food, whether you have a balcony, patio, or just a sunny windowsill. Many plants actually thrive in containers.

What you need: Containers at least 12 inches deep with drainage holes (5-gallon buckets with holes drilled in the bottom work great and are cheap). Use potting mix, not garden soil — garden soil compacts in containers and can carry diseases. Place your containers where they'll get at least 6 hours of sun.

Best plants for containers: Herbs (basil, parsley, chives, oregano, thyme), salad greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach), cherry tomatoes, peppers, bush beans, radishes, green onions, and even compact cucumber varieties. Avoid large sprawling plants like pumpkins, corn, or full-size indeterminate tomatoes unless you have very large containers.

Watering is key. Containers dry out faster than in-ground beds — on hot days you may need to water daily. Stick your finger an inch into the soil; if it's dry, water until it runs out the bottom. Adding mulch on top helps retain moisture.

Sunlight is plant food — literally. Plants use sunlight for photosynthesis, converting it into the energy they need to grow. Here's a simple guide:

Full sun (6-8+ hours of direct sun): Most vegetables fall into this category. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, cucumbers, corn, beans, melons, and most herbs need full sun to produce well. Less sun = fewer fruits and weaker plants.

Partial sun / partial shade (4-6 hours): Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, Swiss chard), root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes, potatoes), and some herbs (parsley, cilantro, mint) can handle partial shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade actually helps these plants by keeping them cooler.

Shade (less than 4 hours of direct sun): Very few vegetables thrive in deep shade, but some leafy greens and woodland plants (like ramps or certain ferns) can tolerate it. If your space is mostly shady, focus on shade-tolerant ornamentals or consider a community garden plot.

When in doubt, observe your space throughout the day and note where the sun hits. Even a driveway or sidewalk can become a productive container garden if it gets enough light.

Composting is nature's recycling system. It's the process of turning kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other organic materials into rich, dark, crumbly soil amendment that plants love. It's free, reduces your household waste, and is the single best thing you can do for your garden soil.

Getting started is simple: You need a mix of "greens" (nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings) and "browns" (carbon-rich materials like dried leaves, shredded paper, cardboard, straw). Aim for roughly 2-3 parts browns to 1 part greens by volume.

What you'll need: A compost bin or a simple pile in a corner of your yard. Add your greens and browns in alternating layers. Keep the pile as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Turn it with a pitchfork every week or two to add oxygen (or don't — cold composting works too, just slower).

What NOT to compost: Meat, dairy, oils, pet waste, diseased plants, and weeds that have gone to seed. These can attract pests, create odors, or spread problems to your garden.

In 3-6 months (or a year with cold composting), you'll have beautiful black compost ready to mix into your garden beds. Your plants will thank you with bigger harvests and fewer problems.

There's no one-size-fits-all watering schedule because it depends on your soil type, weather, and what you're growing. But here are guidelines that work for most gardens:

Deep and infrequent beats shallow and often. Most vegetables need about 1-1.5 inches of water per week (including rain). Instead of sprinkling a little every day, give your garden a deep soak 2-3 times a week. This encourages roots to grow deeper, making plants more drought-resistant.

Check the soil, not the calendar. Stick your finger 2 inches into the soil. If it's dry at that depth, it's time to water. If it's still moist, wait. Wilting in the morning means the plant is thirsty; wilting in the afternoon heat is normal and often recovers by evening.

Water at the base, not the leaves. Wet leaves invite fungal diseases. Use a soaker hose, drip irrigation, or water by hand at soil level. Water in the morning so any splashed leaves can dry during the day.

Containers need more water. Pots dry out much faster than in-ground beds. In summer heat, you might need to water containers daily or even twice a day. Mulching the surface helps tremendously.

Mulch is any material spread on top of the soil around your plants. It's one of the simplest, most impactful things you can do for your garden. Think of it as a protective blanket for your soil.

Benefits of mulch: It keeps moisture in (reducing watering needs by up to 50%), suppresses weeds by blocking light, regulates soil temperature (cooler in summer, warmer in winter), prevents soil erosion from rain, and — if you use organic mulch — slowly breaks down to feed your soil.

What to use: Straw (not hay — hay contains weed seeds), shredded leaves, grass clippings (dried first, applied thinly), wood chips (great for paths and perennials), compost, or even cardboard covered with a thin layer of something attractive. For vegetable beds, straw and compost are top choices.

How to apply: Spread 2-4 inches of mulch around your plants, but keep it an inch or two away from plant stems to prevent rot. Replenish as it breaks down. In vegetable beds, apply after the soil has warmed up in spring.

Yes — and seed saving is rewarding, money-saving, and helps preserve plant diversity. But not all seeds are created equal when it comes to saving.

Easiest seeds to save: Tomatoes, beans, peas, lettuce, and peppers are the most beginner-friendly. These plants are mostly self-pollinating, which means the seeds will grow into plants very similar to the parent. Let a few tomatoes get fully ripe on the vine, scoop out the seeds, ferment them in water for a few days (this removes the germination-inhibiting gel coating), then dry and store.

Harder seeds to save: Squash, cucumbers, melons, and corn cross-pollinate easily. If you grow multiple varieties of squash near each other, bees will mix the pollen and your saved seeds might produce weird hybrids. To save these seeds reliably, you need to hand-pollinate or isolate varieties.

Hybrid vs. heirloom: Seeds from hybrid plants (labeled F1 on packets) won't grow true to type — the next generation can be unpredictable. Heirloom and open-pollinated varieties are best for seed saving because they produce consistent offspring.

Storage: Dry seeds thoroughly, then store in paper envelopes in a cool, dark, dry place. Label with the variety and year. Most vegetable seeds stay viable for 2-5 years if stored properly.

Nitrogen is one of the three main nutrients plants need (along with phosphorus and potassium), and it's the one most often lacking in garden soil. Nitrogen fixers are plants that have a special superpower: they can pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form plants can use.

They do this through a partnership with bacteria called rhizobia that live in nodules on their roots. The bacteria take nitrogen gas from the air and turn it into ammonia — natural fertilizer — right in the soil. In exchange, the plant feeds the bacteria sugars from photosynthesis.

Common nitrogen fixers: Beans, peas, lentils, clover, alfalfa, lupines, and vetch. This is why farmers plant clover or alfalfa as cover crops and why crop rotation often puts legumes after heavy-feeding crops like corn.

How to use them in your garden: Plant bush beans or peas in soil that grew tomatoes or corn the previous year. At the end of the season, cut the plants at soil level (leave the roots in the ground — that's where the nitrogen is) and compost the tops. The nitrogen left behind will feed next year's crops.

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Heirloom seeds come from plant varieties that have been passed down for generations — usually at least 50 years. They're open-pollinated, meaning they're pollinated naturally by insects, wind, or birds, and the seeds they produce will grow into plants that look and taste just like the parent. Gardeners love heirlooms for their incredible flavor diversity, unique colors and shapes, and the fact that you can save their seeds year after year. Cherokee Purple tomatoes and Dragon Tongue beans are famous examples.

Hybrid seeds (often labeled F1) are created by deliberately cross-pollinating two different parent varieties to produce offspring with specific desirable traits — like disease resistance, uniformity, or higher yields. Hybrids are not GMOs; they're made through the same kind of cross-pollination that happens in nature, just controlled. The downside: seeds saved from hybrid plants won't grow true to type and may produce unpredictable results.

Which should you choose? Both have their place. Heirlooms offer incredible flavor and the ability to save seeds. Hybrids often give more reliable yields and better disease resistance, making them great for beginners or challenging climates. Many gardeners grow both.

This is one of the most important things to know when choosing tomato varieties — and it's simpler than it sounds.

Determinate tomatoes (also called "bush" tomatoes) grow to a fixed size — usually 3-4 feet tall — then stop. They set all their fruit over a short period (2-3 weeks), then they're done. These are great for canning, sauce-making, or if you want a big harvest all at once. They do well in cages and are easier to manage in small spaces. Roma and Celebrity are popular determinate varieties.

Indeterminate tomatoes (also called "vine" tomatoes) keep growing, flowering, and fruiting all season long until frost kills them. They can reach 6-12 feet tall and need sturdy staking or trellising. You'll get tomatoes continuously from mid-summer through fall. Most cherry tomatoes and heirloom slicers (Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Sungold) are indeterminate.

If you want tomatoes for fresh eating all season, go indeterminate. If you want to make a batch of sauce or salsa in one weekend, go determinate. Or plant a few of each!