Buying Guides
Buying guides, product reviews and money research from our editors.
Garden Gear in the Sales: What to Check Before You Buy
How to prepare for the end-of-year sale period, tell a real reduction from a repriced one, and avoid the return-window traps.
Sep 10, 2026
Lawn Care: The Few Things That Actually Make a Difference
Mowing height, feeding timing, and why most lawn problems are soil compaction rather than anything you can spray.
Sep 10, 2026
Garden Problems: Working Out What Is Wrong Before You Buy Anything
Most plant problems are environmental, not pests. How to tell the difference, and what is worth having on hand.
Sep 10, 2026
Growing in Containers: Balconies, Patios and Small Yards
Why pots fail more often than beds, choosing the right size and material, and what genuinely grows well in a small space.
Sep 10, 2026
Garden Tools: Choosing Well and Keeping Them Working
The short list of tools that covers most jobs, what makes one worth more than another, and the maintenance that doubles their life.
Sep 10, 2026
Soil and Compost: The Part That Decides Everything Else
What the bags actually contain, why potting compost and garden soil are not interchangeable, and how to improve what you have.
Sep 10, 2026
Buying Plants Online: What Actually Arrives in the Box
Pot sizes, bare root, plugs and what each means for what turns up — plus how to judge a plant seller before ordering.
Sep 10, 2026
Watering: How Much, When, and What Equipment Is Worth It
Most plant deaths in a first garden are watering problems. Here is what plants actually need and which equipment earns its cost.
Sep 10, 2026
Starting a Garden From Nothing: A First-Year Plan
What to do in each season of a first garden, what to buy when, and the expensive mistakes that come from starting in the wrong order.
Sep 10, 2026
Garden Tools Worth Buying (and the Ones That Sit in the Shed)
Which garden tools earn their space, how to judge quality without holding the item, and the seasonal rhythm of garden retail discounting.
Sep 10, 2026