Caring for Your Yard

What does your garden look like? Does it have trees and flowers, grass, or a big vegetable bed? Chances are, whatever you have, you have questions about how to care for your yard, lawn, and garden. Fortunately, there are answers, from picking the right plants to watering, fertilizing, and staking. Start with your soil: If it's too sandy or has too much clay, you can fix it; the right amendments will go a long way toward helping. When spring starts and you're headed to the nursery, you've probably experienced some plant confusions; discover how to pick the healthiest plants (as well as the easiest ones to start on your own from seeds if you want). You might want to install a brand-new lawn, or you might just want to rejuvenate the one you have; discover how to start one from seed or sod and give yourself a lush, green carpet underfoot. Mulch is a great gardening friend -- keeping down weeds, preserving moisture. Figure out the best mulch for your garden and how much mulch you need. You'll also find tips to save yourself labor in the garden so you can create a stunning yard and have plenty of hours to enjoy it, from building raised beds, making your own compost, and pruning trees and shrubs. Plus, there's advice for no-till gardening, top tools to take the back break out of all those outdoor to-do tasks, and cheap garden gear to trim your budget.