Living in a cramped apartment in Karachi, with barely enough room on the balcony for a couple of chairs and the laundry rack, I used to think gardening was for people with big yards or fancy villas. Summers hit 45°C, dust storms roll in, water shortages happen, and space is…
Secrets No One Tells You About New Gardening Starting your first garden is both exhilarating and harrowing. You have your seeds, perhaps a few tools and are ready to grow something fabulous. But then doubt creeps in. What if everything dies? What if you end up spending money on plants…
Introduction Now envision this: stepping into your backyard or onto a balcony and picking the basil for tonight’s pasta. You scoop up a handful of cherry tomatoes that have nothing to do with the tasteless ones from the supermarket. Every time that your neighbors walk by, they compliment you on…
Introduction: The Journey of Your Garden Begins Now You don’t have to be a green thumb or have years of experience to get started with home gardening. Whether you are working in a large yard or have a small balcony, plants and fresh food can make your table inside and…
Introduction The thought of growing your own vegetables and herbs sounds wonderful, but then you remember that insane schedule. Who has hours to spend watering plants and pulling weeds in between work meetings, family time and trying to fit in a workout? The good news is, home gardening no longer…
Why Quick-Growing Plants Are Ideal for Home Gardeners The business of starting a garden can seem daunting, especially if you are new to growing plants. You may be concerned you don’t have the right skills, there isn’t enough time, or that you aren’t willing to be patient for months to…
The Foundation of Every Successful Garden Walk through a neighborhood in summer. Some yards burst with colorful flowers and heavy vegetable plants. Others have brown patches, wilted stems, and empty spots where plants gave up. What’s the difference? It’s not luck or a “green thumb.” It’s following basic rules that…
Skip the Long Learning Curve People will tell you to be patient when gardening. “Wait for the soils to get better.” “Give plants time to establish.” “Results take years.” If you have infinite patience, that’s fine. But what if you don’t want to see progress next year — but this…
The Costly Secret of Shame No One Tells You About Sarah purchased plants, soil and containers for her initial garden to the tune of $200. Three months later, everything was gone. She did what thousands of inexperienced gardeners do each spring. She committed the same five mistakes that consign novice…
You Don’t Need a Shed Full of Gear to Get Started Step into any garden center and you feel intimidated. There are hundreds of tools on the shelves. They all claim to make gardening simpler. The salesperson is telling you that you need all of them. Here’s the truth: you…
