Section №01 ·The garden index

Gardens

Grow food in your backyard, no matter how small. Raised beds, vegetables, fruit trees, and layout ideas.

13 field guides

Gloved hands working garden soil with a hand fork and trowel
№ 01 ·Gardens

Best Garden Hand Tools for Small Properties

Best garden hand tools for small properties. Trowels, hori-hori knives, pruners, weeders, gloves, and transplanters compared.

By Tom Bennett · Jun 2 →

Metal watering can resting in a wooden raised garden bed
№ 02 ·Gardens

Best Raised Bed Kits for Backyard Gardens

The best raised bed kits compared. Metal, cedar, fabric, and vertical options for every budget and yard size.

By Sam Garrett · May 22 →

Two gardeners pulling a garden dump cart loaded with soil
№ 03 ·Gardens

Best Garden Carts and Wheelbarrows

Best garden carts and wheelbarrows compared. Dump carts, flatbeds, wheelbarrows, and folding wagons for every yard.

By Tom Bennett · May 15 →

Drip irrigation line running along rows of young seedlings
№ 04 ·Gardens

Best Drip Irrigation Kits for Raised Beds

Best drip irrigation kits for raised beds. Complete systems with timers, soaker hoses, and budget options compared.

By Tom Bennett · May 12 →

How to Start a Backyard Food Garden
№ 05 ·Gardens

How to Start a Backyard Food Garden

Everything a total beginner needs to know to start growing food at home

Beginner Low to Moderate

By Sam Garrett · Apr 21 →

A gloved hand picking ripe cherry tomatoes from the vine
№ 06 ·Gardens

How Many Raised Beds Does a Family of 3 Need?

The actual math on raised bed count for feeding a family of three

Beginner Moderate to High

By Sam Garrett · Apr 9 →

How to Plan a Garden on 1/8 Acre
№ 07 ·Gardens

How to Plan a Garden on 1/8 Acre

Turn a small suburban lot into a productive food garden with smart layout planning

Beginner Moderate

By Sam Garrett · Feb 19 →

A green cucumber hanging from a vine with leaves and a yellow flower
№ 08 ·Gardens

Best Vegetables for Small Gardens

Ranked list of vegetables that produce the most food in the least space

Beginner Low

By Sam Garrett · Jan 15 →

Best Fruit Trees for Small Yards
№ 09 ·Gardens

Best Fruit Trees for Small Yards

Dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees that fit in tight spaces and actually produce

Intermediate Low

By Sam Garrett · Dec 18 →

Galvanized metal raised bed planted with strawberries and cabbage
№ 10 ·Gardens

Are Metal Raised Garden Beds Safe? Do They Get Too Hot?

Whether galvanized and metal raised beds are safe for food, and whether they overheat your plants, with the actual science and simple mitigations.

By Sam Garrett · Jun 16 →

A basket of freshly picked red tomatoes and yellow bell peppers
№ 11 ·Gardens

Are Raised Garden Beds Worth It? An Honest Look for Small Yards

Honest ROI on raised beds for a normal suburban yard, not a homestead. When they pay off and when in-ground wins.

By Sam Garrett · Jun 3 →

A gardener setting lettuce seedlings into prepared garden soil
№ 12 ·Gardens

How Deep Should a Raised Garden Bed Be? A Depth Guide by Vegetable

Most vegetables need 10-12 inches of soil, but herbs want less and root crops want more. Here is the depth-by-crop chart, plus how to fill less.

By Sam Garrett · Jun 3 →

A hand trowel lying in freshly turned dark soil
№ 13 ·Gardens

How to Fill a Raised Garden Bed Cheaply (What to Put in the Bottom)

Fill the bottom of a deep raised bed with free organic material and buy quality soil only for the top growing zone. Here is exactly how.

By Sam Garrett · Jun 3 →