Plant library
Grow guides, plant by plant
Nineteen common garden plants with the same practical detail for each: when to plant, sunlight, soil, watering, spacing, common problems, harvesting and beginner tips.
Showing 19 of 19 plants
Vegetable
Tomatoes
The crop most people start a garden for.
- Full sun — six to eight hours or more. Fruit ripening slows noticeably in part shade.
- 18–24 in (45–60 cm) between plants, with 30–36 in (75–90 cm) between rows so air can move through the foliage.
Vegetable
Peppers
Slow to start, then steady all summer.
- Full sun, six to eight hours, ideally against a warm wall or fence.
- 16–18 in (40–45 cm) apart, or one plant per large pot.
Vegetable
Cucumbers
Fast, thirsty and very productive.
- Full sun, six to eight hours.
- 12–18 in (30–45 cm) apart when trellised; 24–36 in (60–90 cm) for bush types allowed to sprawl.
Vegetable
Lettuce
The quickest way to eat something you grew.
- Four to six hours. Some afternoon shade is helpful in summer heat.
- 6–10 in (15–25 cm) apart for heads; leaf types can be sown more thickly and thinned as you eat.
Vegetable
Carrots
Straight roots come from loose soil.
- Six hours of sun suits them; they tolerate a little less.
- Thin seedlings to about 2 in (5 cm) apart; crowded carrots stay thin.
Vegetable
Green Beans
Reliable, generous and beginner-proof.
- Full sun, six to eight hours.
- 4–6 in (10–15 cm) between plants; pole beans need a sturdy support at least 6 ft (2 m) tall.
Vegetable
Zucchini
One healthy plant can produce generously.
- Full sun, six to eight hours.
- 32–40 in (80–100 cm) apart — the plants get much bigger than the seedling suggests.
Vegetable
Radishes
Sown one weekend, eaten a few weeks later.
- Four to six hours.
- 1–2 in (3–5 cm) apart. Thin early; crowded radishes make leaves instead of roots.
Flower
Sunflowers
Big, fast and hard to get wrong.
- Full sun — they lean toward the brightest side if shaded.
- 12–18 in (30–45 cm) apart, more for very large varieties.
Flower
Marigolds
Compact color that keeps going.
- Full sun.
- 8–10 in (20–25 cm) apart for compact varieties.
Flower
Zinnias
Cut them and they flower more.
- Full sun.
- 10–12 in (25–30 cm) apart for good airflow.
Flower
Cosmos
Airy, generous and happy in poor soil.
- Full sun.
- 12–18 in (30–45 cm) apart.
Flower
Lavender
A woody perennial that hates wet ft.
- Full sun, as much as you can give it.
- 18–24 in (45–60 cm) apart to allow the plant to fill out.
Herb
Basil
Pinch it often and it thrives.
- Six or more hours of sun; a bright, sheltered spot indoors also works.
- 8–12 in (20–30 cm) apart.
Herb
Mint
Vigorous — give it its own pot.
- Four to six hours; mint tolerates part shade better than most herbs.
- Its own container, or a pot sunk into the bed to limit spread.
Herb
Rosemary
Sun, grit, and very little water.
- Six or more hours of full sun.
- 24–36 in (60–90 cm) apart in the ground, as plants become shrubby.
Herb
Thyme
Low, tough and drought-tolerant.
- Six or more hours of sun.
- 10–12 in (25–30 cm) apart; plants spread outward over time.
Herb
Cilantro
Fast, short-lived, best sown in batches.
- Four to six hours; afternoon shade helps in summer.
- 6–8 in (15–20 cm) apart, or sow thickly and cut as young leaves.
Herb
Parsley
Slow to start, then reliable for months.
- Four to six hours.
- 8–10 in (20–25 cm) apart.
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