Randy Sarafan is the Technology Editor at Instructables, so you know when he tackles a problem like keeping tabs on properly watering house plants, he's going to do it in enviable DIY fashion. Randy teamed his DIY skills with a soil sensor and an Arduino-controlled water pump to build himself a black thumb-proof plant watering system! More

This is it, the moment you have been working toward all year long. Mites, bears, stings, sticky hands, and hours of sweating in your bee suit--all of these challenges will seem trivial as you grasp the handle of the extractor, give it a good spin and watch your first batch of honey begin to flow from the spout. How sweet it is indeed. More

Dahlia season is here! I'll probably have lots more to say about these spicy beauties soon, but today I just had to show you this overachiever: a nearly perfect dahlia sphere. Any flower that's this excited to be in bloom is my kind of flower.. More

While visiting a friend in Minneapolis over the weekend, I came across an article in the Star Tribune about the resurgence of American made products. It was in this article that I learned about Jordan, Minnesota-based outdoor furniture manufacturer By the Yard. More

Summer can be an overwhelming time in the garden, with both flowers & weeds running riot, and edibles and herbs demanding to be harvested, eaten, and preserved. But a garden waits for no one, and there's always looking-ahead to be done. After a vigorous weeding session, sip an Arnold Palmer, peruse a bulb catalogue, and start dreaming of next year… More

Along with the heat wave that's been beating down most of the country, we've also been experiencing a dry spell. If you're anything like me, you're struggling to find good ways to keep your garden alive without using too much water. Here's one super easy tip that I just learned: More

A biodegradable solution that also lets you recycle! More

As gardens come into their full summer blooming glory there is such a temptation to bring that beauty inside. Roanne Robbins is one of New England's rising floristry stars and she recently shared a few tips for cutting flowers in your garden and prepping them for arrangement in the latest issue of Leaf Magazine. So once you have them cut and prepared - then what? I asked her to share a few tips with me for actually arranging them like a pro. More

Fireworks displays come around just once a year (except for whenever the Giants win, or the Golden Gate Bridge turns 75, or whenever your rowdy neighbors feel like it), but the fun of fireworks can continue in your garden all summer long, and even into the fall. Firework-esque flowers are festive, much quieter than actual fireworks, and don't freak out your dogs… More

Ever since sprucing up our evolving outdoor space last summer, we've been trying to find the best ground cover to fill in the cracks between our blue stone patio. Having spent an inordinate amount of money on this seemingly simple space, I thought I would share what I've learned and what I wish I hadn't. More