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Raised Bed Gardening Basics: Soil, Drainage and Design

Raised bed gardening offers a flexible way to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers, especially for gardeners dealing with limited space, poor soil, or mobility concerns. With proper planning, raised beds and containers can support healthy plant growth in a wide range of settings. Continue reading the full article here.

Related Videos:
How to Mix Soil for a Raised Bed: A Simple Guide to the Right Ingredients
Choosing the Right Soil for a Raised Bed Garden
Building Raised Bed

Managing Squirrel Activity in Home Gardens

Peach Tree Borer
Moving a Planted Annual

Best Landscape Flowers for Tennessee

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This Week in the Garden

Zinnia Growing Guide

Zinnias are one of the easiest and most colorful flowers for any garden! Horticulturist Joellen Dimond covers different zinnia varieties from tall 4–5 foot plants to compact dwarf and miniature types, plus why their bright, flat blooms are perfect for attracting butterflies and pollinators. Zinnias are not only beautiful in the garden but also make excellent cut flowers. >>Watch

Garden Notes
Raised Bed Soil Experiment: The Plants are In!

We are testing eight different raised beds soils for three years. The plants for the first year are in the ground. Each section of raised bed has the same plants, a selection of vegetables, annuals and perennials. >>Watch

Gardening in 5-Gallon Buckets

If you don’t have the space or time for an in-ground garden, planting vegetables in five-gallon buckets is a great option. UT Extension County Director Walter Battle shows how to plant a tomato in a five-gallon bucket. Walter recommends using a new bucket. >>Watch

The Q&A Show

Viewers asked, we answered. Garden experts answer real viewer questions covering common plant and landscape issues. Topics include identifying mystery trees, controlling aggressive suckers, houseplant leaf drop, fruit splitting, dying evergreens, fragrant plants for warm climates, and attracting butterflies. Practical advice grounded in horticulture experience for home gardeners dealing with everyday problems. Find the full list of questions here.

Prep Garden Beds for Summer Planting

Preparing a garden bed for a new planting season begins with building a healthy soil foundation. Before introducing new plants, preparing the soil helps ensure they perform at their best. Continue reading the article, and find a list of all the annuals planted in this bed over the years, here.

Setting Up a Bird Feeder

Debbie Bruce from Wild Birds Unlimited shows how to set up a bird feeder on a pole. The pole system she is using allows for two feeders to be hung at the same time. One feeder she loads with bird seed and the other feeder with suet. >>Watch

Refilling and Replanting a Raised Garden Bed

Over time, raised garden beds can lose soil due to settling, erosion, and regular plant turnover. As the soil level drops, plant performance may decline because roots have less space to grow and access nutrients. Refilling a raised bed restores proper soil depth and creates better growing conditions. >>Watch

Planting Strawberries

How to Mix Soil for a Raised Bed

Groundcovers

Choosing the Right Soil for a Raised Bed

Pre-Emergent Herbicides

Cactus Care 101

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Viewer Questions

How do I tell the difference between winter burn and boxwood blight?

Noticing brown leaves on your boxwood and wondering if it’s winter burn or boxwood blight? In this gardening diagnosis guide, we break down how to identify boxwood blight. Learn the key differences between browning from winter burn and boxwood blight >>Watch

How do I keep ants from eating my strawberries?

If ants are “eating” your strawberries, the real issue may not be the ants at all. In most cases, ants are attracted to the sugars after another pest—such as slugs, snails, birds, squirrels, or even voles—has already damaged the fruit. In this video, UT Extension Horticulturist Celeste Scott covers practical solutions for ant control. >>Watch

My bushes are leaning toward the sun. Do I need to straighten them?

Leaning bushes are a symptom of another problem and straightening them won’t provide a permanent solution. UT Extension Horticulturist Celeste Scott lists reasons why plants are leaning, like low light or wind, and what you can do about it.. >>Watch

What is this moldy looking stuff on our trees?

This is lichen. It grows on the bark, but it does not harm the tree or take any nutrients. UT Extension Horticulturist Celeste Scott talks about why it is growing on the trees and recommends not trying to remove it. >>Watch

What is the best way to plant and take care of sunflowers?

Sunflowers are easy to plant and grow. They are not picky. UT Extension Horticulturist Celeste Scott talks about the different methods of planting and gives advice and tips on growing sunflowers in the garden. >>Watch