Mary Helen Dyer 
The varied climate in plant hardiness zone 6 offers many benefits for gardeners. Winters are cold but not punishing, summers are hot but not scorching, and the growing season is long enough to support a number of gorgeous perennials.
When it comes to garden pests, an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Healthy plants that have been adequately fed and watered can generally tolerate a few bugs without any trouble.
If your yard is on the small side and you don’t have a lot of square footage, it’s still possible to have a beautiful small space garden. With a little creativity, you can make the most of a small space, even if it consists of a postage stamp yard, a front step, or a tiny apartment balcony.
Years ago, the Farm Equipment Association of Minnesota and South Dakota was quoted as saying, “Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a 6-inch layer of topsoil.” It makes perfect sense because this critical half-foot of dirt is where plants access moisture and nutrients.
Organic pest control relies primarily on the use of preventive measures such as maintaining healthy soil, reducing habitats that attract pests, and improving conditions for beneficial insects.
If you’re a gardener in USDA plant hardiness zone 7, consider yourself lucky. Selecting plants is a whole lot easier where winters are relatively mild, summers are pleasantly warm, and the growing season is long.
Northern climates offer a particular and unique beauty, but the cold winters and short growing seasons present a challenge for gardeners. If you’re a zone 4 gardener, don’t be dismayed; you can select from many beautiful, super-hardy perennials that can tolerate your climate with style and grace.
Seed-starting isn’t difficult as you may think, and it’s a lot of fun to plant flower and vegetables you have grown. There are several things you can do to ensure your seeds will germinate and grow to maturity.
There’s no doubt that winters with bone-chilling, sub-zero temperatures are challenging, but if you’re a zone 5 gardener, you definitely aren’t alone. A fairly substantial chunk of the United States falls into zone 5, including parts of states as diverse as Alaska, Oregon, New York, Minnesota, and California.
Garden planting zones provide valuable information about what plants are appropriate for your region. Although garden zones aren’t set in stone, the helpful guidelines prevent guesswork at the garden store, saving gardeners from a world of frustration and disappointment when perennials don’t survive winter temperatures.
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