Popular Posts Archives • Simply Smart Gardening

Living Mulch: Powerful Organic Weed Control for Your Garden [Examples, Benefits & Tips]

Is there anything more frustrating than spending an entire weekend weeding your garden to watch new weeds sprout up a few days later?

Growing a living mulch is a low-maintenance solution that can help keep those pesky weeds at bay.

Living mulches cover bare soil and act as a natural, organic weed control.

They also have extra benefits, like attracting beneficial insects to your garden. And when you grow a living mulch, there’s no need to top off your mulch every year.

So if you’re looking for an easy way to keep your garden looking great and weed-free, it’s time to try living mulch!

Corn Gluten Meal for Weeds: Is it an Effective Weed Killer?

Looking for natural or organic ways to control pesky weeds in your garden?

If so, you may be wondering if corn gluten can help.

Companies that sell organic weedkillers market corn gluten meal as a natural and safe pre-emergent herbicide.

Some gardeners swear by it. While others say it doesn’t work at all.

So, what’s the truth? Does corn gluten control weeds?

Keep reading to find out whether it’s effective for controlling weeds in your garden.

21 Best Free Seed Catalogs in 2023 [Vegetable + Flower Seed]

Nothing helps cure a gardener’s cabin fever like a thick stack of seed catalogs.
As you page through each one, your garden springs to life in your mind’s eye … green shoots poking up through the soil, seedlings soaking up the sun, juicy tomatoes, ripe and ready for backyard dinners. There’s a lot to look forward to in your garden this year, and it all starts with a few good seed catalogs. But how do you know which ones are right for you?

Rainpoint Sprinkler Timer With WiFi Hub: Honest, Helpful Review of This Smart Water Timer

Looking for a quality water timer you can control from anywhere with just a few taps on your smartphone or a quick command to Alexa?

In this article, I’ll be reviewing RainPoint’s 2-zone water timer with wifi.

This wireless device has everything you need to control and automate your hose-connected sprinklers: wifi sync, the ability to adjust watering schedules based on local weather conditions, and an intuitive user interface.

Low Maintenance Gardening

gardening venn diagram of gardening happiness

You want a beautiful garden, but you don’t want to spend all your free time pulling weeds, dragging your hose around from plant to plant, or drowning Japanese beetles in soapy water to keep them off your roses.
Maybe you’re busy with work, a family, and piles of laundry, or you’re getting older and slowing down a bit, or perhaps you just want to join the lazy gardeners’ club.

What to Plant in July: A Helpful Growing Guide

It’s hard to believe that July is already here. It means lots of weeding, watering, and plenty of breaks in the shade with a refreshing ice-cold drink (hint: these are best garnished with homegrown herbs). If you’re anything like me you’ve wondered what you can safely plant in July.
Well, I’ve done all the research and have got you covered with a list of some of the best plants to grow this mont. With a little planning you can harvest armloads of vegetables and enjoy beautiful blooms for the rest of the season! Keep reading for a list of the best plants to grow in July.

July Gardening Tips: How to Grow Your Dream Garden This Year

woman watering her flower garden in July

It’s July, which means it’s hot outside! But it doesn’t matter because the long July days mean I get to spend more time enjoying my garden. Most everything is planted. My flower garden is overflowing with blooms and filled with the faint hum of bees. And I feel as content as a cat curled on a sun-warmed walkway. Or maybe the summer heat has fried my brain and made me delusional… Whatever the case, July is probably my favorite month of the gardening season. And while there’s a lot to enjoy, there’s also a lot to do this month. But it can be hard to know where to start… That’s why I’ve put together this handy guide to July gardening.

June Gardening Tips: How to Grow Your Dream Garden This Year

June is a busy month for gardeners.
There’s so much to do in the garden, from planting vegetables and flowers to weeding and watering. It can be tough to know where to start… That’s why I’ve put together this handy guide to what you should do in your garden this month. I cover everything from landscaping and lawn care tips to how to harvest rhubarb! Keep reading for my top tips on how to make the most of your time in your garden this June…

What to Plant in June: The Best Planting Ideas + Helpful Tips

With the warmer weather and longer days, June is the perfect month to get out in the garden.
And it’s not too late to plant!
But it can be tough to know what to plant in your garden this time of year. You want to plant the right things at the right time…
And there’s a lot more to it than transplanting tomatoes this month!
So let’s look at some of the best flowers, vegetables, and herbs to plant in June.

Best Seed Starting Setup: Simple DIY Guide Makes it Easy!

seed starting equipment and supplies on a table

Every year I get the same questions from gardeners who want to start plants from seed – What’s the best soil to use? What are the best containers for starting seed indoors? What are the best grow lights? And I’m not surprised… If you’ve never started seeds indoors before or had trouble in the past, choosing the best supplies and equipment can feel intimidating. To answer those questions (and more), I’ve created a list of my favorite seed starting essentials that’ll help you get your seedlings off to a good start this year.