Community Gardening: Web & Mobile
A guide to community gardening resources in the Boston Public Library and online
Mayor's Garden Contest
- Mayor's Garden ContestA Citywide contest to recognize gardeners who have helped to beautify the city with their plantings. Community gardens are eligible to enter.
Farmers' Markets
- Farmers' MarketsFind a farmers' market close to you.
Storing, Canning & Preserving
- Food in JarsFull-time food writer and canning teacher, Marisa McClellan, shares her ideas on canning in general, and canning jars in particular, on this popular blog.
- National Center for Home Food PreservationThe National Center for Home Food Preservation offers research-based recommendations on all aspects of food preservation including canning, freezing, drying, curing & smoking, fermenting, pickling, jam & jelly making, and storing. The Center has how-to guides, lesson plans for teaching youth how to preserve, a free online course on home canning and preservation, and connects you to a rich collection of university and governmental publications on food preserving.
- Safe Home Food Preservation MethodsPenn State Extension's "Let's Preserve" fact sheets provide detailed instructions for processing a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Vegetable Harvest and StorageTips on harvesting and storing your vegetables from the University of Missouri Extension.
Gardening Tips and Advice
- Birds & BloomsA magazine that combines birding and gardening. They have a top-ten section that should appeal to novice gardeners as it covers topics such as the top 10 best tomatoes to grow, the top 10 easiest-to-grow vegetables, and more.
- Brooklyn Botanic GardenBrooklyn Botanic Garden is an urban botanic garden that seeks to connect people and plants throough displays, educational programs, and research. The Garden publishes an award-winning series of handbooks on all aspects of gardening and their online gardening section includes articles on a wide range of topics including urban gardening, composting, sustainability, herb gardening, and more.
- Cornell University - Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at HomeFrom soil selection to disease and pest management, this guide tells you all you need to know to grow and harvest top-quality fruit.
- Cornell University - Vegetable Growing GuidesA guide to growing 58 garden vegetables, with descriptions, varieties available, growing instructions, and more.
- Garden GuidesRead articles on growing a wide variety of plants, garden design, how to handle pests and diseases, and more.
- Garden Water CalculatorThis garden water calculator will tell you how much rain has fallen in your area over the last 7 days, and calculate how much additional watering your lawn or garden needs.
- Massachusetts Prohibited Plant ListThe importation, sale, and trade of plants on this list is prohibited.
- Mother Earth NewsMother Earth News is a popular sustainable-lifestyle magazine. The website has a crop-by-crop guide to growing vegetables and fruits organically, articles on topics such as companion planting and vertical gardening, and a variety of blogs and mobile apps to help you with your gardening needs.
- National Gardening AssociationThe National Gardening Association promotes home, school, and community gardening. They provide plant guides, how-to videos, weed and pest control libraries, and more.
- New York Botanical Garden - Home Gardening CenterFind gardening tips, answers to FAQs, a gardening calendar for each season, how-to videos, and links to detailed gardening guides.
- USDA National Invasive Species Information Center - MassachusettsThis USDA site provides links to Massachusetts resources dealing with invasive species.
- USDA Plant DatabaseAn extensive plant database that provides detailed information on the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. You can search by state for lists of plants that are threatened and endangered, or are introduced, invasive and noxious.
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone MapUpdated in 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map is used by gardeners and growers to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in their area
- Vegetable GardenerYou can read articles on a variety of gardening topics, watch how-to videos, join an online gardening community, and more on VegetableGardener.com. VegetableGardener.com is part of the Taunton Home & Garden Network.
Watch the video below as the New York Botanical Garden's Sonia Uyterhoven explains how to get a jump start on the planting season by starting your seeds indoors.
- Seed Savers ExchangeSeed Savers Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.
- Seed Starting IndoorsA UMass Extension guide to getting an early start on the gardening season by starting seeds indoor, with a section on caring for your seedlings.
- Starting Plants Indoors From SeedsA comprehensive guide to starting vegetable and flower seeds in the home from the University of Missouri Extension.
Produced by Cornell Waster Management Institute, the video below explains composting, what problems can occur, and how to solve them.
- Cornell Waste Management Institute - CompostingAn extensive resource that covers large and small scale composting, including composting with worms.
- Environmental Protection Agency - CompostingThis site explains the science behind composting and lists common compostable materials.
- How to Build a Compost BinA University of Missouri Extension guide.
- Making and Using CompostA comprehensive guide from the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension that explains how and why to compost, various composting methods, and how to diagnose problems.
- Composting Tips From the Home Garden CenterA guide to composting from New York Botanical Garden.
The TED-Ed video below explains vermicomposting, and its benefits, from both an environmental and economic point of view.
- Composting with RedwormsA brief guide from Washington State University Whatcom County Extension, with a good FAQs section that should appeal to parents.
- Vermicomposting: Composting & WormsA basic guide from the University of Nebraska LIncoln Extension explaining the type of container to use, bedding required, species of worm, appropriate foods, and how to harvest and use the compost.
- Vermicomposting: The BasicsA detailed guide to all aspects of vermicomposting from ATTRA: The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
- Environmental Soil Issues: Garden Use of Treated LumberPenn State Extension guide to using treated lumber for garden structures.
- Raised-Bed GardeningDiscusses the different types of raised beds, their construction and maintenance, and the advantages of raised-bed gardening. A guide developed by the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension.
- Raised Bed GardensA University of Minnesota Extension guide to using raised beds in the garden.
- Building and Using Hotbeds and ColdframesA detailed, how-to guide from the University of Missouri Extension.
- Community Garden Guide Season Extension - Hoop HousesThis publication by the USDA: Natural Resources Conservation Service describes how to build and manage a hoop house, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages.
- Extending the SeasonA brief guide, from Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Department of Horticulture, to using tents, tunnels, cold frames, and cloches to extend your growing season.
- Garden Know-How: Extend Your Growing SeasonAn article on how to extend your growing season from Mother Earth News.
- Season ExtendersA brief guide to season extenders from UMass Extension.
- 16 Plants That Repel Unwanted InsectsThis article from Mother Nature Network lists 12 plants that can prove unattractive to some insects and explains the reasons why.
- Bird Protection for Blueberries and Other FruitTips from UMass Extension on how to prevent damage to your fruit using net frames, grape-flavored Kool-Aid, and table sugar.
- Caterpillars in Your Yard & GardenA detailed guide to caterpillar species by the University of Missouri Extension. Part of a series on Integrated Pest Management.
- Cornell University Fruit Berry Diagnostic ToolYou can use this tool to diagnose problems with your strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, currant, and gooseberry crops.
- Cornell University Insect Diagnostic LaboratoryCornell University Extension provides detailed fact sheets on insects that can be accessed either alphabetically or by topic.
- Cornell University - Vegetable MD OnlineThis comprehensive guide, from Cornell University Department of Plant Pathology, includes disease fact sheets by crop, a diagnostic key, lists of disease-resistant varieties, and more.
- Disease Prevention in Home Vegetables GardensThis fact sheet from the University of Missouri explains the different factors that can lead to disease in your vegetable garden and explains how to combat them.
- 10 Easy Steps to Preventing Common Garden DiseasesStop garden disease problems before they start with this best-practices guide from the University of New Hampshire Extension Service.
- Managing Rats in City GardensA Brooklyn Botanic Garden article on managing rats in urban gardens that explain rat behavior, and suggests ways to reduce their presence in the garden.
- Northeast Vegetables and Strawberries Pest Identification GuideA detailed identification guide to the weeds, insects, and diseases that can affect vegetables and strawberries in the northeast produced by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
- OMRI - Organic Materials Review InstituteOMRI is a nonprofit organization that provides independent reviews of products that require organic certification. Products that pass their review appear on the OMRI Products List.
- Plant Disease Identification and ControlA collection of fact sheets from Penn State Extension on common diseases of plants.
- UMass Extension - Massachusetts Freeze/Frost Occurrence DataFind out when it is safe to start planting outdoors in your area.
- What's Eating My Vegetables?A brief guide from UMass Extension that describes the signs and symptoms of insect and wildlife plant damage and provides guidance on how to manage the problem.
Online Gardening Resources & Mobile Apps
The Cooperative Extension System is a collaborative program in which land-grant universities and colleges, with the support of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), bring research-based information to both rural and urban communities. The program covers a broad range of subjects including farming, horticulture, sustainability, the environment, food and nutrition, and more.
The Cooperative Extension websites are a rich source of regional gardening information for both the home gardener and the horticulture industry, including what plants to grow, when to plant, freeze/frost data, and more. Services offered include soil testing and pest and plant disease identification. Publications, and how-to videos, on many gardening-related topics such as composting, soil, building garden structures, and more are made available online.
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension - Cornell Garden-Based LearningResources for gardeners and educators from Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Department of Horticulture. Provides basic gardening guides, information on soil and composting, and guidance on dealing with problem insects and plant diseases.
- Penn State University Extension - Home Lawn And GardenGardening advice and tips for home gardeners from Penn State University Extension.
- UMass Extension - Home Lawn & GardenProvides fact sheets on fruit, flower and vegetable gardening; information on trees, shrubs, and lawns; tips on handling nuisance pests and wildlife; soil testing, tick testing, and plant problem diagnostic services; and links to outside organizations that can help with your gardening questions.
- University of Illinois Extension - Hort CornerThe University of Illinois Extension's horticultural advisory section.
- University of Minnesota Extension - Yard and GardenA guide to all aspects of gardening. Has a section for diagnosing gardening problems such as identifying insects, weeds, and plant diseases.
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Cooperative Extension ProgramsLocate Extension offices in each US state and territory.
Thanks to online gardening communities you can get all the gardening advice you need without setting foot outside your door. You can use online gardening blogs and forums, and sites such as Facebook and Twitter, to connect with other gardeners and satisfying your gardening needs. Check out the sites below and see if you can find a favorite.
- Ecosystem GardeningGardening from an environmental perspective.
- Garden Rant: Uprooting the Gardening WorldA team blog that posts on an eclectic mix of gardening topics.
- GardenWebThis extensive online gardening community site has forums on a multiplicity of gardening topics including Community Gardens, New England Gardening, Organic Gardening, and more.
- Urban Organic GardenerBrooklyn native, Mike Lieberman, grows food organically in the city.
- Evernote (free)You can use the Evernote app to keep a gardening journal. You can keep a spreadsheet of plants used, take notes, store photographs and relevant web articles, and more. Follow the links on the Evernote site to the App Store or Google Play to download the app. The basic account is free and lets you use all the core functions, but if you want to have access to all the features you will need to upgrade to a premium account.
- Garden Compass Plant/Disease Identifier (free)Use this app to take a picture of a plant/disease you need identified and email it to the Garden Compass team of experts for identification. If needed, the team will also make suggestions on how to handle the problem. The app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.
- Grow Your Own (free)The free version of this Royal Horticultural Society app covers 39 popular fruits and vegetables. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
- ID Weeds (free)A free app from the University of Missouri Extension. The app has information on over 430 weeds with an emphasis on those common in Missouri. Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. To download this app, follow the links on the University of Missouri site to either Google Play or the Apple App Store.
- When to Plant ($1.99)The When to Plant app, by Mother Earth News, uses your zip code, and the data from over 5,000 weather stations across the United States, to let you know the best time to start seed, and direct sow and transplant vegetables, fruit, herbs, and more. To download this app, follow the links on the Mother Earth News site to Google Play or the Apple App Store.