Gardening Resources
Guides, tips, and frequently asked questions
📚 Quick Gardening Guides
Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening
New to gardening? Start by finding your USDA hardiness zone and last frost date. Choose easy vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, and beans for your first garden. Start small with a 4x4 foot bed and expand as you gain confidence.
- Use our Zone Finder to determine your growing zone
- Check Frost Dates to plan your planting schedule
- Try the Spacing Calculator to maximize your garden bed
Understanding Companion Planting
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together for mutual benefit. Some plants help repel pests, improve soil nutrients, or provide shade for heat-sensitive crops.
- Tomatoes + Basil: Basil repels aphids and improves tomato flavor
- Carrots + Onions: Onions deter carrot flies
- Beans + Corn: Beans fix nitrogen, corn provides climbing support
Common Plant Problems & Solutions
Most plant problems fall into three categories: pests, diseases, or environmental stress. Early identification is key to successful treatment.
- Yellow leaves: Often indicates overwatering or nitrogen deficiency
- Wilting plants: Check soil moisture - could be under or overwatering
- Holes in leaves: Look for caterpillars, slugs, or beetles
Seasonal Gardening Tips
Each season brings unique gardening opportunities and challenges. Adjust your gardening activities based on your local climate and growing zone.
- Spring: Start seeds indoors, prepare garden beds, plant cool-season crops
- Summer: Water deeply, mulch to retain moisture, harvest regularly
- Fall: Plant fall vegetables, collect seeds, prepare for winter
- Winter: Plan next year's garden, maintain tools, grow microgreens indoors
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is AI plant identification?
Our AI plant identifier uses advanced vision models and is generally very accurate for common plants with clear photos. For best results, photograph leaves, flowers, or distinctive features in good lighting. However, AI identification should not replace professional advice for medical, safety, or critical plant identification needs.
What is a USDA hardiness zone?
USDA hardiness zones divide North America into regions based on average annual minimum winter temperatures. Knowing your zone (1-13, with a/b subdivisions) helps you choose plants that will survive winter in your area. Use our Zone Finder tool to look up your zone by zip code.
When should I start seeds indoors vs. direct sow?
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date for warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers. Direct sow cold-hardy vegetables like peas, carrots, and lettuce as soon as the soil can be worked. Check our Planting Calendar for zone-specific timing recommendations.
How do I know if my plant is getting enough water?
Check soil moisture by sticking your finger 1-2 inches deep. Most vegetables need about 1 inch of water per week. Leaves that wilt in the morning indicate underwatering. Yellow leaves and mushy stems suggest overwatering. Mulching helps retain consistent moisture.
Is my data stored on PlantWise servers?
No! All your data (plant identifications, saved zones, bookmarks) is stored locally in your browser using IndexedDB and localStorage. Nothing is sent to our servers except AI image analysis requests. You have full control over your data and can export or delete it anytime from your Saved Collection page.
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