True Leaf Market Knowledge Center

Top 10 Annual Flowers For Container Gardens From Seed

Written By Lara Wadsworth Container gardens are an easy, affordable way to add vibrant color and beauty to patios, balconies, entryways, or windowsills. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned green thumb, these annual flowers are perfect for creating ...

Ashleigh Smith

May 6

8 min read

May Planting Guide By Zone

Written By Lara Wadsworth May is a fantastic time to get your hands dirty and start planting, no matter where you live! With warmer, but still mild temperatures, and longer days, gardens everywhere are bursting with potential. But exactly what is best ...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 29

13 min read

Living on the Edge: 10+ Edible Plants for Landscape Borders

Written By Lara Wadsworth Why settle for pretty when your garden and landscape borders can be tasty too? If you’ve ever met me, you know that I love beautiful plants that are also utilitanian. Plants that feed the soil, feed me, or promote pollinators ...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 23

7 min read

Growing Microgreens at Home: A Beginner's Experience

Written By Lara Wadsworth Microgreens seem to be used at every gourmet restaurant, are being talked about in every health magazine, and are having more and more scientific research released about the purported health benefits of these little plants. Wh...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 15

10 min read

How to Harden Off Seedlings in 5 Easy Steps

Written By Lara Wadsworth Hardening off is the process of gradually exposing your seedlings to new outdoor conditions to help them adjust without experiencing transplant shock. This is when a seedling becomes delayed, stunted, or even dies after being ...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 15

6 min read

Questions to Ask Yourself For A Better Garden

Written By Lara Wadsworth Planning a garden each year can feel very daunting. With so many possibilities, it can be challenging to know what to plant and where. But the key to success lies in careful review of the previous year and asking the right que...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 8

7 min read

Why Your Seeds Aren’t Sprouting: Germination Tips and Troubleshooting Guide

Written By Lara Wadsworth Thousands of people every year flock to garden centers nationwide to buy young seedling plugs. While it is incredibly convenient to buy seedlings ready to be planted in the garden, starting seeds at home has some significant a...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 2

14 min read

Fight Rising Grocery Prices with Victory Gardens

Throughout history, we have seen many reasons for failures in the supply chain when producing and shipping food crops. At the forefront of these historical losses, we have seen pest and disease outbreaks, weather fluctuations, poor growing practices, l...

Ashleigh Smith

Apr 2

8 min read

April Planting Guide by Zone

Written By Lara Wadsworth They say that April showers bring May flowers. I say that April seed sowing brings September harvesting! It's not quite as quippy, but it's still true. For much of the country, April is just the beginning of gardening season, ...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 24

13 min read

How to Improve Soil Drainage

Written By Lara Wadsworth Proper soil drainage is a major part of a successful garden. When the soil retains too much water and becomes soggy for long periods of time, it can cause problems with plant health, inhibit root growth, and increase the chanc...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 20

7 min read

How to Change the pH of Your Soil

Written By Lara Wadsworth Soil pH is an important and frequently overlooked factor in gardening and agriculture. It dramatically impacts plant health and can be the difference between a thriving ecosystem and a garden with plenty of room for improvemen...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 20

6 min read

Understanding Soil Texture and Common Soil Problems

Written By Lara Wadsworth Gardening can be likened to cooking. Your plants need the right ingredients in order to achieve success. Your garden soil is the foundation of your plant's health and success, so it's essential to get it just right. One of the...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 18

8 min read

How to Compost Without Attracting Animals

Written By Lara Wadsworth Many gardeners are completely deterred from composting due to critter attraction. This is a major problem for many urban, suburban, and rural residents. The reality is that there are animals everywhere, and if you are putting ...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 18

6 min read

Understanding the Essentials of Soil Composition

Written By Lara Wadsworth Understanding the composition of your soil is key to understanding your garden and succeeding as a grower. The best soils for growing nearly any plant are loamy soils. Loam is a balanced mix of sand, silt, and clay, which is c...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 11

8 min read

A Beginner’s Guide to Soil Amendments

Written By Lara Wadsworth Whether you are a true gardening beginner or only just getting into soil science, amendments can be a daunting subject. Soil amendments are seemingly magical ingredients that can transform your soil, leading to healthier plant...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 10

9 min read

Women in Agriculture

March is recognized as Women’s Month, with March 8th, 2025, also being recognized as International Women’s Day. To celebrate, we wanted to highlight some key contributions made to the fields of Agriculture and Horticulture by notable women. While women...

Ashleigh Smith

Mar 3

8 min read

The Beauty of Regional Wildflowers

Written By Lara Wadsworth What goes through your head when you see a wildflower? Probably something about how beautiful and amazing it is, right? While wildflowers are impressive earthly adornments, their significance extends far beyond beauty. Flowers...

Ashleigh Smith

Feb 27

8 min read

March Planting Guide By Zone

Written By Lara Wadsworth March is the month that most people equate to spring, or at least the promise of spring. Temperatures are steadily warming up (whatever that means for you), and while the northern zones are likely to experience lots of cold an...

Ashleigh Smith

Feb 25

11 min read

February Planting Guide by Zone

Written By Lara Wadsworth My least favorite month of the year is February. As I am writing this, we are deep into it. What I love least about it is that we have already endured a long winter season, and yet it is far from over. I live in Southwest Mich...

Ashleigh Smith

Feb 18

11 min read

Sprout Out Loud: My First Bite-Sized Harvest

Written By Lara Wadsworth As a writer here at True Leaf Market, I am frequently researching and writing about a wide range of seeds and growing techniques. I learn about the health benefits of all sorts of plants as well as how to grow them. However, s...

Ashleigh Smith

Feb 10

4 min read