Why this site exists
You’ve dug a hole in the wrong season, or the soil won’t hold the roots, or the seedling you planted last spring is now a stub with no sign of life. The instructions online are either too vague or assume you’re already an expert.
This site exists to fill that gap. Every tip here comes from real soil, real seasons, and real mistakes—no shortcuts, no guesswork. If it hasn’t grown in my garden (or someone else’s, with proof), it isn’t here.
Who writes this site
Milton Lattimore runs the site.
Do you test everything yourself?
Mostly. If I can’t dig it, I send it to someone who can—and they have to prove it. No photos from 2012 of ‘someone else’s garden’ count as proof.
What’s the worst mistake you’ve made?
Planting a full sun garden under a maple tree. The roots stole all the water, and by July, half the seedlings were already wilting. I learned the hard way.
Why isn’t common plant here?
Either it’s invasive where I live, I’ve never seen it thrive, or someone else has already written the definitive guide—and I won’t duplicate it.
The only tool I use more than my trowel is a notebook full of scribbled soil pH tests and failed experiments. Some pages are stained with compost tea.
How a planting guide is built
It starts with a question: *What actually grows here?* Not what a catalog says, not what a neighbor swore by, but what pushes through the soil in my patch of Pennsylvania clay.
The first dig
I plant three of everything—one in full sun, one in partial shade, and one where the instructions say it *should* go. If two of them die, the tip gets rewritten. If all three survive, I note why.
The second season
The real work happens when I adjust. Too much water? Deeper holes. Wrong soil? A bucket of compost. If it still fails, I ask someone else to try it—and if they fail too, it’s not getting a guide.
What we will not do
We won’t tell you to plant things that don’t belong in your climate. We won’t ignore soil tests. We won’t pretend a ‘foolproof’ method exists—especially not for beginners.
Things you will never find here
- Generic ‘best plants for beginners’ lists without local adjustments.
- Photos of plants that aren’t labeled by variety or growing conditions.
- Claims about ‘organic’ or ‘heirloom’ without proof of where they came from.
- Recipes for soil amendments that sound like magic potions.
Where to start
Begin with the *Soil First* section—it’s the foundation. If your dirt isn’t right, nothing else matters. Then pick a plant and check the *Seasonal Truths* for your zone. If you can’t find what you need, the *Troubleshooting* page has the most common fixes.
Say hello
I like hearing about plants that surprised you—or the ones that didn’t. Send a photo, a soil test result, or just a question about what’s in your garden. The contact page has the details.
The guides are grouped by category: Advice, Aphids, Blooming, Companion Plants, Flowers and How To.