Growing vegetables can be done very simply with minimal effort, or very elaborately with advance planning and many tasks involved. However you want to approach it, growing your own produce is eminently satisfying, providing fresh food you can harvest directly to your table. Home growing can also save money, especially if you grow from seed. There are many approaches to growing vegetables outside, and a range of methods suitable to different conditions including sunlight exposure, soil, budget, and available space. Consider the amount of time, money, and effort you want to expend. Whether you have acres of land, a tiny balcony, or something in between, we've gathered the best vegetable garden ideas for you to gain inspiration from. Let Vining Plants Climb Growing vining plants in the vegetable garden is a great way to create a dynamic design by incorporating vertical supports. You can use either existing structures (like fences) or create your own (using bamboo stakes or trellises). This can be done with many kinds of plants including beans, peas, cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, and miniature melons. Lay Gravel Paths Around Raised Beds If you have permanent raised bed structures, creating an easy-maintenance walkway around them makes work easier and also keeps the garden area looking neat. You can use mulch, but this needs replenishing each year and can get muddy when watering. Gravel is a great choice for a clean-looking path with excellent drainage. Gather Eclectic Containers There's no need to build angular beds, dig parallel rows, or buy a dozen matching containers to plant your vegetable garden. As long as you have containers with good drainage that are the appropriate size for what you're growing, they can be any shape or arrangement you want. You can use old furniture or repurpose old tools like wheelbarrows for a creative assortment of planters. Curate a Cute Balcony Garden A balcony space can be made into a vegetable garden depending on how much room you have. Arrange containers around your seating area to create privacy and add some flower plantings for color and fragrance. Use principles of vertical garden design to make the most of your available space. Arrange Rows by Height to Create Shade To make the most of available sunlight, and create some late afternoon shade for tender greens, plant your rows of vegetables strategically. Let your taller sun-loving veggies like tomatoes and corn get plenty of sun. Arrange stakes for beans and other vining plants to create semi-shady spots for lettuces, kale, and herbs. Before planning your design, spend some time observing how the light falls across your garden space during the growing season. Try Low, Curved Fencing Creating low fences for vegetable beds not only helps contain weeds, but it also makes for an attractive design and makes it easy to lay down mulch or straw for paths. Many kinds of materials can work for this, but flexible willow fencing has a great rustic look and is long-lasting. If you have woodland areas on your property, you can also use young tree saplings or fallen limbs to create your own fencing. Create a Simple Square Foot Garden Square foot gardening is a method designed by an urban planner for organizing your planting in a square raised bed. This method is easy to implement and helps you make very efficient use of space. It's a great approach to gardening in a small yard or on a balcony, but also a good way to create a streamlined design for larger vegetable gardens. Opt for a Low-Maintenance Container Garden Containers are the ultimate way to employ flexibility in your vegetable garden. They can be easily arranged and moved, and stored out of the way for winter. They save a lot of time and effort because it's much easier to plant and weed container plants than a conventional vegetable garden. DIY a Chicken Wire Fence If you want to plant a vegetable garden but need to protect it from wildlife, consider a chicken wire enclosure. This inexpensive material can be wrapped around stakes or poles, or used with wood to build a more elaborate fence design. The openings are small enough to keep out most large rodents like woodchucks and rabbits (two of the most destructive pests).+ Fill a Metal Bed With a Medley of Veggies Ready-made raised garden beds are now a very popular way to grow vegetables. Metal beds are considered a great durable option. From simple kits that snap together to ready-made tubs, usually made of galvanized steel, these beds are easy to clean and come at a range of prices. To plant a mix of vegetables in them, plan to have taller plants in the back (like tomatoes supported with stakes) and smaller ones that might spill over the edge in front, like greens, lettuces, and herbs.

Basil is a beloved herb and an essential ingredient in every season. But is it possible to keep this plant as a perennial and enjoy its tasty leaves year after year? If you live in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11, you could count on sweet basil as a perennial herb. For the rest of the country, it is considered an annual and will not come back the next year. However, with some planning, you can have fresh sweet basil at hand, whether you grow it indoors or ensure it reseeds in your garden. Ahead, learn more about growing basil year-round. Is Basil a Perennial? Sweet basil (Ocimum basiiicum L.), is not a perennial except in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. The same facts apply to other types of basil like Thai basil and spicy cinnamon basil. How to Make the Most of Your Basil Harvest If you want to keep fresh basil on hand year-round, follow these tips to make the most of your basil harvest. Grow basil indoors. If you live in a cool climate, keep basil available by growing it indoors in pots year-round. Protect the basil plants. To extend an outdoor growing season, protect the plants from late or early frosts by using row covers or individual plant protectors. A glass jar or plastic milk container will protect the plants at night but should be removed the next morning. Stagger plantings. If growing basil from seed, stagger the sowing dates so the seeds germinate at least two weeks apart. If using nursery seedlings, purchase and plant about two weeks apart to extend the season. Remove basil flowers. If flowers form on the basil stems, pinch them off immediately. The energy of the plant should go into producing more and larger leaves, not flowers that become seeds. Harvest frequently.Regular removal of basil leaves will encourage the plant to branch out and sprout more leaves throughout the season. Freeze extra leaves. To freeze fresh basil leaves, blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds, pat them dry, and freeze flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store the frozen leaves in airtight containers in the freezer. Dry extra leaves. Use a dehydrator, oven, or microwave to dry basil leaves quickly. Once dry, crumble the leaves and store them in airtight containers. How to Grow Basil Year-Round Unless you live in USDA hardiness zones 10 or 11, you will need to either grow basil indoors or do a combination of outdoor gardening and indoor containers. For outdoor plants, plant seedlings in the ground or containers in the spring once the last chance of frost has passed. You can get a head start on harvesting by starting seeds or seedlings indoors while the weather is still cool. To grow indoors, you can start with seed, seedlings, or stem cuttings. Most indoor basil plants produce for about one year if maintained properly. Indoor basil containers need regular watering and plenty of bright light to thrive. A grow light is a great way to keep basil healthy if you don't have a sunny window. How to Grow Basil as a Perennial Annual basil plants in the garden will often self-sow if you don’t pinch back their flowers. You may be lucky enough to find some new seedlings in the garden in the spring if the weather cooperates. However, not all seeds germinate and the new seedlings will also be annuals. So, you can replant or move to a warmer climate if you'd like to be sure basil continues to come back every year. If you are living in a semi-tropical area, basil seeds can be planted in early spring or fall in moist but well-drained soil. The plants are sensitive to frost and the leaves of many varieties will turn black and drop off the plant when temperatures drop below 40°F. To save seeds from basil, leave the flowers on the plant until they die, allowing the seeds to turn brown and dry. Separate the seed from the seed capsules and store them in a cool place in a well-sealed container to replenish your crop.

Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), is a tall plant with green, sword-like, red-edged leaves. Native to Madagascar, the eye-catching spiky tree is a great entry plant for household gardeners wanting an indoor tree—it's easy to care for, drought-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. This slow-growing tree can take a decade to reach a few feet tall but can eventually grow to about 20 feet. However, it is generally grown as a potted houseplant and kept pruned to 6 feet or less. Keep the dragon tree away from pets because it's toxic to animals if ingested. Dragon Tree Care Dragon trees are very popular as large potted plants for homes and offices. Here are the most important care requirements. Plant in well-draining soil Water regularly during their growing season. Place in bright, indirect light, though they can thrive in a variety of light conditions. Fertilize conservatively at the beginning of spring. Light Place your dragon tree in an area with bright, indirect light. These plants can also survive in partial shade. Keep in mind that plants kept in lower light situations will grow slower and produce smaller leaves with less intense color. Additionally, take care not to place your dragon tree in a spot that receives direct rays of sunlight—its foliage can burn easily.2 Soil Use a loose, well-drained potting mix when growing a dragon tree as a potted plant—loamy soil amended with peat moss is ideal. Make sure the container you choose has room for the plant's extensive root system. Some varieties are imported from Hawaii and will arrive with lava rock—if this is the case, remove about a third of the rock and replace it with potting soil. Water Wait until the top half of the soil is dry before watering a dragon tree, which could take three weeks or more. Like many drought-tolerant plants, the dragon tree can be easily overwatered. Temperature and Humidity Keep your dragon tree in their preferred warmer temperatures of between 70°F and 80°F. Regular household humidity should be fine for them, but if your house is particularly dry, you can consider misting the plant lightly from a spray bottle every few days. Fertilizer Feed a dragon tree lightly at the beginning of spring with a balanced controlled-release liquid fertilizer. Although they have a relatively low need for fertilizer and it is not an essential component to having a thriving plant, it can support new growth. Types of Dragon Tree Although there are several varieties of dragon tree, the most commonly found at plant stores (and used as household plants) include: Dracaena marginata 'Tricolor': This varietal has dark red margins, green leaves, and an ivory stripe down the leaf center. D. marginata 'Colorama': This dragon tree may appear to be completely pink, but it's actually variegated with white and green stripes. It will need very bright light to keep its unique colors. D. marginata 'Bicolor': True to its name, this dragon tree varietal has red and green stripes. Pruning It's perfectly normal for a dragon tree to self-shed dead leaves—just pick them up and discard them. To keep the plant trimmed and neat, remove leaves that look like they are about to fall off or cut back stems with sterile, sharp pruning shears to tidy up the tree. Sterilize your pruning tool with a clean rag doused in a common household item, such as rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, then rinse with water, and wipe the tool dry before using it on your plant. Propagating Dragon Tree You can propagate your dragon tree using stem cuttings rooted in water. It's so easily done that the varietal is often used in dish gardens and readily propagated by nurseries and retailers. It's best to do this in the spring when the plant is growing vigorously. It takes just about three weeks for the cuttings to sprout roots, and using a rooting hormone isn’t necessary. Using a sterile, sharp scissor, cut a long length of stem that's about 8 inches. Remove any low-hanging leaves. Put the cutting in moistened potting soil. Place the cutting in bright, but indirect sunlight. Once new leaves have sprouted, you'll know the plant has grown some new roots, and you can care for the plant as usual. Propagating Tip Looking for the best pruners to propagate your dragon tree? We tested over 25 top-rated pruners in our Lab, and we're sure they work great to take a cutting off your tree. Potting and Repotting Dragon Tree Make sure to check your dragon tree at least once a year to see if it should be repotted into a bigger pot. Check the bottom of the container for roots coming through the drainage holes, which is a sign that the tree is root-bound and in need of a larger container. Choose a new pot with a diameter about 2 inches larger than its current container. Make sure that it has one or more drainage holes. Because these trees grow so slowly, they generally require repotting only every second—or even third—year. In the meantime, you can refresh the potting soil annually to replace any of the mixture that has become compacted. Planters for Dragon Tree Plants When checking your dragon tree plant annually, you'll likely have to size up a planter for repotting. Here are our favorite indoor planters to pick from. To prevent overwatering, you can also go with one of these self-watering planters. Common Pests Although they are fairly disease-resistant, dragon trees are susceptible to scale insects, mealybugs, and thrips.3 Mealybugs are easy to identify as they leave small, sticky, cottony deposits on the leaves of the tree. Dragon tree plants are also at risk of acquiring the common plant pest, spider mites.4 They tend to occur when temperatures are warm and the air is very dry; however, mites are very difficult to see until they have already damaged the plant. Common Problems with Dragon Tree While dragon trees are fairly easy to maintain, there are a few things to watch for. Leaves Falling Off Overwatering can cause the leaves of dragon trees to become yellow and fall off. These trees are sensitive to excessive moisture in their roots. To avoid this, check the soil regularly. If the top 2 inches of soil feel too wet, it's a sign that you may have gone too far with watering. Drooping Leaves If you notice the leaves of your dragon tree drooping, it could be a sign that the plant is thirsty. You should avoid waiting for the plant to dry out completely before watering it. If the lower leaves are drooping significantly more than the rest of the plant, it could be a symptom of root rot. To avoid any problems, also ensure that you are not over-watering the plant. Brown Leaves or Leaf Tips If the soil is too moist or too dry, dragon tree leaves may start to brown. Make sure you're striking the right balance when irrigating. Additionally, lack of humidity can lead to browning tips and eventual leaf loss. Improve humidity by placing the plant on a dish filled with pebbles and water or use a humidifier. If the plant develops brown tips on its leaves, that's usually a sign the water you're using has too much salt or fluoride, which can cause discoloration. Water your dragon tree with distilled or non-fluoridated water to avoid fluoride buildup. Crispy Leaves If you notice that the foliage on your dragon tree is crunchy, it could be a sign that the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight. When exposed to bright light, the leaves can curl and become crispy. Keep the plant in indirect sunlight or partial shade for best results. Yellowing Leaves In some instances, you may notice the leaves of your dragon tree turning yellow, which could be the result of too much direct sun. The leaves can scorch, become discolored, and start to droop.2 Move the plant to a spot receiving more indirect or filtered sun before excess light causes permanent damage. Yellowing leaves could also be a sign the plant needs more or less water. Make sure you strike the right balance.