Most gardeners who grow robust tomato plants with abundant, healthy fruit know the importance of mulching. Applying a layer of mulch around plants can keep the soil cool in summer and warmer in spring ...

Q: Do tomatoes need pruning? A: When we first plant our baby tomato plants outside, we will remove the bottom side shoots and dig a hole deep enough to cover several inches of the main stem. If you ...

Jim in D.C. writes: “I know you’re a fan of using an inch of compost to mulch tomato plants. But how about zukes, cukes, peppers and eggplant – what’s the best mulch for them?” Compost is the best ...

Bushes in yard mulched with black mulch from a wagon - Ozgurcoskun/Getty Images With so many types of mulch on the market, it can feel impossible to know how to best use mulch in your garden. The best ...

Let’s be brief: Mulch works. Mulch keeps moisture in, reduces erosion and keeps weeds out, or at least makes them easier to pull. And mulch gives the garden a finished, pleasing look, sort of like the ...

A suite of at least 10 genes in a tomato plant behaves differently depending on the farmer’s mulch-and-fertilizer routine, according to an unusual analysis. Earlier work showed that when researchers ...