Grow food, not just grass
Your resource for turning your lawn into a self-sufficient homestead—learn to plant veggies, herbs, and more for a sustainable garden.
Converting a traditional lawn into a productive garden is more than swapping turf for raised beds. It means rewiring how water moves across your property, rebuilding compacted soil, and choosing plants that can survive heat, hail, and surprise cold snaps. Smart Lawn Guide chronicles that full journey from the first soil test through successive plantings so you can replicate the wins and dodge the costly mistakes.
Every tutorial starts in Austin, Texas (Zone 8b), but we include zone-specific adjustments, cost breakdowns, and time commitments. If a project requires renting a sod cutter, hauling compost, or waiting three weeks for soil biology to rebound, we spell it out. The goal is simple: give you a realistic blueprint that respects your time, budget, and climate.
Time-tested techniques from traditional and modern gardening
Tailored advice for every USDA hardiness zone
Companion planting and guild systems for better harvests
Organic methods that nurture soil and ecosystem health
Gardening success comes from stacking small wins each season. Use this roadmap to prioritize the right projects whether you're just pulling up Bermuda grass or refining a mature food forest.
Assess drainage, draft crop plans, order seeds, and top-dress beds with compost while the soil biology rests.
Install irrigation, harden off transplants, and inoculate new beds with compost teas for a strong start.
Shade tender crops, rotate mulch, capture rainwater, and monitor pests before they explode in the heat.
Cure storage crops, plant cover crops, document results, and reset the beds for another productive year.
Start growing with our most popular plants
Solanum lycopersicum
The crown jewel of the summer garden, tomatoes are versatile, nutritious, and incredibly rewarding to grow at home.
Ocimum basilicum
An aromatic herb essential for any kitchen garden, basil is easy to grow and pairs perfectly with tomatoes both in the garden and on the plate.
Lactuca sativa
A cool-season crop perfect for beginners, lettuce grows quickly and provides fresh salad greens throughout spring and fall.
Capsicum annuum
From sweet bells to spicy jalapeños, peppers add color, flavor, and nutrition to your garden and kitchen.
Cucurbita pepo
A prolific summer squash that's perfect for beginners, one or two plants can feed a family all season long.
Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
A nutritional powerhouse that thrives in cool weather, kale becomes sweeter after frost and can produce for months.
Traditional companion planting systems
An ancient Native American companion planting system combining corn, beans, and squash for mutual benefit and maximum yield.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Garden
From soil health to harvest preservation, our comprehensive guides cover everything you need to transform your property into a thriving homestead.
Comprehensive guide to map sun exposure, soil types, and topography to tailor microclimates and boost plant performance in your garden.
Learn to interpret USDA zones, frost dates, and seasonal patterns to select climate-resilient crops and optimize planting schedules.
Master soil testing, organic amendments, and composting techniques to enrich soil structure, improve drainage, and support robust plant growth.
Discover how to choose high-yield, disease-resistant crop varieties tailored to your climate zone, space constraints, and culinary preferences.
Implement drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and watering schedules to conserve water and maintain consistent moisture in garden beds.
Create pollinator-friendly habitats with native flowers, nesting sites, and organic practices to boost pollination and natural pest control.
Follow multi-season breakdowns of lawn removals, including tool lists, disposal costs, and before/after soil tests. Readers in Zones 7–10 share their adjustments, helping you calibrate expectations.
When heat waves, aphids, or water restrictions derail a plan, we document the recovery steps and lessons learned. Those case studies live in our learn library so you can triage issues quickly.
Quarterly surveys collect yield numbers, pest pressure, and favorite varieties from our newsletter community. We anonymize and publish the data to help you benchmark your garden.
Each cornerstone article cites extension research and open-source agronomy texts. You get the citations plus plain-language summaries that translate academic findings into backyard action.
Tips, tutorials, and homesteading insights
Learn how to perform an easy DIY home soil test and boost your garden soil health. Step-by-step soil testing for better plant growth and productivity.
Learn how to grow roses from softwood cuttings with this step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners seeking healthy, thriving rose plants at home.
Learn to map sun patterns in your garden to optimize plant growth. Discover tips for sunlight tracking, shade management, and healthier plants.
Join thousands of gardeners who are transforming their yards into productive, beautiful ecosystems.
