Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The question I receive most frequently from vegetable gardeners: How much fertilizer should I apply? The second most frequently ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Soil type affects how it retains water and nutrients.Photograph: iStock/Getty Images (Photograph: iStock/Getty Images) I often ...

A garden may appear to be perfect on the surface and still fail spectacularly underneath. That rich, dark soil might promise thriving plants, but if water lingers too long or disappears too fast, ...

When farmers talk about their soil test results, the conversation often starts and ends with soil pH. While that one number is important to determining whether lime is needed, that insight is just a ...

This is an affordable, simple first step toward a lawn you'll be proud of.

Testing the soil in your lawn and garden helps you pinpoint problems before they get out of hand and gives you a chance to add the amendments your plants need to grow better. The question arises, ...

Wildfire survivors across Los Angeles County are discovering that the most dangerous consequence from a wildfire isn’t always visible. Lead, arsenic, and other toxic metals could be hiding deep in ...

When it comes to growing cotton, success starts before a single seed is planted. Many growers focus on managing cotton after it has emerged, but successful management begins below the surface and ...

Over three days in late March, four Los Angeles Times environment reporters and an editor fanned out across the Eaton and Palisades burn scars to collect 40 soil samples from residential properties: ...

The question I receive most frequently from vegetable gardeners: How much fertilizer should I apply? The second most frequently asked question: How can I get better vegetable yields in my garden? Both ...

Regularly testing your soil is more important than you might think for helping your plants thrive. Soil tests measure soil pH and nutrient content. The soil of established gardens should be tested ...