PRACTICAL GARDENING RESEARCH What to grow. What to buy. How to choose.

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Your garden workbench

Measure twice. Grow once.

Free, transparent tools for the decisions that deserve more than a guess. Calculate without signup. Optional saved projects use ChatGPT sign-in.

Projects with a starting point

Choose a setup. Make it yours.

Each example joins a planting decision, measured quantities and a complete project guide. Adjust it to your space before buying.

Overlapping light-green Grand Rapids leaf-lettuce leaves with deeply curled edges. — Leaf lettuce. Editorial photography · Jeremy Bronson · CC BY 2.0. Resized/compressed; image credits.

A cool-season lettuce bed

One 6 × 3-foot bed, a reachable harvest and a spacing plan for selected lettuce plants.

Use this starting plan Read the project guide →

Fresh green basil leaves growing beside the wooden edge of a container. — Culinary herbs. Editorial photography · Tobias Doering · Unsplash License. Resized/compressed; image credits.

Three separate kitchen-herb pots

Give basil, parsley and thyme their own root space and watering decisions.

Use this starting plan Read the project guide →

A magenta Zinnia elegans flower head with layered ray florets and small yellow central florets against blurred green foliage; cultivar unverified. — Zinnia elegans flowers; illustrative species photo, not verified as Magellan Coral F1. Editorial photography · Joanna Boisse · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized/compressed; image credits.

A small-vase zinnia bed

Plan a compact flower harvest around the actual spread of a named zinnia.

Use this starting plan Read the project guide →

Equipment comparison

Put exact models, specifications, practical fit and tradeoffs side by side, then open the right buying destination.

Open the tool 02

Tray batch planner

Plan repeated sowings and overlapping trays, then total seed and fresh growing medium from your own crop timing and tray measurements.

Open the tool 03

Plant comparison

Compare light, water, soil, mature size and climate needs for up to three plants, with links to their growing references.

Open the tool 04

Drip component checker

Check tubing dimensions, connection labels and published operating ranges before assembling a drip circuit.

Open the tool 05

Garden project planner

Connect growing space, mix quantities, plant spacing and water in a project you can save and share.

Open the tool 06

Raised-bed soil calculator

Inside dimensions to soil volume, bulk quantity and whole bags.

Open the tool 07

Mulch coverage calculator

Estimate the material needed to reach your chosen mulch depth.

Open the tool 08

Seed-starting planner

Count back from a planting target to a practical sowing window.

Open the tool 09

Drip water-delivery calculator

Calculate rated flow and theoretical runtime for a water target.

Open the tool 10

Plant-spacing planner

Turn bed dimensions and chosen plant spacing into a rectangular planting grid.

Open the tool 11

Container soil calculator

Estimate growing mix for round, tapered pots, allowing for headspace and root balls.

Open the tool 12

Garden gear finder

A short shopping checklist matched to the task in front of you.

Open the tool 13

Rainwater storage calculator

Estimate roof runoff, retained water and overflow for one rainfall event.

Open the tool 14

Grow-light running-cost calculator

Compare electrical input, lighting schedules and your own energy rate.

Planning estimates, not growing guarantees.

Measurements, bag labels and local conditions matter. Each calculator explains its method and boundaries so you can check the result before buying or planting.