Yard & Garden
Lawn Care, Gardening, Soil, Watering & Harvest
Keep your lawn, grow food, tend soil, water smart, and track yields.
67 resources
Browse by subcategory
Lawn Care
Mowing height, fertilizer timing, watering, weed control, bare-spot repair, year-round schedule.
9 ResourcesPlanting & Growing
Seed starting, spacing, frost dates, companion planting, rotations.
21 ResourcesSoil, Compost & Mulch
Soil volume, compost ratios, mulch, raised beds, fertilizer.
23 ResourcesWatering & Irrigation
Watering schedules, drip flow rate, rainwater harvesting.
5 ResourcesHarvest & Seed Records
Yield tracking, germination, seed inventory, garden logs.
9 ResourcesAbout Yard & Garden
A productive yard comes from getting the basics right: a lawn-care routine that matches your grass type and climate, enough soil for the beds, the right spacing for vegetables, water when plants need it, and planting around your local frost dates. PickShack's yard and garden tools do that math for you, so you can skip the trial and error and the over-ordered bags of compost or fertilizer. Time lawn fertilizer for cool-season or warm-season grass, calculate soil volume for raised beds, plan companion planting, estimate drip-irrigation flow, track yields across seasons, and keep seed inventories in one place. Five areas cover lawn care, planting and growing, soil and compost, watering and irrigation, and harvest and seed records. These tools are useful for weekend lawn-care homeowners, first-year vegetable growers, and experienced gardeners managing larger plots alike.
Tools 27
Lawn Care 3
Grass Seed Coverage Calculator: How Much Seed Do I Need?
Find how much grass seed to buy by area, species, and seeding mode (new lawn, overseeding, bare-spot patch). Returns seed weight in lb and kg, estimated cost in USD and CAD, and applied rate in lb/1000 sq ft and g/m². Cool-season (Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, perennial rye) and warm-season (Bermuda, Centipede, Bahia). Soil-temperature trigger and 3-band seasonal timing built in.
Lawn Fertilizer Calculator
Size your lawn fertilizer bag by area (sq ft / m²), grass type (cool-season Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, perennial rye, tall fescue / warm-season Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede), season, and organic vs synthetic preference. Returns recommended N-P-K ratio, product weight, bag count, cost estimate, and timing. Covers US (lb / sq ft) and Canada (kg / m²).
Mowing Frequency Calculator: How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn?
Find how often to mow your lawn and the right deck height by grass type, season, and lawn condition, with the one-third rule built in. Covers cool-season (Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, perennial rye, tall fescue) and warm-season (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede, Bahia). Returns interval in days, trigger height (in / cm), and the recommended deck height. US and Canada units.
Planting & Growing 9
Companion Planting Checker
Look up which vegetables, herbs, and flowers grow well together and which should be kept apart in your garden.
Crop Rotation Planner
Plan a 3- or 4-year crop rotation schedule for your garden beds. Assign plant families to beds and get a color-coded multi-year rotation table.
Last Frost Date Planting Calculator
Enter your last frost date and a crop to get exact dates for starting seeds indoors, hardening off transplants, and planting outdoors.
Pepper Yield Calculator: How Many Peppers Will My Plants Make?
Estimate your pepper harvest in pounds and kilograms by variety type (sweet bell, sweet non-bell, jalapeno, habanero, super-hot, shishito), number of plants, growing setup (in-ground, raised bed, or container), and sun hours. Returns total yield, approximate pepper count, and preservation output (pickling pints, dried pounds, or freezer bags), with a sun interlock that flags spots that won't fruit. US + Canada units; named short-season Canadian varieties.
Plant Spacing Calculator
Estimate how many plants fit in a garden bed based on bed dimensions and plant spacing.
Row Spacing Calculator
Estimate how many rows fit in a garden bed or field based on area width and row spacing.
Seed Starting Calendar
Calculate indoor seed starting dates based on your last frost date and the number of weeks before transplanting.
Tomato Yield Calculator: How Many Pounds Will My Plants Make?
Estimate your tomato harvest in pounds and kilograms by variety type (indeterminate, determinate, cherry, paste, heirloom), number of plants, growing setup (in-ground, raised bed, or container), and sun hours. Returns total yield, family servings raw and cooked, canning quart-jars, with a sun interlock that flags spots that won't fruit. US + Canada units; named short-season Canadian varieties.
Vegetable Garden Area Planner
Plan how much garden space you need based on the crops you want to grow, your household size, and how much produce you want to grow.
Soil, Compost & Mulch 10
Black Earth Calculator
Estimate how much black earth you need for gardens, raised beds, and landscaping projects.
Compost Calculator
Estimate how much compost you need for gardens, raised beds, and soil amendment.
Container Garden Soil Calculator
Calculate how much potting mix you need to fill containers, raised pots, and planners. Enter container dimensions or select common pot sizes.
Fertilizer Calculator
Estimate how much fertilizer you need based on garden area and application rate.
Fertilizer Selector
Decision-tree picker for the right fertilizer: pick what you're feeding (lawn, vegetable garden, flower bed, fruit tree, shade tree, shrub, container, acid-loving plant, new bed, damaged grass), soil pH, organic-only preference, season, and budget. Returns recommended N-P-K ratio, product type (granular slow-release / liquid / compost / lime / specialty), application rate per 100 sq ft / 100 m², timing, and whether you should soil-test first.
Lime Application Calculator: How Much Lime Do I Need to Raise Soil pH?
Find how much lime to apply to raise your soil pH from where it is to where it should be, by area and soil type. Returns total lime needed in lb and kg, number of applications (single or split into two), per-application amount, and the timing window. Covers sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, and clay. Dolomitic vs calcitic vs pelletized tradeoffs. Cool-season fall and early-spring application windows. Lowering-pH branch directs users to sulfur via the soil-pH-testing guide.
Mulch Calculator
Estimate mulch volume in cubic feet and cubic yards based on length, width, and depth.
Raised Bed Soil Calculator
Estimate soil volume for raised garden beds based on inside length, width, and depth.
Tree and Shrub Fertilization Calculator: How Much N for the Dripline?
Find how much fertilizer a tree or shrub needs by species type, DBH (trunk diameter), soil pH, and season. Returns actual N in lb and kg, bag amount of 10-10-10, dripline ring application zone, and a pH interlock that routes you to lime or sulfur first if your soil is wrong for the species. Covers deciduous, conifers, fruit trees, acid-loving (blueberry / rhododendron / azalea / holly), and shrubs. Year-1 sapling and mature-tree edge cases handled. US + Canada units and brands.
Weed Removal Method Picker
Decision-tree picker that ranks weed-removal methods (manual / cardboard smother / vinegar / corn gluten / targeted herbicide) by weed type, area, bed type, chemical tolerance, and timeline.
Watering & Irrigation 2
Drip Irrigation Flow Rate Calculator
Calculate your drip irrigation system's total flow rate and water usage to size pumps, timers, and water supply correctly.
Watering Schedule Calculator
Get a personalized watering frequency and depth recommendation based on your plant type, soil, climate, and whether you've applied mulch.
Harvest & Seed Records 3
Garden Yield vs Family Size Calculator
Calculate how many pounds of produce your garden will yield and how many weeks of supply that provides for your household, by crop, area, and experience level.
Harvest Yield Calculator
Estimate total harvest yield based on the number of plants and expected yield per plant.
Seed Germination Rate Estimator
Estimate seed germination rates based on seed type, age, and storage conditions to decide whether to plant or buy fresh seed.
Guides 20
Lawn Care 3
How to Fix Bare Spots in Your Lawn (Diagnose, Prep, Seed, Protect)
Identify what killed the patch (pet urine, drought, fungal disease, foot traffic, grub damage, salt damage, shade), treat the cause first, prep the spot, match the seed, sow at the right rate, water and protect through germination, and time the first mow. Plus when overseeding the whole lawn beats patching dozens of small spots. Cool-season focus with USDA and NRCan zone notes.
How to Get a Beautiful Lawn (Cool-Season vs Warm-Season)
Anchor lawn-care guide: identify cool-season vs warm-season grass, master the four pillars (mowing height, deep watering, fertilizing schedule, weed control), seasonal task calendar, the four mistakes that ruin most lawns, plus aeration, overseeding, and soil care. Covers US (USDA, EPA) and Canadian (NRCan zones, provincial cosmetic-pesticide bans in QC, ON, NS, NB, PEI) practice.
How to Water Your Lawn Correctly (Deep, Infrequent, and the Tuna-Can Trick)
The one-inch-per-week target, deep and infrequent vs shallow and daily, the tuna-can trick to measure sprinkler output, when to water (early morning vs midday vs evening), signs of under and overwatering, adjusting for soil type, heat-wave dormancy, and special-case watering for new seed and after fertilizer. US (in/hr) + Canada (mm/hr). Cool-season grass focus.
Planting & Growing 5
Companion Planting Basics for Beginners
What companion planting actually does, the handful of pairings that work, the ones that hurt, and how to set up a beginner bed without getting lost in folklore.
How to Grow Peppers (Sweet and Hot, From Seed to Harvest)
From picking a variety that fits your season (sweet bell, sweet non-bell, jalapeno, habanero, super-hot, shishito), through planting timing by 3-band climate model with the pepper-specific 65 F (18 C) soil threshold, frost-free-days math, spacing and supports, soil prep and pH, watering, fertilizing, the heat-and-stress reality for hot peppers, common problems decoded, harvest cues, and saving seeds. Named short-season Canadian varieties and US + Canadian seed suppliers.
How to Grow Tomatoes (Variety, Planting, Care, Harvest)
From picking a variety that fits your season and space (Determinate vs Indeterminate, plus cherry, paste, and heirloom subtypes), through planting timing by 3-band climate model, spacing and supports, soil prep and pH, deep-watering, fertilizing, pruning Indeterminate vs leaving Determinate alone, common problems (blossom-end rot, early blight, cracking, blossom drop, hornworms), to harvest cues and saving seeds. Named short-season Canadian varieties and seed suppliers.
How to Plan a Vegetable Garden Layout
A simple, beginner-friendly plan for your first vegetable garden: picking crops, mapping spacing, grouping companions, and rotating beds year to year.
When to Start Seeds Indoors
How to count back from your last frost, which crops need a head start versus direct-sow, and how to harden off seedlings before they go in the ground.
Soil, Compost & Mulch 8
Composting for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical step-by-step guide to starting your first compost system. Bin choices, the green-to-brown ratio, watering, turning, and how to fix common problems.
How to Calculate Soil for Your Garden
How much soil to buy for raised beds, containers, and top-dressing existing beds, with simple formulas in cubic feet and cubic yards and rules for bag vs bulk.
How to Fertilize Trees and Shrubs (Dripline Ring, pH First)
Why tree fertilization differs from lawn fertilization (root system 1.5 to 3x canopy spread, dripline ring not surface broadcast), the pH-first rule, when to apply by species (deciduous fall or pre-bud-break, conifer late spring, fruit pre-bud-break + post-harvest, acid-loving early spring + late summer, shrubs early spring), how much (1-3 lb actual N per 1000 sq ft of root zone), where (dripline ring, never trunk), application methods, acid-loving species deep-dive, and when mature trees don't need it at all. US + Canada brands.
How to Fertilize Your Yard and Garden (Soil Test First)
Anchor fertilization guide: soil test sources (US county extension + Canadian provincial labs like Quebec MAPAQ, Ontario AAFC, BC Ministry of Agriculture), lawn timing for cool-season vs warm-season grass, vegetable garden N vs P balance by crop, trees and shrubs at the dripline, acid-loving plants (blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas), lime application for acidic soil, cheap alternatives that actually work, and when not to fertilize.
How to Get Rid of Weeds (Without Wrecking Your Soil)
A practical residential weed-control guide: identify common weeds, pick the right method (manual, smother, vinegar, pre-emergent, targeted herbicide), prep beds before mulch, and prevent the return. Covers US and Canadian regulatory differences.
How to Read a Fertilizer Label
What the three N-P-K numbers mean, how to convert 'apply 1 lb per 100 sq ft' into a real bag count, and how organic and synthetic fertilizers compare in practice.
Mulch vs Compost: What's the Difference
What mulch and compost each do, where each goes, when to use both, and how deep to apply them, with simple rules for common bed sizes.
Soil pH Testing Guide (DIY, Strip Kits, Lab)
Why soil pH matters (the nutrient lockout chart), the three ways to test (DIY vinegar+baking soda, strip kits and probe meters, lab soil tests), how to take a representative sample, target pH by plant type (lawn, vegetables, blueberries, potatoes, rhododendrons, hydrangea pink vs blue), US and Canadian labs to use, retest cadence, and the common mistakes that produce misleading numbers.
Watering & Irrigation 2
How Often to Water a Vegetable Garden
How often to water a vegetable garden: the 1 inch per week rule, how soil type and weather shift it, deep vs shallow watering, morning timing, and the real signs of over- and under-watering.
How to Set Up Drip Irrigation in Your Garden
How to set up drip irrigation: components, pressure and flow basics for typical US residential water (30 to 60 psi, 0.5 to 4 GPH emitters), typical layouts for rows and raised beds, and the failure points to plan around.
Harvest & Seed Records 2
How to Save Seeds: Wet, Dry, Storage, and Retest
A homeowner walkthrough for saving garden seeds: easy vs hard crops, wet-fermentation method, dry method, drying targets, storage temperatures (F + C), labeling, and germination retest schedule.
How to Test Seed Germination Before Planting Season
Learn how to test seed germination using the paper towel method so you know which seeds are still viable before planting season.
Printables 20
Lawn Care 3
Lawn Care Calendar (Printable)
Printable month-by-month lawn-care schedule with two grass-type bands: COOL-SEASON Northern Lawn (USDA 3-6, NRCan 0-5b: Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, perennial rye, tall fescue) and WARM-SEASON Southern Lawn (USDA 7-10: Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede). Tracks aerate, overseed, fertilize (early-spring / late-spring / summer / fall winterizer), pre-emergent, post-emergent, mow, water-deeply, with fillable check columns.
Lawn Fertilizer Application Log (Printable)
Printable yearly log for each lawn fertilizer application. Lawn snapshot at top. Annual application log with date, product (brand + N-P-K), rate (lb per 1000 sq ft + g/m²), area, soil temp, weather, cost (USD + CAD), notes, and Got it. Soil-test results log. Multi-year summary across 2 to 3 years. Quick reference card with cool-season and warm-season N-rate targets, the actual-N math, when NOT to fertilize, and Canadian retailer hints (Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, Co-op, Vesey's, Speare Seeds, OSC).
Weekly Lawn Mowing and Watering Tracker (Printable)
A four-week printable grid for tracking lawn mowing and watering. Logs mow date, height before, deck height, clippings handling, water duration, water inches, rainfall, soil moisture, footprint test, color, and observations. Black-and-white printer friendly with quick-reference card (one-third rule, one-inch-per-week target, dawn-mow window). Lb, in, cm, mm shown together; US and Canada friendly.
Planting & Growing 7
Garden Planner Sheet
Printable planner for organizing garden layout, crops, spacing, and planting schedules.
Garden Zone Planting Calendar
Organize your planting schedule based on your specific garden zone for optimal growth and yield.
Pepper Variety and Yield Tracker (Printable)
A printable multi-season log for tracking which pepper varieties you grew, sow/transplant and first/last harvest dates, total yield in lb (kg), heat level for hot varieties, quality 1-5 score, replant decisions, and problems / pests encountered. Garden snapshot, annual variety log, problems log, multi-year top performers summary, and quick reference card with reliable short-season varieties (Early Jalapeno, King of the North, Czech Black, Carmen), long-season varieties (Big Bertha, Habanero Red, Carolina Reaper), and US + Canadian seed suppliers including pepper specialists (Pepper Joe's, Cross Country Nurseries).
Raised Bed Planner
Printable planner for garden bed dimensions, crop layout, spacing, and planting notes.
Seed Starting Planner
Printable planner for organizing seed starting schedules, indoor planting, and transplant dates.
Seed Starting Tray Label Template
Printable cut-and-tape label sheet for seed-starting trays. 12 labels per page with variety, sowing date, days to germinate, transplant date, and seed source.
Tomato Variety and Yield Tracker (Printable)
A printable multi-season log for tracking which tomato varieties you grew, sow/transplant and first/last harvest dates, total yield in lb (kg), quality 1-5 score, replant decisions, and problems / pests encountered. Garden snapshot, annual variety log, problems log, multi-year top performers summary, and quick reference card with reliable short-season Canadian varieties (Sub-Arctic Plenty, Manitoba, Tiny Tim, Stupice), long-season varieties (Brandywine, Big Beef), and US + Canadian seed suppliers (Vesey's, Stokes, West Coast, Annapolis, Tatiana's Tomatobase, Johnny's, Burpee, Tomato Growers Supply, Baker Creek, Territorial Seed).
Soil, Compost & Mulch 5
Composting Log and Schedule
A detailed composting log and schedule to help gardeners manage their compost effectively.
Fertilizer Application Tracker (Printable)
Printable multi-zone fertilizer application tracker. Log rows by yard zone (front lawn, back lawn, vegetable beds, fruit trees, shade trees, shrubs, containers, acid-loving), columns for date, product, N-P-K, amount applied, soil temperature (F / C), weather, cost, notes. 12-month rolling format with separate soil pH log and annual cost summary.
Soil Test and Amendment Tracker (Printable)
A printable multi-year tracker for soil test results, lime applications, and other amendments across yard zones, with a year-over-year pH trend log. Zone snapshot at top, soil-test results log with date / zone / lab / pH / N / P / K / Ca / Mg / organic matter / recommendations / cost. Lime application log with date / zone / type (dolomitic, calcitic, pelletized) / amount in lb and kg / pre-app pH / target / per-app or single / cost. Other amendments log (sulfur, gypsum, compost). 3-year pH trend table. Quick reference: target pH by plant, US Cooperative Extension search, Canadian labs (A&L, ALS, MAPAQ, BC, AB, SK, MB, NS, PEI, NB), retest cadence, when NOT to test.
Tree and Shrub Care Log (Printable)
A printable multi-year tracker for trees and shrubs. Inventory rows (plant ID, species, location, planting year, current DBH, canopy width, target health). Annual fertilization log (date / tree ID / product N-P-K / amount lb+kg / application zone / soil pH / cost USD+CAD). Pruning log, pest and disease log, mulch and amendment log. Multi-year DBH growth tracking. Quick reference card with target pH by species, N rate per species, dripline ring math, when NOT to fertilize, US ag-extension + Canadian provincial labs.
Weed Control Calendar (Printable)
Printable month-by-month weed-control calendar with two climate bands: Northern/Cold (USDA 3-6, NRCan 0-5b) and Southern/Mild (USDA 7-10, NRCan 6-9). Tracks pre-emergent timing, manual passes, edging, mulch refresh, and fall cleanup.
Watering & Irrigation 1
Harvest & Seed Records 4
Harvest Log
Record crop yields, harvest dates, and preservation details so you can compare productivity season over season.
Seed Germination Test Log
A printable log to track paper towel germination test results for each seed variety before planting season.
Seed Inventory Sheet
Track every seed variety you own: quantities, purchase dates, viability, and planting windows. So you never overbuy or miss a season.
Seed Saving Log
Printable seed saving log for recording harvest dates, viability test results, storage conditions, and germination rates across all saved varieties.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my last frost date?
Our last-frost planting calculator uses your ZIP code or hardiness zone to estimate average last-frost dates based on NOAA climate data. Add a week or two of buffer if you're in a low spot or near a river, where frost settles later than the regional average.
Can these tools help me plan a raised bed or new garden?
Yes. Start with the soil volume calculator to figure out how much soil and compost you need, then use the spacing and companion planting tools to lay out what goes where.
Do companion planting recommendations actually matter?
Some pairings, like tomato and basil or carrots and onions, have real pest or growth benefits. Others are folklore. Our companion planting checker flags the well-documented pairs and calls out the anecdotal ones so you can decide.
Will the watering tools work for drip, sprinkler, or hand watering?
Yes. The watering schedule and drip flow rate calculators accept different delivery methods and plant types, and they convert between inches per week and gallons per plant so you can match your setup.
Can I track yields from year to year?
The harvest logs and seed inventory printables are designed for multi-year use. Record what you planted, what you harvested, and what you'd change, so next season's plan is based on your actual garden instead of the seed catalog's claims.