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Brandon Marcus

Brandon Marcus is a staff writer for FrugalGardening.com at District Media, Inc., where he delivers practical gardening advice with a relatable, no-nonsense style. An avid amateur gardener, he holds a BA degree and with over ten years of professional writing experience, he is also an award-winning published author whose first book, Questions For Deep Thinkers, was released by Adams Media. His work has appeared in major publications including Fandom.com, CHUD.com, TheColdWire.com, and Fansided.com.

Stop Frost Heave from Killing Young Trees — Here’s the Fix

November 1, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

You Can Stop Frost Heave from Killing Young Trees

You’ve done everything right—you picked the perfect young tree, planted it in good soil, watered it faithfully, and even gave it a name (no judgment). But then, winter hits, and before you know it, your once-thriving sapling looks like it’s trying to escape its own hole. That, my friend, is frost heave—the sneaky seasonal villain…

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Filed Under: trees Tagged With: cold weather, Cold Weather Composting, cool weather, free mulch, frost, frost dates, frost heave, mulch, mulching, organic mulch, overwatering, tree problems, trees, water, young trees

The Hidden Benefits of Bare Branches — How Sunlight Changes Your Garden Layout

November 1, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

The Hidden Benefits of Bare Branches — How Sunlight Changes Your Garden Layout

When the last leaf drifts from the trees and your once lush backyard turns into a skeletal silhouette, it’s easy to assume your garden has entered its “do not disturb” phase. Everything looks a little stark, a little sleepy, maybe even a little depressing. But beneath that quiet stillness is something magical — a complete…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: Affordable Gardening, branch, branches, garden layout, garden tips, gardening tips, hardscape, pruning, sun, sunlight, winter, Winter Garden, Winter garden ideas, Winter Garden Projects, winter gardening, Winter Plant Care, winter planting, Winter plants

8 Cabbage Varieties That Tolerate Frost

October 31, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Some Cabbage Varieties Tolerate Frost

The first frost of the season sends most gardeners scrambling to cover tender plants, but cabbage? It just shrugs and keeps on growing. Tough, resilient, and surprisingly adaptable, cabbage is the superhero of the cool-season garden. While some vegetables wilt at the mere whisper of chilly air, certain cabbage varieties thrive under frost, developing even…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: cabbage, Choosing crops, cold soil, cold weather, cool weather, crop, frost, frost dates, Frost-tolerant crops, garden tips, gardening

Why Clay Soil Behaves Differently in Fall

October 31, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Clay Soil Behaves Differently in Fall

If your backyard suddenly feels like a swamp one day and a concrete slab the next, congratulations—you’re dealing with clay soil in the fall. Gardeners either love it or loathe it, but everyone agrees on one thing: clay soil has a personality all its own. Once the temperatures drop and the leaves start to fall,…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: autumn gardening tips, backyard garden, best soil, clay, fall, fall garden, fall gardening, fall planting, fall plants, garden tips, gardening tips, ground soil, healthy soil, moisture, root, roots, soil, soil alternatives

11 Mulching Mistakes That Can Suffocate Roots

October 31, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Some Mulching Mistakes Can Suffocate Roots

Mulch: it’s the unsung hero of landscaping, the cozy blanket your plants rely on to stay cool in summer, warm in winter, and free of weeds year-round. But here’s the catch—mulching the wrong way can turn that helpful layer into a suffocating, root-choking disaster. Gardeners everywhere make small, innocent-looking mistakes that can slowly strangle their…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: garden mulch, harmful mulch, mistakes, mulch, mulching, mulching mistakes, organic mulch, plant roots, roots, toxic mulch, water, water retention, watering, watering plants, weeds

How Cover Crops Boost Spring Yields

October 31, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Cover Crops Boost Spring Yields

So, it’s the first warm day of spring, the snow has melted, and the scent of fresh earth fills the air. Farmers are gearing up, tractors are roaring to life, and hopes are high for a productive season. But here’s the kicker—some of the best spring yields actually start months earlier, before winter even hits….

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: Best Soil for Container Gardening, Choosing crops, cover crops, crop rotation, crops, double crop yield, erosion, fertilizer, fertilizers, insects, microbes, moisture, root crops, seasonal, seasonal gardening, seasonal lawn tips, seasons, spring, spring yields, Trade Crops, weed control, weeding, weeds

5 Wild Edibles to Forage in October

October 31, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

There Are Wild Edibles to Forage in October

There’s something almost magical about stepping into the crisp October air, basket in hand, ready to see what nature has quietly tucked away for you. Autumn is a treasure hunt for the senses—earthy scents, crunchy leaves underfoot, and the thrill of discovering edible treasures hiding in plain sight. Foraging in October is like rummaging through…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: Affordable Gardening Tips, autumn, autumn gardening tips, backyard garden, black walnuts, cranberries, edible landscaping, edible plants, edibles, fall, fall garden, fall gardening, fall planting, fall plants, garden tips, garlic, mushrooms, October, rose hips, wild garlic

7 Fall Fertilizing Tips That Prevent Lawn Damage

October 30, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Crop Rotation Planning Starts in Autumn

If you think lawn care season ends when the leaves start to fall, think again. Fall is actually one of the most important times to fertilize your lawn—but do it wrong, and you could end up doing more harm than good. The cooler weather makes it tempting to hang up the garden gloves, but your…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: cost-effective fertilizing, fall garden, fall gardening, fall planting, fall plants, fertilizer, fertilizers, fertilizing, lawn care, lawn growth, lawn health, soil, soil health, water, water retention, watering, watering plants

How Crop Rotation Planning Starts in Autumn

October 30, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Crop Rotation Planning Starts in Autumn

You can smell it in the air—the crisp bite of fall, the crunch of leaves, and that unmistakable sense that the growing season has finally exhaled. While many farmers and gardeners start slowing down, the smart ones know this is when the real planning begins. Autumn isn’t the end of the farming year; it’s the…

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Filed Under: garden tips Tagged With: autumn, backyard garden, backyard gardens, control pests, crop rotation, crops, fall, fall garden, fall gardening, fall planting, fall plants, garden tips, gardening, pests, root crops, rotation, warm weather crops, winter crops

10 Tools Worth Sharpening Before Winter

October 30, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Some Tools Are Worth Sharpening Before Winter

There’s something oddly satisfying about a well-sharpened tool—the clean edge of a shovel slicing through soil, the smooth glide of a hatchet through kindling, the satisfying snip of pruners that actually work. But as winter creeps closer, most of us shove our tools into the shed and forget about them until spring—dull, rusty, and miserable….

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Filed Under: garden tools Tagged With: Affordable garden tools, axe, budget garden tools, chainsaw, cheap garden tools, Cheap Gardening Tools, cheap tools, dirty tools, garden hoe, garden tools, gardening tools, ice scraper, mower blades, pocket knife, pruning, pruning shears, shovel, snow shovel

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fall garden cleanup

Stop Cleaning Up Your Garden This Fall — 7 Things Experts Say You Should Leave Alone

Fall used to mean one thing in the garden: cut everything down, rake every leaf, bag the debris, and leave the beds spotless before winter. Garden experts increasingly recommend something much less exhausting—and considerably better for the insects, birds, soil, and plants sharing your yard. A more selective fall garden cleanup can preserve overwintering habitat,…

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