The notebook

The longer answers. A calculator tells you how many cubic feet of soil a bed takes; these articles cover what to put in it, why the label on the fertilizer bag says what it says, and how to plan a season so beds are not empty in August.

• How much potting soil a container needs

  The volume of common pots in dry quarts and litres, why dry and liquid quarts differ, and how to avoid under-buying.

  September 17, 2026