Archimedes of Syracuse was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, and inventor whose principle of water displacement inspired the design of the World’s Coolest Rain Gauge®. He wrote about the discovery in his famous work On Floating Bodies — and more than 2,000 years later, here we are, still having fun watching things float in water.

Archimedes Backyard: Resources For The Modern Gardener

compacted soil with dogs playing

Soil Compaction: How to Identify, Fix, and Prev...

Compacted soil makes it difficult for water, air, and roots to move through the ground. Learn how to identify compacted soil, what causes it, and the best long-term methods for...

Soil Compaction: How to Identify, Fix, and Prev...

Compacted soil makes it difficult for water, air, and roots to move through the ground. Learn how to identify compacted soil, what causes it, and the best long-term methods for...

healthy groundcover

How to Add Compost to Lawns and Groundcovers Wi...

You don't have to dig up your lawn or groundcovers to improve your soil. Learn how to topdress with compost, when to apply it, and how annual applications gradually build...

How to Add Compost to Lawns and Groundcovers Wi...

You don't have to dig up your lawn or groundcovers to improve your soil. Learn how to topdress with compost, when to apply it, and how annual applications gradually build...

gathering soil for a soil test

County Agricultural Extension Offices: Free Gar...

Your county agricultural extension office is one of the best free gardening resources available. Learn how to find yours, what services they offer, and how they can help with soil...

County Agricultural Extension Offices: Free Gar...

Your county agricultural extension office is one of the best free gardening resources available. Learn how to find yours, what services they offer, and how they can help with soil...

sloped yard with retaining wall

Watering Slopes and Hillsides: How to Keep Wate...

Watering a flat lawn or garden can be straightforward. Slopes and hillsides create a different challenge. Water often runs downhill before the soil can absorb it, leaving plants at the...

Watering Slopes and Hillsides: How to Keep Wate...

Watering a flat lawn or garden can be straightforward. Slopes and hillsides create a different challenge. Water often runs downhill before the soil can absorb it, leaving plants at the...

watering can on short turf grass

Dormant or Dead Grass? How to Tell the Differen...

Brown grass doesn't always mean a dead lawn. Learn how to tell the difference between dormant and dead grass, when to water, and how to help your lawn recover after...

Dormant or Dead Grass? How to Tell the Differen...

Brown grass doesn't always mean a dead lawn. Learn how to tell the difference between dormant and dead grass, when to water, and how to help your lawn recover after...

hands in healthy soil

The Soil Sponge Effect: Why Healthy Soil Holds ...

Why do some gardens stay moist for days after rain while others dry out almost immediately? The answer often lies beneath the surface in what soil scientists call the soil...

The Soil Sponge Effect: Why Healthy Soil Holds ...

Why do some gardens stay moist for days after rain while others dry out almost immediately? The answer often lies beneath the surface in what soil scientists call the soil...