Savvy Gardening

The best potting soil for vegetables

Whether you plan to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, or cabbage in containers, it’s important to choose the best potting soil for vegetables prior to planting. As a former organic market farmer, I’ve grown just about every veggie under the sun in pots over the years, and I can assure you that using the right potting soil for vegetables makes a huge difference in plant health and yields. In this article, you’ll learn what to look for in packaged potting mixes, how to improve them, and I’ll even share my own recipe for a great DIY potting soil for vegetables.
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Growing poppies from seed: Expert tips for success

Written by Niki Jabbour

Poppies are fantastic garden plants adding vibrant summer color to flower and vegetable beds and the papery blooms are pollinator-friendly, attracting many species of bees to your yard. Growing poppies from seed is easy and it’s the best way to enjoy the many types and varieties of poppies in your garden. In this article you’ll get expert tips on when and how to plant poppy seeds, the best types of poppies to grow from seed, and how to care for the seedlings.

Raised flower bed designs: From easy DIYs to kits

Written by Tara Nolan

My garden has become a wonderful mix of raised beds that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And there are no rules for what is planted in them. I like to grow lots of flowers among the fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Not only do flowers add color and vibrancy to my vegetable gardens, they attract valuable pollinators. However, if you only want to plant flowers in a raised bed, that’s okay, too! In this article, I’m going to share some inspiration for raised flower bed designs—no matter how you decide to plant them.

Pepper plants not producing? 7 reasons and solutions for vegetable gardeners

Written by Niki Jabbour

Growing peppers isn’t difficult with the vigorous plants producing a heavy crop of sweet or spicy fruits. However, pepper plants take time to size up, flower, form fruits, and then mature those fruits for harvesting. And sometimes that process is interrupted by weather, pest, or disease issues. If you’re having trouble with your pepper crop, I’ve got solutions. In this article you’ll learn 7 common reasons for pepper plants not producing and what to do about it.

Planting bare-root strawberries: A step-by-step guide

Written by Tara Nolan

I love puttering about the garden and discovering a ripe strawberry that the resident chipmunk hasn’t yet discovered. You can establish your own strawberry patch by planting bare-root strawberries. In your garden, your landscape, or a container on your balcony, a few well-tended strawberry plants can offer delicious berries throughout the summer. I promise you, what you grow at home is in a whole different taste category than what you find at the grocery store.

How far apart to plant carrots for the biggest and best quality roots

Written by Niki Jabbour

As long as you prepare the planting bed properly and know how far apart to plant carrots, you should be able to harvest loads of these sweet treats. If you’ve never grown your own before, you’ll probably be shocked by just how much better they can taste than the bagged carrots you can find in large grocery store chains. What’s more, there are specialty carrot varieties you can choose to best match your growing conditions, season length, climate, and the ways you prefer to use this popular root veggie. In this article you’ll get expert tips on spacing carrots for the biggest and best quality roots.