Savvy Gardening

Raised bed designs for gardening: Tips, advice, and ideas

My first two raised beds were your standard rectangles anchored by 2x4s. My husband and I found the plan online. He surprised me by building them one weekend while I was away. They may have been simple, but they introduced me to all the benefits of gardening in raised beds. When it came time to work on my book Raised Bed Revolution, coming up with the different projects was one of the most fun aspects of the putting the book together. And since then, I’ve come across even more raised bed designs for gardening — if only I had more space!

Houseplant fertilizer basics: How and when to feed houseplants

Written by Jessica Walliser

Today, I’d like to review the basic ins and outs of houseplant fertilizer, and cue you in on how and when to feed your houseplants. Being a houseplant parent can be confusing business! Unlike human babies, houseplants don’t cry when they’re hungry or uncomfortable. Instead, they respond to their environment in different, far more subtle, ways. Knowing when it’s time to feed houseplants is challenging stuff, even for long-time houseplant growers. In this article, you’ll learn the best houseplant fertilization schedule season-by-season and which fertilizers are the best ones to use, based on whether your houseplant boasts gorgeous flowers or lush foliage. Let’s dive in.
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Vegetables to grow in winter: 8 crops for winter harvesting

Written by Niki Jabbour

I live in a region where winters can be long, cold, and very snowy. But, I still enjoy a homegrown harvest from my vegetable garden year-round. The key to a successful winter harvest is to know the right vegetables to grow in winter and pair them with the right season extenders. That means growing cold tolerant crops in structures like cold frames, mini hoop tunnels, greenhouses, or polytunnels. In this article you’ll get tips on winter harvesting and learn about 8 awesome vegetables to grow in winter.

Apartment plants: 15 of the best houseplants for apartment living

Written by Jessica Walliser

Fill your living space with houseplants to improve your mood and help clean the air. While you may think you need a big space to grow houseplants, nothing could be further from the truth. Just like our homes and our bodies, houseplants come in all shapes and sizes. But people who live in apartments, condos, lofts, or other tight living quarters need to think a bit harder about which houseplants are best for them. Thankfully, there are a whole host of perfect apartment plants for even the most petite home.
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Drying herbs and flowers to make gifts from the garden

Written by Tara Nolan

In the spring and summer, as some of my herbs and flowers grow lush and full, I snip a little sprig here, a few blooms there, and I bring them inside. I don’t like anything going to waste, but there’s no way I can work oregano or mint into every meal while it’s in season. So I save them to dry for when I do need them. I’ll brew some for tea and toss pinches of this or that into a soup or stew. However, this past summer, I also had something else in mind when I was drying herbs and flowers from the garden: gifts.

The best gardening tools you didn’t know you needed

Written by Niki Jabbour

Every gardener has go-to tools they use to make gardening easier. Over the years I’ve tried a LOT of garden tools and gear. Some worked great, others did not. The ones I’m sharing are the tools that I’ve come to rely on to make both my garden and myself more productive. I call them the best gardening tools you didn’t know you needed.