Savvy Gardening

Growing zucchini in pots: A guide to success

Too often zucchini is left out of a small garden because it’s a space hog, but you can make room for summer squash by growing zucchini in pots. These sprawling plants with tentacle-like stems, large leaves, and vibrant yellow flowers make a statement in a container garden. Considering one zucchini plant’s prolific production, by limiting your zucchini planting to a container or two, you may even be able to temper the overproduction that many gardeners, myself included, burden themselves with. Growing zucchini in pots isn’t as common as growing them in ground, so I want to share my tips for success. In this article you’ll read about variety selection, the best soil and containers to use, planting and care advice, and get some help with troubleshooting.

Blueberry fertilizer: How and when to feed blueberries

Written by Jessica Walliser

Blueberries are among the easiest fruits for home gardeners to grow. They have few pests, don’t take up much room, and produce berries for many years. Blueberry plants are extremely cold hardy, and their care routine is not complicated. In a previous article, I shared information on proper blueberry pruning and received many follow-up comments and questions about how and when to apply blueberry fertilizer. This article offers insight on the best products to fertilize blueberries, the proper time to apply blueberry fertilizer, and how much of it to use.
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How often do you water tomato plants: In gardens, pots and straw bales

Written by Niki Jabbour

One of the questions I’m asked most is ‘How often do you water tomato plants?’ Too much water can damage the roots and crack or split ripening fruits. Too little water can reduce yield or cause issues like blossom end rot. Proper watering is a skill anyone can learn and means the difference between a so-so harvest and a bumper crop of sweet summer tomatoes. Read on to learn more about how often to water your garden and container-grown tomato plants.

DIY pea trellis ideas: 7 easy ways to support peas

Written by Niki Jabbour

There’s no need to buy a pricey garden structure when it’s quick and easy to DIY a pea trellis like a garden arch or bamboo support. Peas, as well as sweet peas, can be bush or vining plants with both benefiting from being trellised. It keeps the plants upright and off the ground which promotes healthy growth and reduces the risk of insect and disease issues. Trellising pea plants also makes it easier to harvest the pods, or in the case of sweet peas, the fragrant blooms. Below you’ll find seven easy and effective ideas for DIY pea trellises.

Growing nasturtiums from seed: 2 easy options for gardeners

Written by Niki Jabbour

Growing nasturtiums from seed is easy and the carefree plants thrive in garden beds as well as containers. They bloom heavily for months, with the pretty, cup-shaped flowers attracting bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. In this article you’ll learn two easy methods for growing nasturtiums from seed, get expert growing tips, and discover my favorite varieties for the garden.

Inexpensive raised garden bed ideas: Inspiration for your next project

Written by Tara Nolan

Having written a lot about building raised beds, I love seeing what different gardeners have created to grow their own food. You don’t always need a big budget! With a little creativity, ordinary objects and materials can be turned into a garden. Here are some inexpensive raised garden bed ideas to spark some inspiration for your next DIY project.