Savvy Gardening

Zucchini blossom end rot: How to prevent and treat this plant condition

Have you ever waited patiently for a zucchini you’ve spotted growing in your garden, only to discover one day that the end is succumbing to zucchini blossom end rot? It’s so frustrating to see that once-healthy vegetable start to waste away. Also referred to as “blossom end rot,” the condition affects more than zucchini plants. It commonly strikes many other members of the cucurbit family, as well as nightshades like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

How to plant lettuce: A guide to planting, growing & harvesting lettuce

Written by Niki Jabbour

Lettuce is quick and easy to grow, doesn’t take up much space in the garden, and offers delicious, mild-flavored leaves. Plus, it can be grown practically year-round with careful variety selection and season extenders like cold frames. I grow lettuce for both baby greens as well as full-sized heads in my raised bed garden and in containers on my deck. There are many types of lettuce to choose from and several ways to plant. In this article you’ll learn when and how to plant lettuce from seeds and seedlings and get tips on watering, succession planting, and harvesting.

Firecracker plant care: How to grow Russelia equisetiformis

Written by Niki Jabbour

If you’re looking for ways to add pops of color to your garden, you’ll find it’s as easy as learning all about firecracker plant care. Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) is every butterfly’s and hummingbird’s dream plant, and it’s featured in many butterfly and hummingbird garden plans. The traits that make firecracker plant so appealing to those pollinators will also delight you. Also called the fountain plant, coral fountain, or coral plant, its brightly colored tubular flowers seem to burst forth from narrow green bracts. Firecracker plant care is easy enough, as you’ll read in this article. Here I’ll cover the plant’s origins, where and how to grow firecracker plants, and how to get the brightest show from your new ornamental garden companion.

A stroll through Hunte’s Gardens in Barbados

Written by Tara Nolan

It was on a walk through Hunte’s Gardens where I saw a poinsettia growing outside for the first time. While my own potted specimen was withering away after the holidays in my cold, dim house in the dead of winter, I had escaped to sunny Barbados with my husband and friends. Hunte’s Gardens, a tropical haven that bills itself as “The most enchanting place on earth” had piqued our interest enough when deciding on a day trip, that I didn’t feel like my friends were indulging the garden writer in the group. Everyone was interested in checking it out.

How to plant carrot seeds: A seed to harvest guide

Written by Niki Jabbour

Carrots are a vegetable garden staple grown for their sweet crunchy roots that come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. And while they’re not difficult to grow, carrots can be a bit fussy to establish. Knowing how to plant carrot seeds can mean the difference between a so-so harvest or a bumper crop of homegrown roots. In this article you’ll learn when to plant carrot seeds, how to do it right, and get tips on caring for your crop.

How deep should a raised garden bed be?

Written by Tara Nolan

As you research project plans for building a raised bed, or you’re considering kits to buy and put together, you may be asking yourself: How deep should a raised garden bed be? There isn’t really one universal measurement when it comes to designs. That’s the beauty of raised beds! But, I’m going to share some tips on how to figure out the right dimensions for your garden—especially if you’re building something from scratch.