Savvy Gardening

How to plant carrot seeds: A seed to harvest guide

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.

Plants that grow in water: A no-fuss, mess-free technique for growing houseplants

Written by Niki Jabbour

I love my growing collection of indoor plants, but admit that I’m a semi-negligent plant parent. Because of this, I’ve learned to focus on plants that grow in water. There’s no soil to spill or worries about pets digging in my houseplants. Plus, there are fewer pests (no fungus gnats!) and I’ve discovered so many awesome houseplants that thrive when grown in a jar, glass, vase, or propagations station filled with clean water. If you want to learn more about plants that grow in water, read on!

Annual vines: 12 great choices for the garden

Written by Tara Nolan

While it takes years for perennial vines, such as climbing rose or wisteria, to properly take hold, annual vines can really shine—and grow quickly in a single growing season. There are several flowering vines that are breathtaking and also pretty easy to grow. So, whether you’re drawn to vibrant blooms and intoxicating scents or especially unusual leaves, you’re bound to find a few contenders here. Best of all, you can use these annual vines to address specific challenges in your landscape, attract bees and other important pollinators, create interesting container and window box arrangements, and more.

Japanese Stewartia: A beautiful small tree for the landscape

Written by Jessica Walliser

Few deciduous trees do as much for a four-season landscape as the Japanese stewartia. You could say spring’s bronzed-leaf emergence, summer’s cup-shaped white flowers, and fall’s stunning foliage change are enough to set this ornamental tree apart from the others. But the Japanese Stewartia has one more beauty secret to reveal, with beautiful, peeling bark that’s stunning year-round. This last feature is especially evident once its leaves have fallen, lending a distinctive focal point to the winter landscape. In this article, I’ll go over Japanese Stewartia’s traits, its preferred growing conditions, and how to care for the tree. If you didn’t know about the Japanese Stewartia before, I’m pretty sure you’ll be planning to add one to your garden before you’re finished reading.
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Growing potatoes in straw: A step-by-step guide

Written by Jessica Walliser

Get cleaner potatoes that are easier to harvest with minimal digging by growing potatoes in straw. This sounds like a cheesy gimmick, but it’s all true. Simply burying the potatoes in straw is a remarkably easy way to grow potatoes in your garden. You might already know about straw mulch’s many garden benefits, including that it reduces weeds, keeps the ground cooler, helps the soil retain moisture, and feeds the soil as it decomposes. By growing potatoes in straw, you combine all of those benefits with potatoes’ need for a dark, cool, easily draining place to grow.
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