Savvy Gardening

Pruning a rose of Sharon: When to shear seed pods and when to cut it back

When I moved into my current home and started to get to know my garden, I discovered I had five rose of Sharon shrubs on the property. We moved in the fall and the trees had been meticulously pruned, so we didn’t need to worry about pruning them that first year. Fast forward to our second spring and I couldn’t figure out what all these tiny little weeds sprouting up in my lawn were. I soon discovered they were miniature rose of Sharon plants—dozens of them, trying to establish themselves in my garden. In this article, I’ll share tips on pruning a rose of Sharon, but also when to shear off those seed pods to avoid the misery of pulling up seedlings.

How to get rid of moles in your yard and garden

Written by Jessica Walliser

Discovering small, volcano-shaped mounds of soil in your lawn may at first lead you to believe a massive colony of ants has set up shop in your yard. Or that your neighbor’s kid did a really poor job trying to bury his latest report card. But those hills of freshly dug dirt were likely made by moles. While moles are solitary creatures, they sure can cause a lot of damage with their molehills. Learning how to get rid of moles often comes with a huge amount frustration. Today, I’d like to review how to properly ID these rodents and the damage they cause, and offer you some possible solutions.
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Dividing snake plant: How to get more plants for free

Written by Niki Jabbour

Need a houseplant that thrives on neglect and can survive challenging growing conditions? Look no further than snake plants. These resilient houseplants are popular for their eye-catching vertical growth and often variegated foliage. They are easy to care for, but occasionally you’ll need to divide your plant. Dividing snake plant not only encourages healthy growth for pot-bound plants, it’s also is the best way to get more plants for free. In this article you’ll learn all about when and how to divide your snake plants as well as get tips on other methods of snake plant propagation.

Planting garlic in the spring: How to grow big bulbs from spring-planted garlic

Written by Niki Jabbour

Most gardeners plant garlic in the autumn. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) Garlic cloves need a cold period to trigger bulb development and 2) Fall planting also gives the cloves time to set roots before winter. When the weather warms in spring the plants can then shoot out of the ground and start putting on fresh growth. That said, if you missed the fall planting window, it is still possible to plant and enjoy a good harvest from spring planted garlic. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about planting garlic in the spring.

How hard is it to grow petunias from seed? Tips for sowing your own

Written by Tara Nolan

One of my first gardening memories is of deadheading my mom’s petunias. I found satisfaction in pulling away the sticky spent blooms. As an adult I didn’t want to have to deadhead my annuals throughout the summer. But the variety of colors and petal patterns lured me back to including petunias in my annual containers—and sometimes growing them myself. So, how hard is it to grow petunias from seed? The short answer is not hard at all. In this article, I’m going to share some petunia seed-starting tips, as well as how to plant those young seedlings outside in the spring.

How to overwinter begonias

Written by Jessica Walliser

Without a doubt, die-hard begonia fans really should understand why and how to overwinter begonias. After all, a single tuberous begonia can live for 15 years or more as long as you offer it proper winter protection. As for exactly how to overwinter begonias, there are a few different ways to do it. The method you choose may depend in part on the amount of winter storage space you have. For instance, if you have a cool, dry area like a basement, attic, garage, or frost-free shed, lifting and storing each tuber may be easiest for you. But if space is at a premium, you might want to take stem or leaf cuttings instead.
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