Savvy Gardening

How to harvest rosemary to use fresh or for drying

You may include rosemary in your herb garden each year, or tuck it into your containers as an ornamental, but do you know how to harvest rosemary to get the best flavor? The chemical compounds that give the rosemary plant its signature aroma are at peak levels during certain points in the plant’s life cycle. Whether you want just a few fresh rosemary sprigs or you plan to dry and store rosemary for long-term use, learn how to properly harvest this fragrant herb.

How to grow morel mushrooms

Written by Jessica Walliser

After tasting morel mushrooms foraged from the wild—or forking over big money to buy morels at your local farm market—you just might be wondering if you can grow morel mushrooms at home. The answer is yes! With patience, of course. Including the white Morchella rufobrunnea, the yellow Morchella americana, and the black Morchella angusticeps, there are many species of morels. In this article, I’ll share information about this unique mushroom and fill you in on how to grow morel mushrooms in your yard or garden.
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How to trim basil for big, bushy plants and larger yields

Written by Niki Jabbour

One of the secrets to producing big, bushy basil plants is trimming. Many gardeners are shy about harvesting from their herbs and don’t want to cut them back in case it damages the plants or reduces yield. I’m the opposite, constantly trimming herbs like basil to use fresh, or preserve by drying or freezing. Not only does it promote bushier growth it also increases stem and leaf production. Are you ready to learn how to trim your basil plants for maximum yield?

When to harvest sweet potatoes and how to do it right

Written by Niki Jabbour

A great exercise in garden patience is in learning when to harvest sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a long-season crop and it takes months for the tubers to mature, but the anticipation grows right along with the vines and roots. This popular vegetable is not difficult to grow and a great crop for in-ground gardens, raised beds, and containers. Because sweet potatoes are root tubers that grow entirely underground, you can’t judge their harvest readiness by their color, size, or shape. When to harvest sweet potatoes depends on a number of factors, and I’ll cover those here, along with how to cure and store sweet potatoes, plus a few tips for growing the biggest sweet potatoes.

Our favorite wheelbarrows for all kinds of garden projects

Written by The Savvy Experts

When gardening and landscaping, having the right tools can make all the difference. For moving mulch, compost, plants, or clippings efficiently from one area to another, you need a great wheelbarrow. After all, owning one of the best wheelbarrows helps make it possible to grow beautiful flowers or delicious edibles! With so many options to choose from, we know that selecting the best wheelbarrow can be overwhelming. That’s why we put together a list of our favorite wheelbarrows, ones we still love after years of use and that we know will help make your time spent in the garden easier and more efficient.
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Geranium macrorrhizum: How to grow perennial big root geranium

Written by Niki Jabbour

Geranium macrorrhizum, or big root geranium, is one of my all-time favorite perennials for its ease of cultivation, attractive foliage, pretty summer blooms, and incredible vigor. It’s perfect at the front of a perennial or shrub bed, along a pathway, or as a groundcover under shrubs. Big root geranium spreads and forms a dense carpet of foliage, but it’s not so aggressive that it becomes invasive. In this article you’ll learn all about planting, growing, and caring for this stunning plant.