Savvy Gardening

When to harvest garlic (and garlic scapes!) and how to store it for the winter

Garlic is one of my favorite vegetables to grow because I use it so much in my cooking. I love that each head of hardneck garlic I plant in the fall gives me two harvests. The first harvest is the long, loopy garlic scape in the spring. Then, a few weeks later, I pull the garlic bulbs to dry and store through the fall and winter. In this article I share advice on timing for snipping garlic scapes (plus a link to my favorite recipe!), harvesting garlic, and storing it. I also explain green garlic with a tip to ensure you can harvest it year after year.

Leaf mulch: How to make and use leaf mulch in the garden

Written by Niki Jabbour

Using leaf mulch in the garden is one of the best ways to build soil, reduce weeds, retain moisture, and insulate plants. Plus, you can turn mulched leaves into leaf mold which saves money on buying compost and other soil amendments. In this article I’ll show you three easy ways to make leaf mulch and how to put it to work in your garden.

Our 7 favorite pruning shears for gardening

Written by The Savvy Experts

Pruning shears are a gardener’s best friend when nurturing a healthy and visually appealing garden. In our gardening journey, we’ve found them indispensable for making precise cuts, shaping plants, and removing dead or overgrown branches. When selecting the ideal pair of pruning shears for your gardening toolkit, always prioritize quality and durability over cost. A well-crafted pruner can save you money in the long run by avoiding the need for frequent replacements.
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How to grow chickpeas: From seed to harvest

Written by Niki Jabbour

Hummus lovers rejoice: You can learn how to grow chickpeas in your vegetable garden. Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, cecci beans, and Egyptian peas, are a staple in diets across their indigenous Mediterranean region. And like other legumes, they’re easy to grow and the plants improve the soil. Plus you can enjoy chickpeas fresh from the garden, much like shell peas, or harvest them at the end of the growing season for drying. In this ultimate guide for how to grow chickpeas, you’ll learn all about growing chickpeas on a small scale. Read on for tips on sowing, caring for, harvesting, and enjoying these tasty and nutritious beans.

Little Lime hydrangea: A care guide

Written by Jessica Walliser

Perfect for landscapes with smaller footprints, Little Lime hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Jane’) provides the look and feel of an old-fashioned hydrangea without the need for a huge parcel of land to accommodate it. While many hydrangeas can grow to be 20 feet tall or more, Little Lime hydrangea reaches a comparatively diminutive 3-5 ft. These compact shrubs are suitable for use in hedges, foundation plantings, and even in cut flower arrangements. True to its name, Little Lime hydrangea initially produces lime-colored blooms on strong stems. Over the growing season, the flower color changes to white and, eventually, to a stately burgundy.
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Growing fruit trees in containers

Written by Jessica Walliser

Big rewards come in small packages when growing fruit trees in containers. If you don’t have an abundance of outdoor space, you may think of fruit trees as being out of reach—something only for the orchardists and large-scale landowners. This is not true! Thanks to dwarf varieties and dwarf rootstocks, growing fruit trees in containers isn’t as hard as you might think.