Savvy Gardening

How to harvest lavender for bouquets, culinary uses, and DIY projects

My love for lavender stems back to a trip to Provence before my last year of university. I have a postcard of the lavender fields we passed while in transit—and have been dreaming about them ever since. I was delighted when my first garden had an established lavender plant in the front garden. And in my current home, I have a few. I love to pick small bouquets and add sprigs to bigger arrangements with other cut flowers. However, if you’re going to gather it to use in sachets and cooking, it’s important to know how to harvest lavender—and when.

Tomato plant suckers: When and how to prune tomato plants

Written by Niki Jabbour

It’s a question I’m asked all the time, “Should I remove tomato plant suckers?” The answer: “It depends!” There really isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question as it relies on a few factors like the type of tomato plants you’re growing and how you’re supporting them. Read on to learn whether or not you should pinch out tomato suckers.

Herbs that grow in shade: 10 delicious choices

Written by Jessica Walliser

Plenty of gardeners consider shade to be more of a curse than a blessing, especially when it comes to growing vegetables and herbs. Your plant choices are slightly more limited than gardeners with full sun, but there are plenty of edible plants that tolerate—and even thrive—in the shade, including herbs. Though you may think all herbs are sun-loving plants, there are many herbs that grow in shade. In this article, I’ll introduce you to 10 of my favorite herbs for shady garden corners and containers.
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Pink perennials for the garden: A gradient of rosy shades from pale pink to fuchsia

Written by Tara Nolan

I’ll admit it, one of my favorite colors is pink. If I see pink perennials at the garden centre and I need a plant to fill a hole in my garden, chances are at least one of them will end up in my cart. Come to think of it, I have quite a range of beautiful pink perennials in my front, side and backyard.

Straw bale gardening: An easy and effective way to grow vegetables

Written by Niki Jabbour

Straw bale gardening is HUGE! And for good reason as it’s an easy way to grow vegetables and flowers in small spaces, driveways, or any area where it’s hard to dig a new garden. A straw bale is a self-contained garden where the centre of the bale is seasoned with fertilizers to start the decomposition process and create a rich pocket for plants. Read on to learn more about gardening in straw bales.

Alpine strawberries: How to grow this delicious little fruit from seed or transplants

Written by Jessica Walliser

If I had to pick a favorite backyard fruit, I’d pick the strawberry. But not just any strawberry, mind you. I’d pick the alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca). These sweet little gems are far more fragrant and luscious than their jumbo-sized, commercially grown kin (Fragaria x ananassa). Alpine strawberries are also called woodland strawberries. Pop one in your mouth and be prepared for a juicy burst of sugary goodness with a flavor that’s a combination of pineapple and berries with a floral twist. Yep. They’re THAT good. And most importantly, they’re also really easy to grow.
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