Posts By

Sarah Jay

Sarah is a staff writer and content strategist at Epic Gardening. She spends most of her time researching and writing about native/adapted plants and the ecological systems that make up our growing climates.

A close-up shot of a composition of vibrant pink colored flowers alongside flat green segmented stem of a succulent plant, showcasing collect christmas cactus types

Cacti & Succulents

6 Christmas Cactus Types Worth Collecting

If you like Christmas cacti, you’ll be delighted to know there are varieties with different colors. That means you can collect Christmas cactus types of multiple kinds! Here, seasoned gardener Sarah Jay covers 5 types you should pop into your collection the next time you get a chance.

Close up of vibrant pink and white colored blooms on slender stems showcasing flower seeds to start in December.

Seeds

9 Flower Seeds to Start in December

Thinking about when flower seeds start, December isn’t the first month on your mind. But it’s actually a great time to get many flower seeds in the ground, and it’s a perfect time for sowing slow growers indoors. Gardening expert and Master Naturalist Sarah Jay covers 9 seeds you can start this month.

A close-up shot of a developing plant, covered in snow, basking in bright sunlight, showcasing beginner winter gardening

Gardening Tips

A Beginner’s Guide to Winter Gardening

It’s easy to be excited about gardening in spring! But gardening lasts all year, even when it’s cold. Even if you’re new to growing, don’t let frost stop you. Experienced gardener and master naturalist Sarah Jay has tips and tricks to help you with beginner winter gardening.

Woman in an apron propagates Philodendron plants by planting a rooted cutting into a small terracotta pot filled with soil, surrounded by green leaves and propagation tools.

Houseplants

How to Propagate Philodendron Plants

Philodendrons are among the most common plants grown across the world. In North America, they’re most often houseplants, but in sub-tropical and tropical regions, they are great for growing outdoors. An overgrown philodendron needs some tending to, and expert gardener Sarah Jay walks through how to propagate philodendron houseplants here!

A cluster of small, native, straw-colored dried flower seed pods, ready to be collected in November.

Seeds

13 Native Plants You Can Collect Seeds From in November

Why buy new seeds every year when you could simply collect them? Whether it’s from your garden or a nearby natural space, if you want to collect native seeds, November is an ideal time to do so. Master naturalist Sarah Jay gives you 13 native seeds to collect in November.

A close-up shot of a poultry livestock walking in a yard area with dried, fallen foliage, showcasing fall leaves chickens

Gardening Tips

5 Ways to Repurpose Fall Leaves For Your Chickens

If you have a ton of deciduous trees and you need to use them up, save them for your coop. Garden gold comes from fall leaves. Chickens can benefit too! Find out how you can repurpose that fallen foliage as experienced gardener Sarah Jay provides 5 ways to do so!

fall bird garden essentials. Titmouse with gray and yellow feathers perched at the entrance of a green wooden birdhouse on a tall maple tree adorned with red-orange autumn leaves.

Gardening Tips

7 Fall Bird Garden Essentials: Beyond Feeders

It’s easy to make your garden a special place for birds. As long as you include a few fall bird garden essentials, you’ll have winged friends with you throughout the year. Learn about these with Master Naturalist and experienced gardener Sarah Jay.

A close-up shot of a person, in the process of holding a small black pot with a developing plant, showcasing fall propagation

Propagation

Fall Propagation: What to Divide, Cut, and Layer Now

Fall is a great time to plan your spring garden, and wind down for the year. Essential to your spring plans is which plants you’ll propagate and plant. Master naturalist and experienced gardener covers all the fall propagation techniques you can get started on now.