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 healthy and lush Star anise plant appearing to have countless green leaves placed somewhere with a lot of warm sunlight

Herbs

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Star Anise

The star anise plant is a lovely subtropical tree that produces beautiful star-shaped flowers and pods. With the right conditions, it's not difficult to grow either. In this guide, we discuss growing techniques for the best results.

An area with lovely society garlic plants with tiny purple flowers, placed somewhere with lots of direct sunlight

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Society Garlic

Society garlic is a garlic-scented, almost garlic-flavored bulbing plant... but it's not really garlic. The beautiful flowers make them worth growing alone, but the leaves and flowers are also edible! Learn how to grow it in this complete beginner's guide.

A person wearing gloves holding straw mulch in hands, appearing yellow and dry placed at the base of a plant

Mulch

How to Use Straw Mulch in Your Garden

The application of straw mulch will help protect your vegetable garden from disease, reduce watering, and more. Horticultural expert Sarah Jay discusses this resource and how to use it.

A shot of crops and container that shows how to store squash

Vegetables

How To Store and Preserve Squash

Once you know how to store squash, you'll be able to keep produce for months after harvest! Horticultural expert Sarah Jay discusses techniques you should use for storage and preservation.

Two pieces of gardening tools laying on top of wood chip mulch placed on the ground in the garden

Mulch

The Pros and Cons of Wood Chip Mulch

Wood chip mulch is often recommended, but what does it actually consist of? Is it good for your garden? Expert Sarah Jay explores the pros and cons of wood chip mulch, and how to use it.

A dense bush of alyssum, appearing to have vivid green leaves and countless purple flowers looking vibrant under the sunlight

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Alyssum

Sweet alyssum is a powerful pollinator lure that attracts bees to your yard. This spectacular plant is a must-grow flowering superstar. Join horticultural expert Sarah Jay as she explains all you need to know to grow this plant successfully.

A close-up shot of a small composition of tall stalks with purple colored, fragrant flowers, all situated in a well lit area outdoors

Herbs

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Lavender

Growing lavender provides great beauty to your garden, and it smells great too! This perennial herb has many uses and is easy to grow with the right conditions. Learn everything you need with Sarah Jay with her in-depth growing guide.

Green and orange 'Pineapple Pole' tomatoes nestled among lush green leaves, showcasing their vibrant colors, while growing tomatoes indoors

Vegetables

How to Grow Tomatoes Indoors Successfully

Growing tomatoes indoors can give you tomatoes all year, whether in the dead of winter or height of summer. However, you will need to make some adjustments to get it right. Follow this in-depth guide to learn how to grow your own tomatoes indoors!