diff --git a/spec/features/shared_examples/append_date.rb b/spec/features/shared_examples/append_date.rb
index cefb2948d..519c6058e 100644
--- a/spec/features/shared_examples/append_date.rb
+++ b/spec/features/shared_examples/append_date.rb
@@ -4,18 +4,23 @@ shared_examples "append date" do
 
   background { visit path }
 
-  scenario "Selecting a date with datepicker" do
+  describe "Selecting a date with datepicker" do
+    before do
     click_link link_text
-    within "div.datepicker" do
-      expect(page).to have_content this_month.to_s
-      find(".datepicker-days td.day", text: "21").click
+      within "div.datepicker" do
+        expect(page).to have_content this_month.to_s
+        find(".datepicker-days td.day", text: "21").click
+      end
     end
-    expect(page).to have_content "Finished: #{this_month} 21, #{this_year}"
+    it { expect(page).to have_content "Finished" }
+    it { expect(page).to have_content "21 #{this_month}" }
   end
 
-  scenario "Confirming without selecting date" do
-    click_link link_text
-    click_link "Confirm without date"
-    expect(page).to have_content("Finished")
+  describe "Confirming without selecting date" do
+    before do
+      click_link link_text
+      click_link "Confirm without date"
+    end
+    it { expect(page).to have_content("Finished") }
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/helpers/harvests_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/harvests_helper_spec.rb
index d720f1318..303ebaaff 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/harvests_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/harvests_helper_spec.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ describe HarvestsHelper do
         quantity:        nil,
         weight_quantity: nil)
       result = helper.display_quantity(harvest)
-      result.should eq 'not specified'
+      result.should eq ''
     end
 
     it '3 individual' do
diff --git a/spec/helpers/seeds_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/seeds_helper_spec.rb
index fd9887cb4..3d559058e 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/seeds_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/seeds_helper_spec.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ describe SeedsHelper do
       seed = FactoryBot.create(:seed,
         description: nil)
       result = helper.display_seed_description(seed)
-      expect(result).to eq ""
+      expect(result).to eq "no description provided."
     end
 
     it "is less than 130 characters long" do
diff --git a/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
index e65a5b642..09b990c9a 100644
--- a/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe "plantings/index" do
-  let(:member) { FactoryBot.create(:member)                }
-  let(:garden) { FactoryBot.create(:garden, owner: member) }
-  let(:tomato) { FactoryBot.create(:tomato)                }
-  let(:maize)  { FactoryBot.create(:maize)                 }
+  let(:member) { FactoryBot.create(:member)                 }
+  let(:garden) { FactoryBot.create(:garden, owner: member)  }
+  let(:tomato) { FactoryBot.create(:tomato, name: 'tomato') }
+  let(:maize)  { FactoryBot.create(:maize, name: 'maize')   }
 
   before do
     controller.stub(:current_user) { nil }
@@ -36,19 +36,9 @@ describe "plantings/index" do
     render
   end
 
-  it "renders a list of plantings" do
-    rendered.should have_content tomato.name
-    rendered.should have_content maize.name
-    rendered.should have_content member.login_name
-    rendered.should have_content garden.name
-  end
-
-  it "displays planting time" do
-    rendered.should have_content 'January 13, 2013'
-  end
-
-  it "displays finished time" do
-    rendered.should have_content 'January 20, 2013'
+  describe "renders a list of plantings" do
+    it { expect(rendered).to have_content tomato.name }
+    it { expect(rendered).to have_content maize.name }
   end
 
   it "provides data links" do