In this week's Good Growing podcast we chat with Mary Fischer about her work in building a coalition of conservationists with Illinois teenagers. Mary is working to expand the Master Naturalist program to teens to build a land ethic in the next generation and create ideas for future careers. Plus we answer your home gardening questions!

Talking about Mary's work to build a Master Naturalist Youth program.

What are some easy and inexpensive activities parents can do with their kids outdoors? (maybe even educational)

We’re seeing lots of escaped ornamental pear trees flowering along our woodland. Should we cut it down now? How do we get rid of this?

We’ve heard a lot about night-blooming plants and how it may help pollinators like moths. What do you recommend? We have both full sun and full shade landscape beds we’d like to plant.

We would like to grow sweet potatoes this year, but we have no idea where to start. Plus, what is a sweet potato slip?

An old oak had branches resting on a powerline. I just trimmed them off then realized it is probably too late in the year. The saw was clean -- never used on oak before. Branches were 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Did I mess up and if so, is there something I can do about it? I know they don't recommend coating with a coating sealer. I don't know why I think about these things after I do them.

Does planting multiple seeds per pot is making their tomatoes taller. Is competition a factor?

Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/PaQkWxeG77k

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Any products mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion of these products.