Garden Talk

Every year new perennials, annuals and summer bulbs are introduced. We talk with regular guest Lis Friemoth about some of her favorites. She also has some suggestions for unusual houseplants.

It’s April but the state is covered with snow! We talk to our gardening expert about how late season cold will affect your planting and growing season. We also cover soil amending and seed starting.

Gardening can get expensive, but there are ways you can get a bigger bang for your buck. We talk about where to skimp and when it makes sense to splurge, and share tips on how to find great plants for less, what garden designs save money and how to find great deals on containers.

Shrubs can add a whole new dimension to the landscape – if you know how to use them. Our guest, the director of horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville shares the what, where and how of adding shrubs to your garden.

March is a difficult time for gardeners - it’s too early to plant but the weather makes you want to start. We talk about ways you can get a jump start on the growing season with nationally known garden expert Melinda Meyers.

According to our guest, a good prairie fire is one of the special rites of spring. Neil Diboll shares his tips on how to successfully conduct a prairie burn and what to do it the burn isn’t possible in your prairie garden. We also talk a look at the best plants for pollinators.

Don’t have the best spot for a garden? You may want to explore straw bale gardening. We learn the basics from the originator of this unique gardening method.

We talk to UW-Extension horticulture educator Lisa Johnson about upcoming gardening classes, the Master Gardener program and other ways to get in-depth gardening knowledge.

Salt has long been the go-to product for making streets and sidewalks safe during winter. We talk to our gardening expert about the side effects of using the de-icer on our gardens and what you can do to lessen the damage.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your vegetable garden. We talk about soil preparation, tips about growing vegetables and suggestions for which varieties work best.