Garden Variety

Oaks are a keystone species that provide habitat for many different species of wildlife. Iowa’s oaks are facing significant challenges, but they are still worth planting. Charity Nebbe speaks with Iowa Department of Natural Resources District Forester Mark Vitosh about fostering healthy oak trees.

Squirrels are busy building up their winter caches, but humans can also enjoy a nut harvest in Iowa if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.

How to grow and care for pumpkins, and what to do with them after Halloween

Mykayla Hagaman of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium gives us an update on the annual monarch butterfly migration.

On this episode, Iowa State University horticulture professor Jeff Iles tells us how to prepare our woody landscape plants for cold weather and hungry critters.

Fall has arrived and beautiful colors are creeping across the landscape. After a couple of dry and less vibrant autumns, this year may be quite different. On this episode, DNR Forester Mark Vitosh joins us to talk autumn leaves and how the weather affects the colors we see. He also shares some of his fall forest favorites.

It’s a staple in almost every kitchen, but if you’re going to grow your own garlic you have to do some planning ahead. On this episode, Iowa State University horticulture professor and chair Ajay Nair guides us through planting, caring for and harvesting garlic.

Autumn is here and before winter arrives, insects and arachnids have some important work to get done. In the meantime, we can enjoy the beautiful handiwork of orb weaver spiders which is especially visible this time of year. On this episode, entomologist Zach Schumm of the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic joins us to talk about orb weaver spiders. He discusses their beautiful work and how they prepare for winter.

Some Iowans spent a lot of the summer wishing for rain, others spent the summer wishing the rain would stop. Later summer deluges are raising some concerns about what a strong El Nino means for the next few months. Agricultural climatology specialist Madelynn Wuestenberg joins us on this episode with her insight.

How to prepare for the first frost of the season (hint: start now)