Good Growing

This week on the Good Growing podcast we learn about monarch butterfly science from a leading scientist in the field of monarch butterflies, Dr. Andy Davis from University of Georgia. We learn some hard truths and ask do the monarch butterflies really need to be saved? What roles should humans have in monarch butterfly protection? All this and more (like cicadas and Joro spiders) in this week’s Good Growing podcast. 

Plus check out Brodie Dunn’s newest podcast Voice of the Wild. Brodie plays us short clips of recorded wildlife sounds and talks about what we are hearing. Voice of the Wild covers mostly birds, but Brodie’s latest episode is about the American sycamore tree. https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/voice-wild

Dr. Davis’ blog https://www.monarchscience.org/
Engage with monarch scientists on the Thoughtful Monarch Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/565065511941624 

Skip to what you want to know:
0:35 Hey Ken! Latest cicada report. What's happening in Jacksonville?
2:05 Brodie Dunn's new podcast, Voice of the Wild
2:49 Welcome Dr. Andy Davis
3:51 The Thoughtful Monarch Facebook page
6:17 Andy's background
8:15 Will we see fewer monarchs this summer in the US and Canada because of the low overwintering counts in Mexico?
16:00 What about the possibility of monarch butterflies being listed as an endangered species?
19:36 The problem with rearing monarchs.
31:08 www.monarchscience.org
32:15 The gap between science and the public.
33:54 What about rearing monarchs in schools to teach kids about insects?
38:57 What are some of the issues with growing tropical milkweed?
46:20 What can people do if they stop rearing monarchs and planting tropical milkweed? How can they redirect their energy into something that may benefit monarch butterflies?
48:18 Some interesting behavior of the non-native Joro spider and monarch butterflies.
52:42 Once Joro spiders get to Illinois will they cause ecological havoc?

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--
You can find us on most podcast platforms.  
iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   
Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   
Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   
Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   
Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   
Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris look at some common lawncare questions. What can you do about growing grass in the shade? Does crabgrass preventer go down when the forsythia bloom? And more!

Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/ZM0sWiPKlTs

Skip to what you want to know:
0:50 Hey Ken! What's bocce ball?
1:54 Weather and garden updates
5:57 Good Growing Grow Along update. Seeds are on the way!
6:44 Time to talk about lawns
7:07 If you mow lower, does that mean you mow less often?
8:28 How high should we mow our cool-season lawns?
11:22 Can fertilizer help recover from mowing stress? But what exactly IS fertilizer to plants?
12:41 The one-third rule of mowing.
14:43 Why don't more people bag their clippings to reduce thatch?
18:24 Should we apply our spring weed'n'feed when the forsythia blooms?
24:31 How do I get grass to grow in the shade of a tree?
24:31 I keep planting Kentucky 31 bluegrass, but it looks terrible. What do I need to do differently, to make it grow well?

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--
You can find us on most podcast platforms.  
iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   
Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   
Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   
Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   
Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   
Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

Do you want to grow your own fruit but have limited space? Growing fruit in a container may be the solution for you! On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we welcome back Bruce Black to talk about how we can grow fruit in containers, what fruit works best in containers, and more. 

Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Khh6gbA5-yM

Skip to what you want to know:  

  00:32 – Welcome, Ken! Update on Cicada Watch 2024.

  02:30 – Welcome, Bruce! Sauk Valley Community College partnership and Gardening in the Air

  07:35 – What are some advantages of growing fruit in containers? 

  10:28 – Can we plant ‘normal’ sized fruit plants in pots?

  13:27 – Ballerina (columnar) apple trees

  15:45 – What other fruits can we grow in containers?

  18:14 – Container fruit cultivars

     18:25 – Apples

     20:37 – Blueberries and brambles (raspberries and blackberries)

     24:55 – Strawberries and pineberries

  27:30 – What type of container should we use? What are chilling hours?

  31:15 – Where should we place our container fruit? Winter protection.

  35:36 – What should we fill our pots with? Fertilizing, watering, and lowering pH for blueberries. 

  41:30 – Pest management for container fruits

  43:40 – Final recommendations,  pollination, and resources  

  48:20 – Wrap-up, thank yous, what’s up next week, and goodbye!

Gardening in the Air: https://extension.illinois.edu/plants/gardening-air 

Container Gardening infosheet: https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/how_to_grow_fruits_vegetables_herbs_in_containers.pdf 

Contact us! 

Chris Enroth: [email protected]

Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Bruce Black: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing

Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--

You can find us on most podcast platforms.  

iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   

Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   

Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   

Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   

Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   

Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   

Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   

Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD 

This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken has to work hard to contain his excitement for the upcoming periodical cicada emergence. Meanwhile, Chris has been building defenses to protect his newly planted baby trees. What do you need to know about the upcoming emergence of periodical cicadas? While our established trees will be okay, Ken and Chris will talk about how to protect our smaller newly planted trees from cicada egg laying. Plus, everyone seems to highlight the potential damage to woody plants, but a periodical cicada emergence is truly a sight to behold. Ken tells us the benefits of having billions, if not trillions, of cicadas pop out of the ground.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RADnUB7GXXI

Skip to what you want to know:

0:35 Hey Ken! How's the garden coming along this spring?
3:40 What's the difference between a periodical cicada and an annual cicada?
7:40 When will it be peak cicada? Will it be earlier than expected with our mild winter?
10:31 Does double brood emergence mean double the cicadas in one area?
12:04 Do periodical cicadas occur in other places in the world?
13:07 How many cicadas should we expect in a given area?
15:39 Do cicadas eat anything after they emerge as adults? Is there anything we need to protect from them?
17:09 Cicada egg-laying damages our trees.
26:28 Is there any benefit to periodical cicadas?
30:00 If all these animals can eat cicadas, can humans eat them too?

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--
You can find us on most podcast platforms.  
iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   
Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   
Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   
Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   
Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   
Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

Do you enjoy spending your evenings outdoors? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about how you can create a garden to be enjoyed at night. Learn about night-blooming plants that can be incorporated into a ‘night/moon’ garden, landscape lighting, insects that come out at night, and more! 

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

Skip to what you want to know:  

  00:28 – Welcome, Ken! Enjoying the unseasonably warm weather?

  03:15 – Gardening by the moon, does it work? 

  06:55 – What are some plants can be grown for ‘night’ or ‘moon’ gardens?

      07:52 – Flowering tobacco

      08:40 – Dragon fruit and night-blooming cereus

  09:36 – What is pollinating these flowers? 

  11:00 – More plants for the night

      11:00 – Angel’s trumpet

      14:35 – Evening-primrose (Oenothera )

      16:38 – Four o’clock

      18:10 – Caladium

      18:46 – Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’

      19:26 – Dusty miller

      20:05 – Moonflower  

  23:46 – Incorporating landscape lighting

  26:56 – Some drawbacks of lights at night

  31:00 – Insects at night

  34:18 – Wrap-up, thank yous, what’s up next week, and goodbye!

Talking Bats in Illinois with Dr. Joy O'Keefe: https://youtu.be/9fLLNtNHkpI 

Contact us! 

Chris Enroth: [email protected]

Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing

Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--

You can find us on most podcast platforms.  

iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   

Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   

Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   

Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   

Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   

Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   

Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   

Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD 

This week on the Good Growing Podcast we rewind back to when we sat down in person with Duane Friend to discuss pond management. For this Gardenbite episode, we look specifically at aerators in ponds, duckweed, and having taller vegetation around ponds and in the drainage channels leading into the pond. You can find the entire episode at the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt4E6uke72E 

Watch this on YouTube https://youtu.be/SFNec6M8J-w

Skip to what you want to know:
1:20 Aerators in ponds. Do they work? What about aerating ponds during the winter?
4:18 Can you prevent duckweed from returning to your pond year after year? 
7:27 What about using vegetation to improve water quality for ponds?

Have you had problems with bagworms in your landscape? Bagworms are troublesome insects that can make evergreens and other plants rather unsightly. Learn about the lifecycle of bagworms and how we can manage them, including how planting flowers can help.

Want to see pictures? Check out the YouTube version: https://youtu.be/kZNKiu-x7rk 

USA National Phenological Network: https://www.usanpn.org/data/maps/forecasts/bagworm

Conservation biological control in urban landscapes: Manipulating parasitoids of bagworm (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) with flowering forbs: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1049964405000733 

Photo Credits:

• Bagworms on defoliated plant: "Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis" by Adam Kranz is marked with CC0 1.0.
• Bagworm eggs: "Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis" by askalotl is marked with CC0 1.0.
• Bagworm on broadleaf plant: "Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis" by Daniel Estabrooks is marked with CC0 1.0.
• Female bagworm moth: Lacy L. Hyche, Auburn University, Bugwood.org
• Male bagworm moth: "Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis" by Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago is marked with CC0 1.0.
• Bagworm moths mating: Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
• Bagworm eggs: "Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis" by Adam Kranz is marked with CC0 1.0.
• Parasitoid wasp: Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisiana State University, Bugwood.org

Contact us! 

Chris Enroth: [email protected]

Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing

Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--

You can find us on most podcast platforms.  

iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   

Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   

Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   

Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   

Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   

Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   

Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   

Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD 

This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken and Chris talk about perennial vegetables that we can grow here in Illinois. Many of the preparation and care instructions match with each crop and we describe those during our first crop, asparagus! We also chat about rhubarb, artichoke, chives, and horseradish. Are there others? What perennial veggies do you grow?

Learn more about growing veggies at our website: https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening
Previous episode on growing horseradish: https://youtu.be/PXKp-MLkHAk 

Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/Q9PYXesCPXE

Skip to what you want to know:
0:27 Hey Ken!
4:14 Diving into perennial vegetables
4:44 Asparagus - What do we like about asparagus? Smelly pee and astronauts.
6:19 What do you get when you order asparagus? Seed vs. living crowns
8:13 Preparing a site for planting asparagus.
12:51 How to plant asparagus.
14:04 When can you start harvesting asparagus?
17:15 Should you cut or break the asparagus spears when harvesting?
18:32 Weed control in asparagus (and pretty all other types of perennial vegetables)
21:21 Asparagus fall color.
21:57 Asparagus pests
23:04 Asparagus cultivars
24:57 Rhubarb
27:07 Rhubarb care
29:05 Should you remove the rhubarb flowers
31:55 Can you eat rhubarb after a frost?
34:07 Artichoke
39:27 Chives
40:56 Horseradish
45:48 What perennial veggies did we miss? Thank you's and coming up next week

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--
You can find us on most podcast platforms.  
iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   
Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   
Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   
Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   
Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   
Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   
Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD

Have you started your seeds yet? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about how you can start your own seeds. Learn about the benefits of starting your own seeds, where to start them, the equipment you’ll need, how we can reduce the amount of plastic we use to start seeds, troubleshooting, and more! 

Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lNCwDYkdS50 

Skip to what you want to know:  

  00:28 – Welcome, Ken! Have we started our seeds?

  01:50 – What are people searching for on social media when it comes to seed starting?

  05:00 – Why would we want to start our own seed?

  09:50 – Where should we start seeds?

  14:55 – What materials will we need to start seeds? 

     15:10 – Containers

     18:20 – Humidity domes?

     19:55 – Fans?

     21:30 – Heat mats?

     24:00 – Lighting 

     31:00 – Growing media, peat, coconut coir, etc.

  36:30 – Ways to reduce the amount of plastic in seed starting. Soil blockers, peat and paper pots, etc.

  50:15 – Problems that arise with seed starting. Leggy plants, damping-off, fungus gnats, and algae

  59:00 – Wrap-up, thank yous, what’s up next week, and goodbye!

When should I start my seeds?: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2023-02-10-when-should-i-start-my-seeds 

Contact us! 

Chris Enroth: [email protected]

Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing

Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--

You can find us on most podcast platforms.  

iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   

Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   

Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   

Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   

Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   

Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   

Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   

Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD 

This week on the Good Growing podcast we chat with horticulture educator Emily Swihart about garden trends to be on the lookout for in 2024. We talk about the rise in popularity of incorporating native plants, trying to make our landscapes more biodiverse, and also just plain fun horticulture trends like colors and using our gardens at night. 

Skip to what you want to know:
17:06 The trend of eco-optimism.
18:44 The trend of native plants.
20:40 The trend of densely planted landscape beds.
24:41 Chris attempts to start a trend.
25:25 The trend of improving our urban forests and putting a stop to the maple trend.
29:17 The trend of environmental justice.
32:19 The trend of the color of the year – chartreuse. 
37:19 The trend of the gothic garden (dark colors).
42:36 The trend of cemeteries as a park-like space for the public to gather.
45:52 The trend of nighttime gardens. Night-flowering plants and night lighting.
49:49 The trends we want to let go.
54:58 Thank yous and coming up next week.

Cicada Article https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2024-02-22-cicadas-are-coming-periodical-cicadas-illinois-2024

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 
Emily Swihart: [email protected]

Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe

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

--
You can find us on most podcast platforms.  
iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377   
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing   
Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR   
Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/   
Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/   
Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902   
Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us   
Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD