Good Growing

By University of Illinois ExtensionEducation Leisure Home & Garden

Good Growing episodes

May 01, 2020 Ep. 15 All about tomatoes! With guest Andrew Holsinger
In this week's episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture Andrew Holsinger joins the gang to talk all about tomatoes. Tomato topics discussed:
Physiological leaf roll vs. herbicide injury
Flower drop
Cracking tomato skin
Novelty tomatoes
Staking tomatoes
Growing tomatoes in containers
Controlling tomato disease
Blossom end rot
Controlling stinkbugs on tomatoes
Contact the hosts:
Chris Enroth [email protected]
Ken Johnson [email protected]
Katie Parker [email protected]
Accessible Edible Containers: May 6: Promoting local food can start in your backyard, patio, or even indoors. Learn to grow a variety of edibles in containers and use space efficiently. Andrew Holsinger will share some of the best cultivars for growing in containers. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=22203
Good Bugs in the Garden: May 13: Not all insects we find in our gardens are pests. In fact, most insects aren’t pests at all. Ken Johnson will explore the most common beneficial insects and ways to attract them to your garden. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=22204
Landscape Safety: May 20: There can be hazards to working in the yard and garden. Landscape work can involve dangerous and loud equipment, pesticides, and contact with plants and animals that may be harmful. Chris Enroth will provide safety tips everyone can use when working the yard, including hearing, eye, and sun protection; best practices for operating equipment; and using pesticides safely. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=22214
Mulching Options for the Garden: May 27: The use of mulch in flower and vegetable gardens has many benefits, such as weed prevention and soil moisture retention; however, with a dozen or more options, how do you choose one to use? Katie Parker will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of mulches available. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=22206
27 min
April 24, 2020 Ep. 14 Growing Mushrooms with Michelle Berg Vogel & Your Gardening Questions
In today's episode of the Good Growing Podcast Michelle Berg Vogel joins Ken, Katie, and Chris to talk about growing your very own mushrooms at home. Plus tips for hunting the elusive morel mushroom. All this plus your home gardening questions answered.
On this episode we answer the following homeowner questions:
1. What to do about spider mite damage on Dwarf Alberta spruce
2. Can I still get seed online during the Coronavirus pandemic?
3. What can I do about voles in my yard?
4. What's the best thing to keep dollar spot from showing up in my lawn?
38 min
April 20, 2020 Ep. 13 Answering Insect Questions with Kelly Allsup
Join the Good Growing crew as they answer your insect questions. Ken, Katie, and Chris welcome special guest Kelly Allsup, horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension. Kelly's passion is insects and shares her knowledge with the podcast to answer your insect questions. Following are the questions we discuss in this episode:
1. Brussels sprouts never get very big, what can they do get bigger sprouts.
2. A high school greenhouse is seeing aphids, whiteflies, and gnats. How do they save their plants?
3. How do I get rid of house centipedes? Do they bite?
4. How do I get rid of giant spiders in the house!?
5. How do you get rid of Japanese beetles
Links to follow Kelly online:
Blog https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MidIllinoisMasterGardener/
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Guidelines for Purchasing and Using Commercial Natural Enemies and Biopesticides in North America https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in849
Relative Susceptibility of Woody Landscape Plants to Japanese Beetle https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/bspm/JapaneseBeetle/Held2004.pdf
Email us your insect or any home gardening and landscaping questions:
Chris [email protected]
Ken [email protected]
Katie [email protected]
Check out our blog chocked full of articles on home gardening, landscaping, conservation, and so much more! extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing
42 min
April 10, 2020 Ep. 12 Your Home Gardening Questions Answered with Ken and Katie
On this spring episode of the Good Growing podcast we answer questions we received from Illinois home gardeners. Ken Johnson, horticulture educator, and Katie Parker, local foods & small farms educator, join Chris to answer the following questions:
1. Dealing with squash bugs
2. What to do about landscape fabric and rock mulch
3. Can you garden where a house burned down?
4. Protecting apple trees from spring freezes.
Check out our blog chocked full of articles on home gardening, landscaping, conservation, and so much more! https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing
Email us your questions
Chris [email protected]
Ken [email protected]
Katie [email protected]
20 min
November 07, 2019 Ep. 11 The Truth about the Woolly Bear Caterpillars with Chris Enroth
Most people know few insects by name. One of the more popular, at least this time of year, is the woolly bear or woolly worm caterpillar. This caterpillar is the larval form of the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella). A white to orange to yellow moth that frequents lights at night in the midsummer. But is the woolly bear caterpillar able to predict how cold this winter will be? Or is this hogwash? Extension educator Chris Enroth lays to rest the myth of the woolly bear caterpillar. Good Growing Blog https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing
7 min
August 26, 2019 Ep. 10 Compost Tea - Miracle Product or Snake Oil with Chris Enroth
Will compost tea save the world? Not according to current science. Science and the compost tea industry disagree on the effects of compost tea. Listen in as horticulture educator Chris Enroth saves you time, money, and electricity by keeping compost in the landscape. Leave the tea in the kitchen.
8 min
February 27, 2019 Ep. 9 Cover Crops with Duane Friend
On this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Extension educator Duane Friends pops by to chat about cover crops. Duane explains the importance of using cover crops, how they are a great tool for soil management, choosing cover crops, and more! Got questions? Contact Duane [email protected] Contact Chris [email protected] Check out Chris' blog post on cover crops https://web.extension.illinois.edu/hkmw/eb382/entry_13816/
35 min
January 31, 2019 Ep. 8 Dealing with a Mouse in the House
On this episode of the Good Growing podcast, Chris shares his recent experience with a mouse in his house. He gives tips and tricks for dealing with these unwanted guests in the middle of winter. Check out Illinois Extension's website Living with Wildlife https://extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/
16 min
January 09, 2019 Dealing with Storm Damaged Trees Part 2
In part two of this two-part episode, Chris chats with University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators Andrew Holsinger and Ryan Pankau about storm damaged trees. Ryan shares his experiences as an arborist cleaning up after storms, how to make your trees more resilient to storms, and his recommended trees to plant that can resist wind damage. Plus, Ryan answers several of Chris and Andrew's questions. Check out Part One of this episode where we dive into what to do when we emerge from our shelters following a storm and how tips for hiring a certified arborist. https://bit.ly/2CdwCPV Email Chris [email protected] Email Ryan [email protected] Email Andrew [email protected]
32 min
December 21, 2018 Dealing with Storm Damaged Trees Part 1
In part one of this two-part episode, Chris chats with University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators Andrew Holsinger and Ryan Pankau about storm damaged trees. Andrew tells about how nearby Taylorville, Illinois recently experienced a tornado. And Ryan gives us tips on what to look out for when we first emerge from our shelters and basements. Then Ryan gives tips on what to consider when hiring a certified arborist. Check out Part Two of this episode where we dive into how we make our trees more resilient to storm damage and what trees are good and bad when it comes to resisting wind damage. (Scheduled air date Jan 3) Email Chris [email protected] Email Ryan [email protected] Email Andrew [email protected]
19 min

About Good Growing

From the publisher's feed

The Good Growing Podcast from University of Illinois Extension helps gardeners grow with confidence. Each episode features research-based advice, practical gardening tips, and engaging conversations…