Listen in to hear all the benefits for purchasing a real locally grown holiday tree. John Krueger, a Minnesota Christmas tree grower, and Rachel Wandrei of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Minnesota Grown program give tips and tricks to shopping local and caring for your holiday tree.

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Spiders tend to elicit fear from people. Their eight legs, extra eyes, fast moves, and love for dark, hidden places can be startling. However, the wonderful world of spiders isn't as scary as it seems. Angie Ambourn with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Chad Hiens from Bethany Lutheran College join host Jennifer Burrington to discuss spiders in Minnesota and help calm our fears a bit on this episode of Smarty Plants. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Shopping online is now easier then ever, making our favorite products often accessible and delivered to our homes with just a click or two. On this episode of Smarty Plants, Amy Morey from the University of Minnesota joins host Jennifer Burington to discuss her research into purchasing invasive plants online and what she could get delivered. Rachel Wandrei from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture joins to talk about our Minnesota Grown marketing program and easy ways to buy local. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has become widespread in Minnesota and is a major threat to our state's ash trees. Efforts to limit EAB populations using biocontrol in Minnesota are underway. Learn about these efforts with Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s EAB experts, Jonathan Osthus and Chris Mallet, on this episode of Smarty Plants. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Not only do noxious and invasive weeds damage our natural resources, but they also can be harmful to people. Emilie Justen from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Roger Becker from the University of Minnesota join us to cover which weeds to watch out for and problems that can occur when we have contact with them, as we kick off the second season of Smarty Plants.

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

The public's involvement in invasive species work is a powerful tool in successful management. Angie Ambourn, Entomologist from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and Angela Gupta, Regional Extension Educator at the University of Minnesota, introduce the topic of participatory science, explore why it is important, share successful past projects, and provide more ways for the public to get involved on the latest episode of Smarty Plants.

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Weed management is important throughout Minnesota, with many different entities doing essential work to minimize the effects noxious and invasive weeds have on our environment. 

Minnesota's 11 indigenous tribes are sovereign nations, each contributing their own perspective on ways to manage weeds. In this episode, Phil Defoe from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Raining White from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe join host Jennifer Burington to discuss their tribes' weed management efforts and unique perspectives on the topic. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Junipers, crab apple, and apple trees are all important tree species in Minnesota. In fact, apple varieties of Minnesota origin are among the top sellers in the country, making the health of these trees a priority to many. Recently a new danger to these trees, red star rust, was found in Minnesota. Plant disease experts Michelle Grabowski from the MDA and Tiffany Enzenbacher from the University of Minnesota discuss the basics of red start rust, new research being done, and steps to protect these tree species. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Minnesota has been living with emerald ash borer (EAB) since it was first found here in 2009. Over the years, the invasive insect and its effect on trees have become more widespread, causing communities to create action plans to respond as they lose ash trees. The southern half of Minnesota is considered generally infested with EAB and it continues to push its way north. EAB experts Jonathan Osthus and Karen Zumach join host Jennifer Burington to give advice on keeping our forests as healthy as possible while living with EAB. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

There are many different weeds that can cause harm to our landscapes, forests, and agricultural land. Weeds that are of high concern for their dangerous impacts often land on the Noxious Weed List. Learn from two noxious weed experts what noxious weeds are, how weeds get placed on the Noxious Weed List, and tips for protecting your properties from these harmful plants. 

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.