Catalog descriptions and garden center tags can make every cultivar sound like the perfect choice, but sometimes you need advice from someone who’s actually grown them. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Dan Fillius of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach about the cultivars he loves most in his own garden. Then, Aaron Steil joins the show to answer your gardening questions and help you make the best picks this planting season.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa turns 100 this year and the way we care for our pets has changed dramatically in the last century. Spaying and neutering and regular vaccinations were once revolutionary, and they’re only a small part of the story. Host Charity Nebbe explores the evolution of animal welfare with ARL Iowa CEO Tom Colvin and Janet M Davis, author of The Gospel of Kindness.

'National Geographic' photographer Joel Sartore is on a mission to capture every species in captivity. So far through his Photo Ark project, he has photographed nearly 18,000 of them. He joins the show to discuss the urgent effort to protect at-risk species. Later, Iowa State Ph.D. student Derrick Kapayou examines how the 2018 Des Moines flash floods reshaped East Des Moines communities and residents’ sense of stability.

The Violins of Hope all have connections to Jewish musicians and the Holocaust. These instruments are now touring in Iowa, keeping history alive. Plus, Emily Bright shares her new poetry collection 'This Ground Beneath Our Feet.'

Comedy legend Margaret Cho talks about returning to her roots in political comedy and why she calls this her most brutally honest show yet. She is coming to the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on March 27. Then, the Millennial Stone Cleaner shares how restoring gravestones has turned into a powerful way to honor forgotten lives. (A portion of this episode was originally produced Oct. 10, 2024)

When plants start growing and insects start buzzing, plant diseases aren't far behind. On this Horticulture Day episode, Chelsea Harbach of the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University joins to share what you can do to prevent some common diseases. Horticulture Specialist Aaron Steil and Iowa DNR forester Mark Vitosh also join to answer tree and gardening questions.

Cartoonist Lauren Haldeman talks about her new collection, Wild That We’re Alive. Then a dance theater performance explores the emotional and physical toll of infertility and pregnancy loss.

Lizzie Hershberger grew up in an Amish community in Minnesota. She is a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, and she left the community, eventually writing the memoir, Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman's Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice. Hershberger connected with journalist Sarah McClure, who published a year-long investigation about incest, rape, and abuse in Amish communities. Hershberger and McClure then set out on years-long journey filming the documentary Keep Quiet and Forgive, which premieres March 23rd on PBS. Also, water quality is a huge challenge for the Midwest and the Great Plains, but there is a great deal of beauty to be found in the aquatic ecosystems that surround us. ISU professor Amy Burgin joins to share of the Great Plains' water wonders and what she calls "wicked problems."

A new documentary, Simon Estes: A Heart and A Voice tells the remarkable story of a Centerville native who shattered the color barrier for Black men in opera, and has used his acclaim and devout faith to give back as a philanthropist and humanitarian. Then and interview with Council Bluffs-based author, John T. Price, about his latest work, Goethe’s Oak: A Holocaust Story.

When you plant a tree, the hope is that it will remain healthy and strong for decades but the recommendations for what to plant often change faster than the trees themselves, sometimes creating frustration and even controversy. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Jeff Iles, professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, about how recommended plant and tree lists are created and why they sometimes spark debate. Later, Iowa State University Extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil and entomologist Laura Iles join the conversation to answer listeners’ gardening questions.