The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Taking care of your turf

   One of the perennial questions we field on Horticulture Day is when to plant grass seed. The answer is right now. On this episode, we talk with Iowa State University turfgrass specialist Adam Thoms about seeding and overseeding your lawn. We also talk about the fall lawn chores you should have on your horizon. Then, horticulturist Aaron Steil also joins us to answer listener questions.

   August 22, 2026·48min
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   Number 2: Smaller populations and more school options mean less funds for public schools

   Kids are back to school, but for Iowa's public schools, things have gotten more challenging. Public school funding hasn't kept pace with inflation, and many districts are losing students and the funds that come with them. On this episode, we check in with school districts around the state — Des Moines, Creston, Cedar Rapids and Sumner-Fredericksburg. We discuss how these school districts have been navigating the strained budget and their plans moving forward.

   September 03, 2026·48min
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   Number 3: Into the woods

   The woods may be lovely, dark and deep, but most Iowa woodlands are plagued with invasive species. On this Horticulture Day episode, we talk with DNR District Forester Mark Vitosh about the non-native invasive plants that we should be concerned about in Iowa forests and some management techniques. Then, Iowa State University Horticulture Professor Cindy Haynes joins us to answer listener questions.

   August 29, 2026·48min
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   Number 4: Paint it Back boasts bold colors, sounds and ideas in Clinton

   Clinton artists Gabi Torres and Chris Shannon have helped put the city of Clinton on the map with their annual Paint it Back event. Starting as an effort to activate a vacant building with artists' murals near the Mississippi River in 2023 has gotten bigger each year, with an art market, live music, kids activities and more. For its fourth year, they’re moving west to downtown with a mission to make this its biggest year ever. We talk with co-founder Gabi Torres, Paint it Back Board President Matt Parbs on the impact its had on the Clinton community, and Colorado-based artist James Foster, aka East, who has taken part in the event since its second year. Then, a new art installation on the pond at Wilson's Orchard in Cumming appears as a quilt, and absorbs excess nitrates from the water. We talk with its creators, Drake University professors Emily Newman and Edward Kelley. They co-founded the Parts Per Million Collective, an art collaboration that addresses climate change through art.

   August 19, 2026·49min
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   Number 5: Diagnosing your tomato plants

   Eating a ripe tomato fresh from the garden is one of the true pleasures of summer, but growing tomatoes can be challenging — especially if your plants get hit by disease. On this Horticulture Day episode, we talk about tomatoes and their many diseases with Chelsea Harbach, plant disease diagnostician with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. Then, horticulturist Aaron Steil joins us to answer listener questions.

   August 15, 2026·48min
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