Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we’re talking with Suzanne Shoemaker, executive director for Owl Moon Raptor Center (https://owlmoon.org/)  in Maryland, to talk about owls.  

• Owl Moon Annual Festival- Nov 8, 2025, at the Blackhill Regional Park in Boyds, MD. 
• Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators Association: https://www.mwrawildlife.net

We also have our : 

• Native Plant of the Month: White Pine
• Bug of the Month: Owlflies
•  Monthly Garden Tips: Leaving the Leaves

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we’re talking about how much we love fall. One of our favorite things about fall, besides the food, is ASTERS! These flowers add a pop of color to any fall landscape and provide food for many late-season pollinators and beneficial insects.  

We also have our : 

• Native Plant of the Month: Gray Goldenrod 
• Bug of the Month: Pearl Crescent Butterfly 
•  Monthly Garden Tips: Growing Garlic

Here is our list of common garden and landscape asters:

• New England Aster(Symphyotrichum novae-angliaa) (4-8 zone)
• New York Aster ( Symphyotrichum novi-belgii) 
• Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)  
• Heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides)
• Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum leave)
• Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)
• Saltmarsh aster (Symphyotrichum tenuifolium)
• Wood Aster or White heart-leaved aster (Eurybia divaricata)
• Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we’re chatting with Maddie Potter, UME Faculty Specialist for Entomology and Integrated Pest Management, all about WASPS! 

How are they different from bees, what roles do they play in the environment and we play "Wasp Fact or Fiction". 

We also have our : 

• Native Plant of the Month: Virginia Mountain mint
• Bug of the Month: Cuckoo wasp
•  and Monthly Garden Tips.

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we’re talking about how to make our gardens and landscapes more resilient to climate change. 

We also have our : 

• Native Plant of the Month: Black Elderberry 
• Bug of the Month: Squash Bees
•  and Monthly Garden Tips.

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we’re talking about native plants and their pollinators with Lisa Kuder, the Native Plants and Landscapes Specialist for the University of Maryland Extension.  We chat about what qualifies a plant as “native”, what a specialist insect is, and why they are essential. 

We also have our : 

• Native Plant of the Month: Pickerelweed (Pontedaria cordata)
• Bug of the Month: Crape myrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae)
•  and Monthly Garden Tips. There always something to do in June.

More information and resources.

• UME’s MNPP page
• Jarrod Fowler Specialist Bees of the NE webpage
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
• Doug Tallamy’s work

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

This month it’s hip to be square as we discuss a favorite herb of our, MINTS! Mints are a common herb of the genus Mentha that are widely used in cooking, cosmetics, and popular medicine. Join us as we share some fun facts about mints, their history and chatting about how to grow it in your own garden. 

Mint Resources - 

• Drying and preserving herbs - https://extension.umd.edu/resource/harvesting-and-preserving-herbs/
•  The Big Book of Herbs: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance 
• The Wonderful Activities of the Genus Mentha: Not Only Antioxidant Properties 

We also have our Native Plant of the Month: Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata), Bug of the Month:blue-winged scoliid wasp (Scolia dubia) , and Monthly garden tips (so much to do in May).

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

This month's episode discusses the most popular weed on the block:  the Dandelion. Dandelion, or Taraxacum officinale, is an extraordinary plant. We're sharing some fun facts its history and chatting about why some people like them and others dislike them.

We also have our Native Plant of the Month: RAMPS! (Allium tricoccum), Bug of the Month: Spiny witch hazel gall aphid (Hamamelistes spinosus), and Monthly garden tips. 

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener, 

In this month's episode, we are revisiting a favorite topic of ours: STARTING SEEDS! Starting seeds inside can be a fun way to enjoy gardening before you can put plants in the ground.   With the right light and simple equipment, growing transplants is easy.  In this episode, we discuss the equipment you need to start your transplants and give you some tips to get going. 

To find your frost-free date check out the National Gardening Association website:  https://garden.org/apps/frost-dates/ 

We also have the Native Plant of the Month ( Smooth Alder), Bug of the Month (Mourning Cloak Butterfly), and Monthly garden tips. 

We don't discuss starting native seeds in this episode, but you can learn more about them by visiting the UME HGIC website.  

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener 

In this month's episode, we are joined by Extension Specialist in Commercial Horticulture, Dr. Andrew Ristvey, to discuss the in and out of soil amendment & fertilizers. We cover the benefits of amending your soil, the difference between an amendment & fertilizer, what are the different types of Nitrogen fertilizers, how to adjust soil pH.  

As always, it is always a great time to get a soil test to help tell you how to amend your soil.  For more information about soil testing and to find a soil testing lab near you, check out the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center soil testing website. (https://extension.umd.edu/resource/soil-testing-and-soil-testing-labs/),  or check with your local extension office. 

• University of Georgia Fertilizer Calculator: https://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soil/fertcalc/
• Purdue Turf Fertilizer Calculator - https://turf.purdue.edu/fertilizer-calculator/
• Maryland TT-115

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Hey Listener 

We are bringing in the New Year agina by playing some more Garden Trivia with 
Stephanie Pully and Kaitlyn Baligush from the UME Master Gardener Office. This time all the questions are based on past episodes.  Feel free to play along with us. 
There are four categories, each with five questions:

• Scary Plants
• Bug of the Month
• Native Plant of the Month 
• Garden Tips of the Month
• And a Bonus Question at the end. 

 Were Stephanie and Kaitlyn able to stump us? You will have to listen to find out.  

We currently have an open survey for ALL listeners. Whether you’ve listened to all of our episodes, or this is your first time. We developed an evaluation to determine if the information we share on the podcast has made a difference in your practices at home. We promise that it is a short, easy 5-minute survey, and we even have exclusive podcast stickers to give to those who participate. We are so thankful for the feedback, and we appreciate you tuning in for the podcast!

You can take our survey here.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Principal Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture; Rachel Rhodes- Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne's County); and Emily Zobel- Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County).

Theme Song: By Jason Inc,

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.