Whether you want to grow a cut flower garden for your own enjoyment or to start a business, you will find Lisa Mason Ziegler’s advice on succession planting with flowers very useful. Lisa, a cut flower growing expert and author, returns to the podcast this week to share her tips.

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Living under the strictures of a homeowners association can be incredibly stifling for gardeners who want to work outside of the turf lawn and irrigation dynamic, but sometimes gardeners successfully stand up to their HOAs — and lawmakers in some states are making it easier to do so. Native gardener Janet Crouch joins me on the podcast this week to explain how she helped gardeners across Maryland earn the right to plant native.

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Cucumber-melons aren’t hybrids of cucumbers and melons but rather immature melons that are intended to be enjoyed just as you would eat a cucumber. To explain the origin of cucumber-melons and what sets them apart from standard cucumbers, my guest this week is Jay Tracy, a cucumber-melon expert and seed seller.

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The Cherokee discovered long ago that many native plants in the Southeastern United States hold remedies for a range of ailments, from burns and bug bites to migraines. My guest this week, naturalist, survivalist and author Mark Warren, has studied and experienced firsthand the effectiveness of Cherokee healing practices and shares them in his books and workshops.

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Among gardeners, there is a lot of advice out there that sounds clever and wise, but when you begin to look into it, you learn there is no concrete evidence to back it up. My guest this week, Dr. Stuart Farrimond, has authored a book on gardening science to explain what the research says about what we do in the garden — both the things that work and the things that just aren’t effective.

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Keeping up with weeding is one of the chief complaints that gardeners have, but it’s no reason to throw in the towel. My guest Margaret Roach, the New York Times garden writer and founder of A Way to Garden, shares her advice for managing weed overwhelm using organic control methods.

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Carex is a grass alternative that is a problem-solving native perennial for any home landscape. But with so many Carex species and cultivars to choose from, it’s hard to know what the best fit will be for your garden. To determine the most adaptable, resilient, attractive and ecologically valuable Carex species, Mt. Cuba Center spent several years trialing Carex plants, and this week on the podcast, my guest Sam Hoadley shares what they learned.

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Out our back doors, animals and plants are doing amazing things and communicating and interacting via means we are only beginning to understand, as Nancy Lawson, the founder of The Humane Gardener, explains in her new book. Nancy returns to the podcast this week to discuss this “Wildscape” and how research is uncovering the surprising ways that human activity interrupts the natural world.

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Breeding dahlias can result in surprising, desirable and unique dahlia varieties, and it’s an activity any home gardener can do. To explain the basics of raising dahlias and her advanced techniques for hybridizing dahlias, joining me on the podcast is Kristine Albrecht, a dahlia expert and the founder of Santa Cruz Dahlias.

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Plant breeding may appear on the surface to be too complicated for the average home gardener to do, but anyone can breed hybrid and open-pollinated vegetables and flowers if they have the knowledge and patience for it and put in the effort. Joseph Tychonievich, a garden writer and plant breeder, joins me on the podcast to discuss the steps aspiring plant breeders need to know.

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Gardeners know compost is the best thing for their soil, but the science behind the benefits of compost is generally not well understood. To shed light on how composting works and why compost enriches soil, my guest this week is chemist, author, and Master Gardener Robert Pavlis.

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It can be difficult to find the time and energy to garden as much as we’d like to — and some gardening challenges stop us from ever getting started. This week, I’m sharing my tips for overcoming frequently encountered gardening challenges.

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Those of us who control a patch of land can’t count on there being someplace else for wildlife to find a home. There are too few wild spaces left, so it’s up to each of us to steward our properties in a way that fosters biodiversity. That’s the message shared by my guest this week, gardener, landscape designer and activist Mary Reynolds, the founder of We Are the ARK (Acts of Restorative Kindness).

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If you want to grow epic potatoes, there is no one better to learn from than Jim Gerritsen, the founder of Wood Prairie Family Farm in Bridgewater, Maine. Jim has more than 45 years of experience growing potatoes organically, and he came on the podcast to share everything you need to know to have a successful harvest, from how to prepare the seed potatoes and soil to how to store tubers so they’ll last for months on end.

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I’ve already sown countless seeds this year, with still more to go, and many seedlings are taking off in the warm, bright environment of my new greenhouse. Greenhouse growing is a new experience for me, and I talked all about it with my friend Craig LeHoullier, a frequent guest on the podcast and an expert seed starter and tomato grower. 

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Last year, just before Christmas, a polar vortex brought sudden sub-zero temperatures to many states in the South, wreaking havoc on gardens and landscapes that were not designed for that kind of cold. To discuss the damage that has been apparent so far and what could reveal itself come spring, my guest this week is horticulturist Troy Marden. 

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Whether you are a newbie gardener or have years of experience, a vegetable garden will keep you on your toes. Pest and disease issues are inevitable, though they can be mitigated by being proactive, and steps can be taken to prevent recurrences. To share her insights and methods, my guest this week is Susan Mulvihill, whose new book “The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook” is out this week.

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Nematodes, also known as roundworms, are the most abundant animals on earth but are largely misunderstood. In gardening and agriculture, several nematode species are known for being pests, but it’s important to recognize that many other nematode species are beneficial, providing biological control of insect pests. To explain how lab-produced pheromones can be used to repel pest nematodes and stimulate beneficial nematodes, my guest this week is Dr. Fatma Kaplan, the CEO and founder of Pheronym.

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Seed starting season is one of my favorite times of the year. It allows me to start gardening indoors several weeks before my garden beds wake up for the year, and it holds the promise of the growing season to come. In this week’s podcast, I am sharing the seed starting essentials for successfully germinating seeds and caring for seedlings.  

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These weeks just after the calendar turns from one year to the next are the perfect time to think about your goals for the coming gardening season. On this week’s podcast, I discuss plotting out plans for doubling down on what worked well in the garden while also deciding on what I want to stop doing and identifying new things that I’d like to give a try.

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When a new year begins, I like to reflect on the year that was in my garden: the wins, the challenges, the memorable moments, the teachable moments and the lessons learned. Since we’re all in this together and learning from each other, this week I am sharing top takeaways from 2022 in hopes you can benefit from my experiences and apply that information in your own garden. 

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Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing trees in pots and shaping them to appear like miniature versions of full-size trees. Mastering the art takes patience, practice and commitment, but for novices, getting started isn’t as difficult as it may appear. To explain the basics of bonsai, my guest this week is bonsai artist and educator Bjorn Bjorholm.

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Winter sowing native seeds is an easy process that requires no special equipment, and the best part of propagating native plants from seeds is that it promotes genetic diversity for a more resilient ecosystem. To share her methods for simple winter sowing, my guest for this encore presentation is Heather McCargo, the executive director of the Wild Seed Project.

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Brix is a measure of sugar content, and when it comes to plants, the higher the Brix value, the healthier and more pest and disease resistant the crop. To give a rundown of the science and significance of Brix and how gardeners can raise the Brix of their plants, my guest this week is entomologist and Brix expert Thomas M. Dykstra, Ph.D.

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Many gardeners are curious about vermicomposting but are unsure about how to start. To explain what you need to know to make a simple worm bin, my returning guest this week is Rhonda Sherman, one of the foremost experts on vermicomposting and the author of “The Worm Farmer’s Handbook.”

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Vermicompost is one of the most effective products created by using worms to recycle organic material, usually waste, to produce an extraordinary soil amendment rich in beneficial microbes. But it took quite a while for vermicompost to catch on as viable means to divert organic waste from household trash bins and landfills. To share the history and benefits of vermicompost and the key facts to know, my guest this week is Rhonda Sherman, the author of “The Worm Farmer’s Handbook” and a world-renowned expert in the field.

This episode is all about what the worms produce - vermicompost. Next week, we will go into the details of the process of how to make vermicompost, through the process of vermicomposting.

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Environmental literacy is achieved when schoolchildren — and adults — attain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to work individually and together toward sustainability and conservation. My guest this week, environmental education specialist Dr. Todd Klawinski, envisions a future in which all public schools make environmental literacy for students and the community part of their mission.

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Wherever you live, if you’re a gardener, you should get to know the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Their mission is to inspire gardening for the greater good. On this week’s podcast, PHS President Matt Rader is here to share all the good work the society does to beautify communities and improve the health and well-being of individuals as well as ecosystems.

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The reasons to adopt no-till gardening methods are many, from improving soil health for more vigorous plants to reducing the workload on the gardener. To explain the range of benefits that come with ditching the tiller and what to do instead, my guest this week is farmer and author of The Living Soil Handbook, Jesse Frost.

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It’s easy to naturalize flower bulbs under turf to create a bulb lawn that will put on a spectacular display each spring indefinitely with no further bulb plantings necessary. To share the history and methods behind bulb lawns, joining me this week is horticulturist Peggy Anne Montgomery.

Building an indoor hydroponic gardening system from scratch is a tall feat for newcomers to hydroponics, but these days there are a number of compact hydroponic systems on the market that are easy to assemble and operate. To discuss the advantages of ready-made hydroponic gardens, my guest this week is Tina Edwards, a marketing manager for AeroGarden.

The reality of climate change should spark gardeners to both reduce their carbon footprints and adapt. With earlier springs, warmer summers, droughts and extreme weather events becoming the norm as climate shifts intensify, practicing sustainable gardening is more important than ever. To share how gardeners can have a positive impact on the environment while making their gardens more resilient, my guest this week is soil and plant ecologist Dr. David Wolfe.

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Gardeners know that adding organic material to soil improves its fertility, but to understand the reasons why organic matter is such an effective soil amendment, it's necessary to get down to the molecular level. My guest this week, retired horticulture professor Debbie Flower, is here to offer a soil chemistry primer on cation-exchange capacity and how positive and negative charges in soil affect fertility.

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Our understanding of the soil food web has increased rapidly in the 21st century as microscope technology improves and soil biology research continues, and this opens new doors for gardeners and farmers to employ organic solutions for healthier, more vigorous crops. To explain how soil bacteria play an irreplaceable role in our gardens, my guest this week is gardening columnist and author Jeff Lowenfels.

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Some of the most important and ecologically damaging chemicals used in agriculture historically — and still today, in some cases — have their origins in warfare. To share the fascinating history of how these chemicals became prevalent and how the environmental movement fought back, my guest this week is Frank von Hippel, a professor of environmental health sciences and author of “The Chemical Age: How Chemists Fought Famine and Disease, Killed Millions, and Changed Our Relationship with the Earth.”

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Beneficial insects that prey on pests can be a gardener’s best friend, but many of the predatory insects sold in stores and online are not the right choice for effective biological control. To clear up misconceptions about beneficial insects and explain the best way to get more in your garden to manage insect pests naturally, my guest this week is Suzanne Wainwright-Evans of Buglady Consulting.

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Tomatoes are one of the most well-traveled vegetables — or fruits — that there is and one of the most popular crops in home gardens, but after they were introduced to Europe, centuries went by when they were grown and admired — but not eaten. To dig into the fascinating history of tomatoes, from their origins to recent developments, my guest this week is William Alexander, the author of “Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World.”

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Adam’s new book is “The Seed Detective: Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable Vegetables,” and it’s all about our cultural relationship with garden crops. It’s written from Adam’s personal perspective, which makes it a fun and engaging read as he brings readers along on his adventures to uncover the history of 14 vegetables and how they have become embedded in food cultures. He also shares what saving rare and endangered seed varieties means to the future of our food supply.  

Download my free chart- Seed Starting Soil Temperature Chart- Get Optimal Soil Temperatures for Germination of Common Vegetable Seeds.

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To mark the release of my new book, “The Vegetable Gardening Book,” which hit shelves on Tuesday, for the podcast this week we’re going to turn the tables: My friend and frequent podcast guest Meg Cowden of Seed to Fork is going to interview me. 

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Much of the United States is experiencing drought as of this writing and millions of Americans are facing water shortages right now or in the near future. I thought this week would be the perfect time to revisit my conversation with Charles Fishman, author of “The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water.” 

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There are myriad upsides to growing cool-season vegetables in fall, but too many gardeners miss out on this opportunity. The fact is, the vegetable gardening season is far from over when summer ends. To give you the knowledge and confidence you need to grow a fall vegetable garden successfully, this week I’m sharing an updated encore presentation of my comprehensive primer on how to do just that.

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For earlier pops of color, a buffet for pollinators, and overall hardier plants, gardeners should be growing cool-season annuals — flowers that are started in fall or very early spring and bloom weeks or months earlier than heat-loving plants. To offer a primer on successfully planting and growing these flowers, my guest this week is flower farmer, teacher and author Lisa Mason Ziegler. 

Download my free worksheet Cool Flowers Planting Guide- A quick guide on how and when to plant hardy annuals either in fall or early spring.

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When touting the benefits of gardening, the first things to come to mind are often beautifying spaces and providing fresh produce to eat, but gardeners also enjoy physical, emotional and mental health benefits. To talk about self-sustaining regenerative gardens and the power of gardens to heal, my guest this week is Stephanie Rose, a Master Gardener and prolific writer on gardening and DIY.

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There is so much that we can learn about plant science to improve our understanding of how plants work, so gardener, writer and biochemist Robert Pavlis is back on the podcast this week for part two of our conversation on plant science for gardeners.

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A lack of space is one of the top reasons people give for not having a garden, but with a little knowledge and ingenuity, it’s possible to grow flowers, herbs and even vegetables in urban environments. Mark Ridsdill Smith has become a trusted authority on container gardening in small spaces, and he’s my guest this week, here to share his advice for getting started.

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I’m always encouraging gardeners to learn the “why do” behind the “how to,” because I believe gaining that understanding makes us better at what we do, and to help me do that this week, I’m welcoming back to the podcast Robert Pavlis, a garden myth buster who can break down the plant science behind good gardening.

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The hardest part of growing a gorgeous flower garden that provides interest in all seasons is getting started. Until you’ve done it, you don’t know where to begin. Lucky for us, my guest this week, gardener, writer and educator Jenny Rose Carey, has a new book, The Ultimate Guide to Flower Growing, that walks readers through the steps to successfully combine various flower shapes, colors and textures to craft enviable gardens.

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It’s hard to pull ourselves away from our gardens at the height of the growing season, but summer is also prime time for vacation and we all need to take breaks periodically to unwind and reset. Here are steps you can take to prepare your garden so you can enjoy your vacation without ever having to worry about what’s happening to your plants while you’re away. 

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The time that we take out of our busy days to spend in the garden is precious, and we should always strive to make it as productive and enjoyable as possible, especially during the very trying times of summer. This week, I’m sharing my tips for having a successful summer in the garden while reducing stress on your plants, and yourself!

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Tomatoes enjoy warm weather, but they don’t like it too hot. Extended periods of heat can stress out plants and lead to a number of problems. Joining me on the podcast this week to discuss how to overcome the tomato-growing challenges that arise in high heat is tomato expert Craig LeHoullier. 

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An old tree is a marvel to gaze upon but it’s the unseen things an ancient tree does in a forest that are truly astounding. To talk about the vital importance of “mother trees” in regenerative forest ecosystems, my guest this week is ecologist Suzanne Simard, Ph.D.

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Regenerative agriculture is one of the best tools we have at hand for combating climate change and increasing biodiversity, but convincing lawmakers, farmers and the public at large of its merits is a challenge. To discuss those merits and how regeneration works, my guest this week is Finian Makepeace of Kiss the Ground, an advocacy organization that promotes soil health as an integral part of the global effort to sequester more carbon.

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If you have been gardening for any amount of time, you’ve experienced how being with plants can bring great joy. My guest this week, self-professed plant killer turned plant lady Maria Failla, has penned a book that explores how and why plants lift our spirits, and she’s here to share the wellness benefits of raising houseplants and gardening.

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Native plants are all the rage right now — or all the buzz, considering how much pollinators love native flowers. But finding a nursery that sells the right native plants for your area can be a challenge. To explain why native plants are vital to wildlife and how we can find native plant collections that are the correct fit for our ecoregions, Mary Phillips of the National Wildlife Federation joins me on the podcast this week.

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When it comes to bees, everyone’s familiar with the iconic honeybee, but what many don’t realize is that honeybees are not native to North America. The 4,000 or so native bee species in the United States behave much differently than honeybee colonies and are generally not well understood. To educate us on the diversity of native bees, pollinator conservationist and author Heather Holm joins me on the podcast this week.

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Hydroponic gardening is a soil-free horticulture method for raising crops both indoors and out, and it’s a lot simpler than it appears to be. To share what you need to know to get started in hydroponics, my guest this week is Master Gardener and experienced hydroponic gardener Roger Sadowski.

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PittMoss has emerged as an alternative to peat moss as a growing medium and potting mix  — and that’s great news for gardeners who wish to break their peat habit in favor of a sustainable product. Here to explain what PittMoss is, how it’s made, and the advantages of using recycled materials is Dr. Charles Bethke, a horticultural soil and nutrition consultant.

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The insect apocalypse is negatively affecting the world in ways that we are only beginning to understand, and if we continue on our current path, insect decline and the loss of biodiversity across all types of animals and plants will not only continue but also accelerate. To help us understand the scope of the problem and explain ways we as gardeners can help reverse this trend, Professor Dave Goulson joins me on the podcast this week.

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When the history of American gardening is told, the contributions of Black Americans are often overlooked. My guest this week, horticulturist and writer Abra Lee, is working to rectify that, and she joins me to highlight a few of the little-known stories that deserve to be shared.

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Coconut coir is growing in popularity as a seed starting and growing medium, especially, as a replacement for peat moss. But using coir for this purpose has its challenges. To shed light on the history of coir in horticulture and how its naturally high salt content can be overcome for seed starting and seedling growth, my guest this week is international agricultural consultant Dr. Hugh Allen Poole.

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Carnivorous plants pique the interest of every gardener and houseplant hoarder at some point, but bringing a Venus flytrap home on a whim with no idea how to care for it will soon lead to disappointment. Fortunately, to explain how to keep carnivorous plants alive and thriving, my guest this week is International Carnivorous Plant Society Education Director Kenny Coogan, who runs a successful carnivorous plant nursery.

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Gardening hurdles are those challenges that stop us from gardening as much as we’d like to — or that stop us from getting started in the first place. On this week’s podcast, I share advice on overcoming common gardening hurdles that listeners have shared.

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Plant breeding isn’t just for commercial growers. With some knowledge, a bit of effort and a fair amount of patience, any home gardener can breed new crosses of flowers or vegetables. To discuss how to create hybrid and open-pollinated plant varieties, my guest this week is garden writer and plant breeder Joseph Tychonievich.

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Gardeners know the importance of attracting more pollinators to their yards, but there are other beneficial insects that don’t get the attention and the credit they deserve, namely predatory and parasitoid insects. To discuss the value of these vital insects and how to attract them to your garden, my guest this week is horticulturist and author Jessica Walliser.

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Chile peppers are all hot to some degree, but how hot a pepper tastes depends on a variety of factors, from growing conditions to the palate of the person eating those peppers. To explain the science behind hot peppers, along with good to know and how to grow information is my guest this week is chile breeding and genetics expert Dr. Paul Bosland to share.

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Download my free guide- Tomato Care Checklist. The key steps every gardener should take to minimize common tomato issues

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Dahlias are tuberous tender perennials that are not only some of the most beautiful flowers on the planet, they're also a blast to grow once you get the hang of it. My guest this week, Kristine Albrecht, is a dahlia expert who is here to share dahlia basics as well as the advanced techniques for breeding new dahlia varieties at home.

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Collectively, the decisions we make as gardeners impact the ecosystem and the climate for better or for worse. To encourage us all to make positive choices for the planet and biodiversity, my guest this week is garden designer and writer Benjamin Vogt, the author of “A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future.”

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Figs are the perfect plants for beginner fruit growers, and even the most experienced among us love growing figs for their sweet flavor and jammy flesh. Growing figs nearly anywhere is possible, but in cold climates, it poses some challenges, but none of that challenges are insurmountable. To explain what you need to know to grow figs successfully, my guest this week is Upstate New York gardener and horticulturist Lee Reich.

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In their own way, trees can see, smell, taste, feel and hear. In the wild, most trees live in communities and even have families. To reveal the hidden life of trees, my guest this week is forester and New York Times bestselling author Peter Wohlleben.

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Because of a few aggressive species, wasps often get a bad rap, but they are vital to the ecosystem and helpful to gardeners for many reasons. Wasps — of which there are 18,000 species in North America — also have fascinating biology and behaviors, and you’ll love learning about them. To tell us all about the diversity and importance of wasps, my guest this week is biologist, pollinator conservationist and award-winning author Heather Holm.

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As gardeners, if we get stuck in our ways, we can’t grow. I love the fact that there is always more to learn when it comes to gardening and that we can push ourselves to be better stewards of our land. To discuss many of the lessons she learned this past year, my friend and guest this week is Margaret Roach, gardening columnist for The New York Times and the founder of A Way to Garden.

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As we seek to not only stop but reverse wildlife loss and the effects of climate change, going organic is not enough. We need to adopt regenerative practices that provide opportunities for nature to heal. To speak to how we can all participate in changing the world, one garden at a time, my guest this week is gardener and author Emily Murphy.

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Not everyone has a yard where they can start a garden, which is exactly why my guest this week, Acadia Tucker, wrote her book, Tiny Victory Gardens, including lots of tips on growing food without a yard. Acadia is a farmer, writer and climate activist who promotes gardening methods that increase food resiliency, feed pollinators and draw down carbon. 

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Taking care of a property for many years and watching the plants that you put in the ground mature and flourish is one of the most satisfying parts of gardening, but sometimes circumstances require us to leave our beloved gardens behind. My guest this week, garden designer and acclaimed writer Page Dickey, shares her journey and growth from starting over after leaving her garden of 34 years and what a fresh start has taught her.

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While many people understand that native plants are important, there's often a gap in understanding what pollinators rely on them. Understanding how to attract, observe and identify these essential insects is vital to our role in helping promote biological diversity within the species. To help us understand more about this important topic, my guest this week is biologist, pollinator conservationist and award-winning author Heather Holm.

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Peat moss plays a big role in the horticulture industry and for home gardeners. But when it comes to sustainability and climate change, peat moss may not a great choice for our gardening endeavors. To discuss the challenges of its ongoing use in the face of climate change, my guest this week is Dr. Merritt Turetsky, a wetland ecologist and the “Queen of Peat.”

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For centuries, the objective of gardening has been to tame the wild, and that led to many horticultural practices that are disastrous for wildlife and the ecosystem at large. The objective of ecological gardening, a new movement, is to create beautiful spaces in concert with nature rather than trying to overcome nature. To explain the value of ecological gardening and how to implement it yourself to create beauty and biodiversity, my guest this week is gardener, consultant and writer Matt Rees-Warren.

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Grow bags are a convenient solution for gardeners who are short on space, but every gardener can enjoy the benefits of grow bags. In this week’s episode, I answer all your questions on gardening in grow bags, including all the advantages as well as the challenges and how to overcome them. We polled our social media followers recently on what they wanted to know about grow bags and boy did we get a lot of questions. Answers to all of them are in this podcast and show notes. 

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Propagating native plants from seeds protects genetic diversity and is simple to do. To discuss all the benefits and the steps for the easiest way to grow native seeds in winter (no special equipment required) is my guest this week, Heather McCargo, the executive director of the Wild Seed Project.

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The more we learn about the importance of biodiversity and the harms of monoculture, pesticides and synthetic fertilizer, the more we realize that sprawling lawns should be phased out. Here to explain the simple steps to converting lawn into an ecologically fundamental meadow is Owen Wormser, an expert in regenerative landscape design.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park is a shining example of ecological horticulture at work and its many benefits. To continue our conversation on how it works and practical ways to apply ecological horticulture at home, Rebecca McMackin is back for Part II of this important discussion. 

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Ecological horticulture is one of the most important methodologies that gardeners can adopt to combat the loss of biodiversity, but the term is still unfamiliar to many. To explain ecological horticulture and how to practice it, my guest this week is self-described “ecologically obsessed” director of horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Rebecca McMackin.

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Adding a cutting garden to your landscape will mean fresh-cut flowers for you to enjoy and also an abundance of pollinators and other beneficial insects in your vegetable garden. To explain why vegetables love flowers and how to start a cutting garden, my guest this week is flower farmer and author Lisa Mason Ziegler. With Lisa’s tips, you'll be ready to grow flowers confidently in no time.

Download my free Guide- 6 Steps to Creating a Three Season Cut Flower Garden. 

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As much as we love watching monarch butterflies fluttering in our gardens and landing on flowers to sip nectar, there is much about monarchs that remains a mystery to both gardeners and scientists. My guest this week, Nancy Lawson, is part of a new citizen science project named Monarch Rx, and she’s here to explain an unexpected way that gardeners can support monarch populations.

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Starting a food forest may sound like it requires more space than many of us have to work with, but the reality is even gardeners with small yards can implement this permaculture growing method. To share food forest methods and principles, my guest this week is Darrell Frey, a sustainable design expert.

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Growing garlic in the home garden opens up the opportunity to experience an array of flavors that you will never find with store-bought garlic. Growing garlic is easy, but there are a few important things to know to have success. To share his expert advice on growing great garlic, my guest this week is Alley Swiss of Filaree Farm in Washington.

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Harvesting, Curing, and Storing Garlic.

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We gardeners, whether we grow ornamentals or vegetables, often run into conflict with wildlife that wants to eat what we grow. To share methods that we can employ to overcome critter issues in a humane way, my guest this week is Nancy Lawson, the founder of The Humane Gardener as we discuss how to nurture a backyard habitat for wildlife.

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That special feeling that comes when you walk through a moss-covered forest can be recreated right in your own backyard. My guest this week, moss expert Annie Martin, aka Mossin’ Annie, takes us into the magical world of moss gardening and explains the simple steps to creating your own homegrown moss garden.

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Roses can be intimidating, so much so that many gardeners don’t bother, but my guest this week, rosarian Paul Zimmerman, wants you to know that that reputation is not deserved. Paul is an expert on growing roses sustainably,  free of chemicals and with little intervention on your part.

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To bring you the best advice there is on planting flowering bulbs in fall, I turned to none other than Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, the renowned mail-order bulb company. Brent’s family has been growing bulbs since 1900 in Gloucester, Virginia, and he is a wealth of knowledge on planting, choosing, and maintaining flowering bulbs.

Download my free guide- Fall Bulbs 101. For a quick-reference guide on selecting, planting and caring for fall-planted flowering bulbs

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Soil microbes are the microscopic life in soil that work in concert with roots to feed plants. To help us better understand the symbiotic relationship between microbes and healthy plants, my guest on the podcast this week is David Stark, an expert in molecular biology.

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When we talk about pest control in gardens, we think about the insects that want to eat our vegetables and ornamentals, but there is a major pest that wants to feed on gardeners themselves — the mosquito.  For a better understanding of mosquitoes and effective mosquito control, my guest this week, Raven Forrest Fruscalzo of the podcast “Tiny Vampires,” is here to share the vetted facts and dispel misconceptions.

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Late summer is both a challenging and rewarding time in the garden as we deal with pest and disease pressure but also enjoy harvesting tomatoes, peppers and summer squash on a nearly daily basis. For this week’s podcast, I’m addressing some of the biggest (and most common) summer garden challenges and answering your burning questions that have been bugging you most at this time of the season.

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Our fall gardens really can get started as early as spring when we sow seeds that take many months to mature (hello Brussels sprouts), but July and August present even more opportunities to plant crops that will be ready to harvest come September, October and even later. To share her best tips for succession planning and planting for fall, my returning guest this week is Meg Cowden of the Seed to Fork blog.

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Sometimes it's the tiniest garden pests that cause the biggest problems. As responsible gardeners, we want to manage these pest issues while having as little negative impact as possible on the good bugs that visit the land that we steward. To share expert advice on responsible, effective pest control, my returning guest this week is Suzanne Wainwright-Evans of Buglady Consulting.

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Squash bugs are a hassle for growers of zucchini, pumpkins and other cucurbits, but there are steps that can be taken to manage and control this challenging pest. My guest this week is entomologist and pest management expert Diane Alston, and she’s here to share strategies to reduce squash bug issues.

Despite all of our best efforts, unexpected and extreme weather can throw tomato growers for a loop. To discuss tomato growing advice for challenging weather and every day, along with the best practices to follow to overcome them, my guest this week is Craig LeHoullier, a tomato expert and the co-instructor of my Online Gardening Academy course Growing Epic Tomatoes.

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We vegetable gardeners are dealing with plenty of disease challenges this time of year, and tomato diseases are at the top of that list. Fortunately for us, my guest this week is vegetable pathologist Inga Meadows, who joined me to discuss the best and newest ways to prevent, identify, and control diseases that affect tomatoes.

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Most people know that roots are how plants take up nutrients and water, but there are so many other amazing, unseen things that roots do that are exciting to learn about. To share his enthusiasm for roots and the other organisms beneath the soil’s surface, my guest this week is landscape designer and author Robert Kourik to demystify roots and the amazing unseen things roots do.

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Each year since 1973, the Texas-based National Gardening Association works with professional pollsters to conduct the National Gardening Survey, which offers valuable insights into the mindset of gardeners across the United States. To help break the data down to better understand what gardeners think, my guest this week is National Gardening Association Executive Director Dave Whitinger.

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Hügelkultur is a centuries-old gardening technique using rotting wood as the base layer in raised beds. The concept has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years, but many gardeners still have questions about how and why to practice hügelkultur. Fortunately, my guest on this week's podcast, hügelkultur expert Paul Wheaton, is here to share what there is to know about hügelkultur to get off to a great start.

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Every week across all of the joegardener and Growing a Greener World social media channels and the Online Gardening Academy courses, I receive scores of questions and requests for advice, and I try to answer as many as possible. For this week’s podcast, I’ve rounded up some of your most frequently asked gardening questions for June to bring you answers that you may be looking for too at this time of year.

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The invasive and destructive Asian jumping worm has been identified and recorded in 37 U.S. states plus Ontario and continues to spread, but it is still a species that many gardeners know little about. To explain what jumping worms are and why they pose such a big problem, my guest this week is ecologist Brad Herrick, an expert on all things jumping worm.

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With all of the responsibilities we have in our daily lives, the time that we can dedicate to tending to and enjoying our garden is often all too short. On this week’s podcast, I share my tips for making precious gardening time more productive and more pleasurable — and for ensuring summer success.

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I am a firm believer that understanding the “why do” behind the “how to” drives us to become better, more confident gardeners. One of the best people I know to explain the science behind great gardening is Dr. Lee Reich, and on this week’s encore episode I am revisiting an insightful conversation we had a few years back on how expanding our scientific knowledge a little can help our gardens a whole lot.

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Tomato expert Craig LeHoullier and I have been working all year toward this week’s launch of the newest joegardener Online Gardening Academy™ course, Growing Epic Tomatoes, and Craig now joins me on the podcast to share our excitement for what’s in store.

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Fertilizers give food crops and ornamental plants the nutrients they need to thrive, but when used unnecessarily or incorrectly, they can do more harm than good. In this week’s encore episode, I share the basics you need to know for the most efficient and effective use of fertilizer.

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It’s always a pleasure speaking with Dr. Doug Tallamy, a renowned entomologist and advocate for native gardening. Based on the feedback his past appearances on the podcast have received, I know listeners will be just as excited as I am that he is back this week discussing North America’s most important native tree: the oak.

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Blueberry bushes add year-round visual appeal to a landscape and provide a bounty of tasty fruits each summer. Getting started is easy — if you have a sunny location and well-drained soil, you can grow blueberries — but there are a few things to know first. For the best advice on how to grow blueberries, I turned to Dr. Lee Reich, an Upstate New York gardener and horticulturist with more than three decades of blueberry-growing experience.

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We’re all anxious to get our plants in the ground, but if we’re not careful and we rush it, we can really set our plants’ progress back significantly. It’s an exciting time in the garden, but also a time to exercise restraint and self-discipline. On this week’s podcast, I share tips for setting plants up for success in spring, starting off with the art and science of hardening off. 

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 Composting is one of my favorite gardening topics to discuss, and I found a kindred spirit in our shared love of composting, with Dr. Lee Reich. He has been perfecting the art and science of composting for more than 40 years. This week’s podcast is an encore of our conversation from a few years back on why composting is a fulfilling activity and how composting challenges can be overcome. 

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The growing season is quickly approaching, and there are a number of things to take care of now to get the best results during the rest of the year. This week, I present a timely encore of my list of the Top 10 Things to Do Now to Prepare the Garden for Spring.

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Regenerative agriculture, permaculture and soil health have come to the forefront of gardening conversations in recent years, but for the layperson, useful definitions for these terms can be elusive. Fortunately, to explain this soil and agriculture terminology in an approachable way, my guest this week is Dr. Jake Mowrer, an expert on all things soil.

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Monty Don is the biggest name in gardening in the United Kingdom, and this week he’s my guest for the very special 200th episode of “The joe gardener Show.” In our conversation, he shares his behind-the-scenes experience as Lead Presenter of the No. 1 British gardening show, Gardeners' World during a pandemic and discusses the takeaways from his tour of the United States to film “Monty Don’s American Gardens.”

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For the very first episode of The joe gardener Show that’s dedicated solely to growing potatoes, I couldn’t have asked for a better guest than Jim Gerritsen, the founder of Wood Prairie Family Farm in Bridgewater, Maine, where he has grown potatoes organically for 45 years. Jim generously shares everything to know about growing epic potatoes, from before you plant to storing the harvest.  

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Hydrangeas are beautiful flowering plants with dramatic blooms that provide color and drama in the summer garden, but they can be fussy if they don’t get the proper care and attention. Proper hydrangea care for late winter is key. Improper pruning and other common mistakes, compounded with difficult weather, can lead to disappointment. Luckily, my podcast guest this week, Lorraine Ballato, is a hydrangea expert who will help you overcome the biggest hydrangea challenges.

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When planting a naturalistic garden, is having more plants always better? If you ask Kelly Norris, my podcast guest this week and the author of “New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden,” the answer is, unequivocally, “yes.” He is an advocate for biodiverse, abundant landscapes that use every square foot to its maximum potential.

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The science behind the relationship between plants and light is complicated, but my guest on this week’s encore episode explains it in an accessible, easy-to-understand way. Her name is Leslie Halleck, and she is an expert on lighting for indoor growing. In our conversation, Leslie explains what gardeners need to know about light to raise houseplants as well as herbs and vegetables indoors.

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Before attempting a pest control method that may prove to be unnecessary, ineffective or complete overkill, the first step a gardener should take is to correctly identify the problem. Positive identification of garden pests paired with the appropriate intervention will yield the best results while minimizing or eliminating negative impacts. My guest this week, Susan Mulvihill, has penned a new book on solving common pest problems that will arm you with all the information you need to make the right control decisions.

Download my free guide- 10 Common & Destructive Garden Pests: Prevention and Control. This will help you prevent and control 10 common garden pests.

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No-dig gardening is a simple gardening method that many gardeners — who were taught for years that they had to till or turn their gardens annually — still have many questions about. To demystify no-dig gardening and explain its benefits, my guest this week is my longtime friend Charlie Nardozzi, a nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, and radio and television personality.

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Many factors affect whether seeds started indoors will grow to become seedlings that are strong and healthy enough to transition into the garden, survive and prosper. On this week’s encore episode, John Porter of The Garden Professors shares his non-negotiables for success when seed starting. 

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Indoor seed starting time is nearly upon us, and whether you are starting seeds yourself for the first time in 2021 or you have prior experience, I’m certain you’ll find my discussion with tomato growing expert Craig LeHoullier enlightening. In this encore presentation, Craig and I share tips and tricks to successfully start seeds indoors.

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Winter sowing is an easy and fun way to scratch the gardening itch in the coldest months while also getting a head start on growing flowers and cool-season crops that will then take off in spring. In this week’s encore episode, I explain how winter sowing works and identify the types of seeds that are the best candidates to successfully employ this easy seed-starting method.

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From time to time on the podcast, we’ve touched on growing herbs, but this week’s episode is the first that is dedicated solely to growing herbs. My guest to help us dive into this topic of these workhorse plants for every garden is horticulturist Sue Goetz, whose new book, “Complete Container Herb Gardening,” was published just last month. 

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From a large back yard to the tiniest balcony, the garden is a place of refuge, and never has that been more true than in 2020. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, gardeners new and old have realized the many ways that gardening enriches their lives, and how that joy and satisfaction is compounded when they share their bounty and their love of gardening with others. On this week’s podcast, I’m highlighting a few stories about the bright spot that gardening provided in 2020.

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Have you ever compared a packet of conventional seeds and a packet of organic seeds and wondered what the difference truly is? My guest this week — to demystify what it means when seeds are organic — is Tom Stearns, a pioneer of growing and selling organic seeds.

Download my free guide- Seed Starting Chart. Before you start flipping through those seed catalogs, don't forget to take an inventory of what seeds you already have and determine if they are still viable.

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Before placing your order online or filling out a seed catalog order form, be sure you are making the best buying decisions. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing tips to help make you a more informed seed shopper. I'll explain what to do before you start, how to process the plethora of seed catalogs arriving at your home or in your email inbox, and the types of seed to look for to meet your needs. I’ll also get into the differences among the various seed companies, large and small, and other sources where you can get seeds for a very low price or even free.

Download my free guide- Seed Starting Chart. Before you start flipping through those seed catalogs, don't forget to take an inventory of what seeds you already have and determine if they are still viable.

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Buying an artificial Christmas tree and reusing it for years may seem like a more environmentally friendly option than buying a real, cut tree every holiday season, but when you dig a little deeper you’ll find that real trees are truly the sustainable choice. In this week’s podcast, I’ll explain the benefits of real trees as well as how to care for a live tree in your home so it retains needles and looks great through Christmas.

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The American chestnut tree spanned the eastern United States and numbered in the billions before blight wiped out most of the population. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing my personal affection for the American chestnut and speaking with an expert from The American Chestnut Foundation about what devastated this tree and what’s being done to save it.

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While I am a big proponent of learning through experience, I also hone my gardening skills and draw inspiration by regularly dipping into my library of books on horticulture and the natural world. In the nearly two and a half years since I first presented an episode on my favorite books for gardeners, I’ve added more must-haves to my list, and I am sharing them with you this week.

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As we approach Thanksgiving, a time for taking stock of all the things we are grateful for, it feels like a good time to reflect on our gardening successes this year. I’ll admit I’m guilty of talking about how challenging this summer was in the garden for many of us while failing to highlight the achievements. This week, I am rectifying that at the suggestion of podcast listener Tom Discordia, who encouraged me to do an episode on everything that went right this year. And I agree. So with that, in this episode, we're showcasing some of your gardening successes in 2020.

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When you plant vegetable and flower seeds in your garden, do you ever think about where exactly those seeds came from? Could you even imagine certified-organic seeds being collected from a one-acre farm in the middle of the second-largest city in California? That’s exactly where my guest this week, seed grower and farmer Brijette Peña, trials, breeds and produces the Certified Organic seeds for her business, San Diego Seed Company.

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Gardeners know that eating food you grew yourself raises your spirits in a way that few things can. My guest this week, educator and author of The Power of a Plant, Stephen Ritz, recognized the benefit of growing edible plants to enrich students’ bodies and minds in a variety of ways, and his Green Bronx Machine has now inspired a documentary on the far-reaching benefits of raising and sharing nutritious food.

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Ornamental grasses are eye-catching, low-maintenance additions to home landscapes that offer color, texture and seasonal interest, but they continue to be underutilized. To share the many benefits of using ornamental grasses, my guest this week is horticulturist, lifelong gardener and author Brie Arthur.

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Companion planting has been practiced for centuries, but it’s not always clear why some plants perform better when paired with others. To separate conjecture from facts, my guest this week, horticulturist and author Jessica Walliser, has penned a new book on companion planting strategies supported by science. 

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Houseplants bring life to our indoor environment, and caring for them can bring both joy and challenges. To answer how to pick the right houseplants for your home and how to best look after them, joining me this week is Jane Perrone, the host of “On the Ledge,” the No. 1 houseplant podcast on Apple Podcasts. 

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Ornamental grasses are now common sights at nurseries and garden centers, but that hasn’t always been the case. One of the earliest advocates of incorporating native and ornamental grasses and grass-like plants into American gardens was horticulturist and landscape designer John Greenlee — a well-known and respected expert in grass ecology known as the “Grassman” or “Grass Guru,” among other monikers —  and he’s my guest on the podcast this week.

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The most satisfying triumphs in the garden are built on experimentation and, yes, what many call failures, but what I always call learning opportunities. Perhaps no one I know pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in the garden further than veteran gardener, Meg Cowden of the blog Seed to Fork, so I invited her on the podcast this week to find out what lessons she’s learned from her garden in 2020. 

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Despite the best efforts of gardening educators to debunk poor gardening advice, bad information continues to be shared online and elsewhere by well-meaning, though ill-informed, gardeners. To keep up the fight against bad gardening tips that persist, this week I am sharing once again my conversation about decoding gardening advice, with Dr. Jeff Gillman, a horticultural scientist who puts common gardening recommendations to the test to determine what’s really backed up by science and what advice is a waste of time — or even detrimental.

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When many gardeners are picking their last crops for the year and getting ready to say goodbye to their gardens until spring, Niki Jabbour doesn’t slow down when temperatures drop. Though Niki lives in USDA zone 5b in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where winter temperatures can plunge to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, she can harvest fresh vegetables year-round because she implements season-extension practices and structures in her garden.

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Starting a new tomato garden in an unfamiliar location poses a number of challenges and can be intimidating, even for experienced gardeners, but it also provides a clean slate and new opportunities for lessons learned. Tomato growing expert Craig LeHoullier moved in January to Hendersonville, North Carolina, and he has much to share about experimenting in his new garden there. 

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Of all the gardening seasons, the fall growing season is my favorite. Arugula, beets, broccoli, carrots, lettuce and more — there are so many cool-season vegetables that you can grow in fall and enjoy on your dinner plate. The trick is to know your first frost date and work backward from there to pick the right time to start growing cool-season vegetables either indoors or direct-sown from seed, or transplanted.

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I like to encourage risk-taking in the garden because the stakes are usually very low, and we know that “mistake” is another word for “learning opportunity.” However, there are some common gardening mistakes to avoid that you don’t need to learn about the hard way.

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What is succession planting? Succession planting is how gardeners make the most of limited space and extend their growing season beyond what’s considered typical of a region. To speak to this topic, I invited succession planting expert Meg Cowden of the blog Seed to Fork on the podcast for a previous episode, and I am reprising that conversation this week because now is when vegetable gardeners are taking steps to have a successful fall garden.

Download my free checklist- Fall Edibles Checklist- Here are all the edible crops perfect for the fall garden.

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Coming up on the middle of August, it’s clear that the 2020 gardening season is one for the record books — not for its performance, but for its challenges. Having been a gardener my whole life and in professional horticulture for more than 30 years, I can say that this was the year of all years for garden challenges. In this week’s episode, I answer questions that have come in this summer from podcast listeners, the members of the joegardener Facebook group and students in my Online Gardening AcademyTM about their biggest gardening challenges this year so far. For some of these issues, there’s still time to mitigate the problems and get a better outcome, while others will be taken as lessons learned for next year. 

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Of all the problems that gardeners run into, having a bigger harvest than you know what to do with is the best problem to have. If you find yourself in this enviable position, you’ll want to listen to my conservation from a few summers back with Theresa Loe on preserving your garden harvest. 

Download my free guide- How Do I Grow Cucumbers?. The basics of how to grow delicious cucumbers and keep them thriving in your garden all season.

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Plant diseases pose one of the biggest challenges that gardeners face, and while it can be tempting to reach for a chemical control, managing plant diseases organically is possible. To speak to that fact, I invited Dr. Jeff Gillman on the podcast a couple of years back, and I am revisiting that conversion this week because now is that time of summer when plant diseases show themselves in a garden that otherwise appeared healthy up until this point.

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Every seed has a story to tell, if someone will listen. This week, I asked Sara Straate, the seed historian for Seed Savers Exchange, to come on the show and explain the work that goes into tracing the history of heirloom seeds that, in many cases, came to the exchange after being saved for generations by home gardeners. Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, is one of the country’s largest non-governmental seed banks, with more than 20,000 varieties in its ever-growing collection.

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Between keeping up with picking crops and beating back weeds, plant diseases, and pests, it’s common that gardeners feel overwhelmed, especially at the height of summer — or any time of the growing season. But you don’t have to let garden overwhelm get the best of you. This week felt like the right time for an encore presentation of my conversation on reducing garden overwhelm with A Way to Garden’s Margaret Roach, the gardening columnist, author, and podcast host. 

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Between my podcast listeners, social media channels, and members of my Online Gardening Academy™, I receive a lot of gardening questions. This week on the podcast, I am answering some of those questions from members of the joegardener® Facebook group.  I’ve invited Erin, my Director of Online Media, to return as co-host for this gardening Q&A episode we're calling Ask Me Anything. In this episode, we're answering your gardening questions. So let’s get started!

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One of my favorite gardening activities is plant propagation.  In fact, you could say that it’s what first got me interested in gardening as a young child. Plant propagation is one of the best ways to add more plants to your garden and landscape for free, and it’s a fun way to make more of the plants that you already have.  But understanding some key plant propagation tips is an easy way to make more plants and the key to getting plant propagation right.

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I don’t know about you, but here in my Atlanta-area GardenFarm™, disease is already rearing its ugly head. I had a conversation with extension plant pathologist, Dr. Janna Beckerman, of Purdue University to explore the world of plant disease, so she could share with all of us some of the essential plant disease fundamentals and management practices. As with all things gardening, understanding the basics and beyond will make us better equipped for success.

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It's safe to say that mid-June is sort of the "honeymoon" phase of gardening. The final cold snaps are behind us. The plants in our landscapes are abundant in foliage. Yet, it's early enough that pest and disease issues haven't left us feeling disheartened. Yet it's what we do now with growing tomatoes, that critical mid-season care, which will keep our plants growing strong through the more challenging times ahead. 

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Fair warning: This week, you’re in for a bit of a rant. I’m sharing with you my top 10 gardening pet peeves. No, I don’t mean those things like finding some pest has taken a bite out of an almost perfectly ripe fruit (although, that drives us all crazy too). I mean the human behavior I see far too often that is harmful to the garden, the environment or the gardener. 

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For this week's episode, I invited my Director of Online Media back to join me for another Q&A session. We haven't done a Q&A episode in awhile. Erin is my co-host when I have one, and when I want to have a conversation with somebody from my team. Our talks are always fun, and it gives Erin an opportunity to ask me some of the most popular questions that have come in from our community of listeners and viewers over the past few months, around what's going on these days at the GardenFarm™. 

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For this week’s episode, I asked my longtime friend, Daron Joffe, to join me. Since early adulthood, Daron has been driven by the belief that the world is a better place when our everyday lives are enmeshed in the act of interacting with the soil through gardening and farming. Through hard work and fortuitous opportunity, he’s crisscrossed the country building farms and gardens and contributing to the agrihood movement, while cultivating food and community Along the way, he’s stacked up an impressive list of far-reaching agricultural accomplishments through his efforts.

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This week, I invited one of my longtime friends - and frequent podcast guests - to join me to share some additional weed management wisdom. Today, we explore how to prevent weed overwhelm with a practical organic approach for real results, with Margaret Roach. Applying her practice of a little good, old fashioned research and new-age-y mindfulness can elevate our skills against this eternal garden problem to a Zen Weed Master level.

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If there's one gardening subject that I mention more than any other, it's probably mulch. Lots of gardeners still think the primary purpose of mulch is as an aesthetic element - to make garden beds look tidier. That couldn't be further from the truth. When the right material is used and when it's applied properly, mulch is one of the single best things you can do for the health of your plants and soil.

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One of the inevitabilities of gardening is the presence of weeds. There are lots of poor weed management approaches out there, many of which have been used for decades. So, I thought it was high time to explore the not-so-wonderful world of weeds, and I invited Dr. Andrew Smith to share his expertise on the subject of managing weeds organically, along with Rodale Institute's Latest Research, Prevention, and Control.

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These past few months have been difficult for many of us, but one bright side has been the re-ignited interest in gardening. I’ve heard from so many people who’ve never planted anything before but are eager to grow their own food. Gardeners of all experience levels have been able to spend more time with their hands in the soil too. It’s fair to say that most of us have been or plan to spend time shopping for more plants. But knowing some key garden savvy shopping tips for healthy plants can make all the difference when you plant them.

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Soil is my favorite topic. I love all things gardening, and I’ve even hurled myself into a large heap of finished compost. Still, soil is king in my book, and the more we learn about the science behind great soil, soil health, and all of the amazing processes going on under the surface, the more enamored I become.

My guest today is Dr. Jake Mowrer, and this guy spends much of his day researching and exploring the many aspects of soil we have yet to fully understand. Jake earned a Ph.D. in soil fertility and soil chemistry, which ultimately landed him at the Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

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Another spring brings the excitement of a new garden season. For most of us, that means adding more plants to our landscape. Well, today’s episode is a reminder that your plant choices matter, especially when it comes to supporting biodiversity and wildlife. Guest Uli Lorimer is the Director of Horticulture at the Native Plant Trust. He shared with me his insights and actionable steps any gardener can put into practice.

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Last week, I spoke with Dianne Ott Whealy, the co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange, to discuss the history of that important organization. SSE is approaching its fiftieth year of operations, so there was much more to the story to be explored. For that, we continued the conversation with this week’s guest - SSE Director of Preservation, Phil Kauth for more of what goes on at Seed Savers Exchange behind the scenes.

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You might be like a lot of gardeners these days who are eager to experiment with different varieties of their favorite crops. Well, the odds are pretty good that the unique variety you’re excited to try this year is available to you thanks, in large part, to this week’s guest. Diane Ott Whealy is the co-founder of the Seed Savers Exchange, and her passion has helped to preserve hundreds of varieties that might have otherwise been lost to extinction.

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If you’re into organic seeds or growing seeds of varieties that are out of the ordinary, you’ve probably heard of this week’s guest. Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE) is truly an icon and a powerful force in the seed world. I’m fortunate to catch up with Ira at various garden events along the East Coast, but this was the first time she had joined me for the podcast.

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With all that is going on in our world during these recent weeks, more folks than ever are feeling drawn to gardening. The confidence that comes with growing your own source of healthy food is appealing, of course, but the garden also provides a refuge through periods of anxiety. Well, this week’s episode focuses on an easy way to get growing - using the straw bale gardening method.

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Suffice it to say monarchs have a precarious relationship with milkweed that is literally a matter of life and death. In this episode, we'll talk about monarchs, milkweed, and the remarkable story of their coevolution with Dr. Anurag Agrawal, author of Monarchs and Milkweed. It's an engrossing look at the intricacies of the monarch life cycle and the role a single genus of plant plays in their migration and survival.

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This week, I’m catching up with Epic Tomatoes author Craig LeHoullier. I'm proud to call him a good friend and happy that he's a frequent guest on this podcast. But a lot has changed in the Tomato Guy’s world during the past few months, and many of you have wondered what Craig has been up to since the last podcast episode nearly one year ago. We had much to catch up on and talk about, so today we're learning a lot about what's been going on in this epic tomato growers life, especially in the last few months, as well as some new lessons learned during his busy life on the road, and at home, for his final epic growing season in his own driveway garden.

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It never hurts to go back to the basics from time to time, and that’s what today’s episode is all about - the importance of the fundamentals of gardening. My guest, Daryl Beyers, is author of the just-released book on gardening basics - The New Gardener’s Handbook. Daryl earned a degree in landscape design, and you could say he learned gardening skills bit by bit “in the trenches” - as head gardener at estate gardens.

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As a gardener, you’ve probably learned that it’s the little things that can sometimes have the greatest impact. Well, this episode focuses on some very little things - nematodes. These microscopic creatures are a part of the soil food web. They play a key role in nutrient cycling, but some of them can also devastate your plants. There’s a lot we still don’t know about these creatures, but I asked expert, Dr. William Crowe, to join me to share the facts on what we do know - the good and the bad.

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This week, garden myth-busting expert, Robert Pavlis joined me to talk about gardening products. Robert has a background in chemistry and biochemistry and is an avid gardener as well. He owns and runs a 6-acre botanical garden packed with over 3,000 different species of plants, trees and shrubs. So, he offers some valuable insights when it comes to determining whether or not a product is necessary - or even beneficial - in the garden.

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I am a huge fan of this week’s guest, Doug Tallamy. He’s the author of the blockbuster book Bringing Nature Home. It introduced many horticulturists and backyard warriors to consequences - or benefits - of our plant choices. So, I was really excited to sit down with Doug to talk about his brand new book, Nature’s Best Hope.

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One thing that fascinates just about every plant lover is the process of propagation, and finding easy ways to make more houseplants, vegetables, and flowers from those plants you already have and love. If you’ve ever tried to propagate a plant, did you know your success rate was just as dependent on the type of plant as on your abilities? There is much more to plant propagation than most people are aware. Plant Parenting author, Leslie Halleck shares her wisdom on today's episode.

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If you are a market or small-scale farmer, this episode is for you, but there’s plenty of inspiration for you home gardeners too. This week’s guest is Conor Crickmore. About 12 years ago, Conor exchanged a lucrative career in technology for a successful journey to the life of a market farmer. Here’s the real kicker - neither he nor his wife, Kate, had any real gardening or farming experience at the time.

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Houseplants have been a hugely popular trend the past few years, with some plant-a-holics spending big money on a single showstopper. Unfortunately, those plants don’t always fare so well after we bring them home. It’s not for lack of effort from the “plant parent.” It’s usually the result of following bad advice - care tips which are actually houseplant myths. So, what’s the real story and the science behind what your plants really need? Houseplant myth expert, Robert Pavlis joined me this week to break down the facts.

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One of my favorite gardening tasks is pruning. In fact, I love it so much that I don’t really consider it a task at all, and it was the focus of my very first joe gardener Show podcast episode. Unfortunately, it’s a subject that tends to confound or intimidate many gardeners. Today’s guest, Steve Bradley, was determined to break the sometimes confusing principles of pruning down to the basics, and his book, The Pruner's Bible, does just that.

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Have you ever thought about living exclusively off the land for an entire year? Likely not considering how much of our daily lives revolve around food. For those of us who garden, our passion can also provide food freedom through foraging and harvesting up a healthy bounty for our table. Even so, most of the foods we all eat are heavily-processed, have traveled thousands of miles, and generate a heaping helping of trash. These are the issues which weigh heavily on the mind of today's guest, Rob Greenfield.

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It doesn’t matter how big or how small your growing space is, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or have decades of experience under your belt. Every year brings new lessons, challenges, disappointments, and wins in the garden. With the end of another year just around the corner, I wanted to share with you my top gardening takeaways from 2019.

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For many gardeners (myself included), the passion for producing our own food and caring for the natural world around us leads us to another hobby - keeping backyard chickens. My guest this week, Lisa Steele, is the go-to authority on that subject. Lisa discusses many aspects of keeping backyard chickens, including the benefits and challenges for gardeners.

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Many gardeners have an appreciation for backyard songbirds. It’s a natural fit. As gardeners, we do a lot to invite them into our landscapes with food and shelter. All the more reason it’s concerning to know that many bird species are rapidly falling in their numbers, some at alarming rates. It's time we all learn more about bird population decline and what gardeners can do to help.

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How do you define a beautiful garden or landscape? Is it a perfectly manicured space, free of weeds with coordinated blocks of color? Perhaps it’s more relaxed and informal. In this episode, we focus our discussion around native plant design in a post-wild world with Thomas Rainer, author, teacher, and landscape architect. Thomas describes his vision for a garden that is a hybrid of both cultivated design and the wildness of nature. We talk about how we can create a natural garden design that meets our aesthetic requirements yet functions more like landscapes in the wild.

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In spite of a very short growing season (the first frost of the year shows up about mid-October, and the last is typically mid-May), Niki Jabbour knows every trick in the book and more to get the most out of her year-round garden. From time tested winners including row covers and cold frames, to her newest addition, a large polytunnel/greenhouse located adjacent to large raised bed vegetable garden. This podcast is an encore edition of our original podcast episode 022 and conversation with Niki from October 2017. Be sure to check out the extensive show notes there, including a lot more pictures of her garden and helpful links.

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Over the years I’ve tried my share of gardening tools. Along the way, I’ve spent (and wasted) a lot of money. But it hasn’t been a total loss. Some of those purchases have resulted in the tools I can’t live without, including what I consider my top 12 tools to make your gardening life easier too.

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I love starting seeds indoors. It’s a great way to get a jump start on the season - to play in the soil even when the temperatures outdoors are sub-freezing. Growing seedlings indoors can be a little tricky though. Plus, those seed trays take up space that not all homeowners are fortunate to have. It was space limitations which led one gardener to get creative and find a different solution. Her approach is the subject of today’s podcast - winter sowing; a simple way to successfully start seeds outdoors.

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This week is part two of my conversation with Charles Fishman, author of the compelling book, The Big Thirst. He's a powerhouse of fascinating facts about our planet's water - including some thought-provoking details on our infrastructure and our water spending. Now may be just the time we should be reshaping how we think about water and why paying more might not be so bad. Is the price of water simply so cheap that we take it for granted?

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Today’s podcast is just a little bit off-topic. Well, not too far off-topic. After all, the subject of today’s discussion is fundamental to our gardens. It’s fundamental to our very existence. Today, we’re talking about water. More specifically, can we, and how are we conserving water's finite supply in a very thirsty world? My guest today, Charles Fishman, believes that many of our modern-day water issues are due to our collective lack of thinking about it. 

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This summer, the crew and I wrapped up filming for the tenth season of our Emmy Award-winning show, Growing a Greener World®. It has been humbling to look back and really let it sink in that we’ve been creating these episodes for an entire decade. Not many shows last so long these days. Along the way, we’ve met some remarkable people and featured some important issues. So today, I thought I would share with you my top takeaways for gardeners from over the years.

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What do you think of when you think about your garden? How often do you consider all of the fragrances of the plants in your landscape? Well, this week’s podcast is a celebration of the scentual garden; exploring botanical fragrance, with Ken Druse. Whether subtle or spectacular, plants can emanate fragrance from, not only their blooms, but from foliage and even stems too.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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Do you save seeds? These days, more and more gardeners are interested in keeping seeds from the plants in their garden, but it’s a process that can be intimidating. For this week’s episode, I invited Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance and master seed saver, Bill McDorman, to share his expertise for anyone interested in saving seeds.

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Last week was the first in this two-part conversation with British gardening legend, Charles Dowding. If you missed it, I recommend you start there. That episode focused on Charles’ background and the no-dig garden method for which he is so renowned. Today's discussion focuses on how Charles is using compost for more than just a great soil amendment.

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One of the many things I love about hosting this podcast series is the opportunity to talk about a shared love of gardening with experts from various fields and gardeners who come from different experiences and methodologies. This week was all of that and more, because this week, I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with British gardening legend and the guru of no-dig gardening, Charles Dowding.

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Here we are in mid-September already. Where did the summer go? I never mourn the end of the summer garden season, but I am getting a bit later start than usual on my favorite garden - the fall garden. So as I now plant in haste, I wanted to share what you should know for fall vegetable garden success, including best plants and tips for cool-season growing.

Invasive pests. With an absence of natural predators - they can wreak serious havoc in our garden and, sometimes our environment. There’s a category of invasive creatures which isn’t lethal to our plantlife, but it still strikes fear in the heart of many gardeners. I’m talking about fire ants, and the sting of these creatures is more than just a painful nuisance. It’s also the cause of the loss of human life every year in the U.S. So, it should come as no surprise, fire ant control is a high priority for many.

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Many years ago, I had just bought my first home and, as you might expect, was really excited to get out into the garden and make it my own. The backyard was overgrown with English ivy, so I spent an entire day pruning it back and hauling armloads off the property. Around midnight that evening, I was miserable. I had been so eager to transform my landscape, I hadn’t even noticed the poison ivy tangled in with the English ivy - until hours later when my whole body was covered by a severe reaction.

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No matter where you garden, chances are good that you struggle with deer damage. Deer are a constant issue here on my rural 5-acre GardenFarm™ north of Atlanta, GA; but they can be just as prevalent in the midst of urban spaces too. Gardeners often turn to deer-resistant plants as a solution. The fact is, those options are just as vulnerable to a hungry deer. Today, we explore how to protect your garden using deer-resistant design.

Download my free guide- Growing & Using Ornamental Grasses in the Home Landscape. How to Select, Grow, and Care for Ornamental Grasses and Grass-like Plants.

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Once in a rare while, you attend a presentation that leaves you speechless and amazed. A few years ago, internationally-acclaimed mycologist Tradd Cotter’s presentation at the University of North Carolina Botanic Garden in Charlotte had that effect on me. He was on stage describing the power of mushrooms, and what he shared blew me away.

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Last week, we “dug” into the subject of the soil food web with guest Dr. Elaine Ingham. I have long followed and admired Elaine’s work in soil science study, and hearing her describe that it’s actually our plants which are in control of the complex cycle of life beneath the soil surface was fascinating.

Download my free guide- The Complete Guide To Home Composting. The Simple Steps to Making Compost at Home

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Are you ready to get your garden geek on? In today’s episode we’re diving into the deep end on the subject of soil – specifically, understanding the soil food web. If you’ve ever told anyone that you “like to play in the dirt” to describe your love of gardening, I’m willing to bet that this […]

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Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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Tomatoes are one of the most popular garden edibles. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most challenging. Highly disease-prone, tomato plants often start strong and set a tantalizing crop of fruit only to transform into a living laboratory for pathogens – practically overnight. This season, I’m growing 43 tomato plants of differing varieties – […]

The post 115-Understanding Tomato Diseases and How to Deal With Them appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free guide- Tomato Care Checklist. The key steps every gardener should take to minimize common tomato issues

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Hydrangeas are some of my favorite ornamentals shrubs, and this week’s guest shares my love of this beautiful plant. Well actually, Lorraine Ballato has a special appreciation for all hydrangea varieties, and she has become a recognized expert on the care of this sometimes finicky species. She contributes to many respected horticultural resources, like a […]

The post 114-Understanding Hydrangeas: Pruning, Blooming, Color-Forcing & More appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

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Whether you’ve got an extensive garden area or just a postage-stamp-sized balcony, you can garden in containers just about anywhere. There are some similarities in techniques for gardening in the landscape versus containers, however there are many key differences for success too. This week’s guest is Karen Chapman, and she’s a sought-after expert in the […]

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Water – When it comes to the garden, water can be a blessing and a curse. One year brings heavy rain, while the next might bring severe drought challenges. Mother Nature can definitely wreak havoc on our garden success, but there are steps we can and should take to offset those wild swings in moisture […]

The post 112-Efficient Watering in the Garden and Landscape and Why it Matters appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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Recently, I was fortunate to have gardening television legend, Paul James, as my guest at the GardenFarm. He joined me for the filming of an upcoming Season 10 episode of my show Growing a Greener World®, and of course, we had a fantastic time. Paul’s humor is just as sharp as during his Gardening by […]

The post 111-The State of Gardening TV in Changing Times, with HGTV’s Paul James appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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As often as I mention the benefits of mulch, I’ve never devoted an entire episode to the topic – until now. Mulch tends to be an unsung hero in the garden. Yet, mulch and compost are the two most powerful tools that an organic gardener has at his or her disposal. I can’t imagine any […]

The post 110-Why Mulch Matters in Every Garden: What You Need to Know appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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Sometimes, you just have one of those weeks. I didn’t intend to share a podcast on garden safety this week, but a series of accidents – and shared experiences of our team – inspired a conversation about all the shortcuts which can put us at risk in the garden. I hope some of these reminders […]

The post 109-Garden Safety: When Shortcuts Have Consequences appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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One thing that fascinates just about every plant lover is the process of propagation, and finding easy ways to make more houseplants, vegetables, and flowers from those plants you already have and love. If you’ve ever tried to propagate a plant, did you know your success rate was just as dependent on the type of […]

The post 108-Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables and Flowers appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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Tomatoes. They just might be the hands-down most popular plant for home gardeners, but they sure aren’t easy. Last year, my friend and tomato-growing expert, Craig LeHoullier, joined me for a podcast about his recommended steps for healthy tomatoes. He called it his tomato-care checklist, and it is so packed with good information, that I […]

The post 107-Encore Presentation: Tomato Care Checklist with Craig LeHoullier appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free guide- Tomato Care Checklist. The key steps every gardener should take to minimize common tomato issues

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If you’re a gardener of any level looking for something to make gardening easier and save time – while also keeping things looking sharp – this episode is for you. You won’t find today’s featured items at any garden center, but I use them more than any other accessory in the garden – hands down. […]

The post 106-Livestock Panels: Top 10 Uses in the Garden for This Versatile Material appeared first on joe gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro.

Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It’s what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions.

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