Good Growing
Talking all things horticulture, ecology, and design.

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Tomatoes may be the most popular garden crop, but they can also be the most frustrating. If your tomatoes are cracking, developing black spots on the bottom, refusing to ripen, or showing strange yellow shoulders, you're not alone.
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All Episodes

Ep. 263 It's Not a Disease! Common Tomato Fruit Problems You Can't Spray Away | #GoodGrowing

Tomatoes may be the most popular garden crop, but they can also be the most frustrating. If your tomatoes are cracking, developing black spots on the bottom, refusing to ripen, or showing strange yellow shoulders, you're not alone. In this episode, Chris and Ken dig into the most common tomato...
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Ep. 262 Growing orchids at home: Easier than you think | #GoodGrowing

Orchids have a reputation for being difficult to grow, but they may be easier than you think! Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast, where we are joined by horticulture educator and longtime orchid enthusiast Jack Schooley. Learn about common orchid myths, good orchids for beginners,...
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Ep. 261 Horticultural rules of thumb | #GoodGrowing

This week’s Good Growing Podcast explores some common horticultural “rules of thumb” that might make garden and landscape care easier and more successful. Learn about the origins, benefits, and limitations of common guidelines. Many of the guides we discuss are frequently used on the Good...
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Ep. 260 Managing Stormwater with Rain Gardens | #GoodGrowing

Rain gardens are one of the most effective tools homeowners can use to manage stormwater, reduce runoff, and add beauty to the landscape. In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris, Emily, and Ken explore how rain gardens work, why they matter, and how they can help keep excess water...
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Ep. 259 Summertime garden Q&A | #GoodGrowing

Summer is in full swing, and with the heat comes plenty of garden and lawn questions! Join us as we tackle some of the most common summertime issues, including crabgrass taking over lawns, brown patches of turf, cracked tomatoes, swarms of beetles, and more!
 
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Gardenbite: Color Theory in the Garden | #GoodGrowing

Take your landscape from random to remarkable. In this Gardenbite episode, Illinois Extension horticulture educator Emily Swihart explores how color theory can help you create a more cohesive, attractive, and intentional garden. Learn the difference between analogous color schemes that create...
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Gardenbite: Containing the Uncontainable: Managing Bamboo | #GoodGrowing

How far can running bamboo run?

Bamboo may look exotic and tropical, but did you know some species can thrive right here in Illinois? In this Gardenbite episode, Chris Enroth dives into the fascinating—and sometimes frustrating—world of bamboo. From Illinois' own native giant cane to...
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Gardenbite: Weird looking coneflower flowers: Aster yellows and rosette mites | #GoodGrowing

Coneflowers are beloved native plants, but sometimes you may end up with strange-looking flowers. Check out this week's Good Growing Podcast to learn about two common causes of distorted coneflower blooms: aster yellows and coneflower rosette mites. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of each...
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Ep. 258 Gardens of the Founding Fathers |#GoodGrowing

As Americans prepare to celebrate the July 4th weekend, Good Growing takes a look at the Founding Fathers as gardeners. In this episode, we explore the lesser-known side of our nation’s founders. In addition to being authors and signers of the Declaration of Independence and political...
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Ep. 257 Design principles and plants for edible landscapes | #GoodGrowing

In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, we explore the concept of edible landscaping, where ornamental plants double as food sources.
Emily, Ken, and Chris will discuss how to design a landscape that combines aesthetic appeal with edible function...
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