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

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It's the annual Good Growing Halloween Spooktacular, and this year's costumes are as sweet as the topic.
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Ep. 272 From Sunlight to Cotton Candy: The Sweet Science of Sugar

It's the annual Good Growing Halloween Spooktacular, and this year's costumes are as sweet as the topic. Join Chris the Chloroplast, Emily as Rosie the Riveter, and Ken as Cotton Candy as they take a deep dive into one of the world's most important plant products: ...
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Ep. 271 From forest to ballpark: The trees behind baseball bats | #GoodGrowing

Baseball bats are such a familiar part of the game that we rarely stop to think about where they come from. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we explore the fascinating journey of baseball bats from tree to ballpark, learn why species like ash, maple, and birch are favorites among...
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Ep. 270: Falling for Apples | #GoodGrowing

Fall is the perfect time to focus on apples. In this week’s episode of Good Growing, Ken Johnson and Emily Swihart are joined by Illinois Extension Local Foods and Small Farms Educator Grant McCarty to discuss fall apple tree care, harvesting times, storage tips, common orchard challenges, and...
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Ep. 269 Sedums: Tough, Diverse, and Complicated | #GoodGrowing

Sedums are some of the toughest and most versatile plants in the garden, but they're also at the center of a botanical identity crisis. This week on the Good Growing podcast, we dig into the world of sedums (or should we call them stonecrops... or even Hylotelephium?) and explore how advances...
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Ep. 268 Tornadoes, rain, and El Niño: Looking back and ahead at Illinois weather in 2026 | #GoodGrowing

Illinois has experienced no shortage of weather headlines this year. Check out this week's Good Growing Podcast as we talk with Illinois State Climatologist Dr. Trent Ford about a year of tornadoes, heavy rainfall, record hail, and sticky summer weather. Learn what fueled these weather events...
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Ep. 267 Growing on rocks: Exploring gravel gardens | #GoodGrowing

Gravel gardens are a new approach to gardening that utilizes a deep layer of gravel and deep-rooted plants to create a low-maintenance landscape. In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, we discuss the dynamics that define a gravel garden, applications where a gravel garden might be an...
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Ep. 266 Lesser-Known Minor Bulbs That Shine in Spring | #GoodGrowing

Planning for spring starts in fall! In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, we venture beyond tulips and daffodils to explore the world of minor bulbs with Ann Chanon of The Ohio State University.

Ann shares her favorite minor bulbs, tips for planting and naturalizing them, and...
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Ep. 265 Insects in the fall and what we can do to help them | #GoodGrowing

As summer gives way to fall, insects are busy preparing for winter in a variety of ways. Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we explore which insects migrate, which stay put, and how they survive the cold months ahead. Plus, learn what gardeners can do this fall, from leaving leaves...
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Ep. 264 Goldenrod for every garden | #GoodGrowing

As autumn approaches, one of the standout flowers that is beginning to bloom is goldenrod. Dozens of species are native to the Midwest, and more than 100 species can be found throughout the United States. To help us sift through which species is suited for which landscape, the Good Growing...
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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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