Good Growing

Talking all things horticulture, ecology, and design.
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Latest Episode

In this Gardenbite episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris Enroth kicks back over the Fourth of July weekend to flash back to a 2021 chat with Extension educator Elizabeth Wahle, who declares Spigelia her all-time favorite garden plant. Why?

Ep. 86 Growing Garlic with Nick Frillman #goodgrowing

In this week’s episode of the Good Growing podcast, we chat with Extension Local Foods and Small Farms Educator Nick Frillman about garlic. We dive into growing this tasty spice starting right now, in the fall and then we go through the garlic growing season to harvest. We even talk about our...

Ep. 85 Favorite flowering plants with Elizabeth Wahle #GoodGrowing

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we talk with Commercial Agriculture Educator Elizabeth Wahle about some of her favorite plants. In addition to some of her favorite plants, we discuss her process of selecting plants, how she handles wildlife in her garden, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https...

Gardenbites: Emerald ash borer and a final use for ash trees

In this week's Good Growing podcast Chris remarks on the observation of dying ash trees and one final landscape use for a dead ash tree. Check out the Good Growing Blog extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing --- Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion...

Ep. 84 Illinois weather and climate with Trent Ford #GoodGrowing

In this week's episode of the Good Growing podcast, we talk with Illinois state climatologist Trent Ford. We ask Trent about our weather observations from 2021 starting with the weeks of rain this spring, a humid smokey summer, to the abnormally dry autumns we've seen for the past several years...

Ep. 83 Fall garden updates with Grant McCarty #goodgrowing

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we talk with Local Foods and Small Farms Educator Grant McCarty about how things are going in northern Illinois and some of the different crops he's been trying in his garden, like day-neutral strawberries, grapes, and fall-planted blackberries. We also discuss...

Building the Red Oak Rain Garden with Eliana Brown and Layne Knoche #goodgrowing

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we talk with Eliana Brown, Water Resources Outreach Specialist, and Layne Knoche, Extension Outreach Associate, about the Red Oak Rain Garden. We go into detail on their process for redesigning the rain garden while remaining sensitive to the site two massive...

Talking designing pollinator gardens, dividing iris, lilac problems, and more! #GoodGrowing

On this week's Good Growing Podcast Illinois Extension horticulture educators Ken Johnson and Chris Enroth talk about designing the pollinator display gardens for the upcoming Farm Progress show (August 31 - Sept 2). Including the struggle with finding late-season blooming plants in the nursery and...

Ep. 80 Fall lawn care tasks and tips with Richard Hentschel #goodgrowing

On this week's Good Growing podcast, we talk with horticulture educator Richard Hentschel about fall lawn care. We discuss why fall is a great time to do various activities in our lawns like seeding, fertilizing, and aerating. Plus, we answer some of your lawn questions! Watch on YouTube https://...

Ep 79. - Talking hemp, CBD, regulations, and more with Phillip Alberti #GoodGrowing

On this week's Good Growing podcast, we talk with Phillip Alberti, commercial ag educator and one of Illinois' leading hemp experts. Now that hemp is legal to grow in Illinois we have some questions about what we're seeing in the farm fields and hearing about in the news. Growing hemp comes with...

Ep. 78 Tips for growing sweet corn - pests, harvesting and more! #GoodGrowing

On this week's Good Growing podcast, we are talking sweet corn. As we enter the later part of the season what are some things we need to know about growing sweet corn? Perhaps you've seen some unwanted pests or some fertility issues. What about harvesting and storing for a wintertime sweet corn...