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

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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.
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All Episodes

Gardenbite - Squirrels: Illinois species and their shenanigans

This week we take a clip from a webinar about wildlife damage in the landscape. In this clip Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ken Johnson talks about the different species of squirrel that can be found in Illinois, identifying their damage and what to do to manage squirrels from damaging...

Ep 125 - Christmas trees: real, fake, potted, and alternatives

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we’re talking Christmas trees. We discuss some of the different types of trees you can find, which are more sustainable cut or fake trees, potted Christmas trees, as well as some alternatives to the typical evergreen tree. Watch us on YouTube: youtu.be/1Ask9-...

Ep. 124 The Local Thanksgiving Challenge | #goodgrowing

On this week's Good Growing podcast we welcome a new podcast contributor, Nick Frillman! Nick is a local food system and small farms educator with University of Illinois Extension based in the Bloomington/Normal area. This week Nick, Ken, and Chris talk about the local Thanksgiving Challenge, which...

Gardenbite: Growing and harvesting cranberries | #GoodGrowing

The holidays are coming up, which means cranberries will be on many of our menus. Learn more about growing and harvesting these popular native fruits.

Ep. 123 Growing and Eating Black Walnuts | #GoodGrowing

This week on the Good Growing podcast we talk all about black walnut. This episode is full of information on black walnut from growing it to eating it. We start with learning to identify black walnut and where we would typically find it in the wild. Watch out for the tree of heaven as this non-...

Ep. 122 - Identifying and managing garlic mustard | #GoodGrowing

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk with Illinois Extension Forestry Specialist Chris Evans and Media Communications Coordinator Emily Steele about garlic mustard. This invasive plant can be found in forested areas throughout the state of Illinois. Learn about why we should care about...

Ep. 121 Spooktacular: Dangerous and Deadly Plants | #GoodGrowing

What do an ant and a rubber tree have to say about toxic plants? Apparently, more than one would think! This week Ken and Chris dress up in celebration of Halloween and talk about plants that could make you sick or *gulp* kill you! Did somebody eat something they shouldn't? Contact the Poison...

Gardenbite: Three favorite native plants for Illinois | #GoodGrowing

This week for the Good Growing podcast we throw it back to 2021 when Visiting Outreach Associate Layne Knoche gives his three favorite native plants to include in a home landscape setting. Of course, Layne has many more natives he would like to include, but we were mean and only let him give his...

Ep. 120 - Some invasive plants in Illinois and their management | #GoodGrowing

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we continue our discussion on problematic plants in the landscape by getting into some invasive plants we have in Illinois. We discuss invasive bush honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, teasel, and purple loosestrife. These plants are having negative impacts in...

KILL Your Callery Pear & Burning Bush and plant these instead | #GoodGrowing

Are they invasive? Not legally in the state of Illinois. (Yet!) But we are seeing Callery pear and burning bush escape from our yards into natural areas across the state. Today Ken and Chris talk about these two plants, give some background, and then what we can plant instead of these baddies!...

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