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. 126 Last-minute gifts for gardeners | #GoodGrowing

Did you put off gift-buying this year? You’re in luck! On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we’re talking about last-minute gifts for gardeners. Get some ideas for gifts for the gardener in your life. We also take a look back on 2022’s podcasts and look forward to what the new year is bringing....

Gardenbite: Exploring reduced tillage in vegetable production | #GoodGrowing

This week on the Good Growing podcast local foods educator Nick Frillman examines the impacts of tilling the soil and alternatives to lessen the damage tilling can have. Check out The Vegetable Beet podcast on reducing tillage when growing vegetables https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reducing-...

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...

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