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Good Growing

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Talking all things horticulture, ecology, and design.

Latest Episode

September 29, 2023
This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Chris and Ken chat with state climatologist, Dr. Trent Ford. During the episode, we chat about what’s up with the weather for 2023. Soils are dry across Illinois. Is there any relief in sight? Will El Nino play a role in our weather this winter?

Gardenbite: Growing mums | #GoodGrowing

September 15, 2022
As we approach fall, chrysanthemums, aka mums, start appearing in nurseries and garden centers. They are a staple in many landscapes and can provide some much-needed color to our landscapes when many other garden plants are starting to decline. However, many people struggle to get mums to survive...

Gardenbite: Landscape Fabric - Good or bad? | #GoodGrowing

September 9, 2022
This week on Good Growing we take an excerpt from our webinar on gardening myths to see if these are the best practices or not! In this video horticulture educator, Chris Enroth gives the scoop on the long-term effects on your garden when using landscape fabric. Watch the entire webinar on...

Ep. 116 - Tree planting and care with Emily Swihart | #goodgrowing

September 2, 2022
Trees are one of the biggest investments we have in our landscapes. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk with University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Emily Swihart about tree planting and care. We discuss how to plant and care for trees, some good trees for fall color,...

Ep. 115 - Monarch Butterfly Status Update with Brodie Dunn

August 26, 2022
This week on the Good Growing podcast we chat with Brodie Dunn about the recent listing of the monarch butterfly as an endangered species by the IUCN. What does that mean for us in Illinois where monarchs spend their summers? We dive into the most recent scientific publications to determine how the...

Ep. 114 - Late blooming plants | #goodgrowing

August 19, 2022
We’re heading towards fall, which means it’s time for our third wave of blooming plants. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about some of our favorite late summer and fall looming plants. We also discuss some of our favorite grasses, which can also provide some color to our landscapes in...

Gardenbite: Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden

August 11, 2022
It may be hard to believe, but as we enjoy fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and other vegetables from our garden this summer, it's also time to start planting our fall vegetable gardens. Many vegetables that we grow in the spring can also be planted in late summer or early fall. Check...

Ep. 113 - Growing horseradish with Elizabeth Wahle | #goodgrowing

August 5, 2022
On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about horseradish with commercial agriculture educator Elizabeth Wahle. We discuss where it’s grown commercially, how to grow it at home, our favorite ways to use horseradish, and more! Watch our smiling faces on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PXKp-MLkHAk...

Gardenbite: Dealing with Hornworms on Tomatoes

July 22, 2022
Ack! What happened to the tomato plant!? Have you ever walked out to the garden to find out a hungry hungry caterpillar has stripped the leaves off your tomato plant? These are known as tomato hornworms. And in this week's Gardenbite, Ken Johnson describes the hornworm, a super neat way to find...

Ep 112 Summer Insect Pests in the Garden | #GoodGrowing

July 15, 2022
Summertime is insect time! As our days warm up so do our insect populations. While most are beneficial, we have a small number of pest insects that plague us every year in the garden and landscape! This week Ken and Chris chat about the most common ones we face every summer. Or watch our smiling...

Gardenbite - Harvesting Vegetables

July 7, 2022
We're heading into the heart of harvest season! Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ken Johnson talks about how and when to harvest vegetables, so they are at their peak. Read the blog post: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-07-15-harvesting-garden-vegetables Check out...