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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?

Ep. 106 Talking Spring Lawn Care and Organic Practices with Richard Hentschel | #GoodGrowing

April 22, 2022
On this week's Good Growing podcast we chat one last time with retiring horticulture educator Richard Hentschel. Richard dives into tips for spring lawn care and we get into environmentally friendly practices for our lawns and ask if they really work. Plus, Richard gives his parting tips to Katie,...

Ep. 105 Climate change and insects with Kacie Athey | Good Growing

April 14, 2022
On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we chat with Assistant Professor and Faculty Extension Specialist Kacie Athey about climate change and insects. We discuss what impacts our changing climate may have on insects, like will we see range expansions, more generations, more plant damage, phenology,...

Ep. 104 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Insects with Dr. Kacie Athey

April 7, 2022
On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we talk to Dr. Kacie Athey about biocontrols. Dr. Kacie Athey is an assistant professor and faculty extension specialist at University of Illinois and contributes much of her research into non-chemical insect control in specialty crop systems. Join us as we...

Ep. 103 Talking Bats in Illinois with Dr. Joy O'Keefe | #GoodGrowing

April 1, 2022
On this week's Good Growing podcast we sit down to talk with Dr. Joy O'Keefe all about bats! Dr. O'Keefe is an assistant professor at University of Illinois and a wildlife specialist with Extension who studies bats and how humans can work to co-exist with our flying fellow mammals. In this show we...

Gardenbite - Spring garden cleanup and beneficial insects

March 25, 2022
This week Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ken Johnson talks about how we should approach spring garden cleanup with beneficial insects in mind. Check out the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe...

Ep. 102 The Historical Significance of Plant Diseases with Chelsea Harbach #GoodGrowing

March 17, 2022
In this week’s podcast, University of Illinois commercial ag educator Chelsea Harbach joins the Good Growing team to discuss the historical significance of plant diseases such as the Irish Potato Famine (the Great Hunger). Listen in to hear what happened and what caused it to happen! 3: 36 Plants...

Gardenbite - Rubber Mulch in the Landscape

March 10, 2022
This week Illinois Extension horticulture educator Chris Enroth dives into the world of shredded rubber mulch. He'll talk pros and cons of this automotive byproduct. Want to learn more about mulch? Who doesn't! Chris dives into the multitude of mulches in this blog. https://extension.illinois.edu...

Ep. 101 Climate change and plants with Trent Ford

March 3, 2022
In this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk with Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford about some of the impacts we are seeing now and how climate change will affect our landscapes and agriculture in the future. We also discuss how to engage with climate change skeptics and what people can do to...

Ep. 100 Fruit Tree Maintenance with Andrew Holsinger

February 24, 2022
The Good Growing Podcast crew celebrates their 100th episode by talking tree fruit maintenance with University of Illinois horticulture educator Andrew Holsinger. Listen in as they discuss pruning, disease management, mulching, and more. Be sure to stay until the end as Chris has a surprise segment...

Ep. 99 Talking nature's impacts on human health with Cara Allen #GoodGrowing

February 18, 2022
This week we are posting the first Good Growing (then called Green Speak) episode that we thought was lost to time. In 2017 with an idea for a podcast, Chris Enroth sat down and talked with Family Life educator Cara Allen about the effects of nature on human physical and mental health and how being...