Good Growing

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 your home and garden. Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/DjAM9YFgRqk Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenrot...

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/1Ask9-9KcPo Skip to what you want to know: 00:31 – How was your Thanksgiving? 01:45 – Christmas trees, what ty...

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 is sourcing items for the Thanksgiving meal from a local grower or market. Nick gives us some tips o...

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.

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-native can be misidentified as black walnut. Then we welcome our special guest, Illinois Extension nutrit...

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 garlic mustard, how to identify and manage it as well as some research updates! See our smiling faces and...

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 Control Hotline at (800) 222-1222 Those experiencing symptoms after eating a toxic substance should contac...

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 top three! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SVMogGrQ1Hc Skip to what you want to know: 1:24 Slende...

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 many different environments across Illinois. Learn more about these invasive species, how we can contro...

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! Watch us and see some pictures of the plants we mention on YouTube https://youtu.be/NcI0Q11AD0o Check out...

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about some problematic plants in the landscape, wintercreeper and Japanese barberry, They have been widely planted, but in many places, they have escaped cultivation and are now causing problems in natural areas. Learn more about these troublesome plants and some alternative plants we can plant instead! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-06EunFV3Gk...

On this week's Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris chat with Illinois Extension small farms and local foods educator Grant McCarty. First, we dive into the odd crops we grew this year and then Grant talks about his latest research project on growing strawberries...for the FALL! In October, no greenhouse is needed to get a freshly picked strawberry in Illinois when you use day-neutral types. You may...

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 through the winter. So, what can be done to help mums survive in our landscapes?

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 landscaping myths https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL2-Xs_Ji1c Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.ill...

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, getting trees ready for winter, and more! See our smiling faces and some pictures over on YouTube: https://...

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 monarch population is doing according to Community Science data. Plus, practices to help monarch but...

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 the fall and more! See our smiling faces and plant pictures over on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PufaMV7...

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 out the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go...

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 00:28 – Where has Ken been? 03:10 – Welcome Elizabeth 4:45 – What is horseradish? An herb, spice, vegeta...

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 them, and how to control them. These are also pollinators, so if you prefer to give them a home Ken also...

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 faces on YouTube! https://youtu.be/zOH1s9IW2mw Skip to what you want to know: 0:21 - Hi Ken! Wait where...

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 the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go.illino...

As we enter the thick of the summer growing season, you may be noticing some pests and diseases problems. Listen in as we revisit Ken Johnson's article on Scouting in the Garden https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2019-06-24-scouting-garden to effectively identify any pests or diseases you might be experiencing.

On this week’s Good Growing podcast we are celebrating National Pollinator Week! We give helpful tips for helping out pollinators plus our favorite pollinator plants. Plus, tons of resources if you’re looking to include pollinator habitat in your landscape. Watch us YouTube https://youtu.be/YhxRfaGN2PU 0:26 - Hi Katie! 0:36 - Those Darn Racoons 2:25 - Hi Ken! 4:11 - What are pollinators? 8:10 - Ti...

It's getting hot! On this week's Good Growing podcast, we discuss gardening when the weather gets hot and tips to get you and your garden through the hot weather. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jjUi2MSfgF8 Skip to what you want to know: 02:30 - Strawberry moon 03:20 - How are your strawberries doing? 06:10 - Staying safe while gardening in the heat 09:45 - Watering when it's hot 12:40 - Coo...