Good Growing

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we’re taking a closer look at a holiday staple, the poinsettia. Join us as we discuss the myths and legends that surround the poinsettia, where they come from, how they’re grown, and more!    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0jY1dNYQG5Y    Skip to what you want to know:     00:30 – Welcome, Ken, and what kind of Christmas tree does Chris have?   02:50 – Ho...

In this episode, Ken and Chris explore a timely and concerning topic—the resurgence of bed bugs making headlines globally! Join us as we delve into the pressing issue of bed bugs seemingly spiraling out of control. Are these tiny pests staging a global takeover once again? Our special guest, entomologist Dr. Kacie Athey, joins the conversation to address our lingering questions about bed bugs. Fro...

Thanksgiving is over, which means many of us will be going out to pick out our Christmas trees. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we’re taking a trip back to 2020 when we talked with Robert Richardson with the Illinois Christmas Tree Association. Learn about the process of growing Christmas trees from when they go in the ground until you pick one out.    Want to see or listen to the entire show...

This week the Good Growing podcast rewinds to when we chatted with local foods educator James Thueri all about turkeys. James talks about how the commercial producers get the turkey from egg to plate. Plus, James gives tips if for those interested in raising their own heritage breeds in their own backyard. Listen to the entire podcast https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/good-growing/ep-46-talk...

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we’re answering some of your fall gardening questions. Learn about overwintering mum and dahlias, white pines dropping needles, keeping feral cats out of gardens, and more! We also give an update on what’s going on with the leaves in our yards and how our gardens fared this year.    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BXgo-nq9KNo     Skip to what you want to...

This week on the Good Growing podcast Chris and Ken chat with horticulture educator Sarah Vogel and horticulture program coordinator Jenny Lee promoting an upcoming series for tree care professionals called the Community Tree Care Series. During the online webinar participants will go from basics to more complex topics in tree care. It is a great opportunity for Illinois arborists needing CEUs or...

We’re all dressed up for this week’s Good Growing podcast because it’s our Halloween Spooktacular! This year, we are joined by Dr. Chelsea Harbach to talk about some spooky plant diseases that have had some significant historical impacts. Learn about ergot, late blight, and coffee rust and how they’ve changed the course of history.   Watch us, and see our costumes on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oEzb...

This week on the Good Growing Podcast Chris and Ken talk with Dr. Kacie Athey about the newest invasive insect found in Illinois, the spotted lanternfly. Even though it’s only currently in Cook County, this particular bug is likely to spread across the state and Midwest. Will spotted lanternfly devour everything in its path? Or will we barely notice its arrival? Find out this and more on this week...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we welcome Emily Swihart back to talk about water-conscious landscaping! Learn why planning our landscapes with water in mind is important and how we can incorporate water-conscious landscaping into our landscapes.    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hfIY5e0axak     Skip to what you want to know:     00:30 – Welcome, Ken and Emily, and are our landscapes r...

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Chris and Ken talk with commercial ag educator Nathan Johanning all about pumpkins! Nathan has been researching pumpkins with University of Illinois Extension for years and is himself a pumpkin grower. This week we dive into what is a growing season like for a pumpkin farmer, what are some of their biggest pests, how to pick the perfect pumpkin, and much more...

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? Will it be a cold and snowy winter? Trent will share the Climate Prediction Center’s outlook for the fall and winte...

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we welcome Emily Swihart back to talk about mulch! Learn about what mulch is, what it’s good for, what mulches we should avoid using, and why our mulch should be thick and chunky. We also dispel some common misconceptions about mulch.   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sqw4Cwr7wjo    Skip to what you want to know:     00:30 – Welcome, Ken and Emily, and Ch...

Now that night temperatures are starting to cool,  it’s time to start thinking about bringing houseplants back indoors for the winter. On this week's Good Growing Podcast, Ken Johnson discusses some steps we can take to successfully transition our houseplants indoors, as well as some tips on their care over the winter.  Want to read more about moving houseplants indoors and houseplant pests? Check...

This week on the Good Growing podcast Chris shares a Gardenbite of when retired horticulture educator Richard Hentschel visited the show in 2021 to talk about fall lawn care. During the show, Richard spoke about three things we could all do to reduce our lawn inputs.  Want to see or listen to the entire show? Watch this episode on YouTube or listen on our website. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/...

Fall is almost here! On this week's Good Growing Podcast, Ken talks about something we should add to our to-do list for this fall: conducting a soil test.  Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu     Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we are answering more of your questions. We discuss the new invasive hornet that has been found in Georgia, coca mulch and worms in ponds, tree roots affecting building foundations, apple fruit rots, and more!   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fFmCDDUwXQ4   Skip to what you want to know:     00:05 – Welcome   01:20 – New invasive wasp found in Georgia, th...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we discuss fall-blooming plants. While we typically reach for mums, there are a lot of other plants we can use in our landscapes for an end-of-season flower show!    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NYmaaXnh7JY     Skip to what you want to know:     00:33 – Welcome, Ken and have we followed our advice and started our fall vegetable gardens?     02:20 – Ben...

It may be hot out there, but fall gardening has already started in Illinois. This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken and Chris share how the summer veggies faired and then describe their plans for fall crops. Learn about what you can get started in August for harvest in October and even into the winter. Plus tips on gardening as the weather turns cold. Watch us on YouTube! https://youtu.be/4l3Ac...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we discuss newly planted trees. How to pick them, take care of them, and get them ready for something we haven’t seen since 1803!    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kFzOs7a3TCo     Skip to what you want to know :     00:40 – Welcome, Ken, what are we seeing for the first time since 1803?    01:35 – It’s still dry out there, and it’s getting hot…It’s been...

This week on the Good Growing podcast we relive the recent derecho with horticulture educator Emily Swihart. Emily and Chris swap stories about their experiences with past and present derechos. But what does all this wind do to our trees? We talk about cleaning up our trees after severe windstorms and how to prepare our trees for future wind events. Watch us on YouTube 0:36 Hey Ken! 2:05 Welcome E...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we’re answering some of your questions that have come into our offices this summer. We discuss poison hemlock, aphids, Japanese beetles, green June beetles, galls on oaks, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AGe43Ff0eL0 Skip to what you want to know:   00:25 – Welcome, Ken, vacation and pet spider   05:45 – Should I avoid eating vegetables growing n...

After a few rounds of severe weather in Illinois, Chris chats about what to do with a storm-damaged tree and how to make your trees more resilient to future storms. Find a Certified Arborist https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist Find your local Illinois Extension office https://extension.illinois.edu/global/where-we-serve Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@il...

This week on the Good Growing podcast Chris tackles a question about how to hire a lawn care service when facing a list of services to choose from. How does a homeowner decide what is best for their lawn? Does the lawn care service match with university recommendations? Find out on this week’s podcast! LawnTalk website https://web.extension.illinois.edu/lawntalk/index.cfm Contact us! Chris Enroth:...

On this week's Good Growing Podcast, Ken Johnson discusses fireflies. Learn about fireflies in Illinois, the threats to their populations, and how you can help conserve them in your own landscape.  Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu  Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu  Check out the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing  Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go.illinois....

This week for the Good Growing podcast we have a gardenbite episode that dives into the basics of how to water your landscape and garden plants. While some may have built-in irrigation systems, many gardeners must reach for the hose to hand-water when times get dry, and right now times are VERY dry in central Illinois. Chris shows how to water and gives some great tips to know if you are irrigatin...