Good Growing

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...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we discuss the dry, hot weather we’ve been having recently. We discuss Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford’s recent blog post on the Increased Risk of Drought Conditions in Illinois, providing water to our plants, how you can help monitor drought conditions in your area, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RI4_daRf1O0 Skip to what you want to kn...

This week on the Good Growing podcast we sit down with Illinois Extension communications specialist and first-time homeowner Emily Steele and walk through some of the basic To-Dos for a new yard/first-time yard owner. We dive into various topics from what to look for at house showings in the landscape to how to avoid termites and much more! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/9Q-WiIYGjeM Skip to...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we talk with horticulture educator Ryan Pankau about the new University of Illinois Extension pollinator website, Illinois Pollinators. Learn about how this website came together, the information it covers, including different pollinators we find in Illinois, the importance of pollinators, plants pollinators use, pollinator habitat design, community science and...

This week Ken and Chris have compiled several homeowner questions all about soil testing. We share lots of resources to help the gardener and landscaper determine the status of their soils and eliminate the guessing game of soil management. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EztIDdWY6Qw Illinois Extension's one-stop website for soils including a list of soil testing labs: https://extension.illi...

On this week's Good Growing Podcast, Ken Johnson talks about what we can do for our spring blooming bulbs to ensure a colorful display again next year. Check out the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these p...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast we talk with Illinois Extension local foods educator Nick Frillman about growing gourmet shiitake mushrooms in your own backyard. Nick shows us the tools and methods used to turn fresh cut logs of white oak and sugar maple into inoculated “bolts” that will yield delicious shiitake mushrooms. Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/MuP9exnHmaQ Skip to what you want...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, we have a discussion about garden tools and gadgets. Learn about what we should be doing to get our tools ready for use this spring, some of our favorite garden tools, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GXD12sUiI8w Skip to what you want to know: 00:25 – Welcome, Ken, and what have we been up to in the garden? 02:15 – Don’t put your tomatoes out yet...

This week on the Good Growing podcast we dive into the world of soil and compost. Ken and Chris answer your questions asked by actual home gardeners. Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/KR9CLt2izW4 Skip to what you want to know: Hey Ken! Spring, weather, and our new intro music Amending Soil Questions -3:09 Can you recommend a user-friendly home soil test for me to buy that will guide me through...

Do certain plants grow better together? While the research may be out for many claims of companion planting, some tried and true methods of vegetable garden plant combinations have worked for generations. Listen as local foods educator Nick Frillman gives some background on companion planting. Contact us! Nick Frillman: frillma2@illinois.edu Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast, Chris and Ken sit down to go through some more spring gardening questions about seed starting, planting outdoors, planting in pots, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iWCVq7QALCE Skip to what you want to know: 00:30 – Welcome Ken, and be on the lookout for Callery pear and honeysuckle 02:05 – Why is Chris sad? 04:09 – How many seeds per cell do you...

Never be without a vase full of flowers after listening to this episode of the Good Growing podcast. This week Ken and Chris chat with Chris Lueking, Illinois Extension horticulture educator, and owner of her own successful cut flower farm. Chris describes how she got started, things to consider when growing cut flowers, her top five go-to cut flowers, and more! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.b...

On this week’s Good Growing podcast Chris and Ken sit down to go through our piles of early spring gardening questions about frost dates, seed starting, and more. Plus, we warn our listeners and viewers to be careful when getting out into the garden too soon! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/kDjPF-UYDKQ Skip to what you want to know: 00:36 – Hey Ken, what’s going on in our gardens? 1:56 - We m...

On this week's Good Growing Podcast, Ken Johnson talks about growing asparagus, including what type you should grow, how to plant, weed control, and fertilizing and harvesting. Check out the Good Growing Blog: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion...

This week Nick Frillman takes us on a journey of our local foods system through his very own kitchen and a single loaf of bread. Listen in to learn how you can support a local food system with your food dollars.