Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast

Gardening is one of those human activities with a long history, deep symbolism and a lot of details, so it has a substantial vocabulary to accompany it. In this episode, Don and John go over some of the curious terms you may hear in gardening so you won't be left scratching your head.

Note: This episode of Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast was originally published on Jan. 9, 2025. Sure, your green thumbs have been busy the last few weeks thumbing through seed catalogs, but if anything, that's just making you more excited to get your hands dirty working with actual plants. In this episode, Don and John talk about repotting your houseplants as a way to ease your cabin fever,...

Chances are, you wanted some garden do-overs this year. You won't be able to do them over, unfortunately, but you do have the opportunity to do things differently next year. In this episode, Don and John discuss some new year's resolutions for your yard and garden, like planning your yard better and improved weeding and spraying. There's always room to improve, and now's the time to make those goa...

We're only guessing here, but the gardener on your gift list is probably one of the sweetest, loveliest people you know. Don't you want to get them the awesome gift they deserve? In this episode, Don and John go over some holiday gift ideas for the gardener you love the most (or for youself; we won't tell). They also answer a listener question about how to start a professional life in a garden cen...

Our gardens are just a pleasant memory and spring is a long way off, which makes it an even better time to bring holiday cheer into your home with a tree and other festive indoor plants. In this episode, Don and John give you some facts and advice about putting up the Christmas tree and dispel a rumor about poinsettias being poisonous (they're not).

We may be quickly approaching winter, but Don and John are already looking ahead to spring as they discuss The Prairie Garden 2026, an annual publication dedicated to advancing horticulture on the Prairies. In this episode, Don and John dive into The Prairie Garden 2026: Shaping Spaces. From why you shouldn't plant anything under a tree to how to design a goth garden, this edition offers plenty of...

Prairie Petals has become a go-to location for innovative floral displays in the Fargo area thanks to the creativity and problem-solving of owner Kimberly Hess. In this episode, Don and John welcome Kimberly for a discussion of her career in floral decorating, a look at her approach to creating one-of-a-kind displays and arrangements, and some guidance on getting luscious-looking dried flowers. To...

You've worked diligently on your yard and garden this year. It would be a shame if it were all undone by a few hungry bunnies this winter. In this episode, Don and John go over some safe and humane tactics for protecting your perennials, shrubs and trees from rabbits, voles, deer and other critters. Plus, they go over a listener's approach to overwintering amaryllis that could have you enjoying th...

If you have a flower bed that feels a little flat or a patch of yard in need of a refresh, ornamental grasses could be the lift they need. In this episode, Don and Jon go over some of the reasons you might consider adding ornamental grasses to your yard along with the usual helpful hints for care and recommendations for varieties that might suit your needs.

You might be a little sad to see the leaves drop in your yard, but there's a bright side: with the leaves gone it's a perfect time to give them a thorough check up. In this episode, Don and John go over some ways to check in on the health of your trees and shrubs that get much simpler once they've lost their leaves for the year. 

When it comes to most plants in our yards, we can probably handle most of the maintenance ourselves with a little guidance. The big exception: our trees, which have needs that might require someone with a bit more knowhow, aka an arborist. In this episode, Don and John welcome guest Quincey Circo of Carr's Tree Service to talk about when and why you might need to bring in a pro to help with tree m...

The days are getting shorter, quickly, and we're starting to see our breath when we go outside. That means it's time to put the garden to bed for another year. In this episode, Don and John talk through some tasks to put a wrap on this year's growing season. Plus, we hear from a North Dakota listener growing pineapple. (Yeah, you read that right.)

Mums (or chrysanthemums, if you're fancy) bring a big blast of color to your life in the fall, and you can find them just about anywhere, making them a perfect low-effort way to bring some cheer into the late growing season. In this episode, Don and John talk about buying and caring for mums. They also talk about "perennializing" them into a part of your landscape.

WDAY Chief Meteorologist Jesse Ritka had a busy summer, with turbulent storms and widespread tornado damage. And now, like the rest of us, she's reaping the gardening benefits of an unseasonably warm fall while waiting for sweater weather to finally arrive. In this episode, Jesse joins Don and John for a chat about recent weather and how the stormy summer affected her garden. Ever the scientist, s...

Just because summer is over and winter is on the horizon, it doesn't mean gardening has to be done for the year. In this episode, Don and John talk about how to keep geraniums, mandevilla and other plants growing through the winter so you can get a head start on summer color.

Nothing can be quite as breathtaking as fall color, and though there's a certain poetry to this last burst of natural beauty before we plunge into winter, there's some hard science there, too. In this episode, Don and John talk about the chemical changes that make fall color happen and talk about their favorite fall color plants, shrubs and trees. Don fields a listener question about late fall pru...

Crabgrass and quackgrass might sound a little funny, but they are such a common nuisance many homeowners simply throw up their hands and live with them. It doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, Don and John talk about two of the most common weeds in our lawns and give you strategies to help bring them under control.

A common refrain here at Growing Together is that there's usually something going on with your garden, no matter what time of year, and the same holds true for your local garden centers. In this episode, Don and John are joined by Luke Nygard, the owner of Nygard Nursery in Dilworth, Minn., for some reasons to give your local nursery a visit even though winter is coming fast. Luke also shares how...

You might think of Labor Day as the time when you start closing down shop for the year, but it's also the time when you can start laying groundwork for next year. In this episode, Don and John go over some of the most fruitful tasks for your Labor Day/early September to-do list, like fertilizing your lawn, splitting geraniums and tackling your toughest weeds. Topics in this episode: 0:42 Don's vac...

Your riding mower might make you feel like royalty as you leisurely cut the grass on a hot day...but, you're missing out on some much-needed exercise when you do. In this episode, Don and John welcome NDSU Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist Julie Garden-Robinson for a discussion about health and gardening, including why you should keep sweating behind your push mower. Julie also has some tips...

As you build out your yard and develop your garden, you'll inevitably find the need to put down some mulch to cover the ground and create pleasing areas around your growing spots. In this episode, Don and John go over a few key points on mulch, edging and maintenence, including things to consider when choosing rock or mulch and how to prevent weeds. Topics: 0:00 Intro 1:33 Today's topic: Mulching...

You have questions, Growing Together has answers. In this episode, Don and John open up the listener mailbag to hear what's vexing you in your garden. Plus, they share in a couple of listener successes. If you have a question for Don Kinzler, send an email (with a photo, if possible) to donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu. 2:29 What's eating my tomatoes? 9:52 What's the best product for post-emergent weed con...

If there's a favorite gardening activity of yours, chances are you'll be able to do it during the month of August. In this episode, Don and John break down some of your main to-do items for the month of August, including fertilizing, weeding and dividing some perennials. You could likely start picking tomatoes or digging a few potatoes, too, and you might still be able to plant some radishes and g...

As we enter the high summer season, you might be looking at your vegetables and wondering if they're coming along as well they should.  In this episode, Don and John (and special guest Casey) take stock of midsummer vegetables and give you some tips on seeing them through to success.

Like the plants we love, conversations between gardeners often flower and flourish as we share knowledge and insight, and nowhere was this more apparent than this year's Red River Garden Tour. In this episode, Don and John relive the highlights of the 2025 Garden Tour and invite you along to participate next year when area gardeners invite you into their yards to share their love of growing. See m...