Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast

Summer is a great time for your garden...unless your plants aren't quite growing the way they should.   In this episode, Don and John look at the most common issues that begin to pop up this time of year, including blossom end rot, fungus and pests.

For something as deep and complex as gardening, it's vital to have others around to teach you new things and give you new ideas.   In this episode, Don and John are joined by Rachel Sailer, organizer of the 2nd Annual Red River Valley Garden Tour. The tour allows any gardener to take a peek at the yards of experienced gardeners and find new inspiration. Sailer is a master gardener and operations m...

As we enter the thick of summer, you've no doubt been busy in your garden. But this time of year marks a time when you can take it a little easier.   In this episode, Don and John discuss the tasks you can stop doing once we hit July, like fertilizing and pruning,

Apples and apple trees are more commonly associated with cooler autumn days and heaping buckets full of delicious apples. But if you want that sweet apple crop, there's no time like summer to give them some extra attention. In this episode, Don and John go over some of the tasks you should be thinking about with your apple trees, or what to do if you're thinking of getting an apple tree started in...

Peonies and irises are an enthusiastic addition to your yard or garden thanks to their early summer start and showy blossoms. In this episode, Don and John go over the basics of caring for peonies and irises, including an easy way to get ants off your peony blossoms before bringing them indoors.

Arguably, no other flower carries as much meaning and history as a rose, which makes them a popular choice for a gardener.   But roses can also present a thorny (forgive the pun) challenge. In this episode, Don and John go over the basics of growing and caring for your roses, from sourcing the best roses to pruning them safely.

In this episode, WDAY Chief Meteorologist John Wheeler joins Don and John for a look at possible weather patterns for the upper Midwest as we head into the summer growing season. Plus, he talks about setting up new raised garden plots and gives us a simple pepper sauce recipe.

We all know fertilizing is an important part of maintaining healthy trees and shrubs along with a healthy yard and garden. But when should we fertilize, how much should we use, and what kinds of fertilizers work the best?   In this episode, Don and John tackle the important question of fertilizing and discuss why May and June are the best times to get it done.

There isn't anything quite as satisfying as a full, lush lawn. And nothing is as frustrating as a lawn that doesn't look healthy, no matter how hard you try.   In this episode, Don and John go over some of the most common concerns facing those who care for lawns, including yellow patches, thinning spots, weeds, fertilizing and mowing.

We're hot on the heels of planting season, meaning it's time to head out to our local garden centers to find the right plants and shrubs for our yards and gardens. What should we know before we go? In this episode, Don and John share their collected wisdom to keep in your back pocket before you find yourself enthralled with what a garden center has to offer.

Gardening is all about strong connections, like our connection to the Earth and the connections with one another shown in the love and knowledge we pass down from one generation to the next. In this episode, Don and John pay tribute to the moms (and dads and grandparents) who shared their hard-won gardening experience with us. Our listeners share their fondest memories, too, from picking potato bu...

Every stage in the development of your garden is important, but nothing matches the excitement of getting your plants into the ground once spring comes around. In this episode, Don and John go over spring planting methods that will give your plants their best shot at a successful growing season. === "Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast" is a show for gardeners in the upper Midwest based in Fargo...

Don and John go over their recommendations for the best tools to get your yard in garden in shape this spring, from the right pair of gloves to a reciprocating saw. 

The season is finally starting to make a turn for the warmer, and while it's still a little too cool to get plants in the ground, there's still plenty to do.   In this episode, Don and John go over some of the tasks you can do to get your yard and garden in shape after the dormant winter months, like raking and pruning.

How do new trees get introduced to our region, and who's researching how well they'll do here?   In this episode, Don and John talk to Dr. Todd West, NDSU's Woody Plant Improvement Director, for a look into the research he does on new varieties of trees and shrubs that will perform well in our region. Dr. West also has some advice on choosing trees for your landscape and gives a preview of new tre...

When we think of a community garden, we might think it's a community of people growing gardens. But the inverse is also true.   In this episode, Don and John welcome Jack Wood, co-founder of the Growing Together community garden, to the show. Jack talks about how his group has opened its arms to new Americans in the Fargo-Moorhead area and grown a tight-knit community of like-minded gardening love...

Since you're probably thinking about the growing season, chances are you're also thinking about canning your harvest once fall comes.   In this episode, Don and John are joined by Rita Ussatis, the Cass County (N.D.) Extension Agent for Family and Community Wellness, to hear her guidance about successful canning.

From rain in January to a blizzard bookended by unseasonable warmth, it's been an odd winter for gardeners in our part of the world.   In this episode, Don and John field questions from your fellow Growing Together listeners on what to do and what to look out for as we transition from not-winter to spring.

If you're new to growing plants in your home, or looking for something that gives you a little slack when it comes to timely watering, succulents may be right for you.   In this episode, Don and John go over the basics of succulents, from watering to potting to making them bloom. They'll also settle the nagging question: Are they "cactuses" or "cacti"?

It's been a mild winter in our neck of the woods, but it's still not quite warm enough to get your garden growing ... or is it? In this episode, Don and John go over the basics of starting seeds indoors, including the setup you'll need and the timelines for your favorite varieties. === "Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast" is a show for gardeners in the upper Midwest based in Fargo, North Dakota...

Those of us in the northern U.S. are appreciating this warm winter for reducing the stress of things like travel or snow removal. But what about plants that are stirring way too soon?   In this episode, Don and John talk through the effects that a warm winter can have on your plants, ways you can give them some extra care, and what to plan for the next growing season.

Giving someone flowers can say a lot, but the flowers themselves might be saying more than you think.   In this episode, Don and John talk about floriography, the "language of flowers" that arose in the Victorian era as a way for people to send messages of friendship, gratitude, sorrow and love via certain types of flowers. They'll also go over some tips on taking care of the flowers you receive t...

For someone who studies a serene topic like trees, NDSU Extension Forester Joe Zeleznik has quite a few pressing issues on his plate. In this episode, Don and John welcome Zeleznik onto the Growing Together podcast for a conversation about trees, which is normally a rather quiet topic. Zeleznik's studies, however, take him into some urgent topics like flooding and the spread of invasive species li...

We tend to think about blossoms and greenery when landscaping our yards, but winter offers its own unique opportunities. In this episode, Don and John discuss the choices you can make to turn your yard into a winter wonderland of lingering shadows and attention-grabbing contrast using the principles of Piet Oudolf and the New Perennial Movement.

With so many different seed companies each offering different varieties, starting a flower and garden projects from seed can leave anyone feeling a little scattered In this episode, Don and John talk about different varieties of seeds and how to make the right choices when starting a garden project.