The Grow Guide

Hey gardeners! We have another awesome episode of The Grow Guide today all about reconnecting to nature and embracing you hunter- gatherer roots. Maggie and Dave are joined by Manitoba's local fungi expert, Tom Nagy. He gets DEEP and goes into why it's important for humans to spend time each day in nature. He gets FUNNY and talks about the new trend of foraging for psilocybin (magic mushrooms if y...

Summer feels like it's officially here and the background noises in today's episode — birds, bees and frogs — really give off those warm, feel-good vibes. Maggie and Dave announce some exciting events at the start of today's episode, including a dog-friendly evening at Sage Garden Greenhouses and FREE starter plants for community gardens, not-for-profit groups and schools. They touch on the strugg...

It's The Grow Guide's first episode outdoors at Sage Garden Greenhouses and it feels GREAT to be chatting about gardening right in the garden. Maggie and Dave update everyone on their gardens/greenhouses and share a favourite houseplant and herb that surprisingly both grow well in northern conditions. Before jumping into this week's topic, they answer a listener's question about pruning peppers an...

Who permanently has dirt under their nails and seeds tucked into their back pocket? It's the ultimate sign of summer and it certainly feels like it has arrived here in Manitoba. Today's episode is about the other sign of summer that's starting to buzz  — BEES! The duo from Bee Project — partners, Chris and Lindsay — hang out with The Grow Guide to fill us all in on what it really means to #savethe...

It's been a gorgeous Victoria Day long-weekend here in the prairies, and Maggie and Dave have gotten well underway in their gardens & greenhouses. The duo share what they've been up to in their own backyards and chat about their favourite plant varieties of the week — Maggie's choice is great for hot and sunny gardens, and Dave's is perfect for experimental gardeners. They help out a listener aski...

Hey Zone 3-ers! It's finally starting to feel like Spring around here and we know you've probably all been out in the garden getting ready. But what exactly should you be doing at this time of year to ensure your plants have the best success? Well, that's what we're chatting about today! Maggie and Dave talk soil care, composting tips, hardening off, raised beds and more. Plus, this is the first e...

It's all about H20 today! Arguably the most important aspect to growing strong, healthy plants. And with the dry Spring most of us are having, it's important to start watering ASAP! Maggie and Dave start off this week by sharing their top plant picks of the season and answering a listener question about soil nutrients. Then, they share their favourite methods to create a water schedule for both th...

This episode is LIVE from last weekend's Gardening Saturday event! It was a blast as Maggie and Dave took the stage to connect with listeners face-to-face and share some insights on growing edible plants in containers. Before the information started flowing, listeners got the chance to come up and ask their most-pressing gardening questions. Everything from growing potatoes, to plants on a shaded...

Hey, guess what? It's just about time for The Grow Guide's LIVE podcast recording at Gardening Saturday! Today Maggie and Dave reveal the topic, Growing Edibles in Containers, and a few more secrets about the long-awaited event. Will we see you there? Saturday April 28th at the Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. This week's episode is all about potatoes — a plant rich in history and arguab...

It's finally feeling like Spring here in zone 3 and The Grow Guide is feeling the excitement of the new season. Maggie and Dave are chatting about a whole bunch of great topics today. The duo discuss everything from Gardening Saturday (where we hope to see you!) to vermiculture to their favourite iTunes reviews. Then, the wonderful Lynsey Sable from Broken Forest Sustainable Floriculture joins the...

It's April and The Grow Guide is getting ready for their LIVE podcast recording at Gardens Manitoba's Gardening Saturday on April 28th. Will we see you there? You're invited and have the chance to win a FREE WORKSHOP PASS at the end of the episode! Today is all about saving you time (and sore knees) in the garden. It may sound like a wild dream, but with a little patience and practice, zero weed g...

Happy Easter! After a chilly long-weekend in Manitoba, The Grow Guide is here to bring you some warmth. Dave and Maggie have both started seeding and share what's going on in their greenhouses right now. They answer a listener question on deterring deer from the garden and share some great DIY options for keeping your plants safe. Then the knowledgeable, Kelly Leask from Prairie Originals nursery...

The Grow Guide's done it before and you LOVED it so we're back today with our second Q&A episode. Maggie and Dave answer a whole bunch of questions listeners posted in the Facebook group. From caring for poinsettias over the winter to sorting your seeds to planting in raised beds — Dave has an answer for it all and Maggie has some rookie advice to follow. This week, for the first time ever, the du...

Happy Spring Equinox! It's official time to start planning, seeding and seeing your 2018 garden come to life. Maggie & Dave share how their kicking-off Spring in two totally different ways and answer an awesome listener question about growing bok choy. It might just be the answer you need to start some early crops! Then the lovely, Joan Porteous — President of The Manitoba Orchid Society — joins T...

The knowledgeable, inspirational and educational tomato man, Craig LeHoullier is back today! If you missed last week, head back to Episode 22 to listen to the first part of Maggie & Dave's chat with him. Today they dig deeper into tomatoes by asking Craig some rapid fire questions on his best tips and tricks for productive tomato plants. They discuss staking, avoiding blossom end rot, soil drainag...

Author, educator and all around tomato fanatic, Craig LeHoullier (a.k.a NC Tomatoman) joins Maggie and Dave in an epic interview all about heirlooms, hybrids and how to get the best yield from your tomato plants. Craig is the real deal and grows over 3,000 different tomato varieties. Yes, 3,000! In this first episode of two parts, Craig shares his knowledge on what varieties would grow best in pra...

It's all about making more with what ya got today on The Grow Guide! Propagation is the best way to double and triple the amount of plants you have in your home in an inexpensive and fun way. Dave goes over all the different methods, the tools you'll need to be successful and some of his favorite plants to easily propagate. Maggie shares the sustainability practices propagation allows for and the...

Today we're STOKED to be chatting with the one and only, Niki Jabbour! She's a Canadian gardening expert who you've probably turned to for advice at some point. Whether it's her website, www.savvygardening.com or her books or both — she has all the answers for cold-climate, short-season growers. Seriously, Niki is an expert, and her newest book, Veggie Garden Remix features some extraordinary crop...

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and we're turning up the heat by starting our peppers...it may be cheesy but it's true! It's the time of year for us gardeners to start thinking about varieties, indoor growing setups and maintenance. So today, Maggie and Dave chat about all things peppers. Plus, they debunk a few pepper myths you probably thought were true. They also share their favourit...

With the annual Seedy Saturday coming up in Manitoba this week, we wanted to give you an inside look at what you can expect at this year's event. Maggie and Dave chat with event organizer, Natalie Elizabeth who fills us in on seed swap etiquette and what types of awesome workshops Seedy Saturday is offering. Natalie also shares her insight on landscape design and how her organization, Urban Eatin'...

Whether you're a rookie or a veteran grower — you probably have at least one houseplant in your home that gives you your daily green fix. This week's guest, Nicole Ryan is somewhat of a houseplant and jungalow superstar, who's beautiful plant decor has definitely popped up on your social media feed once or twice. Nicole tells us what inspired her to start her business, Cree Ryan and how she connec...

It's just about that time of winter when the really eager gardeners set up their trays, grow lights and soil and get those seeds going. This week, Maggie and Dave lay-out month for month the seeds you should be starting, the techniques that will grant you great success and the major things you should avoid. Dave shares his favourite seed suppliers and Maggie shares how she's going to inexpensively...

We're welcoming back our unusual plant enthusiasts this week to share more about their experience caring and growing the wacky and weird plants that live in their home. Chris & Ainsley go through the dos and don'ts of caring for your plants after they've made the long journey to you. They share their top three easiest and toughest unusual plants to grow and care for plus, they share all their tric...

It's all about weird, wacky and wonderful plants on this episode of The Grow Guide as Maggie and Dave welcome two "unusual plant enthusiasts" to the studio to share their stories about sourcing unusual plants from all over the world. They'll fill you in on the ins and outs of ordering online (and what to seriously avoid), their favourite strange plants (that you've probably never heard of) and how...

Happy 2018! Maggie and Dave think there's no better way to start off the new year than by setting up your very own grow lights. In today's episode, they share all the details you need to successfully grow productive herbs, plants and microgreens inside your home. From lighting to trays to seed varieties, The Grow Guide has everything you need to have an awesome grow light setup. To win this week's...