Mid-American Gardener: Recent Episodes
Mid-American Gardener
Mid-American Gardener is the podcast companion to Illinois Public Media’s television program of the same name. The podcast, hosted by Tinisha Shade-Spain and featuring experts from Illinois Extension and elsewhere, dives deeper into viewer/listener questions about flower gardening, vegetable gardening, fruit trees, shrubs and landscaping, pest control, tools and structures, coping with climate change, and much more. While the primary garden zones served are 5-6, this podcast offers useful and entertaining conversation that can be enjoyed by gardeners or the garden-curious in all zones.
This week, we identify the difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti and give you some tips on how to get them to bloom.
On this episode, we introduce you to some creative ways to create holiday decorations using evergreens. Also, we'll show you a helpful gadget for watering your live Christmas trees
This month, the weather forces us back in the studio to discuss ways to get ready for winter.
We keep the show on the road this month with a trip to the U of I's Plant Conservatory.
We take advantage of the nicer weather this month and take the show outside to Friends Plaza to discuss some late fall gardening tips.
Ella and Jim explain how to grow cannas from seeds, and discuss the toxicity of pokeberries and their use as a natural dye.
John, Martie, and Kay come out to the Japan House in Urbana for a visit to discuss some late summer garden tips to help wind things down.
This week we take a trip to the Japan House on the U of I campus, and Jen Nelson and Dr. Doug Williams tag along.
This week on Mid-American Gardener, Martie gives us her suggestions for shade-loving plants. She answers your garden questions and shares her expertise when it comes to landscape design and care. Plus, we visit Fresh Press Paper in Champaign, a local studio that turns agricultural waste into handmade artisanal paper. We take you through the process, learn about sustainable practices, and discover the art of papermaking.
Flowers are in full bloom, and what better way to celebrate all your hard work this season than to enjoy those flowers indoors, too! This week, we’re at Delight Flower Farm in Champaign to learn about cut flower farming and how to create your own unique arrangements at home!
We’re at the Idea Garden in Urbana, Illinois this week to look for garden inspiration. Jennifer Nelson and Tinisha walk us through the grounds, pointing out sustainable gardening practices, unique plants not yet available in stores, and maintenance techniques. Maintained by Illinois Extension Master Gardeners, this demonstration garden features a central gazebo and four sections, each with a different focus. With more than 18,000 square feet of planted space, Master Gardeners and interns volunteer more than 6,000 work hours each year to ensure the Idea Garden continues to educate and inspire visitors. Join us as we explore, and save some ideas to try in your garden!
This week we're visiting Rusty Maulding at Lake of the Woods in Mahomet, IL to discuss all things pollinator beds: what plants to include, things to consider, and what insects you might attract.
Our expert panelists answer your garden questions, demonstrate how to's, and share their landscaping secrets for success.
There's finally things to do outside, as the Mid-American Gardener crew prep their gardens for the season!
Do you have a hard time getting your hydrangeas to bloom? You might be stunting the flowers by pruning! Shane dives into the ways to distinguish the different types of hydrangeas and how to protect them to get beautiful blooms next year. Ella also shares some evergreen groundcover to give your yard a little bit of color, even when the midwest winter is dull and gray.
Did you miss one of our latest episodes of Mid-American Gardener? Our panelists share lots of tips to keep busy in the garden and prepared for spring, even in the winter months!
The autumn air is getting cooler. Learn how to close out your garden beds, make the most of your tomato surplus, and how to get crafty with the falling leaves.
Chuck and John give us their tips to close out the harvest season and welcome in the holidays! Learn all about seed saving, Christmas (or maybe Thanksgiving or Easter) Cacti, and ornamental grasses to try in your yard!
Winter is beginning to settle in, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get your hands in the dirt or get started on preparations for spring! Martie, Kay, and Jim share their tips on planting garlic for a productive summer harvest, demonstrate how to sharpen your tools before putting them away for the season, and teach you how to manage houseplant bug infestations before they cause too much damage.
Connect with agriculture, cucurbit diversity, and family roots as we visit with the owner of The Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur, IL.
On this episode of Mid-American Gardener, Jen Nelson and Rusty Maulding share their houseplant care tips, soil management recommendations, and ways to start prepping your garden for the colder months.
Jim and Martie are in the studio this week discussing all things cicadas. They also answer your questions about apple trees and suggest various perennials for your yard. It’s time to start the end-of-season garden cleanup, but be cautious when bringing outdoor plants back inside to avoid introducing pests to your houseplants.
In this episode of Mid American Gardener, Phil and Shane are back with a mix of garden tips, insect knowledge, and even some sweet treats.
The Fall Equinox is coming, and Karen and Ella are excited to answer your garden questions this week as we begin to wrap up the growing season.
We’ve got Chuck and Phil in the studio this week to talk all about beneficial insects, perennials, pollinators, and the secrets to growing muskmelons.
Kay and Jen are in the studio this week and teach us how to deal with more tomato challenges. Blossom end rot may be plaguing your tomato vines, but Jen shares her tips to combat the weather and while they don’t look pretty, she reassures us those tomatoes are still good to eat!
In this week’s episode of Mid American Gardener, Karen Ruckle and Ella Maxwell join us in the studio to share some of their secrets to garden success, including how to solve all your tomato problems and the wonders of hydrangeas.
It’s already August, but it’s not too late to add perennials to your yard this season! Martie brings in a few flowering suggestions, and Chuck shares some of his favorite summer blooms. We also discuss how to start various fall crops and answer your questions. Join us for another exciting conversation with Chuck and Martie!
Have you ever wanted to add a water feature to your backyard? Jim shares all his tips for creation, maintenance, and care, including his favorite water lily varieties. Kay also shares her tips for preserving herbs for flavorful cooking all year round. We also meet Tony Becker, a gardener who overcame a serious accident that left him a quadriplegic.
Join John and Phil as they reveal the best times to prune perennial geraniums and how to propagate prickly pear cactus successfully. Discover the truth about marigolds' insect-repelling abilities and learn how to care for tropical plants, including bonsai varieties. Plus, dive into the ecological significance of fallen tree branches in your garden. Tune in this week to make the most of your green space!
This week on Mid-American Gardener, Ella and Karen join us in the studio to teach us about invasive species, share their latest garden crafts, and give us ideas for how to create a beautiful bouquet from simple clippings in your garden. Plus, we answer all your summer garden questions.
Want to learn more about Japanese gardening? Come along as we visit UIUC’s Japan House!
Did you miss one of our latest episodes of Mid-American Gardener? Our panelists share lots of good tips and tricks to keep your garden looking fresh and healthy, even in the midst of a summer drought!
Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or just starting out, tune in this week for helpful tips and lighthearted conversation with Shane and Chuck! We discuss summer garden crops, new shade perennials to try, how to treat chlorosis, and the best lightweight, durable garden hoses.
Are you looking for some new perennials to add to your garden? John and Rusty are in the studio this week, and they have lots of new and exciting suggestions to add biodiversity and visual interest to your landscape. They also discuss tackling invasive species, techniques for weeding, and the best practice for restoring knockout roses.
It’s warming up outside, and while the plants are waking up, so are all the creepy crawlies! Phil joins us this week in the studio to explain the damage we might be seeing, what insect is the culprit, and the best methods for pest control.
Although it’s spring, we’ve been having some cold weather lately, and you might be wondering how that will affect your plants. Don’t worry! Shane and Martie are in the studio this week to give you their advice and tips on how to protect your plants, and we also discuss invasive pear trees, how to harden off anything you’re bringing outside from a greenhouse or nursery, and Martie’s technique for planting potatoes and onions.
This week on Mid-American Gardener, Martie and Kay give us a lot of great tips on how to maintain a healthy, bountiful garden no matter how much space you might have. Plus, they answer your questions, revealing the secret to harvesting large onions, ideas of how to project tulip bulbs from the critters, and what to add to the soil to help morning glory vines bloom. Join us as we get planting!
Sarah joins us in the studio this week to share all her tips on how to check for winter tree damage and how to ensure it has a healthy, long life. Jen also brings in some new, low-maintenance houseplants, and we discuss shady perennials you might be interested in adding to your yard this year.
We’re in the studio this week with Karen and Ella, and they teach us how to make a simple DIY oriole feeder, how to start cleaning up our garden beds, and how to give your dahlias a longer bloom period. We’re so excited to be out in the yard again and can’t wait to see it come together in the next few months!
Rusty and Jen are back in the studio to tell us what we can do to start getting our hands dirty this spring.
Learn how to make this sweet treat and how to bring pops of color into your yard with native plants.
Kay gives us some seed starting tips and Phil tells us more than we've ever wanted to know about insect mating habits...
Learn how to grow these nutrient-rich plants and the ~secret~ to successful seed starting…
John walks us through step-by-step how to create concrete leaf castings for indoor or outdoor decor.
Ella and Karen are back in the studio to answer lots of viewer questions this week as the countdown to spring continues!
A helpful trick to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders! Plus, John shows us the proper way to grow ginger.
Find out some interesting ways to use all those leaves this winter. Plus, what to look for when buying Poinsettia's this year. And some helpful ways to get rid of those dreaded fungus gnats!
Tinisha finally meets the original host and creator responsible for bringing this show to life! And we visit the CU Plant People "Plant Swap" in Urbana.
Karen and Ella stop by the studio to show off some of the goodies they pulled from their gardens this year.
Jennifer and Jennifer are back in the studio to answer all your end-of-the-growing-season questions.
Already thinking about what you want to add to your garden for next year? Autumn is a perfect time to plant!
Ella gives us tips to start cleaning up our gardens as summer blooms begin to fade and seeds are ready for collecting.
Trees can be tricky. Luckily, Sarah breaks it all down for us as she shares her tips to ensure your trees live long, healthy lives.
Kelly visits us in the studio, and she brought a colorful feast! Join us as we taste edible flowers and teach you how to make your very own succulent arrangement.
Join Tinisha, Kay, and Jen in the studio as they discuss what plants did really well and what just didn’t work in their gardens this year.
The two Jennifers join us in the studio this week to share their grow bag and container garden tips, and we fry up some daylily buds for a special summer treat!
Ella and Martie are in the studio answering your questions, and discussing the best ways to water your garden during the dog days of summer.
This week, Ella Maxwell stops by the studio to show us a "berry" interesting foraging treat, and Mathis Helmick shows us how to make "Kokedama".
We visit with friend of the show and longtime host Dianne Noland as part of Mid-American Gardener's 30th Anniversary!
After a couple of weeks off, we return to the studio in style with a full panel for you.
In May, we get out and about as we make a return visit to Chuck Voigt's family farm to see some fun things he's planting this year. Also, we visit a popular local area plant shop to see what they have to offer!
This month, we're still battling the cold temperature while still trying to get ready for spring planting season. Some of our experts give you some tips to help you navigate early spring.
Martie Alagna stops by to give us some early Spring pruning tips and show us some helpful ways to give our garden tools some love!
Tinisha is joined in studio by panelist Ella Maxwell, and they discuss Microgreens and some helpful way to grow them!
Kay Carnes stops by the studio to chat with Tinisha about some of her favorite seeds. And we check in with Lauren Quinn from C-U Plant People!
Tinisha is joined in studio by Martie Alagna to show us some ways to test your soil to see if it's ready for spring! Check out this special mid-day editon of MAG.
Our resident "Bug Guy" Phil Nixon stops by the studio this month, and brings a furry friend along with him! He'll also introduce us to some of his favorite types of bonzai trees!
With Spring just around the corner, our panelists are axious to get out in their gardens and get their hands dirty. Chuck Voigt and Martie Alagna return to the studio this month, and Jen Nelson joins us on Skype to talk about ways to get ready for planting season!
The MAG crew get the new year started in the studio with some things you can start doing now to get you ready for Spring!
Host Tinsha Spain visits with some panelists to give you some winter decorating ideas! And we get some helpful holiday gift ideas for the plant lovers in your life.