The calendar has turned to May, which means it’s time for No Mow May. No Mow May was started to help pollinators, but does No Mow May work well in Illinois? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn more about what No Mow May is, whether or not it’s a good option for us in Illinois, other ways we can support pollinators, and more! Watch u…

From getting exercise to growing your own food to a sense of accomplishment, there are many benefits to having a vegetable garden. However, sometimes, we run into space restrictions and give up hope of having our own vegetable garden. But does that have to be the case? Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn about ways we can grow vege…

Join Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson on the Good Growing podcast as they dive into the world of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In this episode, they explore the foundational principles of IPM, including cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical controls. Learn how to identify and manage pests effectively while promoting a healthy and sustainab…

Join us on the Good Growing podcast as we dive into the fascinating world of bees with horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson. In this episode, we explore the differences between honeybees and native bees, their roles in our ecosystems, and the ongoing debate surrounding their impact on agriculture and conservation. Our special guest, …

Spring has arrived, which means the gardening questions have started coming into Extension offices. Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we answer some of the questions that have come into our offices. Learn about planting grass in the spring, managing invasive plants, fertilizing fruit trees, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.…

Welcome to another episode of the Good Growing podcast! Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson as they dive into the fascinating world of spring ephemerals. These early bloomers emerge before trees leaf out, adding blooms to the landscape after winter's dormancy. In this episode, Ken and Chris discuss these unique plants and their…

Welcome to the Good Growing Podcast! In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson dive deep into the world of soil testing. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, understand how to unlock the secrets of your soil and boost your garden's productivity. Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/vJKpTfJabKk Skip to …

Native grasses are often overlooked when it comes to pollinators, but they can play a crucial role in supporting many different types of pollinators. Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast to discover how native grasses provide nesting and overwintering habitats, serve as larval food sources, offer pollen, and much more! Watch us on YouTube: h…

Welcome to another episode of the Good Growing Podcast! Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson as they delve into the fascinating world of garden peas, Pisum sativum. Explore the rich history of garden peas, from their origins in ancient agriculture to their role in the development of modern genetics. Get practical advice on plant…

Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson from the University of Illinois Extension as they delve into the fascinating world of chamomile, the 2025 Herb of the Year. In this episode, Chris and Ken discuss the different types of chamomile, including Roman and German chamomile, and their unique characteristics. Learn about the benefits…

Have you joined the Monstera craze? With their unique leaves and forms, Monsteras have become popular houseplants. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn about Monstera plants, including their history, care, different species, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3xyQlbH-7ws Skip to what you want to know: 00:30 – Welcome, Ke…

In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth with University of Illinois Extension takes us on a deep dive into the controversial practice of tree topping. Often referred to as stubbing or hat-racking, tree topping involves cutting the canopy of a tree back to a uniform height, which can have disastrous consequenc…

Looking to try something new in the garden this year? You’re in luck because, back by popular demand, the Good Growing Grow Along returns with a fresh lineup of unique and beautiful plants for 2025. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn about the plants we’ll be growing for this year's Grow Along, how you can participate, and more. Wa…

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we continue our look at the 2025 year of plants with calendula. Known for its vibrant orange and yellow flowers, calendula is not just a beautiful addition to your garden but also a versatile plant with numerous uses both in and out of the garden. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rkYzhbt-7kU Contact us! Chri…

Welcome to the Good Growing podcast! In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson from the University of Illinois Extension delve into the 2025 Perennial Plant of the Year: Clustered Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum). Join us as we explore the unique characteristics, growing tips, and ecological benefits of this native pl…

In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson, and Emily Swihart dive deep into the fascinating world of dogwoods (genus Cornus). Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, you'll discover the diverse beauty and versatility of dogwoods, from majestic trees to charming shrubs and even groundcovers. Watch us on YouTu…

This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken and Chris reminisce about 2024. We look at you favorite episodes and share our favorite moments. From cicadas to using dynamite to blow up your landscape, you will enjoy this trip down memory lane. Skip to what you want to know: 00:39 Hey Ken! How was winter break? 02:01 How we assembled our year-in-review …

Illinois Extension's core mission is to be a source of research-based knowledge that helps community members solve challenges and improve their lives. On this week’s Good Growing podcast, Chris and Emily are joined by horticulture educators Sarah Vogel and Ryan Pankau to discuss the upcoming Community Tree Care series. This only learning opportunit…

Welcome to the Good Growing podcast! In this special gardenbite episode, horticulture educator Chris Enroth from the University of Illinois Extension revisits a fascinating 2021 webinar where the team delved into the world of tree nuts. This episode focuses on the beloved chestnut, featuring insights from horticulture educator Ken Johnson. Highligh…

When most people think of poinsettias, they think of red, but they can be found in a variety of colors and forms. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss our trip to the N.G. Heimos Poinsettia Trial. Learn about the wide variety of colors and forms of poinsettias that were on display, some of our favorite varieties, and more! Watch us on Yo…

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Emily Swihart joins Ken and Chris to discuss our favorite gardening and landscaping books. We discuss reference books, fiction and nonfiction, and even children's books. Beyond our favorites, we also interviewed our fellow horticulture educators to get their recommendations. This is a longer episode, so be sur…

The holiday season is here, which means evergreens, poinsettias, amaryllis, and other holiday plants have arrived in stores. Plants are often at the center of our holiday decorations and traditions and are frequently given as gifts. Whether you’re buying them as gifts or for yourself, learn about what to look for when selecting your holiday plants …

This week, we have a Gardenbite excerpt from our webinar, in which we discussed wildlife damage in the home landscape. In this clip, Chris details two common rodents in Illinois that tend to pop up in the winter months around the outside and inside of our homes: the vole and the mouse. While the vole is an active pest outside during the winter, man…

When cold weather arrives, it brings the end of the vegetable gardening season for many of us. That doesn’t have to be the case though. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss how we can expand our growing season beyond what's normal by using season extension. Learn about what season extension is, why we would want to use it, the different …

This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris marvel at all the stuff they are still harvesting in their gardens. A touch of frost hasn't seemed to stop the tomatoes and peppers. When will the gardening season end!? Plus we look at the NOAA predictions for the coming month and answer your horticultural questions on black cherry aphid, lawn gr…

Windbreaks, also known as shelter belts, play a crucial role in protecting the land from powerful Midwestern winds. Traditionally used on rural lands, windbreaks are living barriers that intercept wind, thereby reducing velocity and impact. During this week’s Gardenbite, Horticulture Educator Emily Swihart looks back at the history of Roosevelt’s ‘…

It’s time for another Good Growing Halloween Spooktacular! We’re all dressed up again this year to talk about some creepy crawlies that have had or are still having an impact on humans or have a lot of lore behind them, including black widow and brown recluse spiders, stinging caterpillars, oriental rat fleas, lice, and more! Watch us on YouTube: h…

Now that the garden season is starting to wind down, it’s a good time to start thinking about getting our tools ready for winter. This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some things we do to get our garden tools ready for winter, including cleaning, sharpening, winterizing, organizing, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/o5VuG…

This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris discuss why we clean up our gardens in the fall. Cutting down perennials, raking leaves, and pulling out spent vegetable plants is a common job for the gardener in the fall. As the autumn days get shorter our time is precious outdoors. What needs to be done now and what can wait until next year? W…

It’s time for our last Grow Along check-in for 2024. Each year we at Good Growing decide to try growing some new (to us) vegetables. This year we invited you to grow along with us. This video is for those who signed up to receive seed for our Grow Along. In this video, we are trying the fruits of our labor. We share some of the different ways we ha…

October has arrived, and while it may not feel like it at times, so has fall. This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some of the different things on our fall gardening to-do list, including caring for mums, moving houseplants indoors, planting garlic and woody plants, soil testing, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VbB2p-Ey…

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Chris compares the essential fall flavors of apple and pumpkin. If you had to choose, what side would you fall on? Team Apple? Or Team Pumpkin? Contact us! Chris Enroth: [email protected] Ken Johnson: [email protected] Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the …

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we’re trying something new: toothache plant. Learn more about this interesting plant, what happens when you eat it, and how you can grow it yourself! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Z7ywlxrKWTM Skip to what you want to know: 00:40 – Introduction to toothache plant 05:50 – Eating toothache plant reactions…

Have you ever wondered what causes the reds, yellows, oranges, and maroons of autumn? There are lots of different plant pigments beyond the green color of chloroplast. In this episode horticulture educator Chris Enroth peers inside the processes of a leaf in the fall and how we get those spectacular autumn leaf displays. Watch on YouTube: https://y…

Have the weeds been popping up all over the place in your landscape? You’re in luck, fall is a great time to manage weeds. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss why fall is a good time to manage weeds, types of weeds, and different ways we can manage them. We also discuss some herbicide updates on Roundup and glyphosate as well as Dacthal…

This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris talk about hazelnuts. Chris remembers hazelnut shrubs growing in the woods from his childhood, we compare European and American hazelnut species, talk about pests, what you might find if you go looking to buy hazelnut plants, and more! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/tWgbcfiYIKg Skip to what …

This week on the Good Growing Podcast: Join Ken and Chris as they delve into the fascinating world of cover crops! More and more home gardeners are discovering the benefits of using cover crops to enhance their gardens. Are you curious about how cover crops can transform your garden or landscape? Tune in to this week’s episode to uncover Ken and Ch…

There are a lot of garden remedies that have been used throughout the years, and some of them are still recommended today. Do they work? Should we still be using them? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some of these old-time remedies like vinegar, pruning paint, dynamite, pesticide concoctions, and more. Watch us on YouTube: https://y…

In this episode, we dive into the latest challenges facing gardeners and landscapers. From toppling trees to the potential for itchy mites dropping from the sky, Ken and Chris have a list of things that might be bugging your garden and landscape! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/r3od_YL19_s Skip to what you want to know: 00:38 Hey Ken! 01:57 Ch…

It’s time for another Grow Along check-in. Each year we at Good Growing decide to try growing some new (to us) vegetables. This year we invited you to grow along with us. This video is for those who signed up to receive seed for our Grow Along. In this video, we check in and share how our Grow Along crops are progressing in our gardens, answer some…

Many of us skipped planting trees this spring to avoid damage from periodical cicadas. But now that we’re approaching fall, we have an opportunity to plant some trees. Our Gardenbite this week goes back to 2022 when we had a conversation with Emily Swihart about fall tree planting. We discussed what trees can be planted in the fall, things to consi…

Have you been having problems in your garden this year? We certainly have! On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some of the most common problems we’ve been seeing in gardens so far this year, including problems with coneflowers, oak wilt, fire blight, and blossom end rot. Plus, where have all the Japanese beetles gone? Watch us on YouTub…

This week on the Good Growing podcast, Ken and Chris sift through a survey that asks homeowners about water-saving products that can be used during water restrictions. The duo go down the list of products suggested by the survey and discuss whether these items would truly help save water and benefit your plants during a severe drought. After debati…

While we tend to focus on the positives of plants, not all plants work well in all gardens or for all gardens. Whether they are too aggressive, require too much time and maintenance, or we just don’t like them, there are a variety of reasons we may not want to grow certain plants. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some of the plants w…

Our Gardenbite for this week goes back to 2021 where Ken and Katie answered all of Chris' sweet corn growing questions. Right now we are starting to see sweet corn getting ready to pick in Illinois. How do we know when sweet corn should be harvested? Plus, what about some common sweet corn pests that tend to show up in July like raccoons and corn e…

Each year we at Good Growing decide to try growing some new (to us) vegetables. This year we want to invite you to grow along with us. This video is for those who signed up to receive seed for our Grow Along. In this video Emily, Ken, and Chris check in and share how this year's crops are doing in their gardens and our plans for culturing these pla…

Milkweeds have become a popular garden plant in the last several years. They are most commonly planted to help support monarch butterflies because milkweeds are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars. If you’ve ever gone out to check your milkweed plants for monarch caterpillars, you may have been surprised to find other insects living and f…

This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris answer early summer gardening questions. From landscapes and lawns to tomatoes and ticks, we share recent questions we have been getting into our local Extension offices. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CFPmxJvc_kk Skip to what you want to know: 00:31 Hey Ken! 01:12 It's a hot one out there …

Have you ever gone on vacation only to come back to an out-of-control landscape or, even worse, dead plants? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn about some steps we can take to get our landscapes ready for when we’re on vacation. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JiC1RavU3kk Skip to what you want to know: 00:30 – Welcome, Ken an…

This week on the Good Growing podcast we bring you a short gardenbite explaining what causes blossom end rot and why throwing eggshells in the planting hole at the beginning of the growing season might not be doing anything to help. Nick Frillman talks about calcium, tomatoes, and the best advice to prevent blossom end rot. Contact us! Chris Enroth…