Podcasts by Encyclopedia Botanica

Episode 84: Seed Saving For The Home Gardener, Part 2 from 2018-04-06T15:13:41

In this episode Hilary and Michela Colley continue their conversation on Seed Saving for the Home Gardener. This week they'll talk more about the practice of seed saving and share tips on how to...

Episode 83: Seed Saving for the Home Gardener, Part 1 from 2018-03-30T11:30

In this episode Hilary and guest expert Micaela Colley of the Organic Seed Alliance discuss terminology related to seed-saving, including: "open-pollinated", "heirloom" and "hybrid" seeds.

Episode 82: Pollinator Gardens with Justin Wheeler from 2018-03-16T12:30:10

This week Hilary and guest expert Justin Wheeler of the Xerces Society will be talking about how to create an effective pollinat...

Episode 81: Growing Asparagus with Alley Swiss from 2018-03-09T14:46:49

This week Hilary is joined by Alley Swiss, the owner of Filaree Garlic Farm. Filaree Farm, which is know for their premium quality garlic seed, has been expanding their offerings to include seve...

Episode 80: March Slack Q + A with Colin McCrate from 2018-03-02T15:13:06

This week we're bring back the Slack Q+A episodes! In this episode we'll address questions about crop planning, growing fruit trees in containers, dahlias and much more. The questions that make ...

Episode 79: Sweet Peas with Simon Crawford from 2018-02-23T23:40:05

In this episode Hilary and special guest Simon Crawford of Owls Acre Seed share tips on growing gorgeous sweet peas! 

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Episode 78: Veggie Garden Remix with Niki Jabbour from 2018-02-16T15:32:03

In this episode Hilary and guest expert Niki Jabbour discuss some of the unusual vegetable crops featured in Niki's new book, Veggie Garden Remix! If you're looking to add some variety to your g...

Episode 77: Bare Root Perennials from 2018-02-09T12:30

If you're thinking about adding edible perennials to your garden, sourcing bare-root plants is not only an economical way to go, but it is also likely to provide you with the most options when i...

Episode 76: Sugar Snap Peas with Rod Lamborn from 2018-02-02T12:30

This week on the podcast I'm joined by guest expert, Rod Lamborn. Rod is the son of the well known plant breeder, Dr. Calvin Lamborn, who's also known as the Father of the Sugar Snap Pea. I'm so...

Episode 75: Dahlias with Nick Gitts from 2018-01-26T12:00

In this episode Nick Gitts, owner of Swan Island Dahilas, answers all of my burning dahlia care questions. Swan Island Dahlias is a 40 acre dahlia farm located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon...

Episode 74: Starting Onions from Seed with Colin McCrate from 2018-01-19T15:53:48

Starting your own onion transplants from seed is inexpensive and allows you the most control when it comes to picking varieties that are well suited for your garden and culinary needs. In this e...

Episode 73: Fall Wrap-Up 2017 from 2017-12-15T12:30

Today we’re recapping our favorite crop varieties of 2017, along with our lessons learned and best garden tips. This is our last episode before we take a short wi...

Episode 72: Chickens with Anne Briggs, Part 2 from 2017-12-08T12:30

This week we continue our conversation about laying hens with guest Anne Briggs. We discuss introducing new hens into your flock, building a chicken coop, and chickens in the vegetable garden. <...

Episode 71: Chickens with Anne Briggs, Part 1 from 2017-12-01T00:04:33

This week on the podcast we have special guest Anne Briggs (a.k.a. Anne of All Trades) to talk with us about raising laying hens at home. We had so much to talk about on the subject that we ende...

Bonus Episode #4: Thanksgiving from 2017-11-21T17:11:05

We're taking this week off to spend time with our family and friends, but we wanted to share a quick update with you on what's going on in our gardens, what we're cooking from our gardens this h...

Episode 70: Rhubarb from 2017-11-17T12:30

Rhubarb is perennial garden crop and a low-maintenance gardener’s best friend. Once a rhubarb plant is established, it will require little or no care moving forwa...

Episode 69: November Q + A from 2017-11-10T12:30

Fall is here, and the days are shorter and colder. Many of us are winding down in our gardens, but not in our garden questions! This episode has a veritable potpo...

Episode 68: Smart Garden Body Mechanics from 2017-11-03T11:30

Whether you garden as a hobby or as professional, chances are that you garden because you love it. We all want to be able to do the things we love for a long time...

Episode 67: Garden Site Selection from 2017-10-27T11:30

Whether you’re expanding your garden to accommodate more crops or starting from scratch and building a brand new garden, there a few key factors to keep in mind w...

Episode 66: Raspberries with Lisa Devetter from 2017-10-20T11:30

Raspberries are relatively easy to grow, and with the right care and maintenance, can be an extremely productive crop in your garden. Lisa Devetter, Assistant Pro...

Episode 65: October Slack Q+A from 2017-10-13T13:56

The days are getting shorter and cooler, and that Fall crispness is definitely in the air. In this week’s episode, we answer questions that follow up on previous ...

Episode 64: Drip Irrigation, Part 2 from 2017-10-06T13:19:49

Last week we discussed the various benefits of drip irrigation, along with how to operate and maintain a system. Today we’re discussing the details and providing ...

Episode 63: Drip Irrigation from 2017-09-29T13:39:09

When it comes to watering your vegetable garden, we've found that a drip irrigation system with an automatic timer is the best way to achieve the consistent watering that crops require. Join us ...

Bonus Episode #3 - September 26, 2017 from 2017-09-26T17:16:37

Join Hilary and Kellie for a quick chat about what's happening in their gardens this week! 

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Fall Equinox Break from 2017-09-22T11:55:41

Happy Fall! We're taking a break this week because Hilary is under the weather but we'll be back to our regular scheduled programing next Friday with an episode on drip irrigation, so stay tuned...

Episode 62: Vegan Fertlilizer from 2017-09-15T11:30

Organic fertilizer is a key component of any vegetable garden, and today we are going to explore a specialized recipe for an organic fertilizer that is totally vegan.

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Episode 61: September Slack Q+A from 2017-09-08T11:30

The Fall season is almost upon us, and the discussion happening in our Slack group definitely reflects that. Summer crops are wrapping up, and our Fall gardens ar...

Episode 60: Season Extension with Guest Niki Jabbour from 2017-09-01T11:30

Join us for a lively chat with special guest and expert vegetable gardener, Niki Jabbour, about simple ways to extend your harvest into the winter and early spring. 

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Bonus Episode #2 - August 30, 2017 from 2017-08-29T16:48:31

Join Hilary and Kellie for a quick chat about what's happening in their garden right now! This week they have Natalie Carver from DC-based urban farming biz, Love and Carrots, on the show to sha...

Episode 59: Crops That Mature In 40 Days or Less from 2017-08-25T14:35:03

This episode includes a round-up of crops that mature in 40 days or less. We picked 40 days because there are very few crops that can mature in fewer than this ma...

Bonus Episode #1 - August 22, 2017 from 2017-08-22T16:40:47

Join Hilary and Kellie for a quick chat about what's happening in their garden right now! 

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Episode 58: Spinach from 2017-08-18T14:02:18

Spinach is an annual that grows to maturity in about 25-40 days. It is a hardy cool-season crop that does best at temperatures of 60 to 65ºF, but can withstand temperatures as low as 20ºF. Spina...

Episode 57: August Listener Q+A from 2017-08-11T14:53:32

It feels like summer has arrived pretty much everywhere in the US, and our Slack group questions definitely reflect that. Your gardens are probably full of summer crops, and hopefully you're als...

Episode 56: Late Blight from 2017-08-04T11:30

Late Blight is a disease that primarily effects potatoes and tomatoes and is responsible for the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century. In this episode we discuss what causes late bl...

Episode 55: Harvest and Store Your Onions and Garlic from 2017-07-28T15:16:24

Garlic and onions are some of the most satisfying crops you can grow in your home garden. These crops are both ready to harvest at the onset of peak harvest seaso...

Episode 54: Fall Brassicas from 2017-07-21T14:14:36

The Brassica family includes crops like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi, among others. These crops are cold-hardy, which makes them ideal for Fall garde...

Episode 53: Warm Season Salad Greens with Natalie Carver from 2017-07-16T22:58:35

Salad greens generally prefer to grow in cooler weather conditions, thriving in temperatures around 60 degrees F. This makes them a great spring and early summer crop, but growing great greens c...

Episode 52: July Listener Q+A from 2017-07-07T15:12:59

This past month we rounded the corner into summer so many of the questions we've been getting in our Slack group the past few weeks have been about pest and disease issues, harvesting, and pruni...

Episode 51: Brussels Sprouts from 2017-06-30T14:44:59

In this episode we discuss techniques that will help you grow bigger and better tasting Brussels sprouts.

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Episode 50: Pruning Tomatoes from 2017-06-23T15:32:33

This week Kellie is out, but I have a very special guest, Brad Halm, here to chat with me about tomato pruning. Brad is a dear friend of mine, one of the co-founders of the Seattle Urban Farm Co...

Episode 49: Blossom End Rot from 2017-06-16T14:30:08

Blossom end rot can be an incredibly frustrating challenge for any vegetable gardener. There is something particularly upsetting about watching a perfectly healthy-looking plant produce damaged ...

Episode 48: New Potatoes from 2017-06-09T11:30

New potatoes are potatoes that are harvested young, or before the potato plant dies back and the potatoes fully mature. They have a thin, tender skin, are generally sweeter than mature potatoes,...

Episode 47: June Listener Q+A from 2017-06-02T14:05:45

In this episode we tackle another round of questions from our Slack group. We cover late spring topics such as drip irrigation run times, tomato pruning tips, cauliflower care, and more! 

Episode 46: Choosing the Right Beans for Your Garden from 2017-05-26T14:39:06

There are so many types and varieties of beans to choose from, that picking the right types to grow in your garden can be confusing. In this episode we’re going to discuss the 3 main culinary ca...

Episode 45: Cucumbers with guest Jeanne Nolan from 2017-05-19T13:33:05

We’re excited to have Jeanne Nolan on the podcast today to talk with us about growing cucumbers. Jeanne is based in Chicago and has been growing food organically ...

Episode 44: May Listener Q + A from 2017-05-12T14:08:55

Spring has really kicked in across the country, and as a result, we're covering a lot of specific growing questions today. Stay tuned for more on slug control, a carrot seeding experiment, suppl...

Episode 43: Succession Planting Short Season Crops from 2017-05-05T11:30

Succession planting is the practice of planting small quantities of a crop on a regular basis so that they can be harvested at regular intervals throughout the growing season. This practice is k...

Episode 42: Growing Tomatoes from 2017-04-28T13:00

Tomatoes are probably the most popular garden vegetable, and for good reason; they're versatile, highly productive, and produce fruits that are far superior to any you can buy at the grocery sto...

Episode 41: Gardening With Kids from 2017-04-21T17:01:16

Growing food with kids of all ages can be fun and rewarding. On today’s episode, Nicole Burke from the Rooted Garden joins us to share her mission of getting everyone growing their own edible ga...

Episode 40: Container Gardening from 2017-04-14T16:05:53

Containers are a great way to grow food in a small or otherwise unusable space. They can turn a sunny patio, deck or even a driveway into a custom-sized, productive garden.

We need your h...

Episode 39: April Listener Q+A from 2017-04-07T16:45:25

Today we're covering some of the top Q&A from the Slack group from the last month. Stay tuned for more on seed starting, drip irrigation, and raspberry pruning.

We need your help to keep ...

Episode 38: Green Garlic from 2017-03-31T17:08:32

Green sprouted garlic is somewhat of a delicacy and is usually only found at farmers markets, but is also very easy to grow! It grows fast and adds an incredible, fresh flavor to any traditional...

Episode 37: Strawberries from 2017-03-24T15:55:49

This week we are going to talk about one of the most popular crops for the home garden: Strawberries. Strawberries are easy to grow at home and can be highly prod...

Episode 36: Attracting Pollinators&Beneficial Insects from 2017-03-17T15:26:25

In this episode we are talk about growing flowers specifically to attract beneficial insects to your garden.Today's topic ties a lot of things together. Growing f...

Episode 35: Listener Q+A from 2017-03-10T18:01:38

In this episode we're covering Q+A from some of the listeners in the Slack group. We address questions on what to plant when, starting seeds at home, drip irrigat...

Episode 34: Phosphorus + Potassium from 2017-03-03T17:32:35

Welcome to part 2 of our 2-part series on organic fertilizer! This week we're talking about Phosphorus and Potassium. These two nutrients are responsible for many...

Episode 33: Nitrogen from 2017-02-24T16:55:29

Over the next two episodes we will break down NPK, the acronym used to classify plant fertilizers. NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This week we...

Episode 32: Potatoes from 2017-02-17T04:00:56

Potatoes are a surprisingly satisfying crop to grow. If you’re not a huge fan of these tubers, tasting freshly harvested homegrown potatoes will definitely change...

Episode 31: Peas! from 2017-02-10T14:30

We think fresh homegrown peas are reason enough to have your own garden. They’re also one of the earliest and easiest crops to grow. In this episode we'll discuss...

Episode 30: Planning Your Annual Cut Flower Garden, Part 2 from 2017-02-03T17:20:58

Welcome back to part two of our series on cut flowers. If you haven't listened to part 1 of the series - episode 29 - go back and check that out before listening to this one. It will make more s...

Episode 29: Planning Your Annual Cut Flower Garden, Part 1 from 2017-01-27T17:25:15

There are many similarities between growing annual vegetables and annual flowers. Just like a vegetable garden, a great annual cut flower garden takes a little pl...

Episode 28: Smart Seed Ordering, Part 2 from 2017-01-20T18:15:40

This week we continue our seed ordering discussion by talking about quantities of seed and how much of each type you'll want to order. We'll also touch on why it ...

Episode 27: Smart Seed Ordering, Part 1 from 2017-01-13T19:36:54

Hello and welcome back to the EB podcast! We’re so excited to be back and we’re looking forward to a full year of podcasts in 2017. It’ll be fun to start ri...

Episode 26: Crop Rotation from 2016-12-16T22:34:34

This week we will wrap up our garden planning conversation by discussing crop rotation. Crop rotation is the practice of planting annual crops in different spaces each year to avoid pest and dis...

Episode 25: Growth Form from 2016-12-09T18:07:22

This week we will be continuing the garden planning conversation by discussing another factor that can help guide your garden planning, and that’s plant growth fo...

Episode 24: Crop Lifespan from 2016-12-02T15:02:56

Knowing more about the life span and growth cycle of your crops will help you make decisions about what to plant, when to plant it, and how much of it to plant.

This is the first of many ...

Episode 23: Thanksgiving from 2016-11-24T19:44:27

We're taking a little break and spending time with our families this week, we thought this would be a great time to recap a few of our favorite episodes that are still really timely for the seas...

Episode 22: Sheet Mulching from 2016-11-18T16:45:23

This episode is for those of you out there who may not have a vegetable garden yet, or who are planning to expand an existing growing space. Or maybe you're think...

Episode 21: Microgreens from 2016-11-11T16:49:05

Microgreens are a great way to produce food all year long with minimum space and time. In this episode we'll discuss how to grow microgreens and crops that are best suited for this type of produ...

Episode 20: Fall Garden Journaling from 2016-11-04T16:13:48

Spending a little time in the fall taking notes on what happened in your garden over that past season is a great way to get a jump start on your garden planning for the following spring. In this...

Episode 19: Garden Soil pH from 2016-10-28T13:00

This episode we are going to delve into the wonderful world of soil pH. Managing the pH of a garden may sound super complicated or perhaps a bit over-the-top for ...

Episode 18: Applying Compost to the Fall Garden from 2016-10-21T12:00

This week we will be discussing how to use compost as a fall garden amendment. In particular, we're going to talk about it how you can use compost to improve and ...

Episode 17: Cover Cropping from 2016-10-14T16:30

Cover cropping is the practice of growing a crop specifically to generate organic matter, protect the soil, and increase soil nutrient levels. 

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Episode 16: The Organic Seed Alliance Field Day from 2016-10-07T16:30

Last week Kellie and I went to a community field day and variety tasting event put on by ...

Episode 15: Woody Herbs from 2016-09-30T16:38:54

These easy-to-grow plants tend to get neglected, but they’re actually really easy to keep nice and tidy. With a few simple steps, you can care for your herbs whil...

Episode 14: Hops from 2016-09-23T16:20:45

It may be a surprise to some listeners that, not only are hops relatively easy to find a place for in the home garden, but they are also beautiful and really rewa...

Episode 13: Winter Squash from 2016-09-16T16:30

The ‘winter’ in winter squash refers to the time of year the crop is eaten, rather than planted. The winter squash category includes to storage squashes (butternu...

Episode 12: Planting Garlic from 2016-09-09T16:30

Today’s episode is all about garlic! Garlic is a member of the Allium family, which also includes onions, leeks, scallions, and chives. In most climates, garlic i...

Episode 11: Leaf Miners from 2016-09-02T16:31:03

Episode 10: Cool Season Salad Greens from 2016-08-27T03:29:29

Episode 9: Peppers from 2016-08-19T16:10

Episode 8: Radishes from 2016-08-13T18:11:11

Episode 7: Curing and Dry Storage from 2016-08-05T16:36

Episode 6: Timing Your Harvest from 2016-07-23T16:56:47

Episode 5: Fall Crops from 2016-07-16T01:42:23

Episode 4: Cilantro from 2016-07-08T17:19:21

Episode 3: Bush Beans from 2016-07-01T14:21:37

Episode 2: Rust from 2016-06-23T17:45:51

Episode 1: Trimming Peas from 2016-06-16T21:13:55