Ellen and C.L. talk about three interesting edibles from the True Leaf Market catalog, explain what they’re working on and catch up with some listener emails. They end by talking about seven seed starting tips offered by our friends at Gardeners Supply Company, and invite listeners to join them at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle.   :30 What’s For Dinner: Our top picks from the True Leaf Market catalog 7:23 Eat/Drink/Grow:   What's new with the Plantrama team. 19:46 Insider...

We’re talking about garlic and crabapples, plants that are new to our hearts, and some interesting research on bulbs done at Cornell University. Plus some words of appreciation for all of our listeners…Plantrama people are the best!  See the bulb research information here. :27 What’s For Dinner: What C.L.and Ellen love for tasty meals. 5:14 Eat/Drink/Grow:   New Plants…new to us, that is. 15:21 Insider Information:   Bulb research from Cornell University 23:03 Love Letters and Questions:...

  Learn about turning Hydrangea flowers blue, how to tell if you’re looking at Queen Anne’s lace or the poison hemlock, and not enough room for all these plants! Plus C.L. loves listening to the Audible version of Michael Pollen’s book, This is Your Mind on Plants.   :29  True or False:   To turn Hydrangeas blue, place rusty nails in the ground 3:48 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Queen Anne’s Lace and Poisonous Look-Alikes 15:04 Check This Out:  Michael Pollen’s book “This is Your Mind on Plants” ...

In this episode Ellen and C.L. discuss some favorite peppers, and answer common listener questions about drought-damaged plants and helping their gardens recover from a hot, dry summer. We share an exciting new plant from Proven Winners, and answer a listener’s question about clover lawns.   :36 What’s For Dinner: Peppers! 10:39 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Recovering From A Hot, Dry Summer   19:45 Insider Information:  Excited about Queen Tut Papyrus 21:35 Love Letters and Questions: Sandy writes: ...

In this Encore presentation from 2017, Ellen and C.L. start the end-of-summer party off with suggestions for snacks and garden hors d’oeuvres. The second segment offers ways that you benefit from an outdoor office, and no, it’s not the low rent. Our main segment suggests ways you can spruce up (horticultural pun intended) your yard and gardens for summer gatherings. Whether you’re holding a simple barbecue, birthday celebration, rehearsal dinner, cocktail party or other event, here are ideas...

In this end-of-August episode, C.L. and Ellen discuss how to tell why the leaves on your plant are turning yellow. They explain that noticing which leaves are yellowing, and where they are, can help explain why this is happening. Next the Plantrama team explains some botanic terms, and discusses what to forage for or plant in your vegetable garden right now. The episode ends with advice to Sandy about when to bring her houseplants back inside after they have spent the summer out of doors. ...

Ellen and C.L. discuss whether the use of mulch robs the soil of nitrogen, and we take a dive into the Polygonaceae family…smart weeds and knotweeds. We give you the scoop on two informative webinars for anyone interested in growing hydrangeas, and answer a question about the odd, jelly-like forms that a listener has found on some junipers. 1:42  True or False: Mulch robs the soil of nitrogen.      6:21  Eat/Drink/Grow: Is your weed smart or knot?  12:31   Insider Information: Hydrangea...

In this encore episode, Ellen explains what to make with under-ripe wild grapes and C.L. persuades listeners to combine some creamy brie cheese with those homegrown tomatoes. Next we explain that the end of the summer is the ideal time to propagate everything from woody ornamentals to annuals and perennials. Now that cooler weather is on the horizon, we discuss what can be transplanted in the fall, and answer a listener’s concern about importing bugs into the house when she brings potted...

What can you pickle this summer? Should you buy a tree that’s tiny? Ellen and C.L. discuss these topics, plus what to do with bare or just unattractive spots in the garden, and whether summer planting makes sense in July.  :29    What’s for dinner:  Pickles. 7:12    Insider Information: Don’t be afraid to start with small shrubs and trees! 12:30   Eat/Drink/Grow:   Dealing with bare areas where plants have died or construction had to happen. 22.52   Love Letters and Questions:  Bailey...

Have you wondered how, or if, mulch kills weeds? Have you tried to grow a citrus plant from a seed? Ellen and C.L. discuss these topics, and answer Dianna’s question about her kousa dogwood that isn’t doing well. Plus C.L. tells Ellen and our listeners about a robot that weeds in gardens.   :28   Plant Noob:   Does mulch kill weeds?  6:47    Eat/Drink/Grow: Some considerations when growing citrus from Seed. 14:02   Check THIS Out!:    Tertill: a solar-powered, robot weeder. 18:13  Love...

Have you seen the photo of plastic forks, tines up, in the garden? Wondering about spraying fertilizer on the leaves of plants to give them added nutrients? And how about that auto-flowering type of Cannabis…should you be harvesting in July? :36    True or False:  Plastic forks in the garden? 7:21   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Foliar feeding. 18:20  Love Letters and Questions:    Manny asks about Cannabis  

Ellen and C.L. talk about the difference between raspberries and blackberries, give suggestions for plants that grow well in the tiny spaces in rock walls, and discuss whether you should panic when you see bugs on a plant. We end with a listener’s question about a perennial garden filled with early-summer bloomers.   :30 What’s For Dinner: Raspberries   6:32 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Plants to grow in Rock Walls  18:19 Plant Noob: What to assume when you see an insect? 22:24 Love Letters and...

C.L. and Ellen have suggestions for edible flower petals, whether you want to use them for visual or taste appeal. Hear a discussion about taproots - what are they and what they mean for you – and hear if you need to be concerned about crop rotation.   :38 What’s For Dinner: Flowers petals! 5:53 Eat/Drink/Grow: Tap roots. 20:18 Love Letters and Questions: Amanda asks: “Can you recommend any books or reliable resources for crop rotation?

Ellen and C.L. discuss ways to use the mint you grow, the basics of harvesting garlic, and ways of supporting vegetables and newly planted trees. Plus we answer a listener’s question about spraying fertilizer directly onto foliage. :33   What’s for dinner:  Mint beyond mojitos    4:12    Insider Information:  Harvesting Garlic 17:46  Eat/Drink/Grow:  Plant supports. 26:40  Love Letters and Questions: Karen asks about spring fertilizer directly on plants.

Ellen and C.L. talk about a common insect that causes damage in many vegetable gardens: flea beetles. Next they address questions and issues that arise when houseplants have been put outside for the summer, review an inspiring new book, and answer Ryan’s question about possible ground cover crops for weed suppression in flower farms. :28 Plant Noob: Flea beetles   7:37  Eat/Drink/Grow:  So your houseplants are out for Summer Camp 18:12 Book Review:  The Urban Garden 22:12  Love Letters...

C.L. and Ellen discuss what to do if your tree dies, and what actions to take when something has already happened and you need to respond or do your best to fix it.   :30     True or False:   You should remove dead trees from your property 6:24    Eat/Drink/Grow:  After the fact. Or, I’ve already done it! Now What??? 22:00    Love Letters and Questions:    Sandi asks:  “When early flowering perennials such as blue salvia, peonies, or penstemon stop blooming, what do I do with them?

:38    What’s For Dinner: Dill.    8:59    Eat/Drink/Grow:  “Is it too late to plant?”  20:14   Insider Information:  What alliums do. 22:42   Love Letters and Questions: Donna re: miniature lemon cypress tree In this first of five June episodes, C.L. and Ellen talk about growing dill, planting in the summer, and what allium foliage does when these bulbs come into bloom. Plus we answer a listener’s question about growing lemon cypress trees indoors…was she given bad advice?

In this end-of-May episode Ellen and C.L. discuss using lettuce to wrap tasty fillings, for a meal or snack. We explain what a botanist does, the importance of several types of diversity in our yards and gardens, and answer Pete’s question about applying Mediterranean style to a Minnesota garden. :28      What’s for dinner:   Lettuce Wraps 3:22     Insider Information:   What is a botanist? 7:33       Eat/Drink/Grow:    Garden Diversity  21:58   Love Letters and Questions:  From Pete...

The Plantrama team discusses the best way to fill a raised bed, why the practice called hugelkulture is getting so much buzz, a podcast recommendation, and finding a garden mentor.   :30      Plant Noob: Why you shouldn’t fill a raised bed with only compost. 5:24   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Hugelkultur   16:29   Check THIS Out!:  a plant podcast that C.L. loves. 18:48  Love Letters and Questions    Morgan in Michigan writes about finding garden mentors.

Have you ever bought an envelope of seeds that had no instructions on it? Do you have clay soils where you garden? Ellen and C.L. start the program with these topics, then move onto invasive plants in the landscape, and the differences between different types of potting media. :30   True or False:   It’s okay to send out seeds without any germination information. 5:12     Eat/Drink/Grow:  Gardening in Clay 21:18  Insider Information:  Inspired by Carol invasives in the landscape 25:16 ...

It’s pasta for dinner, and everything coming up roses in this episode of Plantrama. Ellen shares her nettle pasta recipe, and C.L. talks about a quick way to use any garden greens with linguine. We discuss the highs and lows of growing roses, and end by answering a listener’s question about catkins. :37 What’s For Dinner:  A go-to garden or foraged pasta.   6:55 Eat/Drink/Grow:   Roses. 24:50 Love Letters and Questions: Diedre asked What is a catkin? Brought to you by our friends at...

In this episode Ellen and C.L. celebrate spring salads, discuss organic fertilizers and discuss the many ways to grow vining Clematis. :28    What’s for dinner:  Spring Salads  6:24     Insider Information:  Organic fertilizers 11:03    Eat/Drink/Grow:    Clematis This episode is brought to you by our friends at Rainwand.com

The Plantrama team gives those new to vegetable gardening some advice about raised beds...how deep, what to fill them with, and whether they need a weed barrier underneath. We talk about how to remember what you’ve planted, without sticking ugly labels next to every plant in your garden. In a new segment, we tell you about a couple of great things that we’ve discovered.   :45   Plant Noob:  Raised bed Tips    10:46   Eat/Drink/Grow: Methods for remembering what you’ve planted 21:36 ...

Do you need a special fertilizer for Cannabis budding? Do you need special fertilizers for different types of plants? Do some fertilizers work better than others, and can you make your own out of food scraps? These questions answered and more in this episode.   :33      True or False:   In order to get Cannabis to bud, you have to use special “bloom” fertilizers 3:22     Eat/Drink/Grow:  Fertilizer Facts and Fantasies 20:06   Love Letters and Questions:   Shelley wrote:  “Is it true that...