Garden Variety
Every Friday throughout the growing season
Whether you're a master gardener, just getting started or somewhere in between — there's always something new to learn in your garden. That's where Garden Variety comes in. On each episode, we talk with horticulturists, foresters and other experts. We learn about vegetable gardens, lawns, native plants, trees and more. Garden Variety is the podcast for all the things you'd like to grow — or grow better.
Garden Variety is a collaboration between Iowa Public Radio and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Latest Episodes
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A few days of sunny weather in late winter or early spring, and the bugs are immediately back. It raises questions like, how do these tiny creatures survive in subzero conditions? We explore that question with Laura Iles, director of the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center. -
Our relationship with fruit trees is a little different than our relationship with other trees. Iowa State University’s Suzanne Slack shares advice about when and how to prune fruit trees, vines and bushes.
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Extremely cold temperatures can put pressure and tension on trees as the outside freezes faster than the inside. This can cause cracks in the tree. Frost cracking has been around forever, but only recently has the idea of “exploding trees” gone viral. In this bonus episode, DNR Forester Mark Vitosh joins us to bust some myths and give advice on what to do if your tree does crack.
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Some trees, like oaks, need to be pruned during the dormant season to avoid diseases — though you'll likely want to wait for warmer winter days. Mark Vitosh, district forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, joins the show to talk about winter tree maintenance.
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African violets are beautiful, endlessly varied and just finicky enough to make growing them a rewarding challenge. Iowa State University horticulturists Cindy Haynes and Aaron Steil talk all things African Violets and share gardening New Year’s resolutions.
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Have you got your Christmas tree yet? If you haven't, there's still enough time to check out your local ditch. In this bonus episode, we hear from one caller about his holiday tradition of sourcing his tree from the side of the road.
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As winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and the solstice bring light into the darkest time of year, we’re taking a closer look at the plants tied to those traditions — beyond poinsettias and Christmas trees.
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When you buy a Christmas tree at a farm, tree lot, or store, you’re buying an agricultural product. More than 35 million Christmas trees are harvested every year in the United States, and there are approximately 200 Christmas tree growers in Iowa. DNR Forester Mark Vitosh is here to give us some insight into the industry that brings so many people joy this time of year. To further grow your gardening knowledge, sign up for our Garden Variety newsletter.
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Our horticulture experts brainstorm solutions for a well-intended caller who gifted his wife a tropical plant in a Midwestern climate.
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Storage, sauce and cider. There are a number of ways that we can continue to savor the tastes of apple season into the winter months.