Fostering Blooms
Two friends, one passion for gardening. Welcome to Fostering Blooms — where the beauty of the garden is designed for life. Join Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum, two friends and neighbors, as they cultivate stunning gardens and bring the richness of nature into their homes. From growing lush English-style borders to designing pastoral homesteads, they’ll guide you through every bloom, bounty, and blunder along the way.
Alongside garden projects, they’ll dive into garden design, cooking with homegrown vegetables, and creating floral arrangements with the flowers they grow. It’s not just about cultivating beautiful spaces — it’s about using the garden to nourish the home, table, and soul. Don't miss our recurring "Garden Ready" series — monthly episodes packed with essential tasks to keep your garden thriving through every season. Whether it’s pruning in winter or harvesting in fall, you'll know exactly what to focus on each month.
With a love for flowers, vegetables, and self-sufficiency, Shannon and Cait share heartwarming stories, practical tips, and creative inspiration for turning garden dreams into reality. Whether you're planting your first seed, growing a garden to sustain your family, or crafting floral designs that bring nature indoors, Fostering Blooms will leave you inspired to grow more than just plants — but a home, a community, and a life connected to nature.
Tune in for gardening advice, seasonal inspiration, and a whole lot of heart from two women with dirty hands and big dreams.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 21 minutes
- Episodes
- 40
- Years Active
- 2025
Garden Ready September: The Must-Do Tasks for a Thriving Fall Garden - Episode 40
Ready to trade summer scorch for cozy garden wins? In this “Garden Ready September” episode, Shannon and Cait share exactly what to plant now for a thriving fall garden—and even a head start on sprin…
Summer Garden Update: Pickles, Sauerkraut, Herbal Teas & Sourdough - E39
Summer has been in full swing — and it’s been a wild ride in the garden! In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn share what they’ve been up to lately: from harvesting cucumbers and c…
From Vineyard to Kitchen: How We Turned Wine Grapes Into Juice - Episode 38
What happens when you’ve got a bucket of wine grapes and no plan? In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn dive into a spontaneous kitchen adventure — plucking grapes, simmering them …
Garden to Table Cooking: Swiss Chard, Fennel & Saffron Made Simple - Episode 37
Discover how gardening can transform not just what you eat, but how you cook. In this solo episode, Caitlyn shares how growing Swiss chard, fennel, radishes, and even saffron made her braver, more cr…
Backyard Chickens 101: Bock Bock Basics & Egg-cellent Advice - Episode 36
Bock bock, baby—it’s chicken time! In this fun (and feather-filled) episode, Shannon grills Caitlyn with rapid-fire questions all about backyard chickens—from how many to start with, to coops, predat…
Garden Ready August: Last Call for Summer Sowing + Fall Veggies to Try - Episode 35
It’s the last call for summer sowing! 🌱 In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn share what’s happening in the garden in August—from cutting back strawberry runners to sneaking in tho…
A Very Merry July: Planning Your Garden-Inspired Holiday Gifts - Episode 34
In this cozy (and slightly chaotic) episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn get a head start on the holidays—yes, in July!
From canning jam and fermenting kraut to crafting herbal tea blends…
From Overwhelmed to Stocked: Using and Storing Your Summer Harvest - Episode 33
In this quick solo episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon shares what to do when your garden is exploding with more cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and beans than you can possibly eat.
From the early da…
Beating Garden Burnout: How to Keep Going When You’re Overwhelmed - Episode 32
Feeling burned out in the garden? You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not failing. In this episode, we talk about the real side of gardening in midsummer: when the weeds take over, the heat zaps y…
Garden Ready July: Mid-Summer Harvests, Fall Crop Planning & Beating the Heat - Episode 31
The dog days of summer are here, but your garden isn’t slowing down! In this episode, we break down what to sow, harvest, and plan in July—from beans and garlic to fall crops and shade cloth strategi…
Garlic, Shallots & Scapes—Oh My! Fall Planting to Summer Harvest - Episode 30
f you've ever dreamed of skipping the grocery store garlic aisle and harvesting your own flavorful bulbs—this is the episode for you. 🧄
We’re diving deep into everything garlic and shallots:
-
The di…
Wives vs Wives: Gardeners vs Sports Fans in the Ultimate Showdown - Episode 29
Can our wives tell the difference between an aphid and a stratified seed? Do we know what a full nelson is or how many yards it takes to get a first down? It’s time for the ultimate showdown in this …
"No Thank You!" Plants (and Gorgeous Alternatives We Love) - Episode 28
Welcome to Fostering Blooms! In this episode, we’re sharing our latest round of “No Thank You” plants — the ones we’ve grown, inherited, or almost bought… but now politely decline. 🙅♀️🌿
These aren’t…
Garden Ready June: The Full Summer Checklist (With a Side of Melons) - Episode 27
This week on the podcast, we’re covering everything you should be doing in the garden this month — from what to plant, what to pull, and what to support, to how we’re handling pests, mulch math, and …
Mob Rules in the Garden: Why Some Veggies Should Never Share a Bed - Episode 26
Welcome to Fostering Blooms, the podcast where we dig deep into gardening and all the ways it can enrich your home and life. Today, we’re diving into the garden's underground world of veggie families…
Don’t Do That! 7 Garden Myths That Might Surprise You - Episode 25
In this episode, we’re busting some of the most common garden myths—like whether you really need to water every day, if gravel helps drainage, and whether native plants actually take care of themselv…
Pollinator Power: Year-Round Plants for Bees, Butterflies & Beyond - Episode 24
Pollinator gardening isn’t just a trend—it’s essential. In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn break down how to build a garden that supports bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, parasi…
Free Plants & Full Beds: What to Divide, Propagate & Plant Right Now - Episode 23
We already gave you our May To-Do list… but this episode? It’s a deep dive into the three garden activities we’re obsessed with this month: dividing, propagating, and planting.
We’re sharing how to m…
Garden Ready: May – To-Do List for Summer Blooms, Big Veggies & Fewer Weeds - Episode 22
Welcome to Fostering Blooms — the podcast where two gardening-obsessed friends, Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum, dig into the joys (and challenges!) of growing a beautiful life from the ground…
Best Flowers for Pressing: Easy-to-Grow Blooms for Beginners - Episode 21
Want to grow your own pressed flower collection on a budget—without needing expert skills or a giant garden?
In this solo episode, Shannon answers a question from Instagram follower, Dee at the Fairy…