Garden Variety
Whether you're a master gardener, just getting started or somewhere in between - there's always something new to learn in your garden and landscape. On each episode we'll talk with horticulturists, foresters and other experts. We'll 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 horticulture podcast from Iowa Public Radio and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Science
Food
Self-Improvement
Education
Arts
How To
Leisure
Home & Garden
Health & Fitness
Earth Sciences
Natural Sciences
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 160
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Lawning for the perfect yard
September is here. The growing season is still going, but temperatures are cooling. It's the ideal month to get a jump-start on a great lawn for next year.
00:13:06 |
Fri 05 Sep 2025
Wait until the time is ripe to harvest your fruit
The visible fruits of your labor are hard to resist, but patience pays off.
00:12:59 |
Fri 29 Aug 2025
Don't judge a crop by its cover
Farmers who use cover crops see all kinds of benefits, improvements in soil health, reductions in runoff and erosion — they even help with weed control. Home gardeners can also harness the power of c…
00:13:01 |
Fri 22 Aug 2025
How to avoid an identi-tree crisis
Iowa Department of Natural Resources forester Mark Vitosh shares his tips and tricks to tree identification.
00:13:01 |
Fri 15 Aug 2025
Glow your own way
You won't believe your eyes — how millions of fireflies light up the world.
00:12:38 |
Fri 08 Aug 2025
Switch it up with switchgrass
Find out which ornamental grasses could thrive in your yard.
00:13:00 |
Fri 01 Aug 2025
Try out this gardening root-ine
Iowa State University horticulture specialist shares how rootstocks help grow healthy root systems.
00:13:02 |
Fri 25 Jul 2025
The ultimate power plants
Iowa State University horticulture experts discuss the practice of combining solar energy and agriculture.
00:13:03 |
Fri 18 Jul 2025
Better than all the pest
Learn how plants and insects can peacefully coexist in your garden.
00:12:57 |
Fri 11 Jul 2025
Tools for the turf war
A horticulture specialist gives you lawn care advice.
00:10:40 |
Fri 20 Jun 2025
Conducting tree-age before it's too late
Over the last 15 years the emerald ash borer has transformed Iowa's landscape. This isn't the first time a species of tree has been all but wiped out by a threat.
00:13:09 |
Fri 13 Jun 2025
Now that's un-bean-lievable!
A plant expert shares how to care for beans and other legumes in your garden.
00:12:58 |
Fri 06 Jun 2025
A conifer-sation with a plant expert
How to give Iowa conifers a chance to survive and thrive.
00:13:09 |
Fri 30 May 2025
These blooms are iris-sistable
Late spring and early summer blooming perennials — peonies, shasta daisies and siberian irises — are on display.
00:13:02 |
Fri 23 May 2025
Kiwi berries? Fur-get about it
If you're up for a wee challenge, kiwi berries are a delicious fruit you can grow at home.
00:12:46 |
Fri 16 May 2025
Import-ant advice for your home and garden
With blooming flowers comes both helpful and detrimental ant antics.
00:13:03 |
Fri 09 May 2025
Become a succession boss
Summer is fast approaching, which means it’s time to cultivate your vegetable gardens.
00:13:03 |
Fri 02 May 2025
Diseases with the gall to kill our plants
It's springtime, and with it comes pesky plant diseases. On this episode, we discuss how to keep your garden healthy.
00:13:10 |
Fri 25 Apr 2025
How to know when it's time to mow
Now that things are getting green, people are eager to work outside. But, before you fire up your lawn mower, some tips for best mowing practices.
00:12:52 |
Fri 18 Apr 2025
Lettuce help you with your vegetable garden
It’s vegetable time! On this episode, we discuss leafy greens to grow in Iowa.
Fri 04 Apr 2025
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