Good Growing

If you’ve driven along any interstates or highways in Illinois, there’s a good chance you’ve seen tall plants with spiky flower heads. Teasels have become an increasingly common sight across Illinois…

In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth from University of Illinois Extension explores the adversaries of the monarch butterfly, including the controversial pr…

In this episode, Chris and Ken delve into the complex world of composting. From their passive piles that simply sit and rot (no judgment!) to active setups that require thermometers, turning, and pos…

Thinking about building raised beds, but not sure where to start? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we discuss the benefits and challenges of raised bed gardening. From building materials…

Ever wondered how to tell one tree from another—or why it even matters? Check out this week’s Good Growing podcast, where we dive into the magical world of tree identification with horticulture educa…

In this candid and photo-filled episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson take you on a tour of their own backyards. You will see the good, bad, and pre…

Wasps often get a bad reputation for being aggressive and painful pests. However, they play important roles in our gardens. From pollination to pest control, wasps are more helpful than many people r…

Have you ever wondered if trees and crops can grow together and actually benefit each other? Or maybe you've heard the term "agroforestry" and aren't quite sure what it means. Check out this week's G…

In this Gardenbite episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris Enroth kicks back over the Fourth of July weekend to flash back to a 2021 chat with Extension educator Elizabeth Wahle, who declares Spig…

In this itchy edition of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth shares his annual run-in with one of summer’s most irritating pests—chiggers. Just in time for the Fourth of July…

In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, hosts Chris Enroth and Emily Swihart are joined by horticulture educator Ryan Pankau to unpack a 2024 study from the Illinois Natural History Survey. The …

Roses are grown in many gardens for their large, showy, often fragrant flowers. If you grow roses, you may have noticed something eating the leaves of your plants, causing them to become unsightly. W…

In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson dive deep into the fascinating world of milkweed—also known by its genus name, Asclepias. Whether you'…

Have you ever dreamed of harvesting your own grapes right from your backyard? Or maybe you have a grape plant or two and are unsure of how to care for them. Check out this week's Good Growing Podcast…

Tired of being a mosquito magnet? In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson bust common mosquito myths and dive into what really works to keep t…

Peonies are a springtime showstopper, fragrant, full, and beloved in gardens across the world. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast and explore the history of peonies, their flower forms, and t…

It’s late spring, which means buffalo gnats are back and biting. This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we take a look at buffalo gnats, where they live, their lifecycle, what you can do to avoid the…

Join Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson, horticulture educators with University of Illinois Extension, as they dive into the most pressing spring gardening questions. From getting seedlings ready for the g…

The calendar has turned to May, which means it’s time for No Mow May. No Mow May was started to help pollinators, but does No Mow May work well in Illinois? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast…

From getting exercise to growing your own food to a sense of accomplishment, there are many benefits to having a vegetable garden. However, sometimes, we run into space restrictions and give up hope …