Garden Guys

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Tom and Darrin take a light-hearted look at gardening in the Four Corners and Southwest Colorado. Darrin is the CSU Extension Director in La Plata County and Tom runs GrowFoodWell.com. Each week, Garden Guys topics could include: growing a diversity of fruits and vegetables in a challenging climate; tips on seeding, planting, processing, and eating the bounty around us; garden disasters (and how to avoid them); and storing, canning, and preserving. Got a question for the guys?They might have the answers. If not, they'll make something up.

Garden Guys


    • May 10, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 68 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Garden Guys

    Spring Rains!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 30:00


    Spring rains are falling, soft and sound,While onions nestle in the ground.Planting tips? We've got a few,But warnings? Well—they won't stop you.You'll buy too much, and that's just fine,With garden dreams on down the line.Darrin's worms are thriving still,Turning scraps with quiet skill.Foliar sprays—do they hold weight?Let's dig in, investigate.And garden tomatoes, fresh and red—Why do they dance upon your head?A word to savor, light and tree:The dappled glow of Komorebi.So grab your boots, begin again—The garden's calling. Come on in!

    Eating Local(ly)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 30:00


    Gettin' ready to garden! As Tom and Darrin start seeding cold-season crops in their gardens, they (try to) offer some tips for success. That led to a discussion on what "eating locally" looks like, how different cultures define it, and how we here in the United States take a different viewpoint than those across the world. And a VERY challenging Listener Challenge for the week!

    Growin' Some Peppers!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 29:57


    Darrin loves him some peppers, but unfortunately, we discover that Tom may not be able to take the heat. This week, we follow the history of the pepper and how it made its way into Colorado and New Mexico, and eventually into Darrin's garden. And there's a new listener challenge: try pocket gopher yoga (serenity now...)! And we almost forgot: the Garden Guys have a new product line of locally sourced, artisan pepper spray, “Farm to Face”.

    We Get Carrot'ed Away!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 30:00


    Sorry to be a punny bunny, but what's a better time to hear about carrots than Easter weekend? Darrin and Tom jump (again, see what I did there?) through time into the origin story of one of their garden favorites: carrots.  Why are they orange? Where did they originate?  And of course some tips on how to grow them in southwest Colorado.  With the planting calendar hovering on the “possible”, we also issue another Listener Challenge:  Measuring your soil temps to ensure germination success!

    Interview with Peter Del Tredici, PhD

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2025 29:58


    Tom was lucky enough to interview Peter Del Tredici PhD, botanist, author, and senior research scientist Emeritus at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, while he was here for the Durango Botanic Gardens "DurangoScape Climate Conference". While not all about veggies and edibles, Dr. Del Tredici provided some fodder for Darrin and Tom to discuss.

    Tom and Darrin are Best Spuddies!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 30:00


    Tom and Darrin dive into the mysterious history of the potato, and find that Darrin may have familial connections (Antoine-Augustin Parmentier) in the winding story of how it got popularized in France. We also share tips for planting some of your own. Plus a Listener Challenge!

    The Seed Tease

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 29:59


    We are back with our weekly show the first Saturday of April but we wanted to give ya all a bit of garden love, and of course it's all about seeds! And don't forget our annual Heritage Seed Sale on Sunday, March 9th at the Fairgounds in Durango. 10am to 2pm. Come early and buy lots!

    Gobble, Gobble!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 29:59


    The Garden Guys are back for their annual Thanksgiving show, with Tom and Darrin talking about their successes (tomatoes and mizuna) and their failures (irrigation and sweet potatoes) from their 2024 garden season. Reminders come up about what to do in fall gardens and how to share your prized veggies even though you want to hold on to them. Happy Thanksgiving. Eat some local food!

    Pueblo Food & Seed Company

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2024 29:58


    For the final show of the 2024 growing season, Darrin and Tom wanted to end it with a bang by flying over to McElmo canyon on the Extension helicopter for a site visit in the fields of the Pueblo Seed and Food Company. Dan Hobbs was kind enough to stop his chores to give us a tour of some of their fields and talk about everything from chili peppers, corn, grains, to the challenges and success of regional food systems. With many of these crops going to their bakery in downtown Cortez, they provide an excellent example of closing the loop on local food production!

    Shorter Days, Bigger Squash

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 29:59


    It's late season already and we go for broke talking about successes and failures in the garden this year. Listen for some tips about what to be looking at for garden chores during the later part of summer - what you can still plant in those empty spots and essential cleanup tips (Get those weed seedheads!).  All in all, your gardens should be riding the momentum of the warm months as we head into cooler temps.

    Trees of Trail Canyon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2024 29:29


    Did you miss us? We missed you! After a couple weeks off, Tom and Darrin are back on air as we venture off to Montezuma County and McElmo Canyon to visit David Temple and Trees of Trail Canyon. David is an amazing human (and storyteller!) and hopefully you all will feel his passion and love for all things trees - especially those that produce fruit and nuts!

    Well I Love a Rainy Night...

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2024 30:00


    Eddie Rabbitt was right - nothin' better than a rainy night. Another wacky June with cool temps and all sorts of moiture to end the month - there are many benefits to all this rain, but in the garden you also need to keep the airflow going to avoid some waterborne issues. Oh, and it wouldn't be a complete show without some amazing bacteria facts from Tom. They (Tom AND bacteria) never cease to amaze me!

    Encore Show: Mountain Roots Produce 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 29:42


    It's not that we're lazy - just busy. And mostly out of town. And Darrin's dealing with a deer in his yard that found their strawberries and he's grumpy. But back in 2022 we went out to Mancos to interview Mike Nolan from Mountain Roots Farm. Mike has been a longtime veggie farmer in SW CO and with his partner Mindy Perkovich they are at the forefront of vegetable and flower production down here. Enjoy!

    Fleurs du Jardin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 29:59


    Yup. I took high school French. Can't you tell? This week we redeem ourselves from the depths of the manure from last week and rise to the beauty and function that flowers provide for our landscape.  Darrin and Tom will go through the list of our favorite flowers and why we plant them. They provide great services (other than beauty) that can help your garden thrive!

    Garden Crapping Out? Let's Talk Poop!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 29:59


    You may think that Tom and Darrin talk crap every week, but this week we actually do! All kinds of it: manure, meadow muffins, cow pies...chickens, alpacas, llamas and bats. We'll go over all things excrementum and how we, as gardens, can utilize (or be cautious of) its powers.

    Legacy - Mental Health in Colorado's Modern Day Agriculture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2024 29:59


    Tom and I put the jokes aside this week and welcome you to listen to a topic that resonates with many of us. Deeply. Emotionally. And if you haven't watched it yet, find 45 minutes and watch the recently released Colorado movie: Legacy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b75IPokq28E - it will give you a better appreciation of what our farmers and ranchers go through - every, single, day. We were lucky enough to interview Chad Reznicek, Behavioral Health State Specialist with CSU Extension, who gave amazing insight into the signature challenges in agriculture and how all us can find those tools to help us.

    Guess What Our $%@! Spring Challenges Are???

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 30:00


    Ugh. You get all excited to garden and in comes the pill bugs, pocket gophers, and mushrooms. Wait. Mushrooms? Listen to learn more - and maybe commiserate.

    Whoa. Now that's a Greenhouse!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024 29:59


    We filled out our permission slips and got to go on ANOTHER field trip! Tom and Darrin got to buddy-up and visit Scott Smith and his 2 year-old greenhouse east of Durango. Sampling ready-to-eat herbs, kale, carrots, and artichokes made us a bit envious of the early harvests, but not sure we're ready for all that work!

    Microorganisms are Macro Important!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 29:59


    Paul Simon once wrote "...and touched the sound of silence". Well, we know that he wasn't applying compost to his garden because scientists are now able to "hear" all the bacteria and fungi that love that organic matter. The Garden Guys delve into microorganisms and the ways they help our bodies and our garden beds - and how those two are so similar.

    Tips and Tricks for the Start of the Gardening Race

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 30:00


    Free advice and crisis mitigation. For plants. Learn what to look for with all those seedlings in the nurseries and farmers market. All the spring questions are flowing, and so are the sarcastic answers this week on Garden Guys.

    Manna Garden Visit

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2024 29:59


    One of our favorite places (Manna Garden in Durango) with one of our favorite people (Brooke Frazer)! The Manna Gardens are prepping for the upcoming seedling sale happening next weekend (May 10-12).  She shares some of the varieties that will be available, as well as touching on the history of Manna and the wealth of services it provides for the local community. 

    Free Carbon for Everyone!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 30:00


    When it comes down to very basics, it's all about the carbon. The building block of really, everything. The basis of much of life on the planet, and how it relates to the growth cycle, microorganisms in the soil and the planetary carbon cycle which is having some hiccups as of late.

    It's Almost Like We Never Left!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 29:59


    Join the Garden Guys (Darrin and Tom) for the season opener!  Spring is here and so are the chores. How do you procrastinate? What do you do first? And what's your view on using Dibble Boards? Because you will definitely get ours! We all have work to do, so let's just talk about it. Oh, and Darrin got worms! They may not be as hardy and strong as Tom's but they're learning (and so will you!) on how to start that worm bin.

    Back with a Bit of Spring Teasing!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2024 29:58


    As spring is just around the corner, we just wanted to step outside and admit that another planting season will soon be upon us.  On this episode, Tom and Darrin discuss the finer points of “dialing-in” your early-season planning when it comes to new plant choices, and adjusting for mistakes from last year.  We also go over details about our new favorite winter squash. And if that wasn't exciting enough, the annual Garden Guys Seed Sale is Next Week!  Wahooo. Let's go!

    Ho Ho Ho and a Jar of Seeds!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2023 29:56


    We're back and better than ever! Well, maybe not 'ever', but we are back for one show right before Christmas hits. Darrin and Tom have interrupted their hibernation to come give you tips on LMG's (Last Minute Gifts)  as well as a list of other (somewhat related) garden subjects. Learn about last year's failures and find tips for next year's mistakes in the garden! And look for our upcoming seed sale at the Fairgrounds in March.

    Growing Season Finale: The Old Fort at Hesperus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 29:57


    This week (our final weekly show for the 2023 growing season) we travel to The Old Fort at Hesperus to see what's up with the dynamic ‘Farmers In Training' program (FIT). We are guided by interviews with the Farmer Training Program Coordinator, Elicia Whittlesey, and the Education Garden Manager, Maggie Magierski.  Several of the FITs chime in as well, giving us insight on what it's like to be growing all the various vegetables at the farm. Such an inspiring visit.

    Bunch o' Banter

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2023 29:57


    We follow our show with the esteemed Jim Dyer with one full of banter of "crisp vs. cobbler", how do we get the job of naming vegetable varieties, and season extension techniques (winter is coming...)!

    Interview with Jim Dyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2023 29:58


    This week we have an in-depth conversation with Jim Dyer and his decades of work with Healthy Community Food Systems. We dive into some core issues regarding future sustainability in the ‘Greater San Juan Food Shed'. Join us for some good food for thought!

    Channeling the Inner Homesteader

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2023 29:58


    Yup. Tom and I create hypothetical stress situations, pretending we are gardeners on the prairie in the 1800s. Not sure if I want to be Charles Ingalls or Almonzo, but either way, we're nervous that we aren't going to survive for very long!

    channeling homesteaders charles ingalls
    From A to Z (or really, 'W')

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2023 29:58


    From Apricots to Wasps - and everything in-between - Darrin and Tom catch up on what's happening in their gardens, what's getting harvested, and what they'll do differently next year (including the relocation of a pesky deer).

    Sneak Peak in Tom's Garden!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2023 29:57


    Probably my favorite show so far! Tom tries to calm me down after our office's efforts at the County Fair. Then we cover some of the decisions involved in deciding what to plant in smaller garden spaces. We culminate with an impromptu garden tour of Tom's home garden.

    County Fair Time!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2023 29:58


    It's Fair Time! County Fair is back for its 75th year here in La Plata County, and boy those squash...! This week we delve into the mystery of Cryptobiosis, the fascinating process of‘pausing' a living organism. Darrin's tomatoes have also been put on permanent pause for the season, with no chance of cryptobiosis. Which leads us, inevitably to the discussion of weather.  And whether or not Tom should have camped up high in a lightning storm. (strictly as a sacrifice to the weather gods).

    The Hodge Podge

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2023 29:58


    With all this heat (and little to no rain in the area), Darrin and Tom do a mid-season garden check-in. Can you plant citrus in the four corners? What can you still plant now? And also some background on what originally inspired them to geek out on plants.

    It's Hotter than...Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2023 29:58


    Well, if 1 show on the heat wasn't enough... We have some solutions, some laments, some salves, and a positive outlook (which helps).  We also have some ideas of how to plan for success in our gardens in a hotter future. 

    Field Trip II! SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 29:59


    We grabbed our snacks, water, and found our field trip buddy - off to the SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab at Riverview Elementary. Wow!

    We're Back - and It's Hotter Than...

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 29:59


    This week the garden guys came back all rested from their vacation and all they can do is complain about pests and failures in the garden.  But really this episode is about ‘Pivoting' from early summer garden failures to replanting in bare spots to feel better about the rest of the summer. 

    Soil Tests and Pollen Clouds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 29:59


    Darrin and Tom preach the importance of getting your garden soil tested and then walk you all through how to read it. We also cry (and sneeze) while discussing these very odd temperatures and the prolific pine pollen season we are encountering.

    Q&A Grab Bag

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 29:59


    We dig into the enormous bag of email questions and try to answer a few (at least the easy ones). Growing in containers, how to read a seed packet, and doth thou inoculate thy beans and peas?

    Beet Street Farm

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2023 29:59


    This week the Garden Guys had a site visit to Beet Street Farm in the Animas valley north of Durango.  Brian & Stacey Petrie, and Chad Goodale let us in on some of the details of running a local farm.  The good, the challenging, and the ugly garlic…

    Bindweed: We Discover the Cure!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2023 29:59


    Just kidding. We discovered nothing, but do give some good ideas on how to manage. PLUS: another Garden Guys department - Mistakes Garden Guys Make (MGGM) and our inquiries into artificial intelligence.

    Field Trip!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2023 29:59


    Tom and Darrin sneak out of the studio to go visit a new(er) gardener's backyard where we find worms, onions, and corn transplants, oh my!

    News to Make You Smile

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 29:59


    Two good news stories from the Garden Guys Good News Department (second left in the basement, by the boiler): Colorado's ‘Right to Repair' bill passes and why dandelions are so helpful. Plus we pontificate on why growing one's food helps feed the soul at the same time it feeds one's belly.

    Right Crop:Right Place

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 29:57


    The Garden Guys discuss facing the garden tasks of spring, and how one of the best starting points is choosing the right crops for our growing season length here in the Mountain West.

    Early Season Jitters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 29:59


    So many questions this week…. starting seedlings under lights, replacing peat moss with coir, ‘air-pruning' with soil blocks, and have you ever tried Trombone squash?

    We Make Up Words!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2023 29:59


    Tom and Darrin get their Zen on, pontificating about insects, diversity in the garden, letting things go, and even throwing out some made up words like procrastgardening and procrastplanting

    Episode 23: The 2023 Season Premiere!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2023 29:59


    In this first Garden Guys podcast for the 2023 season hosts Darrin and Tom talk about: - How abnormal is the new normal as far as the weather goes - Managing the Impact of soil temperatures on spring planting - Seed sale recap - Darrin's medical adventure.  - Making healthy food choices, even if you can't grow a garden

    Episode 20: The Platinum Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:59


    We reached 20 - we're almost legal! We cover a bevy of topics - thinning, irrigation, and farmer market bucks - before we take a bit of a breather.

    Episode 19: Durango Farmers Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:59


    They let us out of the studio again! We accost patrons at the Durango Farmers Market to see why they support our local farmers and ranchers.

    Episode 18: Garden Wispering

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:59


    July is a chance to sit back, enjoy your garden while it's growing - observe what's successful, what you'd change next year, and learn from your hands-on experience.

    Episode 17: Mid-Summer Gardening Tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:59


    We enter the doldrums of summer with some tips to keep up with the garden beds, the weeds, and the compost pile.

    Episode 16: Recess! A Visit to the Needham Elementary Garden

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:59


    Tom interviews while Darrin works. Hmmm.... And a couple secrets come forward as Tom gets Beth, Darrin's wife, to divulge some dirt.

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