Garden Variety

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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.

Iowa Public Radio


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 13m AVG DURATION
    • 148 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Garden Variety

    A conifer-sation with a plant expert

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 13:09


    How to give Iowa conifers a chance to survive and thrive.

    These blooms are iris-sistable

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 13:02


    Late spring and early summer blooming perennials — peonies, shasta daisies and siberian irises — are on display.

    Kiwi berries? Fur-get about it

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 12:46


    If you're up for a wee challenge, kiwi berries are a delicious fruit you can grow at home.

    Import-ant advice for your home and garden

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 13:03


    With blooming flowers comes both helpful and detrimental ant antics.

    Become a succession boss

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 13:03


    Summer is fast approaching, which means it's time to cultivate your vegetable gardens.

    Diseases with the gall to kill our plants

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 13:10


    It's springtime, and with it comes pesky plant diseases. On this episode, we discuss how to keep your garden healthy.

    How to know when it's time to mow

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 12:52


    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.

    Lettuce help you with your vegetable garden

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025


    It's vegetable time! On this episode, we discuss leafy greens to grow in Iowa.

    What your seedlings are needling

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 12:43


    How to take care of bare root seedlings.

    Midwest isn't the easiest place to bee

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 12:55


    The idea of pollinator-friendly gardens may be relatively new, but pollinators have been an important part of gardening ever since plant cultivation began.

    Prune-in to this show for fruit tree tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025


    With fruit trees, we have expectations and needs. On this episode, we discuss techniques to best care for fruit trees.

    The Name Game (plant edition)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025


    Maple! Maple, Maple! Bo-bay-ple, Bo-na-na fanna Fo-fay-ple, Fee-fi-mo-may-ple. Maple!

    Get rich in soil knowledge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025


    Iowa is famous for having some of the richest soil in the world, but that doesn't tell you much about the quality of the soil in your yard or garden.

    Don't cut your flowers' beauty short

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025


    More cut flowers are purchased on Valentine's Day than on any other day of the year. We learn how to make the most out of your cut flowers.

    Plants that will give you their undying love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025


    You don't need the greenest of thumbs to have an impressive collection of houseplants.

    You won't forking believe these gardening tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025


    It's time to work smarter, not harder.

    Ex-seed your expectations this year

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025


    From pumpkins to basil, hear about the new plant varieties our horticulture experts are excited plant this spring.

    Tis the season to be a nutcracker

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024


    Chestnuts roasting by the open fire.

    Dreaming of a green Christmas tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024


    It's that time of year many search for the perfect evergreen tree to bring into their home.

    Kind of a fig deal

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024


    Fresh figs are grown and eaten in many parts of the world, and you can grow them in Iowa.

    BONUS: A rare bee discovery

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 17:27


    This fall, an Iowa City resident discovered the first rusty patch bumble bee nest in the state since the species was listed as endangered in 2017.

    Wicked witch of the pest

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024


    Weevils, moths and beetles, oh my!

    A look at plant disease trends this year

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024


    Severe weather created the perfect storm for plant diseases.

    Shiver me timbers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024


    If you feel cold, your plants feel cold, too. Extra steps are needed to protect your landscape plants through the winter months.

    Gourd big or go home

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024


    When it comes to Halloween plants, pumpkins are gourdgeous.

    Fall perennials are bloomin brilliant

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024


    You know the changing leaves are beautiful, but there's even more fall color to love.

    Bet your autumn dollar

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024


    Fall in love with autumn leaves as they change color.

    May the forced bulbs be with you

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024


    All the advice you need for planning and planting spring blooming bulbs.

    'Tis the season for freezing

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024


    Time to prepare, frost is near.

    Iowa's fields of green are turning gold

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024


    Fall is drawing near, but there's still yardwork to do.

    Advice for hard-core apple lovers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024


    Pumpkin spice may be all over the place right now, but one of the best flavors of fall in Iowa is a crisp, sweet, locally grown apple.

    BONUS: Don't fear the Ghost Plant

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 4:17


    It's a flower? It's a fungus? It's a non-photosynthetic native plant!

    Plentiful perennials

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024


    Iowa's native prairies are in full bloom.

    Unwelcome beehavior

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024


    This time of year, bees are frequent, uninvited guests to your outdoor activities.

    BONUS: Pondering our pollinators

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 17:31


    Some Iowans have noticed a reduction of pollinators in their neighborhoods and gardens this summer, as the state has experienced severe weather this season.

    How to dill with excess herbs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024


    Experts share how they dry and preserve the spoils of their herb garden.

    Shrub going up on a Tuesday

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024


    Experts discuss how to care for summer blooming shrubs — hydrangea, button bush and so many others

    Friend or foe? Predator or prey?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024


    Within a healthy ecosystem nature creates a balance between predator and prey, resources and consumers.

    Practice what you peach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024


    The best stone fruits for your region and how to care for them

    Leaf your root worries behind

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024


    How to avoid stem girdling roots

    Cease the disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024


    Long, warm days with plenty of moisture and sunshine are ideal for plant growth, but they are also ideal for the growth of various plant diseases.

    Sweet corn is an a-maize-ing summer crop

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024


    One of the greatest pleasures for an Iowa summer is fresh, locally-grown sweet corn.

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