Vermont Garden Journal

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The Vermont Garden Journal is a weekly program hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi. Each week, Nardozzi will focus on a topic that's relevant to both new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests and more.

Tim Johnson


    • Jun 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 4m AVG DURATION
    • 298 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Vermont Garden Journal

    Anybody want a peanut? Grow this warm-season crop here with the right technique

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 4:40


    Certain peanut varieties can grow and thrive in our clime, provided you find just the right spot.

    Keep it, compost it or cut it? Some answers to common gardening conundrums

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 5:17


    From pepper plants with pests to hydrangeas that are slow to bloom, you might wonder whether you should keep or toss your plant and start over.

    Garden question lightning round: Charlie's tips for lumpy lawns, raised bed soil and more

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 5:18


    The All Things Gardening inbox is full of listeners' spring gardening conundrums! Charlie aims to answer a few.

    Have some wet spots in your yard but want to plant flowers? Try Iris ensata

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 5:03


    Try this hardy iris that blooms a bit later in the season and provides color and movement to your gardens and landscape.

    Weeding 101: Remove some in the sun and some after rain

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 5:15


    Pick annual weeds after a rain and pluck perennial ones when the weather is sunny and dry.

    Add annuals with colorful foliage to your window boxes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 4:30


    When you're putting together window boxes, choose some annual flowers that have colorful foliage. Certain coleus varieties can add bright colors and thrive in full sun. Others, like caladiums, grow well in shady areas.

    When the peepers peep, it's time to plant peas

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 5:02


    The natural world is full of signals that the soil is warming. And when it warms enough, that means it's time to plant peas. Try planting English podded, sugar snap and snow peas this spring.

    Grow native shrubs like nannyberry and dogwood to feed birds, wildlife

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 5:02


    From aronias to winterberries, plant native shrubs to feed birds and attract wildlife.

    Cultivated wild greens are less bitter and easy to grow

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 5:02


    This spring, plant cultivated varieties of some wild greens. Lambsquarters and amaranth grow easily, look attractive in your garden, and taste mild and earthy.

    Some hydrangeas need pruning now. Here's how

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 5:00


    If you have hydrangea bushes in your landscape that flower in late summer or early fall, now is the time to cut them back so they'll produce their best blooms.

    How to nourish and protect crocus, daffodil and tulip bulbs as they begin to emerge

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 5:00


    It's spring, and bulbs will flower soon. Nourish and protect them now with simple techniques.

    Choose seeds now for tomatoes that last in storage 6 months after harvest

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 4:59


    Certain types of tomatoes can be harvested and stored for months. Search your local garden center for these seeds and some other unique tomato plants this spring.

    Grow tropical flowering vines as annuals this spring

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 4:59


    It's springtime in some southern locales, where many vibrant flowering vines are in full bloom. New England can get in on the action by growing the annual varieties of these vines this spring and summer. Try the black-eyed Susan vine, mandevilla and more.

    Take in an indoor garden and flower show this winter for ideas and inspiration

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 4:59


    Just like the dormant bulbs underneath the snow, your garden senses are awakening! Take in a local garden and flower show to get inspired and excited for spring planting.

    A vibrant, flowering houseplant to brighten winter's dark days

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 5:00


    The clivia, a Zululand bloom with dark green foliage, was named after a British duchess who brought the plant from its native South Africa to cultivate it in her greenhouse.

    Bring spring indoors by forcing branches to flower early

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 4:07


    Cut flowers are a great way to bring some cheer indoors when it's gloomy outside. This year, try something new that will bloom right up until spring.

    Start leek seeds indoors, check overwintering tubers and be ready for spring

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 5:00


    Things are slowly unfolding in the garden underneath the snow and ice. And the list of garden chores is getting longer. Begin some winter garden tasks now.

    Dramatic dahlias and sweet nasturtiums named some of 2025's winning plants

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 4:59


    Bold, contrasting petals and leaves make these award-winning houseplants stand out.

    Find a pal who can propagate houseplants and fill your home with free greenery

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 5:00


    Want to fill your home with plants but can't afford to just now? You needn't be green with envy; just enlist a friend with houseplants and ask them to propagate some for you.

    Harvest endless vegetables by planting perennial onions, greens and more

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 5:00


    With some patience and planning, you can have a source of various vegetables year after year with just one planting.

    Not your grandma's Tradescantia: Some old-timey houseplants get a facelift

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 4:59


    Philodendron, rubber plants and spiderwort have been popular houseplants for decades. Now, growers are introducing new varieties and colors to liven your environs. Propagate some to grow outdoors in containers this summer, too.

    Go through garden seed packets this month to prep for spring planting

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 5:00


    The time for planting seeds in the soil is months away. Still, this is a great time to evaluate your half-used and opened garden seed packets to check if they are still viable for spring planting.

    Keep it or compost it? What to do with gifted holiday plants

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 5:00


    If you receive a plant as a gift this month, you might be able to nurture it for generations to come. Or you might just have to add it to your compost pile once the flowers fade. Learn which plants can thrive for years and which ones you should toss.

    Hand pruners: The gift you didn't know you needed to give

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 5:00


    Want to give your favorite gardener a gift that will last a lifetime? Try a hand pruner! This is an essential tool for multiple things in the garden or yard.

    pruners
    For holiday decorations, think outside the balsam box

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 5:00


    Balsam fir trees are a traditional choice for holiday decorations. Other types and sizes can look festive, too, like spruce, pine and boxwood.

    Grow kumquats, limes, oranges and lemons indoors this winter — and outdoors in spring

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 5:00


    Choose the correct container and citrus variety, and you could have a mini indoor orangerie this winter.

    Leave dead trees and grow native berries in your yard to create a winter sanctuary for birds

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 5:00


    Treat the birds this winter to seed and suet, as well as dead trees, native berries and wood piles.

    Not just for the holidays: Enjoy rutabagas and turnips on your plate all year round

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 4:59


    Turnips and rutabagas are a common part of traditional American holiday feasts. They are often overlooked at other times of the year. Try planting sweeter varieties of these brassicas and enjoying them cooked or raw year-round.

    Storing soil, cleaning tomato cages and protecting hydrangeas to prep for winter

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 5:00


    Charlie Nardozzi answers gardeners' questions and gives advice on how to get their gardens and tools ready for overwintering and storage.

    Want to get into the holiday spirit? Start by planting some cactuses

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 4:51


    There are several different kinds of holiday cactuses: There's a Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus and an Easter cactus. Holiday cactuses earn their names because they tend to bloom near Christian holidays.

    Layer flowering bulbs in containers for spring blooms indoors

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 5:00


    You can plant crocus, daffodils and tulips outdoors now, as the soil is cool enough for them to overwinter and bloom next spring. And you can also plant bulbs in containers indoors. Use a layering technique and they will blossom for a month.

    2 inches down and 6 inches apart: Get those garlic cloves planted now

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 5:06


    Love to use garlic in cooking? Consider planting your own. You can choose garlic types based on your taste. Then, as long as you've got composted and well-drained soil, you should get a good garlic harvest next summer.

    Like late bloomers? Try hardy Montauk daisies

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 5:00


    Sometimes blooming up until — and even after — the first frost, flowers like Montauk daisies and stokesia provide a last gasp of late fall color.

    Daffodils didn't deliver? Plant spring flowering onion bulbs this month

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 5:07


    If your daffodils and other flowering bulbs didn't grow well this past spring, try planting flowering onions. They are beautiful and fairly trouble-free. Purchase a few when you're getting other spring flowering bulbs ready to plant later this month.

    Growing a tropical-tasting fruit in your Vermont backyard

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 5:05


    Paw paw trees grow in our region and produce lots of sweet fruits in late summer and early fall. The fruit's insides are soft and custard-like, and the taste can range from banana to mango to vanilla.

    Getting that look of spring flowering bulbs popping up everywhere takes planning. Here's how

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 4:40


    If you love seeing spring flowers popping up under trees, across your lawn or in your meadow, start planning how to get that look now. Soon, you can go purchase your favorite bulbs and get them in the ground.

    planning popping bulbs spring flowering
    More late summer tasks to get your gardens ready for overwintering

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 4:51


    If your peony plants didn't bloom as much this year, perhaps they're getting too much shade. As you prep your gardens for fall and winter, separating and moving your peonies could help them bloom better next year.

    Ensure beneficial pollinators have a cozy winter home with these fall garden cleanup tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 4:59


    This fall as you clean up your garden and raised beds, remove less leaf litter, stems and other garden debris. Leaving these in place can create places for beneficial pollinators to overwinter.

    Perennials that birds and bees love and that deer and woodchucks don't

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 4:45


    Helenium and boltonia are perennials that grow well in our region. Both come in a range of colors and boast great attributes: pollinators love them, and deer and woodchucks don't.

    One key to knowing when to harvest apples is in the seeds

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 4:56


    Apples, pears and Asian pears are almost ready to pick. Charlie Nardozzi reviews how and when to harvest to ensure the best-tasting fruits.

    A rose by any other name may be Sharon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 5:00


    Related to the hardy hibiscus and known for its large blossoms, the Rose of Sharon grows well in full sun and well-drained soil. Add it to your garden or landscape for a tall shrub that brings great color this time of year.

    Hungry caterpillars defoliating plants and trees? Could be sawflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2024 4:57


    The larva of the sawfly is a small (and hungry!) caterpillar. They tend to eat in groups and can eat all the needles off a pine. Plus, their voracious appetites can create "window-pane”-like damage to the leaves of many plants and vegetables.

    Gardening questions: too many sumacs, hungry grasshoppers and tomato-eating birds

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 4:59


    Brown beetles landing in your hair when you try to enjoy an evening on your porch? Crows taking just one bite from your ripe tomatoes on the vine? Charlie Nardozzi offers guidance on these questions and more issues that are bugging local home gardeners this summer.

    Plant some dramatic blooms that are easy to grow and return each year

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024 4:47


    With blossoms that reach 6 to 8 inches in diameter and come in a rainbow of bright colors, hardy hibiscus are a perennial shrub to add to your landscape.

    Charlie Nardozzi answers gardening questions on June bugs, slugs and 'green mulch'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024 5:00


    Many gardens are thriving, despite some fits and starts with lots more rain and humidity. Still, people have gardening questions! Charlie Nardozzi aims to answer quite a few.

    Create a mini meadow in your yard with ornamental grasses and hardy wildflowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024 5:02


    Hardy ornamental grasses that grow in Midwestern prairies and meadows can also do well in Vermont.

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