- wöchentlichErscheinungsrhythmus
- 29 mintypische Länge
- 6. Dez. 2024letzte Folge
A podcast about organic gardening using the soil food web
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How plants survive winter
This week, Jeff and Jonathan discuss caring for amaryllis flowers, focusing on the importance of feeding them phosphorus-rich nutrients like bone meal. Jeff then shares fascinating new research explaining how shrubs and trees survive winter
The science of thermogenesis
This week, Jeff and Jonathan kick off their weekly conversation by exploring "forcing the bulb"—a technique that tricks bulbs into blooming early by mimicking the natural temperature cycles of fall, winter, and spring. They explore various
Winter lawns
Jeff revisits his disdain for poinsettias while introducing some great winter alternatives: holiday cacti. He breaks down various cacti for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, highlighting how shortening days and cool nights trigger their
Tis the season (for gardening)
Jeff is back from his tour of Iceland, Scotland, and England—just in time for snow in Alaska! Speaking of snow, the guys discuss how it isn't necessarily bad for gardens. Known as "poor man's fertilizer," snow acts as an insulator, adds nit
The neophyte gardener
This week, Jeff is traveling the world, spreading the message of the soil food web. Meanwhile, Jonathan chats with Evan (the show producer) about his gardening goals, including growing garlic. After the break, Evan interviews Jonathan about
Fall gardening tips
This week, Jeff and Jonathan are discussing fall lawn care. Should you rake your leaves or mulch them? This year, Jeff isn't doing anything as he'll be traveling. He'll make sure to report back next summer on how things worked out. After th
Science and poinsettias
This week, Jeff is teaming with science, sharing some exciting new studies about the effect of white noise on fungi. After the break, the guys discuss recent research on endosymbiosis—the biological relationship where one organism (the endo
Understanding how frost affects your garden
In this episode, Jeff and Jonathan talk about frost and how it affects gardening. They explain the difference between "hard frost" and "soft frost" (or "light frost"), and how these different types of frost impact plants. They also compare
All about garlic
This week, Jeff and Jonathan are talking about mosquitoes, focusing on their surprising scarcity in Alaska. They explore the declining mosquito population in the region, attributing it to warming temperatures. The conversation then shifts t
Cluster flies in the garden
Jeff recounts his favorite gardening column of all time, where he wrote about the intricate relationship between cluster flies and the soil food web. After the break, the guys debunk some common myths about planting bulbs in the fall. Addit
Springtails and the soil food web
Last week the guys talked about applying organics to the garden to nurture the soil food web. This week, they talk about another contributor to healthy soil: Springtails! Springtails are very small insects that break down organics by ingest
Soil testing for healthier gardens
As the weather transitions from summer to fall, it's time to consider how this change affects your garden. Jeff encourages listeners to apply organic matter to their gardens now to prepare for next year's crops. He also suggests that this i
Building healthy soil structure
This week, Jeff and Jonathan are discussing healthy soil structure—particularly the role of worms. As the true engineers of the soil food web, worms bring organic matter from the surface down into the soil. This action creates burrows that
Embrace the fungus
As rain pelts Southcentral Alaska, mushrooms (and wood frogs) are popping up everywhere. Jeff and Jonathan point out that mushrooms in lawns or meadows are usually a positive sign, indicating thriving soil microbiology. In fact, fungal acti
Gardening in the rain
Record rainfall has hit Southcentral Alaska. However, as the guys discuss this week, gardens can still thrive despite the wet conditions. The team acknowledges that Alaskans are experts at gardening in wet soil. Jonathan points out that rai
All about hydrangeas
This week, the guys discuss the fascinating world of hydrangeas. Jeff mentions that these vibrant flowers are the top-selling plant in garden centers across the U.S. because they are both gorgeous and easy to maintain. He notes that their p
Into the meadowverse
This week, Jeff and Jonathan talk about all things lawns! But first, Jeff shares his thoughts on the benefits of going digital, including his weekly column at ADN. Next, they dive into lawn care. Jeff advocates for getting creative with mow
Harvest season
This week, the guys share plenty of tips on getting the most out of your garden, especially on how to harvest your plants and vegetables efficiently. In Alaska, things grow quickly, particularly cole crops like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, a
Edible in Alaska
The guys are talking about all the rain happening in Southcentral Alaska recently, and Jonathan asks: Is too much rain bad for your garden? It turns out this is a nuanced question. For example, if your outdoor soil food web garden is health
Cottonwood conundrum
This week, Jeff and Jonathan are dealing with the vast amounts of cottonwood seeds flying around Southcentral Alaska. Jonathan highlights how the seeds trigger allergies, while Jeff shares some science facts. For example, did you know a cot
Secrets to thriving lilacs
This week, the guys are talking all about lilacs. In Alaska, there is a short window when lilacs are in full bloom (about 6 weeks), so it’s important to care for them properly to keep them healthy year after year. Fun fact: Jeff’s grandfath
All about chickweed
Jonathan reveals his fondness for chickweed, while Jeff expresses his dislike for this rapidly growing weed. However, they both agree on chickweed's resilient nature and its ability to spread. Digging a bit deeper, Jeff introduces the plant
The hidden power of dandelions
Jonathan is bummed out that the dandelions are turning white. However, Jeff reminds him that each flower has about 300 seeds (making it a powerful spreader). This kicks off a discussion about the hidden powers of dandelions. For example, di
Strategies for planting beans and peas
In this week's episode, Jeff and Jonathan dive into strategies for planting and caring for different types of beans and peas. Jeff begins by discussing the history of sweet peas, emphasizing their delightful fragrance, vibrant colors, and e
Mastering the introduction of native plants to your garden
This week, Jeff and Jonathan celebrate the bountiful dandelions flourishing in Southcentral Alaska, prompting an important question: where do they originate? They discuss how attitudes towards dandelions have evolved over the years and expl
Tips for early season lawn care
This week, Jeff and Jonathan dive into essential tips for early season lawn care. Fresh off a weekend of 26 hours of yard work, Jonathan shares his experience aerating his entire lawn and testing the soil. Jeff emphasizes the importance of
Jeff’s gardening hacks
This week, the team eagerly digs into early season gardening. To start, Jeff discusses hardening off your plants in his Anchorage Daily News column (https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/gardening/2024/05/23/horticultural-hacks-to-get-your-garden
Flawn seed kits with Anthony Nied
Jonathan needs assistance in regenerating a part of his lawn that was damaged last year. To aid him, the team brings in Anthony Nied, owner and operator of Flawn Seed Kits. This company focuses on creating lawns and meadows that require les
Tomato Myths
This week, the team celebrates the upcoming gardening season in Alaska. However, this also means an increase in misinformation online, particularly about tomatoes! Jeff and Jonathan sift through the most misleading myths to set the record s
Finding you soil’s sweet spot
This week, the guys start the episode with a listener's question: When should you start working in the garden? In Southcentral Alaska, Jeff notes that gardening begins when birch leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear. That said, It's cruc
