In this episode C.L. and Ellen celebrate plants in summer. They begin by suggesting ways you can add color, flavor and fragrance to your beverages and food with flowers, foliage and herbs from your own backyard. Next we consider flowers that are wilted or dead and offer suggestions for why these should be taken out of the garden. (Deadheading: why, how, and “Do I have to?”)

In the main segment we consider how plants are watered. Sprinklers? Soaker hoses? Drip irrigation? Hand-watering from a hose? And as often happens, Ellen and C.L. may not agree…

We end by talking about adding plant experiences into your trips and vacations, and offer two tips for our garden/plant destinations of choice.

Is there a way to repel insects from your outdoor office? Ellen has a short answer for this question…and we discuss the down-and-dirty truth. We also sing the praises of sending houseplants to summer camp and help you sort out problems you might be having with your tomato plants. Ellen offers Insider Information about getting started with foraging, and the program ends with a question from a listener about plants that attract flies.

In this episode Ellen and C.L. begin by discussing summer squash, aka zucchini. We mention the use of organic fungicides for controlling powdery mildew, and the variety Zephyr for continued production even after the plant has mildew. Next, we discuss the ways to get an accurate identification of a plant. In our “Eat, Drink, Grow” segment we talk about growing blueberries and blackberries, and our “Insider Information” section discusses an article from Garden Design Magazine. We finish off the program by answering an email about daylily maintenance.

Ellen and C.L. both love arugula, and C.L. talks about how easy it is to grow from seed. But Ellen prefers to forage for her greens, so in this episode it’s Arugula vs. Garlic Mustard! For the plant noob we offer information about the type of plants you’ll find in the landscape, and begin our series about Your Outdoor Office. Finally, we are inspired by the article about peach recipes in the summer issue of Better Homes and Gardens, and offer some insider information about growing your own delicious fruit. An email about “blooming on old wood” finishes up this episode.

Ellen and C.L. start celebrating the planting season by talking about herbs in containers. Next they answer the question, “What the heck are hardiness zones?” In the main part of the podcast the topic is planting. Does your planting have to be done by a certain date? Do you really have to add peat moss to a planting hole? And what about removing that burlap or wire basket? All of these planting questions are answered, followed by a Sunflower Story and an email from a listener. It’s planting season…let’s play in the dirt!

In this episode we disagree about how to pronounce “Plantrama” which leads to a discussion about the pronunciation of plant names. We also talk about successfully growing herbs by the kitchen window, and answer a listener’s emailed question.

In this episode we talk about two lovely self-seeding annuals, being worried that a plant problem will spread, and growing random acts of kindness.

In this episode C.L. gives a tip for growing strong seedlings under lights, we talk about dealing with weeds in the yard (spoiler alert: Ellen wants you to eat them!) and we share some of our favorite “What’s for dinner?” plants.

In this episode we talk about two of our favorite plants for fragrance, rant a bit about the practice of putting rocks and shards in the bottom of pots, and discuss the pros and cons of heirloom plants.

What’s for dinner? In the fall, the answer might be mushrooms and eggplant. We begin by talking about growing and cooking eggplants and foraging for mushrooms. Next we talk about aphids on plants and then move on to discussing planting for privacy.