Good Growing

University of Illinois Extension
  • 4.7 (22)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

The Good Growing Podcast from University of Illinois Extension helps gardeners grow with confidence. Each episode features research-based advice, practical gardening tips, and engaging conversations on plants, landscapes, ecology, and seasonal garden challenges. Whether you're a beginner gardener or a seasoned plant enthusiast, Good Growing offers timely information to help you create healthier, more successful gardens and landscapes.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep. 265 Insects in the fall and what we can do to help them | #GoodGrowing

    As summer gives way to fall, insects are busy preparing for winter in a variety of ways. Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we explore which insects migrate, which stay put, and how they survive the cold months ahead. Plus, learn what gardeners can do this fall, from leaving leaves to delaying cleanup, to help support beneficial insects in the landscape.   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zDhAISO3wlA Skip to what you want to know:     03:24 – What insects are we seeing more of in fall?   11:35 – How do insects survive the winter months?   24:27 – Creating overwinter habitat for insects   37:16 – Fall landscape clean-up with insects in mind   44:28 – Should we clean up vegetable gardens?   47:08 – Insects coming indoors in the fall   53:44 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!     Insects on the move – dragonfly migration Migratory Insects of North America How do insects survive cold weather? Removing autumn leaves in residential yards reduces the spring emergence of overwintering insects Evolutionary impacts of winter climate change on insects     Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu   Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe   Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.     Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk   -- You can find us on most podcast platforms.   iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377      Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR     Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/     Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/     Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902     Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 265 Insects in the fall and what we can do to help them | #GoodGrowing

  2. Sep 4

    Ep. 264 Goldenrod for every garden | #GoodGrowing

    As autumn approaches, one of the standout flowers that is beginning to bloom is goldenrod. Dozens of species are native to the Midwest, and more than 100 species can be found throughout the United States. To help us sift through which species is suited for which landscape, the Good Growing team reviews two recently published goldenrod trials, one from the Chicago Botanic Garden and one from Mt. Cuba Center, and discusses the results. Join Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson, and Emily Swihart to learn more about this late-season stunner.   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NzDJxNoGxRk     Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu     Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe   Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.     Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk   -- You can find us on most podcast platforms.   iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377      Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR     Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/     Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/     Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902     Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 264 Goldenrod for every garden | #GoodGrowing

  3. Aug 28

    Ep. 263 It's Not a Disease! Common Tomato Fruit Problems You Can't Spray Away | #GoodGrowing

    Tomatoes may be the most popular garden crop, but they can also be the most frustrating. If your tomatoes are cracking, developing black spots on the bottom, refusing to ripen, or showing strange yellow shoulders, you're not alone. In this episode, Chris and Ken dig into the most common tomato fruit disorders caused by weather, watering, heat, and nutrient imbalances. We also discuss late-season tomato care, including topping plants, ripening green tomatoes indoors, and cleaning up the garden to reduce problems next year.  Skip to what you want to know:00:42 Hey Ken! Where are we making our tomato problem observations this year?  04:09 Ken has tomato fruitworm (corn earworm), and he's proud of it.  05:33 What's a psychological disorder?  08:06 Tomato fruit cracking  11:45 Tomato yellow shoulder  13:27 White core of tomatoes  16:00 Blossom-end rot  21:00 Tomatoes are not ripening, or there are no tomatoes even though there are flowers  29:50 Late-season tomato maintenance  30:14 Topping tomatoes  33:22 Tomato plant full of green tomatoes with a frost imminent  35:17 Cleaning up the tomatoes from the garden at the end of the season Troubles with Tomatoes https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-05-01-troubles-tomatoes Stalled Green Tomatoes: Why won’t they turn red? https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2025-08-29-stalled-green-tomatoes-why-wont-they-turn-red Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu  Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies. Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk  --You can find us on most podcast platforms.  iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377     Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR    Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/    Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/    Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902    Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 263 It's Not a Disease! Common Tomato Fruit Problems You Can't Spray Away | #GoodGrowing

  4. Aug 21

    Ep. 262 Growing orchids at home: Easier than you think | #GoodGrowing

    Orchids have a reputation for being difficult to grow, but they may be easier than you think! Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast, where we are joined by horticulture educator and longtime orchid enthusiast Jack Schooley. Learn about common orchid myths, good orchids for beginners, watering and light requirements, getting orchids to rebloom, and troubleshooting common problems. Plus, discover whether watering orchids with ice cubes is a good idea and how there really is an orchid for everyone!   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SSO87aYwcJo    Skip to what you want to know:     01:56 – Welcome Jack! Tell us a little about your background. How did you get into growing orchids?   05:34 – Orchids have a reputation for being difficult to grow. Is that true? What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about orchids?    10:19 – For someone buying their first orchid, what type(s) would you recommend?   12:42 – What should people look for when purchasing an orchid?    15:53 – Do we grow orchids like regular houseplants? What makes orchids different from other houseplants?   21:34 – Watering orchids, should we use ice cubes?   24:07 – Humidity   27:57 – Where should we locate orchids indoors?    30:39 – Repotting orchids. What kind of pot should be used (do they need to be clear)? When do you know when to repot?   34:57 – How do we get orchids to rebloom?   43:15 – Common orchid problems   50:59 – What is the most common reason orchids fail to thrive long-term?   52:32 – Top three orchid growing tips    56:29 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!     Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu Jack Schooley: jackrs@illinois.edu     Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe   Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.     Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk   -- You can find us on most podcast platforms.   iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377      Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR     Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/     Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/     Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902     Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 262 Growing orchids at home: Easier than you think | #GoodGrowing

  5. Aug 14

    Ep. 261 Horticultural rules of thumb | #GoodGrowing

    This week’s Good Growing Podcast explores some common horticultural “rules of thumb” that might make garden and landscape care easier and more successful. Learn about the origins, benefits, and limitations of common guidelines. Many of the guides we discuss are frequently used on the Good Growing Podcast or in Extension programs, so if you have ever scratched your head after hearing an odd phrase from one of Illinois Extension’s Horticulture Educators, listen, and we will help you decipher some of our favorite “rules of thumb”.   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1Wap-lCNC-4     Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu     Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe   Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.     Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk   -- You can find us on most podcast platforms.   iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377      Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR     Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/     Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/     Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902     Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 261 Horticultural rules of thumb | #GoodGrowing

  6. Aug 7

    Ep. 260 Managing Stormwater with Rain Gardens | #GoodGrowing

    Rain gardens are one of the most effective tools homeowners can use to manage stormwater, reduce runoff, and add beauty to the landscape. In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris, Emily, and Ken explore how rain gardens work, why they matter, and how they can help keep excess water out of storm sewers and local waterways. Plus, hear about upcoming rain garden educational programs and community installation projects happening across Illinois Extension. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k3_SuHDWQ18 Skip to what you want to know: 02:17 Topic of the day: Rain gardens. Why are they important?06:02 Describing the urban stormwater system10:05 Other stormwater management tools besides rain gardens13:53 What is a rain garden? The difference between detention and retention15:29 Where should and shouldn't rain gardens be in a home landscape?16:13 Defining a rain garden: it's a depression in the ground! Yay, we said what it was finally!25:17 Sizing your rain garden36:42 Rain Garden installation tips51:34 Planting design for a rain garden58:34 Illinois Groundwork link1:01:48 Rain garden maintenance1:02:35 Mosquitoes and rain gardens1:04:54 Thank yous and coming up next week! Register for our Rainscaping Classes https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2026-09-21-rainscaping Illinois Ground Work Plant Finder Tool https://illinoisgroundwork.org/resources/plant-finder/ Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu  Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies. Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk  --You can find us on most podcast platforms.  iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377     Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR    Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/    Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/    Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902    Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 260 Managing Stormwater with Rain Gardens | #GoodGrowing

  7. Jul 31

    Ep. 259 Summertime garden Q&A | #GoodGrowing

    Summer is in full swing, and with the heat comes plenty of garden and lawn questions! Join us as we tackle some of the most common summertime issues, including crabgrass taking over lawns, brown patches of turf, cracked tomatoes, swarms of beetles, and more!   Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/x-5ENejfrTE   Skip to what you want to know:     01:10 – What to do about crabgrass in lawns?    06:33 – Lawn is dying, what do I do?     10:00 – What is tearing apart my sassafras tree?    13:40 – Why are my tomatoes cracking?   17:04 – Why are hot peppers hot? Why did they evolve to be hot?   16:18 – Green June Beetle ruined the park concert...   24:28 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!     Contact us!  Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu     Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe   Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.     Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk   -- You can find us on most podcast platforms.   iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377      Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR     Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/     Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/     Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902     Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Ep. 259 Summertime garden Q&A | #GoodGrowing

  8. Jul 24 ·  Bonus

    Gardenbite: Color Theory in the Garden | #GoodGrowing

    Take your landscape from random to remarkable. In this Gardenbite episode, Illinois Extension horticulture educator Emily Swihart explores how color theory can help you create a more cohesive, attractive, and intentional garden. Learn the difference between analogous color schemes that create calm, harmonious plantings and complementary color combinations that deliver bold contrast and visual impact. From choosing a favorite plant as your design anchor to selecting flowers and foliage that work together, Emily shares practical tips for using color with confidence. Whether you're planning a new garden bed or refreshing an existing landscape, this episode will help you stop guessing and start designing with purpose. Topics covered: What analogous and complementary color schemes areHow to use the color wheel to guide plant selectionsWays to create a cohesive garden designTips for balancing bold color combinationsHow foliage color and plant texture enhance your landscapeA simple step-by-step approach to designing with color Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu  Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies. Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk  --You can find us on most podcast platforms.  iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377     Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR    Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/    Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/    Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902    Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

    Gardenbite: Color Theory in the Garden | #GoodGrowing
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4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

The Good Growing Podcast from University of Illinois Extension helps gardeners grow with confidence. Each episode features research-based advice, practical gardening tips, and engaging conversations on plants, landscapes, ecology, and seasonal garden challenges. Whether you're a beginner gardener or a seasoned plant enthusiast, Good Growing offers timely information to help you create healthier, more successful gardens and landscapes.

Information

  • Creator
    University of Illinois Extension
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    337
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Good Growing