The Growing Season

Matt McFarland
  • 5.0 (3)
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The lighter side of landscaping. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland, chat about horticulture served with a hearty helping of humour. With over 70 years of design and installation experience the McFarland boys dig into topics in a way you've rarely heard. Packed full of guests that represent various corners of the industry, The Growing Season is smile worthy.The Growing Season: No politics or pulpits, just plants and muddy workboots.

  1. The Growing Season, March 21, 2026 - Built To Survive

    1D AGO

    The Growing Season, March 21, 2026 - Built To Survive

    Jack McFarland is built to survive!  Jack calls in for the final time from Sunnybrook's St. John's rehab facility for final time on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt highlight the plants that can tolerate the wild swings in weather and temperature that are common at this time of the year.   There are so many that respond with "is that all you got?" whilst raging at Mother Nature.  The time of year makes the clients go squirrely and Matt has to talk them into a peaceful mindset.  Snow is an insulator.  What happens when it recedes and the temperature drops?  How do emerging plants survive this?  Mosses are able to engage in reproduction while being covered in a blanket of snow.  Snow mould and its effect on allergy sufferers.  The resin in evergreens creates a wonderful defence against cold. Speaking of evergreens, the giant coastal redwoods feature prominently on todays show.  Matt highlights a few movies you should spend some time with.  What are the "White Mountains?"  Jurupa Oaks - the oldest oak on earth.  You'd be surprised to know how long these trees can live.  The longest living flowering tree is revealed.  Its 2000 years old.  Bleeding Hearts, Hostas, Sedum, Yarrow, Echinacea and Russian Sage are built to survive.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  2. The Growing Season, March 14, 2026 - Spring Break: New Zealand

    MAR 14

    The Growing Season, March 14, 2026 - Spring Break: New Zealand

    Lets get EPIC for this year's Spring Break. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland board a plane and take off for New Zealand on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt confuses New Zealand and Australia.   Jack and Lynne correct his mistake. "The father south you go in New Zealand the cooler it is..." RIGHT.  Time to recalibrate the operating system. Humans, sheep, kiwis and The Maori all feature heavily in New Zealand. Automated sheep shearing and grape picking correlate. What are there SOOOO many sheep in New Zealand?  The North and South Island of New Zealand feature very different biomes and climates.  Maybe that's part of why it was chosen as the place to film Lord Of The Rings. What fruit trees grow in New Zealand?  You'd be surprised to know. The McFarland Query System makes its triumphant return. What is a "Dry Kiwi?" Complex flavoured New Zealand fruit is discussed. Passion fruit, kiwi, tamarillo are just some of the exotic edibles grown in New Zealand.  Are the Volcanoes in New Zealand active?  Weather ranges from sub-zero to tropical areas.  FERNS, FERNS FERNS... SOOO MANY FERNS.  Of course, Lord Of The Rings features HEAVILY in discussions on this week's episode.  New Zealand is home to lizards that give birth to live young. You read that right.  Famous movies, TV shows and more filmed in New Zealand are highlighted.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  3. The Growing Season, March 7, 2026 - Eco Builds 2026

    MAR 7

    The Growing Season, March 7, 2026 - Eco Builds 2026

    We get by with a little help from our friends. Toronto's own Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre comes in with the ultimate save this week. Jack McFarland, fresh off of a shoulder replacement surgery, joins Lynne and Matt, by phone, for this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Calling in from a patient lounge, Jack details the ins and outs of how to make a construction project more sustainable.  Jack and Matt discuss keeping the job site clean.  LIKE EXCESSIVELY CLEAN!  How do you keep a job site from getting muddy.  How do you reduce the amount of noise on a job site? Are there noise pollution regulations?  The McFarlands discuss the "circular economy" - the ability to reuse materials to save on construction waste.  Venus Fly Traps have taken over The McFarland's house. Machines falling in holes and sodding over plywood.  Tales from the job site abound.  Did Jack get a shoulder cannon installed as part of his surgery?   Matt hopes so.  Sea cans are becoming a popular choice when building structures.  Jack and Matt detail their experiences.  Matt details "Red Listed" chemicals.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  4. The Growing Season, Feb 28, 2029 - Houseplants 2026

    FEB 28

    The Growing Season, Feb 28, 2029 - Houseplants 2026

    RETREAT!   The winter has been so harsh maybe we should just accept our fate. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland retreat to the joys of interior horticulture on this week's episode of The Growing Season. Houseplants take centre stage as the snow continues to dominate our landscapes.  How to water and WHAT to water with kicks off the proceedings.  "Snow Water" vs. tap water is discussed. What basic elements does rainwater contain?  Which plant is the one that is the most susceptible to leaf drop due to winter draft? You'd be surprised to learn what water you're able to use to water your plants.  Salt's that are contained within tap water can become a problem for indoor plants.  The McFarlands discuss how to combat the issue. How much light does the average houseplant need? CROTON!!!!   OHHHH BABY! Chlorophyll and houseplants are correlated.  Spielberg's Poltergeist is discussed.  Birds and bombs and boisterous neighbours... Cast Iron Plants will grow in the darkest of areas. How many houseplants do you need to purify the air in your home. "Greenhouse air?" WHAT!?  Spider plants are great mothers. Lemon trees, lime trees, orange trees and fig trees are all able to be grown indoors with great success.  Orchids are the holy grail of houseplants.   How would one get their cacti to bloom? Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  5. The Growing Season, Feb 21, 2026 - Salt And Horticulture Pt. 2

    FEB 21

    The Growing Season, Feb 21, 2026 - Salt And Horticulture Pt. 2

    Sodium, sodium, they showed from their podium! Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland add another grain to their pile of salt with this week's Salt And Horticulture Pt. 2 on The Growing Season.  With the level of ice on walking and driving surfaces all across the GTA the trio felt it prudent to discuss salt tolerant plant materials.  Jack discusses an upcoming surgery.  He's a little nervous. Rising temperatures due to climate change causes our lake water to evaporate quicker, increasing the salt content in the soil. Sea Asparagus and Suaeda Maritime can live in places like Death Valley, one of the saltiest places on earth.  Matt rants about boxwoods and that leads to a chat about how street trees react to an over salted growing environment.  Salt Cedar leads to an episode of Strange But True. Purple Loosestrife and Hogweed join the chat.  Correlations between wildfires in Los Angeles and Australia are drawn.  How can Epsom salts diffuse salt exposure.  HYDRANGEA, HYDRANGEA, HYDRANGEA!  Also, SUMAC!   You know it.  Tiger Eyes Sumac is GORGEOUS.  Are dandelions salt tolerant?  Beebalm, horizontal Juniper, daylily, rugosa rose and many more plants are labelled 'salt tolerant.' Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  6. The Growing Season, Feb 14, 2026 - Sexy Plants 2026

    FEB 14

    The Growing Season, Feb 14, 2026 - Sexy Plants 2026

    That's an awfully nice fire ant hill you have there! Wait.  What!? Its the time of year that Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland overlay horticulture and Valentine's Day on The Growing Season.  Annually, the trio discuss the collision of the two and this year doesn't disappoint.  Roses kick the show off, naturally.  Where are roses grown commercially? You'd be surprised to learn.  Matt tells a story about this daughter going to a dance with a boy.  Its rattled him. Coyote urine makes a GREAT Valentines Day gift.  Nothing says lovin' like pee.   How do you extend the life of your cut roses.  Are any of the myths or legends true? Chocolate is plant based.  The McFarlands dive into the details.  Who was Montezuma?  Why is he related to Valentine's Day? Is the a decline in testosterone in males?   What would cause that?  The differences between males and females regarding arousal stimulus is discussed.  Saltpeter and Matt's tale of internet science figures into the Valentine's Day and intimacy.  What is saltpeter made of? POMEGRANITE SUCKS.  Stinging nettles can make you frisky.  SERIOUS.  The show ends with a chat about Sylvester Stallone's classic, Rocky.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
  7. The Growing Season, Feb 7, 2026 - Put Your Plants On 2026

    FEB 7

    The Growing Season, Feb 7, 2026 - Put Your Plants On 2026

    Put on your hydrangea and lets get out and shovel the driveway! WHAT!? Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight the intersection of textiles and horticulture on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt opens the show with a discussion on a milestone that his family has reached. Silk moths and their fondness for mulberry begins the plant content.  How is silk made?  Synthetic silk and pineapples.  Not kidding! Milkweek, dandelions, bullrush and smokebush floof can all be used for a "down-like" material to replace goose down. Life jackets in WW2 became a home economics project for young people.  Why isn't cork as popular as it once was as a flooring material? The rise and obsession with milkweed gets highlighted.  CLIENTS ARE OBSESSED WITH IT.  Herbicides and roundup have drastically effected our horticulture industry.   Underwear made out of sythentic material vs. cotton gets a laugh.  Cotton requires SOOOOO much water to grow.   LIKE AN INSANE AMOUNT.  Why isnt flax used on a large scale for textiles?   Why hasn't it replaced cotton? Sawdust and tree lignans are discussed and their effect on those using wood to heat their homes.  Its an interesting chat.  Potato leather.  Grape leather.  Apple leather.  None are the stuff of fiction.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    53 min
  8. The Growing Season, Jan 31, 2026 - Snowmageddon 2026

    JAN 31

    The Growing Season, Jan 31, 2026 - Snowmageddon 2026

    The GTA set records for snowfall! In light of the recent butt-whooping the Greater Toronto Area took in the recent, record setting, snowfall, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland decided to use their Snowmageddon bullet on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  In an annual fashion, the trio highlight the events of the storm and take the opportunity to dive into all things white and fluffy.  1999's version of a snowstorm kicks the show off.  Matt correlates where he was then with where he is now.  HINT: it's the same place.  The amounts of snow, left by the ploughs, at the end of your driveway have been NUTS.  Matt rants.  Heavy metal accompanies said rant.   Jack details ways that you can avoid the windrow at the end of your driveway.  What is a "RAGING DULLARD?"  Various sizes and shapes of snow shovels come into focus.  What's the WORST winter-weather drive you've ever experienced?   Matt details his.  Where do you put all the snow that Mother Nature has donated to the City of Toronto?  The Great Lakes aren't frozen.  Does that have an effect on snowfalls?  Snowblower questions abound.  CC vs. Horsepower is explained. A Chevelle's engine block packed with snow turns into a trip down memory lane... Heated driveways - do they work?  Insulation in your home and frigidly cold temperatures overlap with an Avro Arrow story.  Snow is a fertilizer...we kid you not.  Can there be 2 similar snowflakes or is it a myth? Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

    54 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The lighter side of landscaping. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland, chat about horticulture served with a hearty helping of humour. With over 70 years of design and installation experience the McFarland boys dig into topics in a way you've rarely heard. Packed full of guests that represent various corners of the industry, The Growing Season is smile worthy.The Growing Season: No politics or pulpits, just plants and muddy workboots.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt McFarland
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    194
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Growing Season
  • Show Website
    The Growing Season