Your Greenhouse Home - the Podcast

Jessie and the Crew at Tonkadale Greenhouse

A podcast dedicated to connecting everyone to beautiful spaces by providing plant inspired experiences.

Episodes

  1. 04/27/2023

    Podcast Episode 8: Talking Soils Mixes with Sol Soils

    This week on the Podcast, Jessie talks with Travis and John, founders of Sol Soils, a premium potting mix company selling hard to find soil components, soil toppers, and soil mixes for all types of plants. They hand-mix their soils with the best ingredients to produce fast-draining, gritty mixes. We love that their focus on "gritty" mixes which are coarse growing mediums made up largely of inorganic materials that more closely mimic the natural environment that many popular plants like aroids, tropicals, cacti, succulents, or orchids come from. There are a number of benefits to a chunky mix that make it superior to any standard "specialty" tropical, cactus, or succulent soil you'll find in big-box, or even high-end plant shops. The extra aeration allows the roots ample room to breathe (Oxygen in + CO2 out) and avoid shrinking, caking, and compaction. Quick draining means water is able to freely penetrate the soil to get to the plant's roots and drain excess right out the bottom of the container, avoiding the dreaded "wet feet" that leads to root rot. The mix still stores water well, but allows for the substrate to breathe and dry in a more consistent manner and the moisture it does hold is in the components around the roots instead of trapping and suffocating the roots themselves like a peat base often does. These types of soil options do not need more frequent watering since they capture moisture and hang onto it for the plant to draw from over time. Shop Sol Soils here!

    30 min
  2. 03/30/2023

    Podcast Episode 7: Bee Lawns, Planting for Pollinators, and Conservation Friendly Lawns

    This week on the Podcast, Jessie talks with James Wolfin, an entomologist and conservation specialist with Twin Cities Seed Company. He and a team of educators created a seed mixture specifically for the benefit of bees. He is on a mission to replace traditional turfgrass with more sustainable options including native blends and water-wise turf-grass options. In this episode, Jessie and James discuss the benefits of bee lawns, planting for pollinators, and waterwise lawns. They also highlight a new seed mix specifically selected to provide food and habitat for our at-risk native bees and pollinators. Towards the end of the episode, learn how you can BEE the change by participating in the Lawns to Legumes program - pilot program offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding (individual support grants) for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns. About Our Guest: James Wolfin is a Conservation Specialist with Twin Cities Seed Company where he aims to bring more visibility to bee lawns and other eco-friendly options for the lawn and garden to residents and land managers. Before his time with Twin City Seed, James was the Director of Education with Metro Blooms, a Minneapolis based nonprofit that aims to bring green infrastructure and native plants to our landscapes. James completed his MS in Entomology at the University of Minnesota where he was advised by Dr. Marla Spivak (UMN Bee Lab) and Dr. Eric Watkins (UMN turfgrass science lab) where he studied bee lawns – turfgrass lawns enhanced with pollinator-friendly flowers.

    46 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

A podcast dedicated to connecting everyone to beautiful spaces by providing plant inspired experiences.