Curious by Nature with Deep Roots

Deep Roots KC
  • 5.0 (1)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Join us for your twice-monthly journey into the wild and wonderful as we explore landscapes, native plants, people, and wildlife that depend on them.

Episodes

  1. Why Insects are the Most Interesting Neighbors You Have

    MAR 5

    Why Insects are the Most Interesting Neighbors You Have

    The Micro-World Living in Your Garden: Why Insects Are the Most Interesting Neighbors You Have Insects are essential to healthy landscapes and quietly shape our gardens in ways we rarely notice. This presentation invites you to slow down and explore the hidden micro-world living in your garden and the vital roles insects play. Join Tamra Reall, Field Specialist in Horticulture for University of Missouri Extension to learn how insects use gardens as habitat and why even small green spaces matter. We’ll look beyond pollinators to better understand the full range of insect roles that support healthy ecosystems. Along the way, you’ll discover how native plants strengthen these relationships and support a greater diversity of life. To view the video of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature Questions, comments or feedback? Contact us at hello@deeprootskc.org

    56 min
  2. Prairie Birthday Farm: An Edible Native Landscape

    FEB 19

    Prairie Birthday Farm: An Edible Native Landscape

    Growing native foods is a delicious, sustainable practice that connects us to nature. Discover the beauty and benefits an edible landscape provides at Prairie Birthday Farm in Kearney, Missouri. Meet farm steward, Linda Hezel, who transformed a degraded fescue lot into a thriving farm where science, art, and food converge. To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature  Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at hello@deeprootskc.org

    1 hr
  3. Healing Gardens with Native Plants

    FEB 9

    Healing Gardens with Native Plants

    Whether you’re designing for a school courtyard, senior living community, or your own backyard refuge, this webinar offers practical guidance for creating landscapes that restore and regenerate. Join Deep Roots and Maria Landoni, founder of SUR Landscape Architecture, as we explore how native plants create therapeutic spaces that heal both people and ecosystems. Discover design principles for healing gardens that support your wellbeing as well as that of your local fauna. To find the video recording of this episode and sign up to join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature  Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at hello@deeprootskc.org

    58 min
  4. Integrated Pest Management in the Garden

    JAN 16

    Integrated Pest Management in the Garden

    Whether its aphids, powdery mildew, or pesky weeds, the battle to protect your plants from pathogens and overwhelming populations of pests is a daunting one. In this episode of Curious by Nature, the EPA-Region 7’s Pesticide Outreach Coordinator, Sharon Dobesh, discusses sustainable Integrated Pest Management systems. Sharon covers different types of natural enemies and how to encourage species variety in our natural areas to enhance Integrated Pest Management practices. To view the video of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature Questions, comments or feedback? Contact us at hello@deeprootskc.org

    58 min
  5. Q&A with Susan Farrington - Ozark Ecology - Minisode

    12/19/2025

    Q&A with Susan Farrington - Ozark Ecology - Minisode

    This is a Curious by Nature minisode featuring the Q&A session with guest expert, Susan Farrington, Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation's Ozark Region. Live audience asks questions about best ways to support native insect and bird populations, the impact of native gardens even on a small scale, and more. If you’d like to hear the full episode on the History and Habitats of Caney Mountain Conservation Area, be sure to tune in to the December 4th, 2025 episode when you’re done here!  To view the webinar version of this episode, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature to see the show archive.

    27 min
  6. Caney Mountain Conservation Area: History and Habitats

    12/04/2025

    Caney Mountain Conservation Area: History and Habitats

    Take a virtual hike through Ozark County’s Caney Mountain Conservation Area! Join Deep Roots and Missouri Department of Conservation as they explored the habitats and history of this 7,899-acre conservation area deep in the Ozark region. From glade and woodland plant species to the historic Wild Turkey reintroduction and a glimpse into A. Starker Leopold’s cabin – this episode has it all. Stick around for the live Q&A where our live audience asks their native plant and large land management questions to our guest experts from Missouri Department of Conservation.

    53 min
  7. Q&A with Coltin Ridenour - Prescribed Fire Practices - Minisode

    11/21/2025 · BONUS

    Q&A with Coltin Ridenour - Prescribed Fire Practices - Minisode

    This is a Curious by Nature minisode featuring the Q&A session with guest expert, Coltin Ridenour of Johnson County Parks and Recreation District. If you’d like to hear the full episode on prescribed fire, be sure to tune in to the November 6th episode when you’re done here!  Fire is just one tool in the shed for land management but has been utilized by people for millennia. Join Johnson County Parks and Recreation District’s natural resource team as we learn the valuable roll prescribed burns play in large land management both during the dormant, and less often, the growing season.

    27 min
  8. Prescribed Fire Practices - Dormant and Growing Season Burns with Johnson County Parks & Recreation

    11/06/2025

    Prescribed Fire Practices - Dormant and Growing Season Burns with Johnson County Parks & Recreation

    Fire is just one tool in the shed for land management but has been utilized by people for millennia. Join the natural resource team of Johnson County Parks and Recreation District and learn the valuable roll prescribed burns play in large land management. Discussions on fire safety and practical tips for burning during the dormant season, and less often, the growing season. This is a great episode to learn ways to implement fire in your landscape. Our live audience asks their land management questions to guest expert, Matt Garrett, Natural Resource Manager for Johnson County Parks and Recreation District. Resources for this show can be obtained by contacting cydney@deeproots.org or by visiting us online at www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature

    54 min
  9. Mid-Century Modern & Tropical Gardening Aesthetics with Midwest Native Plants

    10/17/2025

    Mid-Century Modern & Tropical Gardening Aesthetics with Midwest Native Plants

    When it comes down to it, cultivated spaces are determined by your gardening goals. Join artist and self-proclaimed “native plant nerd”, Cydney Ross as she explores unique gardening aesthetics using Midwestern native plants! From “Mid-Century Modern” to “Tropical” see a dazzling array of native plant palettes to consider for your home gardens. This light-hearted presentation is a creative way to determine your gardening goals and learn more about midwestern native plants. Our virtual audience also asks Cydney their native gardening questions during the live Q&A portion of the show.Join us for our live webinar series each 1st and 3rd Thursdays! Register online www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature

    1h 1m
  10. Native Gardening with Pop-Culture Aesthetics (Goth & Cottagecore) with Cydney Ross

    10/03/2025

    Native Gardening with Pop-Culture Aesthetics (Goth & Cottagecore) with Cydney Ross

    When it comes down to it, cultivated spaces are determined by your gardening goals. Whether you're planting to reduce the size of your lawn, support wildlife, or perhaps for aesthetic reasons - there's a native plant for that! In this educational episode, artist and self-proclaimed “native plant nerd”, Cydney Ross explores unique plant palettes for the home garden. In part one, they explore native plants that fit the “Cottagecore” to “Goth” aesthetics. This light-hearted yet informative presentation is a creative way to learn about Midwestern native plants and determine your gardening goals.

    54 min
  11. Q&A with Maggie Riggs - Urban Rooftop Gardens

    09/19/2025

    Q&A with Maggie Riggs - Urban Rooftop Gardens

    Join Curious by Nature with Deep Roots as we interview Maggie Riggs of Off the Grid Landscaping. She is the founder of the 20-year old native rooftop garden on the historic TWA building in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City, Missouri. Maggie talks about the history of this garden, growing natives with food, and why native plants are awesome. This episode is in conjunction with our previous episode with local botanist and horticulturalist, Gavin Schaefer. Tune in to that episode to learn more about the native rooftop garden. Join us live for our semi-monthly nature series each 1st and 3rd Thursday where you can ask the experts your native gardening questions! Learn more at www.deeproots.org

    29 min
  12. Native Rooftop Gardens: Acrobatic Ants and Urban Rewilding

    09/04/2025

    Native Rooftop Gardens: Acrobatic Ants and Urban Rewilding

    This month Deep Roots returns to the TWA rooftop native garden with rising botanist Gavin Schaefer. What do aphid farming ants have to do with urban landscaping? A TON! See green infrastructure supporting wildlife in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City and learn how native plantings combat climate change. Guest expert, Gavin Schaefer answers questions from the audience and delves into philosophies of why what you plant matters. Discover how planting native in urban areas create beauty and healthy landscapes – no matter the footprint of the garden! See all the beauty native plants provide and tune in to our live nature series "Curious by Nature" by visiting us online at www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature or checking out our channel on Youtube @DeepRootsKC

    55 min
  • 12 Episodes

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Join us for your twice-monthly journey into the wild and wonderful as we explore landscapes, native plants, people, and wildlife that depend on them.

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