Planthropology

Vikram Baliga, PhD
  • 4.8 (72)
  • Nature
  • Updated Biweekly

If you're on this planet, plants have a HUGE impact on your life. Whether you're a vegan, a carnivore, or somewhere in between, plants are the basis of the food you eat, the clothes your wear, and the air you breathe. We don't intend just to teach you plant facts (though we'll do plenty of that), but to give you some insight into the cool people who work with them. From the soil to the plate to the climate, dive into the anthropology of plants (get it?) and learn a little more about why you should care about the world around you from the people who care about it the most.

  1. 23h ago

    132. Chocolate Botany, Debunking Plant Hacks, and Cousin Hamilton w/ Derek Haynes

    Send us Fan Mail  What's up, Plant People? Today I had the privilege of chatting with Derek Haynes, known on the interwebs as The Chocolate Botanist, to talk about what it takes to teach real botany and horticulture online while the algorithm rewards hacks and weaponized nonsense. We talked a lot about the weird reality of being a science communicator, from building a voice that actually connects to handling comments that demand impossible answers in 20 seconds.  We talked too about our (least?) favorite plants hacks, like banana peel “fertilizer” water, coffee grounds as a magic nitrogen fix, gross DIY tricks, and the electroculture. Derek breaks down why these viral plant hacks sound believable, what they do to beginners’ confidence, and how to use simple reasoning to spot red flags before you waste time, money, or a perfectly good pothos.  Derek also spoke openly and honestly about being Black man in plant science and online education, including bias in workplaces, pay gaps in brand deals, and how much it can suck to go viral. Spoilers: it can really suck a lot. Even with that, he keeps building community and doing the thing because he's committed to good science and helping people grow better plants. This was a great episode, and you should definitely hit Derek up at all the links below! All the links Wesbite Instagram YouTube Facebook TikTok Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

    132. Chocolate Botany, Debunking Plant Hacks, and Cousin Hamilton w/ Derek Haynes

  2. 6d ago

    131. New Starts, Tips for Being Human, and Advice from the Internet

    Send us Fan Mail Todays' good news: Scientists left this farm field alone. Thousands of orchids appearedSupport the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

  3. Aug 13

    130. Garden Magic, Animal Friends, and Back to School w/ Deserae Lindsley

    Send us Fan Mail What's up, Plant People?? Ya'll, I'm so excited about today's episode, because I got to chat with me good friend Deserae Lindsley, of GardeningWithDez fame. She's such a bright hopeful spot in a dark world and you're going to love thi. Whether we were chatting about the need for better nature education or garden spiders, I promise Dez's enthusiasm for life and the world her is absoslutely infectious. Check out this convesation for lots of yapping about: • Dez’s origin story in her grandparents’ garden and the tomato memories that stick  • A winding career path from cosmetology to horticulture content creation  • Posting gardening online during the pandemic and growing a community fast  • Becoming a Texas Master Gardener and enrolling in an online horticulture degree  • Plant physiology lessons that add nuance to everyday gardening decisions  • Fighting plant blindness by teaching people to notice what plants do for us  • Building relationships with “garden critters” like spiders, lizards, frogs, and butterflies  • Why naming a bug can reduce fear and increase curiosity  • Insect education, host plants, and choosing learning over pesticides  • What to grow, especially in hot dry climates, and why “grow what you’ll use” matters  • Composting choices, mulching strategies, and dense planting for soil health and moisture  You can find Dez as @GardeningWithDez basically anywhere you like to consume content online! Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

    130. Garden Magic, Animal Friends, and Back to School w/ Deserae Lindsley

  4. Jul 30 ·  Bonus

    Deep Roots Podcast- The Future of Ag Education w/ Lance Nicholas

    Send us Fan Mail What's up, Plant People? Today's a bonus episode, and I'm coming at you with a special crossover from our new Davis College podcast, Deep Roots, featuring recent Texas Tech graduate Lance Nicholas. Lance and I talked about his undergraduate research on ag teacher turnover, the real-world friction between administrators and educators, and the mindset that pushed him toward grad school. We cover a lot of great topics in this chat, including:  • Lance’s background in agricultural education and student teaching  • leadership roles in collegiate FFA and student engagement mentoring  • what sparked his undergraduate research and how the grant worked  • qualitative interviews with administrators on chronic ag teacher turnover  • quantitative research on Texas voucher law and rural education  • why communication and collaboration matter for retention  • challenges of recruiting collaborators and finding the right tone  • grad school plans focused on teacher recruitment, retention and curiosity  • core takeaway “Be curious, not judgmental” and choosing motivation over fear  Go subscribe to the TTU Davis College's Deep Roots podcast anywhere you get your shows, and let me know if you have any comments, thoughts, suggestions, or if you'd like to know more about anything we've talked about! Subscribe to Deep Roots anywhere, or check it out on the website. If you'd like to learn more about the Davis College, visit https://www.depts.ttu.edu/agriculturalsciences/! Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

  5. Jul 24

    129. Terracotta Pots, Plant Poop, and Immortal Trees- Summer 2026 Q&A

    Send us Fan Mail What's up, Plant People?? It'  time again to answer your burnign plant questions that jump from backyard pruning to big-picture ecology, keeping the science clear and usable. We sort out plant naming, native planting nuance, and a few garden myths, then close with research that changes how we think about trees and carbon storage. • late winter gooseberry pruning for fruiting wood age and open center structure  • variety versus cultivar and why common language bends the rules  • how to attract nighttime pollinators with pale fragrant night-blooming natives  • when native plant cultivars can help and when true local genetics matter  • why terracotta pots breathe, why drainage holes matter, and why gravel layers backfire  • how plants handle waste through leaf drop and guttation  • feeding carnivorous plants safely with fish food or dried insects  • invasive species control through prevention, smart plant choices, and local ecosystem fixes  • tree longevity, clonal forests, and what “immortal” can mean in biology  • new findings on late-season carbon sequestration and what it implies for watering practices  If you'd like to support the show, the best thing you can do is to tell a friend about it! Leave us a rating review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Podchase or anywhere else you can. Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

  6. Jul 16

    128. Botanizing, Complex Answers, and Being Part of Nature w/ Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa

    Send us Fan Mail What's up, Plant People! I'm back today with an episode that's been a LONG time coming! I chatted with Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa back at the beginning of the year to talk about their social media outlet/non-profit/incredible new book, all called Let's Botanize! They met in graduate school, and built a strong friendship that grew into what Let's Botanize is today. Tune in to today's episode as we discuss: • botanizing as a natural history hobby rooted in observation and note-taking  • how Jacob and Ben’s paths through grad school shape their approach to teaching plants  • using curiosity about plants to support climate and biodiversity awareness  • building Let’s Botanize as a nonprofit with a board, interns, and shared skills  • why their book uses 101 prompts to help anyone connect with plants  • balancing social media reach with real-world learning and community “third spaces”  • how scientific uncertainty can be communicated without dumbing it down  • memorable plant mysteries like marcescence and why some trees keep dead leaves This is a fun and insightful conversation, and I know y'all are going to love it! Learn more about and connect with Let's Botanize at the links below! Instagram TikTok YouTube Website Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Tease 02:55 Meet Jacob Souissa 04:09 Meet Ben Goulet Scott 09:16 Why Start Lets Botanize 11:58 COVID Growth and Mission 16:16 Plants and Human Connection 20:23 Public Feedback and Aha Moments 24:16 Midroll and Support 26:31 Nonprofit Team and Board 30:30 Interns Community and Next Steps 33:33 Book Mission And Prompts 36:43 Three Sections Parts Patterns Perspectives 39:42 Paper Book And Unplugging 42:53 Botanizing As Community 45:10 Instagram Process And Philosophy 48:44 Marcescence Mystery Explained 52:11 Embracing Scientific Complexity 54:35 Take Home Messages 57:48 Where To Find Lets Botanize 58:54 Final Reflections And Outro Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

    128. Botanizing, Complex Answers, and Being Part of Nature w/ Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa

  7. Jul 10

    127. 40 by 40, the Future, and Some Good News

    Send us Fan Mail What's up Plant People?? Planthropology is finally back! It may look a little different over the next year, but ride along with me today and let's chat about the plans I have and the cool stuff that's coming up. Thanks for sticking with me, and if you know of some good news you'd like to hear on my new segment, let me know. If you'd like EVEN MORE good news and hope about our world, go check out Alaina Wood and Katharine Hayhoe! Listen to Deep Roots! Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

  8. 12/04/2025

    126. Science Illustration, AI Cardinals, and Frozen Asters w/ J. Spahr

    Send us Fan Mail What's up, Plant People?? On today's episode, I chatted with scientific illustrator, J Spahr of @Science_Visuals to unpack how art turns complex research into clear, accurate stories that spark curiosity. From watercolor botanicals to layered digital paintings and ecosystems in one frame, we explore process, ethics, and impact. • the path from a found textbook to a science illustration career • Europe’s legacy of artists working with scientists • art as storytelling and science communication • choosing mediums and building layered digital workflows • designing infographics that condense seasons, species, and behavior • client collaboration, revisions, and scientific accuracy • social media’s trade-offs and unexpected reach • why AI images miss context, accuracy, and trust • the joy of learning fast through research illustration • practical plant science: why asters shrug off frost Make sure to follow J on Instagram and check out her website at scivisuals.com! If you'd like to support the show, leave a rating and review, email planthropologypod@gmail.com, find me all over the place on social media, snag merch at planthropologypodcast.com, or buymeacoffee.com/planthropology Support the show As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack! Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey. Substack: Office HoursWebsite: www.planthropologypodcast.comPodchaser: www.podchaser.com/PlanthropologyFacebook: PlanthropologyFacebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant PeopleInstagram: @PlanthropologyPode-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

    126. Science Illustration, AI Cardinals, and Frozen Asters w/ J. Spahr
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
72 Ratings

About

If you're on this planet, plants have a HUGE impact on your life. Whether you're a vegan, a carnivore, or somewhere in between, plants are the basis of the food you eat, the clothes your wear, and the air you breathe. We don't intend just to teach you plant facts (though we'll do plenty of that), but to give you some insight into the cool people who work with them. From the soil to the plate to the climate, dive into the anthropology of plants (get it?) and learn a little more about why you should care about the world around you from the people who care about it the most.

Information

  • Creator
    Vikram Baliga, PhD
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    161
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Vikram Baliga
  • Show Website
    Planthropology

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