Good Growing

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
 
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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

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

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.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

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

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