Good Growing

Curious about adding something a little different to your backyard orchard? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we dive into the flavorful world of lesser-known fruits you can grow right here in Illinois. From early‑ripening honeyberries and fall-bearing primocane blackberries to compact bush cherries and Illinois-born PRI apples, we explore unique fruit crops that offer exciting alternatives to the usual. 
 
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XAVtrBFKB40 
 
 
Skip to what you want to know:  
  01:30 – Welcome, Grant McCarty! Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy.
  03:22 – Some not-so-successful crops for Grant in northern Illinois. 
  07:35 – Where in Illinois can we reliably grow/harvest peaches?
  09:53 – Honeyberries. How to grow and what do they taste like? 
  14:52 – Are honeyberries problematic like many other honeysuckles? 
  17:32 – Primocane fruiting blackberries.
  21:38 – Is the care of primocane blooming blackberries different than other blackberries?
  23:45 – Is there a link to Illini Hardy blackberry?
  27:20 – Bush cherries. How are they different than cherry trees?
  33:57 – Apples. What are PRI apples?
  38:51 – High-density apples
  44:31 – Any PRI resources out there?
  48:10 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!
 

More information:
Overview of Honeyberry from University of Minnesota
Haskap/Honeyberry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Haskap/Honeyberry-University of Saskatchewan Resources
The PRI Apple Breeding Program

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected]
Grant McCarty: [email protected]
 
 
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

Join University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Chris Enroth on a winter walk through the prairie as he demonstrates how to overseed an existing native prairie by hand. 
Learn why winter is the perfect time for prairie overseeding, how they select their seed that is spread, and how to mix seed with a carrier for even spreading. Chris explains practical tips for seed collection, hand sowing methods, using locally sourced seed from community seed shares, and how overseeding supports long-term prairie health. 
Perfect for native plant lovers or anyone curious about hands-on conservation work that can be done in the winter. Tune in, learn the process, and discover how hand-sown prairie seeds can transform local landscapes over time.
Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF6gGjGbjxU
Rezab Mix
Golden Alexander - Zizia aurea
Hairy Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum pilosum
Foxglove beardtongue - Penstemon digitalis
Grass-leaved goldenrod - Euthamia graminifolia
Slender Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Showy goldenrod - Solidago speciosa
Rattlesnake Master - Eryngium yuccifolium
Missouri Ironweed - Vernonia missurica
Rigid Goldenrod - Oligoneuron rigidum
Prairie Coreopsis - Coreopsis palmata
Tall Coreopsis - Coreopsis tripteris
Virginia Spiderwort - Tradescantia virginiana
Yellow Crownbeard - Verbesina helianthoides
Wild Senna - Senna hebecarpa
Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta 
Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis
False Sunflower - Heliopsis helianthoides
Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

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

Feeling a little low this winter? You’re not alone. This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Family Life Educator Tessa Hobbs‑Curley joins us to discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder. Learn about what it is, how it differs from the usual winter blues, coping strategies, and more.
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NdOQ8xNM9aI
 
Skip to what you want to know:  
  03:14 – What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? How is it diagnosed?
  06:14 – How is SAD different from just feeling bummed about the weather?
  10:11 – How is fall/winter SAD different than spring/summer SAD?
  12:35 – Do certain groups, such as farmers or gardeners, experience SAD differently?
  19:42 – What about children and SAD?
  22:46 – How does less green in our environment affect mental health?
  32:31 – What are some strategies to help us cope with SAD?
  45:56 – Resources to learn more about SAD
  47:56 – A little more on light therapy
  51:04 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!
 

More information:
Mao Clinic: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
National Institute of Mental Health: Seasonal Affective Disorder
Illinois Extension: How to manage the winter blues
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Seasonal Affective Disorder
Mental Health America: Seasonal Affective Disorder
 
 
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected]
 
 
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

How do trees survive freezing temperatures without turning into popsicles? Well, they do kind of turn into popsicles, but they control which part freezes. In this Gardenbite of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth breaks down the fascinating science behind how trees and other plants make it through harsh winter conditions.
Whether you’re a gardener, nature lover, or just curious about the secret life of plants, this episode gives you a clear and engaging look at what happens inside trees during winter—and how you can help prepare your landscape plants to survive cold stress.

You’ve probably seen Ficus in living rooms, lobbies, or maybe even grown one yourself, but how much do you really know about these iconic houseplants? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we explore the surprisingly diverse world of Ficus. From weeping figs and rubber trees to creeping figs and giant banyans, we dive into their history, care, different species, and more! 
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2hx5VXZrJmg
 
Skip to what you want to know:  
  00:41 – There are a lot of ficus species!
  02:12 – Ficus species native to the United States, and what are strangler figs.
  07:08 – What are Ficus?
  12:25 – General care of Ficus houseplants.
  22:23 – Common Ficus houseplants
    23:38 – Ficus benjamina (weeping fig)
    27:14 – Ficus elastica (rubber tree)
    33:15 – Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig)
    36:03 – Ficus benghalensis (banyan, Ficus Audrey)
    42:35 – Ficus maclellandii (banana/long leaf fig, Ficus Alli)
    45:31 – Ficus microcarpa (Ginseng ficus, Chinese banyan, Indian laurel)
    49:09 – Ficus pumila (creeping fig)
  53:08 – Ficus propagation
  56:37 – Less commonly encountered ficus houseplants
  59:12 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!
 

More information:
National Garden Bureau
Ficus: Trees and Vine of Florida (University of Florida)
Gods and Monsters: The Genus Ficus (Brooklyn Botanic Garden)
 

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected]
 
 
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