Good Growing

Curious about trying something new in your garden this year? This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we share the unique and unusual plants we’re adding to our 2026 gardens. From teff and loofah gourds to spoon‑sized tomatoes, Armenian cucumbers, butterfly pea, and more, join us as we explore what drew us to these plants, how we plan to grow them, and the fun (and challenges!) of experimenting with unfamiliar crops.
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_lx8Jeog-p0

Skip to what you want to know:  
  03:09 – Teff
  06:38 – Armenian cucumber/melon
  08:20 – Bottle gourd
  10:55 – Spoon tomato
  13:19 – Luffa gourd
  16:27 – Mexican sunflower
  18:24 – Butterfly pea 
  20:40 – Sunflower ‘Soluna Bronze’
  23:18 – Anchote
  25:16 – Hydrangea ‘Haas Halo’ or something similar
  29:56 – Peanuts
   31:36 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!

 More information:
 Mt. Cuba Center - Wild Hydrangea for the Mid-Atlantic Region
 
 
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

Early spring in the Midwest means unpredictable weather—and plenty of garden questions. After bouncing from 80-degree days to single-digit temperatures, Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson tackle what these wild swings mean for your landscape and gardens.
This week’s episode answers attendee questions submitted at the Home Lawn & Garden Day in Bloomington–Normal. Ken and Chris discuss surprise cold snaps, summer-bound broccoli, thinking ahead to Japanese beetles, and much more. Get ready to get back in the garden as the seasons begin to shift into spring. And then back to winter. And we'll throw some summer in the mix, too. All in the span of a few days.
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W0mz6CHpuoc
Skip to what you want to know:
00:36 Hey Ken! The weather has been crazy! Do we yet know what this means for our early-spring flowers?
05:07 Questions from the Home Lawn and Garden Day in Bloomington/Normal
06:35 What are some non-toxic or environmentally friendly ways to kill or keep weeds under control in garden beds?
10:42 Hints on growing brassicas in our area/climate? Cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Mine seem to fade in the heat.
16:11 Drip irrigation is supposed to be better than sprinklers. Can I do it myself? How do I choose and locate the equipment needed?
21:45 What tools can you not live without, and which ergonomic tools can you recommend as we age?
27:14 What plants are good for repelling rabbits?
30:52 How can you prevent Japanese beetles from eating your flowers without using chemicals?
37:49 What supplemental lighting (type of bulb, distance from the plants & length of time to keep lighting on) is best for Phalaenopsis orchids & African violets?
42:23 https://www.aos.org/all-about-orchids/growing-orchids-under-lights
44:05 Thank yous and coming up next week.
All About Mulch https://youtu.be/sqw4Cwr7wjo
Garden Tools and Gadgets https://youtu.be/GXD12sUiI8w
Supplemental Lighting for Orchids https://www.aos.org/all-about-orchids/growing-orchids-under-lights
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 
Like what you see? Subscribe for more gardening tips, plant talk, and seasonal inspiration from University of Illinois Extension.
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 
--
Prefer audio? 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

Spring is on the horizon—even if the weather can’t quite make up its mind. In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris and Ken do a little spring dreaming, sharing the flowers, plants, and woodland scenes they look forward to every year as the growing season begins.
From early bloomers like crocus, daffodils, and spring ephemerals to peonies, magnolias, and everything in between, we flip through a mental (and visual) photo album of spring favorites. Along the way, we talk about why these plants matter to us, how they fit into home landscapes and natural areas, and how Midwest spring weather—from false summers to surprise snow—keeps things interesting.
This is a picture‑heavy episode. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dGihbSjXDi8
Skip to what you want to know:
00:45 Hey Ken!
02:14 Rollercoaster late winter weather. From 80 degrees to 10 degrees!
05:06 Ken's favorite spring-blooming plants he looks forward to every year.
   05:27    Bleeding heart
   06:25    Dutchman's breeches
   06:58    Columbine
   09:01     Crocus
   10:00    Daffodil
   11:29    Peony
   13:04    Spring beauty
   14:57    Tulips
   17:03    Common blue violet
   19:11    Virginia bluebell
   20:05    Wild ginger
22:12 Chris' favorite spring blooming plants
   22:23    Daffodil 
   23:57    Woodland walk through Dutchman's breeches, mayapples, and trillum
   27:09    Lilac and snow in spring
   29:23    Saucer magnolia
   30:43    Virginia bluebells
   31:50    Foamflower
   32:30    Lungwort
   33:09    Blueberry flowers
   33:43    Rhubarb season
   34:04    Tulip 'World Peace'
   34:32    Unfurling ferns
   34:56    Bloodroot
   35:55    Peonies at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, IL
38:51 Thank yous and see you next week!
Spring beauty video https://youtu.be/i9JVP9wEM_M 
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 
Like what you see? Subscribe for more gardening tips, plant talk, and seasonal inspiration from University of Illinois Extension.
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 
--
Prefer audio? 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

Crocuses may be small, but their world is anything but simple! Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast, as we dive into the big, colorful world of Crocus. Learn about identifying crocus, how to grow them in your landscape, some of the commonly grown spring and fall-blooming species, and more!  
 
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rX7QUDstn9E
 
Skip to what you want to know:  
  02:26 – 'Crocus' that aren't Crocus
  06:33 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - flowers
  11:31 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - leaves
  13:33 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - corm
  17:41 – Categorizing crocus
  22:49 – General guidelines for growing crocus
  28:32 – When should crocus be planted? 
  30:15 – Propagating crocus
  35:49 – Fun fact - contractile roots
  37:24 – A few last planting tips, rodents, fertilizers, and mulch
  42:48 – Commonly grown species of Crocus
    43:53 - Snow/golden crocus (C. chrysanthus)
    47:54 - Dutch yellow/yellow crocus (C. flavus) 
    48:46 - Tommies (C. tommasinianus)
    52:57 - Dutch/giant/spring crocus (C. vernus) 
    54:01 - Tuscan crocus (C. etruscus) 
    55:22 - Sieber’s crocus (C. sieberi) 
    56:51 - Cloth of Gold crocus (C. angustifolius) 
    57:58 - Corsican crocus (C. corsicus) 
  59:17 – Some fall-blooming Crocus
    59:32 - Saffron/autumn crocus (C. sativus) 
    1:02:44 - Autumn crocus (C. kotschyanus), Hairy crocus (C. pulchellus), and Showy/Bieberstein’s crocus (C. speciosus) 
  1:04:17 - Can Crocus be grown in pots? When should they be divided?
  1:06:03 - Pests
  1:07:27 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!
 

More information:
Crocuses: A Complete Guide to the Genus by Janis Ruksans
National Garden Bureau – Year of the Crocus: https://ngb.org/year-of-the-crocus/
 
 
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

Get ready to kick off the 2026 gardening season with the Good Growing team as we unveil this year’s Grow Along plant list. In this episode, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson, and Emily Swihart walk through the selection process and describe the six unique crops chosen for the 2026 Grow Along program.
Register for the Grow Along: https://go.illinois.edu/GrowAlong2026
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XUGiBe3RrFw
Skip to what you want to know:
1:21 Decision-making process for choosing the 2026 Grow Along seeds
6:55 Rebel Starfighter Prime
11:45 Poppy ‘Amazing Gray', 'Shirley Supreme', and 'Black Swan'
20:18 Sweet Pepper ‘Nadapeno’
24:41 Cucumber Mexican Sour Gherkin/Mouse Melon
28:24 Ground Cherry
35:15 Savory ‘Summer Compact'
41:46 When/where can you sign up and when will seeds be shipped?
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 
Emily Swihart: [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