Episodes

Chapters 00:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast 00:48 Introducing Jeff Rugg: Gardening Expert 01:55 Setting Goals for Your Garden 03:31 Budgeting for Your Garden Project 06:27 Understanding Climate and Microclimates 08:46 Soil Conditions and Their Impact 15:38 Designing Your Garden: Themes and Styles 20:07 Navigating Rules and Regulations 22:38 DIY vs. Hiring a Professional 24:08 Choosing the Right Plants for Your Garden 24:55 Plant Diversity and Disease Prevention 26:18 Irriga...

Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the 200th Episode! 00:29 Meet Dan Long: Clematis Expert 01:12 Understanding Clematis: Pronunciation and Varieties 04:15 Growing Clematis in the Southeast 05:13 Troubleshooting Clematis Issues 06:24 Choosing the Right Clematis for Your Garden 10:08 Clematis Hybridization and New Discoveries 11:47 Native Clematis in the U.S. 13:04 Dan Long's Plant Exploration Adventures 15:27 Debunking Clematis Myths 17:14 Clematis Care Tips and Container Gardening 20:54 Brus...

Chapter Time Line 00:00 Introduction to Water Smart Gardening 00:12 Meet Noelle Johnson: The AC Plant Lady 00:51 Water Conservation Techniques 02:19 Understanding Water Usage 05:09 Choosing Drought Tolerant Plants 14:56 Soil and Composting Tips 18:48 The Importance of Mulch 20:58 Creating Microclimates 23:19 Rethinking Garden Maintenance 28:14 Choosing Organic Fertilizers for Healthier Soil 28:54 Rethinking Lawns in Drier Climates 31:26 Efficient Lawn Maintenance Tips 36:09 Smart Ir...

00:00 Introduction to the Garden Question Podcast 00:25 Meet Dr. Todd Beasley 00:33 The Vision for the Botanic Garden 00:42 Community Engagement and Environmental Stewardship 00:53 Todd Beasley's Career and Contributions 02:49 The Role and Importance of Botanical Gardens 05:42 Engaging the Community and Generating Revenue 08:29 The History of the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern 11:25 Design and Plant Selection in the Garden 15:00 Trends and Future Directions in Gardening 21:32 The I...

I’m your host Craig McManus. Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast, where we’re all about designing, building, and growing smarter gardens that work. Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned pro, you’ll always be inspired in every episode. Today’s guest is Rick Vuyst, a lifelong gardener and horticultural storyteller with a career as vibrant as the gardens he’s nurtured. From co-hosting the Gardening Simplified Show to hosting the award-winning Flowerland Show for nearly 30 years,...

Today’s episode takes us on a journey into the growing world of suburban homesteading with Michelle Bruhn, a Minnesota native and passionate advocate for reconnecting people to the earth and their food. As a regenerative gardener, educator, and founder of Forks in the Dirt, Michelle helps people grow their own food, know their farmers, and embrace sustainable living. Michelle shares her expertise on the rising popularity of homesteading as a way to reduce environmental footprints, promote healt...

00:00 Introduction to the Garden Question Podcast 00:27 Meet Nina Koziol: Horticulturist Extraordinaire 01:16 The Timeless Appeal of White Gardens 02:32 Designing and Enhancing White Gardens 07:01 Creating Depth and Texture in Shade Gardens 08:53 The Importance of Flow in Garden Design 15:26 Freestanding Beds and Year-Round Appeal 19:01 Insights from Nina's Book on White Gardens 22:17 Practical Gardening Tips and Myths 28:27 The Mulch Controversy 31:53 Early Garden Memories 34:27 Purs...

In this episode of the Garden Question podcast, the host, Craig McManus, explores the practice of 'crape murder'. He emphasizes the damage improper pruning can cause to crape myrtle trees, attaching their natural beauty and weakening their growth potential. McManus suggests proper pruning techniques to maintain the tree's health and longevity, and urges listeners to educate themselves about the tree's natural growth habits. He wishes you blessing of joy, hope, peace, love, and Happy Crape Myrt...

Today we're digging into the power of community orchards to tackle some of our most pressing challenges—growing food and developing ecosystems. In this Episode 193, we're joined by Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson to explore The Giving Grove – a remarkable national network that's changing lives and building communities through urban orchards. Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast, where we're all about designing, building, and growing smarter gardens that work. From the beginner to the expert, yo...

Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast! I’m your host Craig McManus Trees—they’re majestic, essential, and sometimes misunderstood. In this episode, Edward Morrow is here to dispel the myths that often lead to improper tree care and even unwarranted fear of these gentle giants. Edward dives into the nuances of tree maintenance, from mindful pruning to soil management, and explains why protecting the critical root zone is key to tree health. He also sheds light on the vital role trees play in ur...

Dr. Jim Faust tells interesting true poinsettia stories from their discovery to your own enjoyment at Christmas. One story involves searching out wild poinsettias in the middle of two drug cartel controlled territories. Jim is a professor of Floriculture Physiology at Clemson University in South Carolina. He does research on greenhouse production of various flowering crops, teaches hydroponics, and greenhouse production courses. He grew his first poinsettia crop in 1986. This is Episode 191 - ...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Garden Question Podcast, host Craig McManus gathers a heartwarming array of guests from previous episodes to share their gratitude for the beauty, growth, and joys that gardening brings to their lives. Notable guests including Diane Blazek, Nathan Wilson, Heather Andrews, Erin Alladen, Carol Michel, Bill Strock, Kirk Brown, Brent Heath, Dan Benarcik, Kathy Jentz, Russell Camp, Mike Cunningham, David Roberts, and Shelly Cramm express their thanks for t...

Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast—where we’re all about designing, building, and growing a smarter garden that works! I’m your host, Craig McManus, and today we’re diving into a timeless holiday tradition: the Christmas tree. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’re sure to be inspired by the fascinating insights of today’s guest. Joining me is Dr. Mel Koelling, a nationally recognized authority in the Christmas tree industry. Dr. Mel, alongside his wife Lori, owns and operates Tan...

In today's episode I have a fascinating conversation with John Bartram. America's First Botanist and a Legacy of Native Plant Explorer. Well actually, it’s with Kirk R. Brown, a renowned garden speaker and historian who brings the legendary 18th-century botanist John Bartram to life. Bartram, often called “America’s First Botanist,” was a trailblazer in exploring the wilds of colonial America, driven by his passion for nature and a mission to discover and catalog native plants. With a love fo...

This is The Garden Question Podcast where you’ll learn to “Design, build, and grow a smarter garden that works.” In today’s episode, we’re diving into an emerging trend in sustainable mulching that’s capturing gardeners’ attention far and wide: salt hay and pine straw. Here to unpack it all with us is our guest, Bill Strock. Bill has a fascinating background and a hands-on approach to sustainable garden solutions. He holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a minor in Agricultural Business from Penn...

Hello, you’re dialed in to The Garden Question Podcast where we discover designing, building and growing “Smarter Gardens that Work”. I’m your host Craig McManus. In this episode, we’re exploring a corner of garden history with our special guest who uncovers stories from the past—Carol J. Michel. Carol takes us on a fascinating journey into the world of historic garden writing. Shining a light on some lesser-known female authors she lovingly calls the ‘Lost Ladies of Garden Writing’. We’ll ex...

Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast! I’m your host, Craig McManus. Today we’ve got a fantastic episode lined up. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert seasoned pro, this conversation will inspire you to think deeper about gardening. Our guest is Erin Alladin, creator of the concept gentle gardening—a unique approach designed for those working with chronic illness and disability. Erin’s journey is all about making gardening accessible and enjoyable for every kind of gardener, no matter the...

Welcome to today’s episode, where we talk about empowering your garden by diving into the importance of incorporating native plants into your garden—especially during the fall season. Our guest is Heather Andrews, a published author, award-winning photographer, Master Gardener, and Pollinator Steward with a passion for sustainable landscapes. Heather is here to share her insights on how native plants play a crucial role in supporting pollinators, enriching ecosystems, and even benefiting migra...

In this episode Nathan Wilson explores the concept of creating a 'sense of place' in gardening. He emphasizes the importance of blending architecture, plant materials, and personal history to create unique garden environments. He shares insights into the balance between natural growth and structured design. The essential characteristics of a plant’s color, form, mature size and texture. Nathan explores the significance of incorporating seating in the garden to encourage human interaction wit...

00:00 Introduction to The Garden Question Podcast 00:41 Meet Diane Blazek: A Journey in Gardening 01:29 The Legacy of National Garden Bureau 05:10 Victory Garden 2.0: Reviving a Historic Movement 06:23 The Impact of COVID-19 on Gardening 08:09 Challenges and Successes in Modern Gardening 10:44 Exploring New Plant Programs 14:13 All American Selections Trials 16:20 Display Gardens: Showcasing AAS Winners 18:45 Year of Program: Celebrating Plant Classes 21:33 Promoting Garden Authors and...

George Nagrodsky, a season gardener and the developer of Garden Savvy, an app designed to make your gardening easier and more fun. George’s gardening journey took a new direction when he moved from Long Island, NY, to John's Island, SC. Facing sandy soils, a different climate, and pests like fire ants and raccoons. George had to adapt quickly. These challenges along with having to slosh throw the internet’s garden muckety muck led him to develop the Garden Savvy app. A one-stop app used by ga...

Mike Cunningham believes that having a salad every day is probably one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. In this episode we will discover how simple, easy, and quick growing greens can keep your salad bowl full all winter. Fresh tasty nutritional eating right from your deck, patio, or backyard sounds great to me. Mike and Judy Cunningham have been teaching people how to grow, cook, and preserve good organic food for over 10 years. Country Gardens Farm is a third-generation fa...

In this episode we discuss the benefits of native vines with guest Dajawn Williams, covering their ecological importance and management. The discussion highlights specific native vines like muscadine, climbing hydrangea, purple and yellow passion flowers, more and their roles in local ecosystems. The conversation addresses the advantages of incorporating native plants into gardens to support wildlife and deter invasives. The podcast also touches on personal anecdotes about growing experiences...

In episode 178 of 'The Garden Question' podcast, host Craig McManus interviews Adrienne and John Rothling, directors of the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden in Kernersville, NC and Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. respectively. They share their personal and professional journeys in horticulture, the creation and maintenance of their gardens, and their experiences of integrating their personal life with their passion for plants. How they handle garden conflicts at ...