Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening

Latest Episodes:

The Mid-Season Soil Check - Ep. 310 Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Your garden is at its busiest in July, and so is the wear and tear on your soil. In this episode we get past the fertilizer conversation and into whether your soil is still functioning at all — how traffic, pounding rain, heat, and heavy-feeding crops degrade soil mid-season, the physical, chemical, and biological warning signs to look for right now, and tests you can run this week to sort the problems. Plus, how to use a mid-season open bed as a soil-building opportunity.

Let's dig in!

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

University of Delaware Cooperative Extension — "Combating Soil Compaction" — https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/cooperative-extension/fact-sheets/combating-soil-compaction/
University of Minnesota Extension — "Backyard science: Is your soil healthy?" (slake test, infiltration test, earthworm counts) — https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/backyard-science-your-soil-healthy
Cornell Soil Health Laboratory — Individual soil analyses, including wet aggregate stability — https://soilhealthlab.cals.cornell.edu/testing-services/individual-soil-analyses/
Purdue University Vegetable Crops Hotline — "Nitrogen Loss from Wet Soils" — https://vegcropshotline.org/article/nitrogen-loss-from-wet-soils/
UF/IFAS Extension — CIR 1092/SS117, "Soil and Container Media Electrical Conductivity Interpretations" — https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS117
Texas A&M AgriLife, Aggie Horticulture — "Salt Injury" (Cucurbit Problem Solver) — https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/problem-solvers/cucurbit-problem-solver/leaf-disorders/salt-injury/
Purdue University Vegetable Crops Hotline — "Summer Cover Crops for Improved Soil Health and Weed Management" — https://vegcropshotline.org/article/summer-cover-crops-for-improved-soil-health-and-weed-management/

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Battling Blossom End Rot the Right Way - Ep. 309 Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

If you've grown tomatoes or peppers for more than one season, you more than likely know the feeling been waiting that first tomato to ripen, finally see it’s blushing red, and you flip it over to find a sunken, leathery patch covering half the bottom of the fruit. And if you went looking for answers, you probably found three of them repeated everywhere you turned: sprinkle in some crushed eggshells, spray on some calcium, add a scoop of Epsom salt. All three of those are extremely common advice. Two of them do close to nothing. And one of them can genuinely make the problem worse.

That problem? Blossom end rot. Today on Just Grow Something we're covering what blossom end rot really is at the cellular level, the conditions that trigger it in your garden, why the most popular home remedies for it are built on a total misunderstanding of the problem, and what the research consistently recommends instead.

Let's dig in.

University Extension and Research-Based Resources

Utah State University Extension — Blossom End Rot (IPM Fact Sheet) https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_ag/veg-blossom-end-rot
Purdue Extension — Blossom End Rot of Tomato Fruit (BP-13-W) https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/bp/bp-13-w.html
University of Maryland Extension — Blossom End Rot on Vegetables https://extension.umd.edu/resource/blossom-end-rot-vegetables
Alabama Cooperative Extension System — Blossom-End Rot in Tomatoes: Causes and Prevention (ANR-1059) https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/blossom-end-rot-in-tomatoes-causes-and-prevention/
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment — Solanaceous: Blossom End Rot https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/solanaceous-blossom-end-rot
Oregon State University Extension — Blossom-End Rot of Tomatoes (FS-139) https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/fs-139-blossom-end-rot-tomatoes
University of Wisconsin Horticulture Extension — Blossom End Rot https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blossom-end-rot/
University of California Cooperative Extension, UC ANR "The Real Dirt" — Fighting Blossom End Rot https://ucanr.edu/blog/real-dirt/article/fighting-blossom-end-rot
University of Connecticut Extension — Put an End to Blossom-End Rot: Water and Nutrient Management is Key https://homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/2025/06/15/blossom-end-rot/
Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC — Gardening Myths: Fix Blossom End Rot with Calcium Sprays https://hgic.clemson.edu/gardening-myths-fix-blossom-end-rot-with-calcium-sprays/
North Dakota State University Extension — The Epsom Salt Myth https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/extension-topics/gardening-and-horticulture/vegetables/epsom-salt-myth
University of Minnesota Extension — Do Common Soil Health "Home Remedies" Work? (Coffee Grounds, Eggshells, Epsom Salts) https://extension.umn.edu/manage-soil-nutrients/coffee-grounds-eggshells-epsom-salts

Peer-Reviewed Research

Topcu, Y., Nambeesan, S. U., & van der Knaap, E. (2022). Blossom-end rot: a century-old problem in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and other vegetables. Molecular Horticulture, 2, 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43897-021-00022-9

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Heat Stress vs Drought Stress in the Vegetable Garden - Ep. 308 Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

It's two o'clock on a July afternoon. You walk out to check the garden, and your squash leaves are drooping so low they're nearly touching the mulch. Your tomato plants look like they've given up on the whole season. If your first thought, every single time, is “I need to water right now,” hold on a second before you grab that hose. Because that dramatic afternoon collapse you're looking at likely has absolutely nothing to do with how much water is in your soil.

So today on Just Grow Something we're covering three things: what's actually happening inside a plant's cells when the temperature spikes, the specific ways to tell heat stress wilting apart from drought stress wilting, and what heat stress does beyond the leaves, because your tomatoes and peppers and squash can look perfectly fine and still be failing to set fruit, and that's a heat problem too.

Let's dig in.

Join the Fall Garden Challenge: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/fall

References and Resources:

Graci, S., & Barone, A. (2024). Tomato plant response to heat stress: a focus on candidate genes for yield-related traits. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14, 1245661. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1245661

Sellami, D., & Kooli, S. (2025). Physiological and growth responses of tomato plants to heat stress. Discover Plants. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44372-025-00462-3

University of Maryland Extension — Drought and Excessive Heat Stress https://extension.umd.edu/resource/drought-and-excessive-heat-stress

University of Maryland Extension — Pollination of Vegetable Crops in a Changing Climate https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pollination-vegetable-crops-changing-climate

NC State Cooperative Extension, Beaufort County — What "Wilting" Really Means: Heat Stress vs. Water Needs https://beaufort.ces.ncsu.edu/news/what-wilting-really-means-heat-stress-vs-water-needs/

Oregon State University Extension — Heat Wave in the Garden: How to Identify and Prevent Heat Stress in Plants https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9556-heat-wave-garden-how-identify-prevent-heat-stress-plants

Oregon State University Extension — Why Vegetables Drop Blossoms https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/why-vegetables-drop-blossoms

Oregon State University Extension — Mother Nature May Need Help to Pollinate Squash and Cucumbers https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/mother-nature-may-need-help-pollinate-squash-cucumbers

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How to Time Your Fall Brassicas - Ep. 307 Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Fall gardening doesn't start in September. For the crops that take a long time to produce, your broccoli, your cauliflower, your cabbage, your Brussels sprouts, it starts right now in late June and early July. And if you've never had a productive fall brassica bed, it's almost certainly because you started too late and it took me a lot of years to master this.

This episode is about fall gardening planning, and specifically about the crops that require you to be thinking ahead right now, in late June and into July, when literally nothing about summer conditions suggest that fall is coming.

We’re talking about the timing, why it matters, how to calculate it for your specific first frost date, and exactly what to do if you're sitting here thinking you may have already missed the window — because you might not have, but we need to move quickly.

Let’s dig in.

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Resources:

How to Calculate Your Fall Brassica Dates

Step 1: Find your average first frost date (garden.org/apps/frost-dates or your local extension service)
Step 2: Take days to maturity for your chosen variety
Step 3: Add 10–14 days for the short-day factor
Step 4: Count backward from first frost — that is your transplant-out deadline
Step 5: Count back another 4–6 weeks — that is your seed-starting deadline

MU Extension — Vegetable Planting Calendar (G6201): Variety-specific fall planting dates for Missouri's three planting regions. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201

UMN Extension — Growing Broccoli: Seed-starting timing (early to late July for fall crop), variety selection, and fall head quality. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-broccoli

UMN Extension — Growing Brussels Sprouts: Start seeds in June indoors or direct, water deeply once weekly, harvest through fall frosts. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-brussels-sprouts

UMN Extension — Growing Cauliflower: Start seeds in July for fall crop; cool temperatures essential for quality curd formation. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cauliflower

UMN Extension — Growing Cabbage: For fall crop, plant seed directly in garden in early July; cabbage takes 60–100 days. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cabbage

UMD Extension — Planting Dates for Vegetable Crops (Transplant Timing): Short-day factor methodology for fall transplant timing. https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-03/PlantingDatesforVegetableCropsinMaryland.pdf

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Mid-Season Fertilizing: How to Know What Your Vegetables Actually Need - Ep. 306 Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

It’s June, your tomatoes are climbing, your corn is waist-high, and the internet is full of fertilizing advice—most of it missing the most important variable: timing. In this episode, we dig into what your vegetables need right now at mid-season, why nitrogen timing is the thing most gardeners get wrong, how fruiting crops and leafy crops have completely different needs, and when fertilizing can actually hurt instead of help. We’ll cover how to read your plants for deficiency signs, how to side-dress correctly, and why the most common mid-season mistake isn’t under-fertilizing—it’s fertilizing at the wrong time with the wrong form. Grounded in university extension research and my own experience farming through Missouri summers, this one will give you a clear, crop-by-crop picture of what to do right now. Let’s dig in.

Crop-by-Crop Quick Reference: Mid-Season Nitrogen Timing

LEAFY CROPS (lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, collards, arugula, basil)

When to side-dress: 3–4 weeks after transplanting or when 2–3 inches tall; repeat every 4–6 weeks for heavy-harvesting crops
Goal: steady nitrogen supply throughout season
Note: don’t exceed recommended rates—excess nitrogen increases pest/disease vulnerability

COLE CROPS (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)

When to side-dress: approximately 30 days after transplanting, during active vegetative growth
Hold off once head formation begins

TOMATOES

When to side-dress: when first fruits are approximately one-third grown (golf ball size)
DO NOT apply nitrogen at transplant or during early fruit set—drives vegetative growth at expense of fruit
Second application: 2 weeks after first ripe fruit; third: 4 weeks later
Rate: 0.5 lb actual nitrogen per 100 feet of row per application

PEPPERS

When to side-dress: early vegetative growth before fruit set
Pull back after fruit is setting

SWEET CORN

When to side-dress: when plants are approximately one-third grown (knee-high)
Apply alongside rows, not into the whorl of leaves
May benefit from a second application before tasseling

CUCUMBERS / SQUASH / MELONS

When to side-dress: after vines are well-established and fruit is setting regularly
Not during early flowering window
For squash with blossom drop only: do not add nitrogen—address pollination instead

BEANS / PEAS (inoculated)

Mid-season nitrogen side-dressing generally not needed if seeds were inoculated
Extra nitrogen causes excessive leaf growth and reduced pod set
If not inoculated: apply light nitrogen early in vegetative growth only

Side-Dressing How-To

Move mulch aside before applying; replace afterward
Keep granular fertilizer 4–6 inches from plant stems to prevent burn
Work granular into top 1–2 inches of soil
Water in after application—nitrogen moves into the root zone with moisture
Organic options: blood meal or alfalfa pellets (work in lightly; slower to show results); fish emulsion (liquid, faster uptake, more frequent application needed)

Signs of Nutrient Deficiency

Nitrogen: yellowing starting on oldest, lowest leaves; stunted or stalled growth
Phosphorus: stunted growth; reddish-purple tint in leaf tissue (often triggered by cold soil, not low soil P)
Potassium: browning at leaf edges, starting with older leaves
Note: many of these symptoms overlap with stress from crowding, insufficient sun, compaction, waterlogged roots, or nematode damage—rule those out first

Common Myths Addressed

Myth: More fertilizer = more production. The research is clear: overapplied nitrogen causes excess vegetative growth at the expense of fruit, increases pest and disease vulnerability, and leaches into groundwater without benefiting plants.
Myth: If plants look off, they need fertilizer. Nutrient deficiency symptoms look almost identical to symptoms of watering problems, compaction, pH issues, root damage, and pest pressure. Identify the actual cause before applying anything.
Myth: Tomatoes need nitrogen all season long. Timing matters. Nitrogen during the early fruit-set window drives vegetative growth and reduces yields. Wait until fruit is sizing up before side-dressing.
Myth: Beans and peas are heavy feeders like corn. Inoculated legumes fix their own nitrogen from the air. Additional nitrogen pushes leaf growth at the expense of pods.

Resources

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Soil test kit: https://amzn.to/4wLe8j9

University Extension Publications

Connect

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Early Blight Versus Late Blight in Tomatoes: Don't Get This One Wrong! - Ep. 305 Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Every June, one of the most common questions that floods gardening groups, emails, and extension offices is some version of: “My tomato leaves are turning brown — do I have blight?” The confusion is completely understandable, because there are two diseases that get lumped under that word — and they are caused by completely different organisms, show up in different ways, and require completely different responses. Treating late blight like early blight — or vice versa — can mean the difference between saving your plants and losing your entire harvest.

In this episode, horticulturist and market farmer Karin Velez breaks both diseases down in plain language: what they look like, where they show up on the plant, what conditions favor them, how fast they move, what happens if you ignore them, and exactly what to do when you find either one. Whether you’re seeing spots on your lowest leaves or a whole section of your garden that looks like it got hit by frost overnight, this episode will help you figure out what you’re looking at — and what to do next.

Let’s dig in.

References and Resources

Captain Jack’s Copper Fungicide - https://amzn.to/43DKqAn

Penn State Extension — Tomato Diseases and Disorders in the Home Garden:

https://extension.psu.edu/tomato-diseases-and-disorders-in-the-home-garden

Penn State Extension — Scouting and Identifying Tomato Diseases:

https://extension.psu.edu/scouting-and-identifying-tomato-diseases

Penn State Extension — Tomato-Potato Late Blight in the Home Garden:

https://extension.psu.edu/tomato-potato-late-blight-in-the-home-garden

University of Georgia Extension — Common Tomato Diseases in Georgia (Bulletin B1285):

https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1285&title=common-tomato-diseases-in-georgia

UGA Extension, Madison County — Tomato Troubles:

https://site.extension.uga.edu/madison/2021/08/tomato-troubles/

University of Minnesota Extension — Late Blight of Tomato and Potato:

https://extension.umn.edu/disease-management/late-blight

Michigan State University Extension — Organic Management of Early Blight on Tomato (Hausbeck Lab):

https://www.canr.msu.edu/hausbeck/Uploads/PDF/FS_Organic-Management-of-Early-Blight-on-Tomato.pdf

UC ANR / UC IPM — Late Blight of Tomato (Phytophthora infestans):

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/tomato/late-blight/

Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks — Tomato Late Blight:

https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/tomato-solanum-lycopersicum-late-blight

Cornell University — Disease-Resistant Vegetable Varieties (late blight resistance):

https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/disease-resistant-vegetable-varieties/

Midwest Vegetable Production Guide — current fungicide recommendations for late blight (referenced by Penn State and UMN Extension): https://mwveguide.org/

USAblight.org — national real-time late blight tracking and outbreak alerts (when it’s working?): http://usablight.org/

Quick-Reference: Early Blight vs. Late Blight at a Glance

Pathogen type | Early Blight: true fungus (Alternaria solani) | Late Blight: water mold / oomycete (Phytophthora infestans)

Ideal temperature | Early Blight: 68–77°F (warm) | Late Blight: 60–78°F (cool to mild)

Where it starts | Early Blight: oldest/lowest leaves first | Late Blight: anywhere on the plant, no pattern

Lesion appearance | Early Blight: dark bullseye with concentric rings, yellow halo | Late Blight: large irregular dark oily blotch, gray-green edge, no rings

Underside of leaf | Early Blight: dark spores in lesion center | Late Blight: white downy/powdery growth at lesion margins in humidity

Speed | Early Blight: slow and progressive, weeks to months | Late Blight: explosive, can kill plant in ~14 days

Fruit symptoms | Early Blight: sunken dark spot at stem attachment | Late Blight: firm dark brown spot starting at fruit shoulders

Overwinters as | Early Blight: debris/soil/seeds in warm climates | Late Blight: infected potato tubers, volunteer plants

Fungicide type | Early Blight: copper, sulfur, standard fungicides | Late Blight: oomycete-specific only — NOT standard fungicides

Response urgency | Early Blight: act promptly, manageable with cultural controls | Late Blight: emergency response, remove immediately, notify extension and neighbors

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How to Manage Squash Vine Borer - Ep. 304 Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Every year, gardeners across the country watch their squash plants collapse overnight and have absolutely no idea why until it’s too late. The culprit is the squash vine borer, and it is one of the most misunderstood pests in the home garden.

In this episode, Karin Velez breaks down the full life cycle of the squash vine borer, including regional timing differences that explain why gardeners in Florida, Missouri, and New Hampshire are fighting very different battles. She covers the remedies that likely don’t work (no matter how many gardening blogs swear by them), the strategies that actually do, and how to build a prevention plan before you ever see a moth.

Whether you’ve been battling these for years or just lost your first plant to a mystery wilt, this one’s for you. Let’s dig in.

Quick-Reference: Squash Vine Borer Management at a Glance

Most susceptible crops: zucchini, yellow summer squash, acorn squash, Hubbard squash, pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo)

Less susceptible crops: butternut squash, cucumbers, melons, watermelon

Diagnostic sign: frass (greenish-yellow sawdust) at the base of the stem near a small hole

South: first flight May, 2 generations possible, adult activity May–October

Mid-country (MO, KY, OH, IN, VA): first flight mid-June, peak June–July

North (MN, WI, NH, PA, SD): first flight ~June 20, peak July 10–15, mostly finished by August 1

West Coast: rarely affected

What works: pheromone traps for monitoring, floating row covers (on clean ground), planting date manipulation, variety selection, timed stem sprays (spinosad, Bt, pyrethroids before larvae enter), fall tillage, post-harvest sanitation, surgical larva removal if caught early

What does not work once larvae are inside: all foliar insecticide applications

Episode References

Insect Netting: https://amzn.to/4vuYp7s

University Extension Resources

University of Kentucky Entomology — Squash Vine Borer (EF-314), Ric Bessin: https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef314

Ohio State University Extension — Squash Vine Borer Damage and Management: What to Look for and When to Act (ENT-0106): https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ent-0106

Illinois Extension — Squash Vine Borer: https://extension.illinois.edu/insects/squash-vine-borer

Illinois Extension — Managing Squash Vine Borer in the Garden (Good Growing blog): https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-07-15-managing-squash-vine-borer-garden

Illinois Extension — Squash Vine Borer Has Arrived: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/over-garden-fence/2024-08-20-squash-vine-borer-has-arrived

UMass Amherst Extension — Squash Vine Borer (CAFE Vegetable Fact Sheet): https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/squash-vine-borer

Penn State Extension — Squash Vine Borer: https://extension.psu.edu/squash-vine-borer

University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — Managing Squash Vine Borer Problems in New Hampshire (Dr. Alan T. Eaton & George Hamilton): https://extension.unh.edu/resource/managing-squash-vine-borer-problems-new-hampshire-fact-sheet

South Dakota State University Extension — Biology and Management of Squash Vine Borer in the Garden: https://extension.sdstate.edu/biology-and-management-squash-vine-borer-garden

University of Minnesota Extension — Squash Vine Borers: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/squash-vine-borers

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension — Squash Vine Borer: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/squash-vine-borer-melittia-curcurbitae/

eOrganic (USDA) — Biology and Management of Squash Vine Borer in Organic Farming Systems: https://eorganic.org/node/5300

ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture — Squash Bug and Squash Vine Borer: Organic Controls: https://attra.ncat.org/publication/Squash-Bug-and-Squash-Vine-Borer-Organic-Controls/

Peer-Reviewed Research

Middleton, E. (2018). Biology and Management of Squash Vine Borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Journal of Integrated Pest Management, 9(1), 22. https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/9/1/22/5061838

Canhilal, R., & Carner, G.R. (2007). Bacillus thuringiensis as a pest management tool for control of the squash vine borer. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, 114, 26–29. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03356200

Canhilal, R., Carner, G.R., Griffin, R.P., Jackson, D.M., & Alvarez, D.R. (2006). Life history of the squash vine borer, Melittia cucurbitae, in South Carolina. The Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology, 23, 1–7. http://scentsoc.org/Volumes/JAUE/v23/1.pdf

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How to Identify and Manage Perennial Weeds (Without the Viral Sprays) - Ep. 303 Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Perennial weeds are in a different category than annuals. They don’t just re-seed, they regrow from the ground up, season after season, from root systems that can run three feet deep or spread fifteen feet sideways underground. In this episode, we’re tackling them systematically. First, a regional tour of the most aggressive perennial weeds in the U.S. - what they look like, how they spread, and why they’re so hard to beat.

Then, we work on management using Integrated Pest Management principles, starting with prevention and exclusion, moving through cultural and mechanical controls, and knowing when chemical options are appropriate.

Finally, we close with a hard look at the homemade internet sprays that are all over social media - and why some of them could do more damage to your soil than the weeds ever would.

Let's dig in.

References:

Montana State University Extension – Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) MontGuide MT201903AG
https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT201903AG
University of Nevada, Reno Extension – Managing Field Bindweed (Publication 4834)
https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=4834
University of Minnesota Extension – Perennial Weeds Identification Guide
https://extension.umn.edu/weed-identification/perennial-weeds
University of Minnesota Extension – Canada Thistle Identification
https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/canada-thistle
University of Maryland Extension – Canada Thistle
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/canada-thistle
Colorado State University Extension – Canada Thistle
https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/canada-thistle/
SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) – Canada Thistle: Manage Weeds on Your Farm
https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/canada-thistle/
NC State Extension Plant Toolbox – Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass)
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sorghum-halepense/
University of Georgia Extension – Johnsongrass Control in Pastures, Roadsides, and Noncropland Areas
https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/?p=62642
Schantz, M.C. (2025). Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense): a review of its invasion, management, and spread in the changing climate of the Southern Great Plains. Weed Science, 73(e31), 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2025.7
University of Maryland Extension – Poison Hemlock Identification and Management
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/poison-hemlock-identification-and-management
Montana State University Extension – Poison Hemlock MontGuide MT200013AG
https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT200013AG
Purdue Extension – Poison Hemlock: Invasive Plant Series (FNR-437-W)
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-437-w.pdf
Mississippi State University Extension – Kudzu
https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/kudzu
Mississippi State University Extension – Torpedograss (Panicum repens)
https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/torpedograss
UC IPM – Nutsedge (Yellow and Purple)
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/nutsedge.html
West Virginia University Extension – Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/weeds/yellow-nutsedge
Penn State Extension – Japanese and Giant Knotweed
https://extension.psu.edu/japanese-and-giant-knotweed
University of Wisconsin Extension – Perennial Knotweed Identification (Mark Renz, Extension Weed Scientist)
https://renzweedscience.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/177/2025/05/Perennial-knotweed-identification.pdf
Oregon State University Extension – Solve Pest Problems: Grasses & Grass-Like Pacific Northwest Weeds
https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/grass-like
Washington State University – Perennial Weed Control in the Pacific Northwest (PNW Pest Management Handbooks)
https://pnwhandbooks.org/weed/agronomic/corn/field-silage-seed/perennial-weed-control-quackgrass-field-bindweed-canada-thistle-johnsongrass-etc-0
Colorado State University Extension – Weed Management (IPM)
https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/weed-management/
NC State Extension – Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 8: Integrated Pest Management
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/8-integrated-pest-management-ipm
Washington State University – Weed Management (Pesticide Resources and Education Program)
https://pep.wsu.edu/weedmanagement/
UC IPM – Soil Solarization for Gardens and Landscapes
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/soil-solarization-for-gardens-landscapes/
University of Vermont Extension – Tarping, Solarization and Occultation
https://www.uvm.edu/extension/news/tarping-solarization-and-occultation
UConn Extension – Homemade Pesticide Issues: Understanding the Science (EXT014, Updated 2024)
https://extension.uconn.edu/publication/homemade-pesticides/
Ask Extension (Cooperative Extension National Q&A Service) – Vinegar, Salt, and Dawn Weed Killer
https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=888177
University of Florida IFAS Extension – Chapter 4: Integrated Pest Management (Weed Management Categories)
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CV298

Resources:

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com
Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses
Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop
Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/
Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething
Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething
Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething
Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

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Mulch Matchmaking: Choosing the Right Mulch for Your Vegetable Garden - Ep. 302 May 26, 2026

Show notes

Mulch is one of the highest-return investments you can make in your vegetable garden and yet most gardeners are using whatever happens to be available rather than whatever would actually work best for their situation.

In this episode, we dig into the full lineup of organic mulches—straw, shredded leaves, wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings, and compost—as well as a shorter look at inorganic options like landscape fabric and black plastic.

For each type, you’ll learn how well it suppresses annual, perennial, and invasive weeds, how it handles moisture retention and heavy rainfall, how to apply it correctly, and what drawbacks to watch for in terms of pests, availability, and cost.

The bottom line: any mulch is better than bare soil. But the right mulch for your garden depends on your weed pressure, your climate, your crops, and your situation—and by the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly how to make that call. Let’s dig in!

Mulch Quick Reference

Best for annual weed suppression: Straw, wood chips, black plastic

Best for moisture retention: Wood chips, straw, compost

Best for slopes and heavy rain areas: Pine needles, wood chips

Best for soil building: Compost, shredded leaves

Best free options: Shredded leaves, grass clippings (herbicide-free), arborist chips

Best for soil warming: Black plastic

Avoid in vegetable gardens long-term: Landscape fabric

References:

Warnall School of Forestry and Natural Resources - Black Walnut Allelopathy: Tree Chemical Warfare: openscholar.uga.edu/record/22964/files/Walnut Allelopathy 11-10.pdf
Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville - Evaluation of Allelopathic Potential of Wood Chips for Weed Suppression in Horticultural Production Systems: ashs.org/hort/hort/published/rest/pdf-watermark/v1/journals/hortsci/40/3/article-p711.pdf/watermark-pdf/
University of Minnesota Extension — Mulching in the Home Garden: extension.umn.edu

Penn State Extension — Mulches for the Home Landscape: extension.psu.edu
NC State Extension Gardener Handbook — Mulching chapter: content.ces.ncsu.edu
University of Illinois Extension — Wood Chip Mulch: Landscape Boon or Bane: extension.illinois.edu
Cornell Cooperative Extension — Grass Clippings as Mulch: gardening.cornell.edu
University of Tennessee Extension — Using Leaves as Mulch and Compost: extension.tennessee.edu
Iowa State University Extension — Plastic Mulch in the Vegetable Garden: yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
Michigan State University Extension — Landscape Fabric: Is It Really Worth It: canr.msu.edu
ChipDrop (free arborist chips): getchipdrop.com

Resources:

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com

Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spring-Planted Bulbs and Summer Blooms: A Guide to Growing and Storing Dahlias, Gladiolus, and More - Ep. 301 May 19, 2026

Show notes

A listener asked for a deep dive on dahlias and I’m delivering, from the ground up (pun intended). But we’re not stopping there. In this episode, I’m covering the full world of spring-planted bulbs: dahlias, gladiolus, cannas, calla lilies, and tuberous begonias. You’ll learn when and how to plant them, how to grow them for maximum blooms, how to cut them for the vase (because that’s half the fun), and, critically, how to handle end-of-season care based on where you live. If you’re in a warmer zone, some of these can stay in the ground. If you’re in a colder zone like me, we’re digging them up, curing them, storing them, and doing it all again in the spring. Let’s dig in!

Quick-Reference: Zone-Based Overwintering Guide

Zone 9-10+: Leave everything in the ground. Mulch lightly after frost. Let plants rest and re-emerge in spring.

Zone 8: Cannas and callas can stay with heavy mulch. Dahlias and glads: consider digging, especially in colder parts of the zone.

Zone 7: Mulching is a gamble. Reliable: dig dahlias and glads. Cannas may survive with very heavy mulch in milder Zone 7.

Zone 6 and colder: Dig everything. Cure properly. Store in cool, dry, dark, frost-free conditions. Replant after soil warms to 60°F in spring.

Bloom Timing and Vase Life at a Glance

Dahlias — Bloom: midsummer to first hard frost | Vase life: 5–8 days | Zone to leave in ground: 9+
Gladiolus — Bloom: ~70–90 days after planting | Vase life: 7–10 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8+ (with mulch)
Cannas — Bloom: midsummer to frost | Vase life: 4–7 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8+ (with mulch)
Calla Lilies — Bloom: summer | Vase life: 10–14 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8–9+ depending on type
Tuberous Begonias — Bloom: summer all season | Vase life: 3–5 days | Zone to leave in ground: 9+

References

University of Minnesota Extension — Dahlias: From Garden to Vase. extension.umn.edu
University of Missouri Extension — Growing Dahlias (G6600). extension.missouri.edu
NC State Extension Gardener Toolbox — Dahlia pinnata. plants.ces.ncsu.edu
Colorado State University Extension — Dahlias, Fact Sheet 7.418. extension.colostate.edu
Iowa State University Extension — Gladiolus for the Home Garden (PM 874). extension.iastate.edu
University of Florida IFAS Extension — Gladiolus Production. edis.ifas.ufl.edu
University of Illinois Extension — Canna Lily in the Garden. web.extension.illinois.edu
Michigan State University Extension — Digging and Storing Tender Bulbs. canr.msu.edu
University of Vermont Extension — Storing Tender Bulbs Over Winter. uvm.edu
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov