Nature
**Planthropology**

If you’re on this planet, plants have a HUGE impact on your life. Whether you’re a vegan, a carnivore, or somewhere in between, plants are the basis of the food you eat, the clothes your wear, and the air you breathe. We don’t intend just to teach you plant facts (though we’ll do plenty of that), but to give you some insight into the cool people who work with them. From the soil to the plate to the climate, dive into the anthropology of plants (get it?) and learn a little more about why you should care about the world around you from the people who care about it the most.

Latest Episodes:

132. Chocolate Botany, Debunking Plant Hacks, and Cousin Hamilton w/ Derek Haynes Sep 17, 2026

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What's up, Plant People? Today I had the privilege of chatting with Derek Haynes, known on the interwebs as The Chocolate Botanist, to talk about what it takes to teach real botany and horticulture online while the algorithm rewards hacks and weaponized nonsense. We talked a lot about the weird reality of being a science communicator, from building a voice that actually connects to handling comments that demand impossible answers in 20 seconds.
We talked too about our (least?) favorite plants hacks, like banana peel “fertilizer” water, coffee grounds as a magic nitrogen fix, gross DIY tricks, and the electroculture. Derek breaks down why these viral plant hacks sound believable, what they do to beginners’ confidence, and how to use simple reasoning to spot red flags before you waste time, money, or a perfectly good pothos.

Derek also spoke openly and honestly about being Black man in plant science and online education, including bias in workplaces, pay gaps in brand deals, and how much it can suck to go viral. Spoilers: it can really suck a lot. Even with that, he keeps building community and doing the thing because he's committed to good science and helping people grow better plants. This was a great episode, and you should definitely hit Derek up at all the links below!

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As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!
Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.

Substack: Office Hours
Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

131. New Starts, Tips for Being Human, and Advice from the Internet Sep 11, 2026

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Todays' good news:

Scientists left this farm field alone. Thousands of orchids appeared

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e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

130. Garden Magic, Animal Friends, and Back to School w/ Deserae Lindsley Aug 13, 2026

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What's up, Plant People?? Ya'll, I'm so excited about today's episode, because I got to chat with me good friend Deserae Lindsley, of GardeningWithDez fame. She's such a bright hopeful spot in a dark world and you're going to love thi. Whether we were chatting about the need for better nature education or garden spiders, I promise Dez's enthusiasm for life and the world her is absoslutely infectious. Check out this convesation for lots of yapping about:

• Dez’s origin story in her grandparents’ garden and the tomato memories that stick
• A winding career path from cosmetology to horticulture content creation
• Posting gardening online during the pandemic and growing a community fast
• Becoming a Texas Master Gardener and enrolling in an online horticulture degree
• Plant physiology lessons that add nuance to everyday gardening decisions
• Fighting plant blindness by teaching people to notice what plants do for us
• Building relationships with “garden critters” like spiders, lizards, frogs, and butterflies
• Why naming a bug can reduce fear and increase curiosity
• Insect education, host plants, and choosing learning over pesticides
• What to grow, especially in hot dry climates, and why “grow what you’ll use” matters
• Composting choices, mulching strategies, and dense planting for soil health and moisture
You can find Dez as @GardeningWithDez basically anywhere you like to consume content online!

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e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

Deep Roots Podcast- The Future of Ag Education w/ Lance Nicholas Jul 30, 2026

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What's up, Plant People? Today's a bonus episode, and I'm coming at you with a special crossover from our new Davis College podcast, Deep Roots, featuring recent Texas Tech graduate Lance Nicholas. Lance and I talked about his undergraduate research on ag teacher turnover, the real-world friction between administrators and educators, and the mindset that pushed him toward grad school. We cover a lot of great topics in this chat, including:
• Lance’s background in agricultural education and student teaching
• leadership roles in collegiate FFA and student engagement mentoring
• what sparked his undergraduate research and how the grant worked
• qualitative interviews with administrators on chronic ag teacher turnover
• quantitative research on Texas voucher law and rural education
• why communication and collaboration matter for retention
• challenges of recruiting collaborators and finding the right tone
• grad school plans focused on teacher recruitment, retention and curiosity
• core takeaway “Be curious, not judgmental” and choosing motivation over fear
Go subscribe to the TTU Davis College's Deep Roots podcast anywhere you get your shows, and let me know if you have any comments, thoughts, suggestions, or if you'd like to know more about anything we've talked about!

Subscribe to Deep Roots anywhere, or check it out on the website. If you'd like to learn more about the Davis College, visit https://www.depts.ttu.edu/agriculturalsciences/!

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e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

129. Terracotta Pots, Plant Poop, and Immortal Trees- Summer 2026 Q&A Jul 24, 2026

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What's up, Plant People?? It' time again to answer your burnign plant questions that jump from backyard pruning to big-picture ecology, keeping the science clear and usable. We sort out plant naming, native planting nuance, and a few garden myths, then close with research that changes how we think about trees and carbon storage.

• late winter gooseberry pruning for fruiting wood age and open center structure
• variety versus cultivar and why common language bends the rules
• how to attract nighttime pollinators with pale fragrant night-blooming natives
• when native plant cultivars can help and when true local genetics matter
• why terracotta pots breathe, why drainage holes matter, and why gravel layers backfire
• how plants handle waste through leaf drop and guttation
• feeding carnivorous plants safely with fish food or dried insects
• invasive species control through prevention, smart plant choices, and local ecosystem fixes
• tree longevity, clonal forests, and what “immortal” can mean in biology
• new findings on late-season carbon sequestration and what it implies for watering practices
If you'd like to support the show, the best thing you can do is to tell a friend about it! Leave us a rating review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Podchase or anywhere else you can.

Support the show

Substack: Office Hours
Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

128. Botanizing, Complex Answers, and Being Part of Nature w/ Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa Jul 16, 2026

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What's up, Plant People! I'm back today with an episode that's been a LONG time coming! I chatted with Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa back at the beginning of the year to talk about their social media outlet/non-profit/incredible new book, all called Let's Botanize! They met in graduate school, and built a strong friendship that grew into what Let's Botanize is today. Tune in to today's episode as we discuss:

• botanizing as a natural history hobby rooted in observation and note-taking
• how Jacob and Ben’s paths through grad school shape their approach to teaching plants
• using curiosity about plants to support climate and biodiversity awareness
• building Let’s Botanize as a nonprofit with a board, interns, and shared skills
• why their book uses 101 prompts to help anyone connect with plants
• balancing social media reach with real-world learning and community “third spaces”
• how scientific uncertainty can be communicated without dumbing it down
• memorable plant mysteries like marcescence and why some trees keep dead leaves

This is a fun and insightful conversation, and I know y'all are going to love it!

Learn more about and connect with Let's Botanize at the links below!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Tease

02:55 Meet Jacob Souissa

04:09 Meet Ben Goulet Scott

09:16 Why Start Lets Botanize

11:58 COVID Growth and Mission

16:16 Plants and Human Connection

20:23 Public Feedback and Aha Moments

24:16 Midroll and Support

26:31 Nonprofit Team and Board

30:30 Interns Community and Next Steps

33:33 Book Mission And Prompts

36:43 Three Sections Parts Patterns Perspectives

39:42 Paper Book And Unplugging

42:53 Botanizing As Community

45:10 Instagram Process And Philosophy

48:44 Marcescence Mystery Explained

52:11 Embracing Scientific Complexity

54:35 Take Home Messages

57:48 Where To Find Lets Botanize

58:54 Final Reflections And Outro

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Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

127. 40 by 40, the Future, and Some Good News Jul 10, 2026

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What's up Plant People?? Planthropology is finally back! It may look a little different over the next year, but ride along with me today and let's chat about the plans I have and the cool stuff that's coming up. Thanks for sticking with me, and if you know of some good news you'd like to hear on my new segment, let me know. If you'd like EVEN MORE good news and hope about our world, go check out Alaina Wood and Katharine Hayhoe!

Listen to Deep Roots!

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Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

126. Science Illustration, AI Cardinals, and Frozen Asters w/ J. Spahr Dec 04, 2025

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What's up, Plant People?? On today's episode, I chatted with scientific illustrator, J Spahr of @Science_Visuals to unpack how art turns complex research into clear, accurate stories that spark curiosity. From watercolor botanicals to layered digital paintings and ecosystems in one frame, we explore process, ethics, and impact.
• the path from a found textbook to a science illustration career
• Europe’s legacy of artists working with scientists
• art as storytelling and science communication
• choosing mediums and building layered digital workflows
• designing infographics that condense seasons, species, and behavior
• client collaboration, revisions, and scientific accuracy
• social media’s trade-offs and unexpected reach
• why AI images miss context, accuracy, and trust
• the joy of learning fast through research illustration
• practical plant science: why asters shrug off frost
Make sure to follow J on Instagram and check out her website at scivisuals.com!
If you'd like to support the show, leave a rating and review, email planthropologypod@gmail.com, find me all over the place on social media, snag merch at planthropologypodcast.com, or buymeacoffee.com/planthropology

Support the show

Substack: Office Hours
Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

125. Spooky Mushrooms, Modern Folklore, and Mycelial Mind Control w/ Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifni Oct 30, 2025

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A perfect circle of mushrooms in the grass can feel like a message. We follow that feeling into the heart of fungi and folklore with Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini of Spirits, exploring why mushrooms unsettle us, how they anchor myth, and what they can teach us about living with limits and wonder. From fairy rings and house spirits to cordyceps and body horror, we trace the line between ecology and story: a mycelial network expands and fruits at the edge, myth calls it a threshold, and we decide whether to cross.
We dig into the science that fuels the myths—external digestion, predatory oyster mushrooms hunting nematodes, and the eerie intelligence of networks that appear overnight. Then we connect those facts to the rules of folklore: hospitality laws, shared flood stories, and warnings against greed that echo modern forager ethics. We also examine the complicated modern history of psychedelics, sacred ritual, and the mid‑century rush that stripped context in favor of spectacle, reminding ourselves that power without reciprocity becomes a curse in every tradition.
Finally, we turn to fungi as caretakers: recyclers of forests, soil makers, and even potential allies against plastic pollution. Along the way, Amanda and Julia share why house spirits matter, how rituals make homes feel alive, and why returning to stories of reciprocity might be the most practical climate strategy of all. Press play for a smart, spooky tour of mushrooms, myth, and the moral math of sharing a planet. If this conversation re‑enchanted your sense of the woods, subscribe, share with a curious friend, and leave a review telling us the mushroom story you’ll never forget.

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Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
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e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

124. Thunderstorms, Hidden Nature, and the Cryptonaturalist w/ Jarod K. Anderson Oct 17, 2025

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We talk with writer and poet Jarod K. Anderson, aka the Cryptonaturalist, about mental health, ADHD, and rediscovering wonder through woods, poems, and honest work. From “brain weather” to dandelion myths, we explore how stories shape healing and how nature keeps us present.
• origin of a lifelong nature connection and early poetry in a “land lab”
• leaving academia, starting therapy, and naming depression as “brain weather”
• enthusiasm over expertise as a path back to the woods
• the Cryptonaturalist: blending natural history, humor, and gentle horror
• balancing sincerity online with a creative career
• separating dandelion facts from internet folklore
• ADHD frameworks: “more than nothing” and consistency over intensity
• sitting still versus covering ground as different forms of success in nature
• poem “Woodland You” and the idea that self-worth is innate
• book recommendations and where to find Jarod’s work
Pre-order the new novel, Strange Animals, anywhere you buy books. We’re fans of ordering from your favorite local bookstore. Find more at jarodkanderson.com and follow the Cryptonaturalist on social media
If you want to connect with the show, go to planthropologypodcast.com or follow along on social media, either Planthropology Pod or The Plant Prof. Send me an email at planthropologypod@gmail.com

Support the show

Substack: Office Hours
Website: www.planthropologypodcast.com
Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/Planthropology
Facebook: Planthropology
Facebook group: Planthropology's Cool Plant People
Instagram: @PlanthropologyPod
e-mail: planthropologypod@gmail.com

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Scientists left this farm field alone. Thousands of orchids appeared

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