Plantrama - plants, landscapes, & bringing nature indoors

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Fiddlehead Ferns and Comparing Cannabis and Tomatoes Mar 14, 2019

Show notes

Discover which ferns to harvest for spring "fiddleheads," why you shouldn't start seeds in pots of garden soil, comparing and contrasting starting tomatoes and cannabis from seed, and the possibility of planting peas in July.

:32 What's For Dinner: Fiddlehead ferns – new ostrich fern shoots.

6:54 Plant Noob: Why can't I use garden soil to start my seeds in or for my outdoor containers?

10:14 Eat/Drink/Grow: Is Cannabis the "new tomato"? How are these plants similar for starting from seed?

Love Letters and Questions: Saul wants to know if he can plant a second crop of peas in July once the first crop finishes.

New Beds, Hops, and The Neighbors Dogs Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

This episode covers how and when to make new gardens without tilling, witch hazel shrubs, growing hops vines, and dealing with the neighbors' dogs.

:30 True or False? Do you have to turn up the soil when you're creating new gardens? 7:18 Plant Noob: Witch hazel shrubs – fall or winter flowering. 10:49 Eat/Drink/Grow All about hops vines. Growing for ornament or beer. 19:55 Love Letters and Questons: Carolyn wonders how to keep her neighbors' dogs from "doing their business" in her gardens.

Use the code PODCAST19 for $5 off of an order of $40 or more from our friends at AMERICANMEADOWS.COM

Check out Ellen's course: The Wild Spice Cabinet: 11 Foraged Herbs & Spices that Will Change the Way You Cook on her website.

Sorrel, Seeds, and Sawdust in the Garden Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

Find out if you need to soak seeds before planting them, how to grow better root crops, and if it's OK to put sawdust in the garden. We also talk about sorrel – the weed and the cultivated vegetable.

:34 What's For Dinner: Sorrel – yes, it's a weed. Yes, it's a vegetable. Yes, it's delicious.

4:10 Insider Information: Soaking seeds. You might have heard that all seeds should be soaked before planting. This isn't necessarily true…

8:58 Eat/Drink/Grow: Root Crops – how to grow better edible roots.

20:26 Love Letters and Questions: John wants to know if it's OK to put sawdust in his garden.

Foraged Lemons, A Bees Point of View, and Pruning Roses Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

In this episode you'll hear about how bees need both pollen and nectar, why you might be able to find Meyer Lemons without growing them, when roses should be pruned and a houseplant called "climbing onion."

:30 Did You Know: Meyer Lemons might be foraged?

4:02 Eat/Drink/Grow: Making the bees happy with pollen and nectar.

14:40 Inside Information: There's an easy to grow houseplant called the climbing onion. (aka Bowiea volubilis)

18:07 Love Letters and Questions: Sandy asks when roses should be pruned.

Leaf Edges, Containers for Seedlings and Hazardous Potting Mix Feb 14, 2019

Show notes

Learn about the best containers for starting seeds (and it's not ice cream cones or eggshells), why leaf edges are important, and how to make "juice mousse." Plus a discussion about how good potting mix can go bad.

:31 What's For Dinner: Juice Mousse – (no, not moose juice!)

4:04 Plant Noob: What are the "leaf margins" and why is this information useful?

7:20 Eat/Drink/Grow: Containers for seed starting…and no, those cute photos on Pinterest or Facebook aren't a good idea.

17:45 Love Letters and Questions: Pete asks if there is such a thing as "killer potting soil," aka potting mix that makes you sick.

Repotting, Double Digging, and Spicy Peppers Feb 07, 2019

Show notes

Double digging of soil, repotting plants in larger pots, and growing hot peppers, are on today's episode. Discover starting peppers from seed and preserving them after harvest, plus learn if the "hot lips plant" is for real.

:28 True or False? Double digging – what is it and is it necessary when starting a garden? 6:47 Plant Noob: Do I need to use a larger pot when repotting a plant? 11:30 Eat/Drink/Grow Many like it hot! Everything you ever wanted to know about spicy peppers 23:05 Love Letters and Questons: Is the "hot lips plant" real?

ilted Plants, Tree Bark, and Planting on Steep Slopes Jan 31, 2019

Show notes

C.L. and Ellen discuss wilted plants and how to tell why they are drooping, we recommend two newsletters to sign up for, and discuss the bark on trees…what it does and why it's different on each type of tree. Ellen tells us the story of how she went from a Broadway performer to plant geek, and we answer Ami's question about plants to put on a sunny slope.

:30 True or False? A wilted plant needs watering.

3:48 Plant noob: Great newsletters to subscribe to.

Ned Friedman's observations from the Arnold Arboretum

Adam Haritan's newsletter, Learn Your Land.

7:20 Eat/Drink/Grow: Tree Bark - what it is, what it does, and why it's different for the various types of trees.

11:49 Story Time: Ellen's story about how she became a "plant person."

14:48 Love Letters and Questions Ami asks about planting on a sunny slope.

Oyster Mushrooms, Aphids, and Pass-Along Houseplants Jan 24, 2019

Show notes

In Episode 67 Ellen and C.L. talk about oyster mushrooms, those creepy aphids, and houseplants that you can easily share with the world. We end by answering Patty's question about GMO verses hybrid plants.

:30 What's for dinner: Oyster mushrooms! Forage for them, grow them or buy them in the supermarket.

4:31 Insider Information: Creepy, crawly and ever-present aphids.

10:55 Eat/Drink/Grow: Pass along houseplants

Shout out to The Gardenangelists podcast.

19:09 Love Letters and Questions: Patty asks about GMO verses hybrid plants.

Pass-along Houseplants - Madagascar Jewel (Euphorbia leuconeura) Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana) and Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides

Shagbark Hickory, Starting Flowers From Seed, and Organic Fertilizers Jan 17, 2019

Show notes

This program explains why you might want to plant a hickory tree, and which flowers can be started indoors this spring. C.L. and Ellen also discuss how organic fertilizers work and why you should appreciate that they aren't instantly available to plants. The episode ends with the mystery of the disappearing foxglove plants.

:30 Did You Know: What is a shagbark hickory tree and why should you care?

recipe for shagbark hickory syrup

Go Native Tree Farm in Manheim PA is a place you can order hickory

5:52 Eat/Drink/Grow: Yes, it's time to start thinking about which flowers to grow from seeds.

18:07 Inside Information: How organic fertilizers work.

20:55 Love Letters and Questions: Portia is wondering why her foxgloves have disappeared.

This episode of Plantrama is brought to you by American Meadows.

Use the code PODCAST19 for $5 off of an order of $40 or more.

Fragrant Plants Indoors, Eating Spruce Tips, and Plantrama Seattle Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

In this episode Ellen and C.L. talk about eating the tips off of spruce trees, what people mean when they say they are "forcing plants," and which houseplants can bring fragrance into your home this winter.

:32 What's for dinner: Spruce tips! Euell Gibbons was right…

5:35 Plant Noob: What does "forcing plants" mean?

9:13 Eat/Drink/Grow: Growing fragrant houseplants

16:00 Love Letters and Questions: Randall asks if the Plantrama team will be back in Seattle this winter for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

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