Garden Variety

Iowa Public Radio

Whether you're a master gardener, just getting started or somewhere in between - there's always something new to learn in your garden and landscape. On each episode we'll talk with horticulturists, foresters and other experts. We'll learn about vegetable gardens, lawns, native plants, trees and more. Garden Variety is the podcast for all the things you'd like to grow or grow better.

Garden Variety is a horticulture podcast from Iowa Public Radio and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

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200 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes200

Newest first

Sep 30, 2022
Turf's up
ISU Extension turfgrass specialist Adam Thoms shares his fall lawn care to-do…
Sep 23, 2022 · 10 min
Daffodils for spring? Groundbreaking
It's time to plant daffodils for spring.
Sep 16, 2022
Core knowledge for great apples
Pumpkin spice gets all the hype, but the first apples of fall deserve some…
Sep 9, 2022
Not just good, grape
Yes, you can grow grapes in Iowa. And you should start planning now.
Sep 2, 2022
Bees are reveling in fall pollen
Fall pollen may wreak havoc on your allergies, but it's great for bees.
Aug 26, 2022 · 12 min
Fall in love with late season perennials
Talking about late season perennials that bring color and beauty to landscapes…
Aug 19, 2022
Pining after healthy conifers
It's been a tough year for some of Iowa's trees. Conifer connoisseurs offer…
Aug 12, 2022 · 12 min
Strong to the finish, overwintering spinach
Plants that will survive — and even thrive — through the frost.
Aug 5, 2022 · 12 min
Making your lawn seed-sational
We're talking lawn care: seeding, re-seeding, core aeration and other late…
Jul 29, 2022 · 12 min
Answering berry important questions
A fruit crop specialist to discuss growing berries and some of the alternative…
Jul 22, 2022 · 12 min
How can we help monarch butterflies?
What we can do to support monarch butterflies and minimize harm from Japanese…
Jul 15, 2022 · 11 min
Insert corny pun here
Vegetable production specialist Ajay Nair talks about growing corn — the kind…
Jul 8, 2022 · 12 min
What to do when all h*ll oaks loose
An Iowa DNR District Forester joins the show to discuss problems your trees may…
Jul 1, 2022
Happy little trees
On this episode of Garden Variety we provide guidance on selecting saplings and…
Jun 24, 2022
Stalk talk: caring for broccoli and cauliflower
It's harvest time for broccoli and cauliflower. On this episode of Garden…
Jun 17, 2022
Ch-ch-changes: talking about growth and how landscapes evolve
Just gonna have to be a different plant — Brenton Arboretum's Melissa Burdick…
Jun 10, 2022
Find the best groundcovers for your yard
Ed Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens in Ames, helps you find the right…
Jun 7, 2022
Bonus episode: gardening and native plants
On this bonus episode of the Garden Variety podcast, Charity Nebbe speaks with…
Jun 3, 2022
Ants in your plants
ISU entomologist Donald Lewis joins Garden Variety to talk solutions to your…
May 27, 2022 · 12 min
Late bloomers: it’s not too late to plant sweet potatoes
On this episode of Garden Variety, Charity speaks with ISU Extension…

Garden Variety

Turf's up

Daffodils for spring? Groundbreaking

Core knowledge for great apples

Not just good, grape

Bees are reveling in fall pollen

Fall in love with late season perennials

Pining after healthy conifers

Strong to the finish, overwintering spinach

Making your lawn seed-sational

Answering berry important questions

How can we help monarch butterflies?

Insert corny pun here

What to do when all h*ll oaks loose

Happy little trees

Stalk talk: caring for broccoli and cauliflower

Ch-ch-changes: talking about growth and how landscapes evolve

Find the best groundcovers for your yard

Bonus episode: gardening and native plants

Ants in your plants

Late bloomers: it’s not too late to plant sweet potatoes