Growing A Greener World®

Sustainable Living and Organic Gardening PBS Series

BHG026-Putting the Garden to Bed

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Proactive gardeners don’t look at fall as the end of the gardening season, but as the beginning of their spring garden. With so much that can be done now to prepare, it’s the ideal time to take care of some important business before hanging up your trowel for the winter. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l discusses some important tasks for putting your garden to bed. And the efforts you take now will be well worth it next spring.

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BHG024-Your Cool-Season Veggie Garden; The Best Part of Fall

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Just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean your vegetable garden has to end too. Fall is for gardening, especially when it comes to growing edibles. Some of the best crops of the year, won’t even grow until things cool down. So keep your tools handy as Joe Lamp’l tells us what we need to know to prepare our fall garden for planting.

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BHG023-Sharing the Bounty

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If you’ve been listening to the series from the start, chances are you’ve had a productive gardening season! And that leads to the inevitable question we all find ourselves asking sooner or later; what am I going to do with all these vegetables? In this episode, Joe Lamp’l shares the best and newest ideas for easily sharing the bounty.

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BHG022-Leafy Greens; A Must for all Gardens

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Some of the most rewarding and productive crops in your garden are also some of the easiest to grow. Their growing season can span much of the year. In addition, they don’t require as much sun, they can be harvested quickly, and after harvest, they keep coming back. They’re the leafy crops like lettuce, kale, collards and spinach. From seed to harvest, they only require a few weeks. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l tells us why we should all be growing these incredible plants in our gardens.

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BHG021-Thinning Your Plants; Late Season Care for a Healthier Garden

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At some point during the growing season, many of your plants are going to become so large, they’ll overtake other plants in your garden. So congratulations on that. But you really don’t want to let your garden get to that point where they’re overcrowding others. But if they are, now’s the time to do something about it for several reasons. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l explains why, and what to do about it.

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BHG020-Why Won’t My Tomatoes Ripen?!?

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Why won’t my tomatoes ripen? They should be red by now, but they’re stuck on green. Why won’ they turn red??? Starting in mid to late summer, It’s the most common question I get. Fear not because it’s nothing you’re doing wrong. But Mother Nature is at work, and you’ll be rewarded for your patience. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l demystifies the reasons why tomatoes take their sweet time to ripen.

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BHG018-Proactive Tips for Disease Control

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Having a healthy garden is a hands-on activity. Although starting out right results in a lot less of our time later on, it’s still important to be “proactive” by heading off problems before they get out of hand. Accordingly, you’ll have a lot less potential for disease problems. In this podcast, hear what Joe Lamp’l has to say about proactively reducing the chances of disease problems in your garden.

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BHG017-WaterWise Tips for a Healthy Garden

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We all know that water is essential to life, so it’s certainly true for the plants in our garden too. But did you know that too much a good thing can be a bad thing? More plants are killed by over watering than under watering! In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l talks about the best and most efficient ways to water for keeping your plants and garden looking great!

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BHG016-Keep Weeds at Bay

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The broadest definition of a weed is simply a plant out of place. Now that description may be over reaching, but the implication has merit. The reason being, whatever the plant, it’s depriving water, nutrients and sunlight from the plants you do want there! So even if it’s a plant that doesn’t fit in the classic weed category, if it’s in the wrong place it needs to go. Otherwise, that “weed” is going to compete with your other plants. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l provides useful strategies for keeping weeds at bay.

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BHG015-Supporting Your Plants; Why it’s Important

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Although most vining plants will produce an adequate harvest if left alone, when practical, they’d all benefit from some vertical support. Besides the added benefit of conserving space and getting more out of your garden’s footprint, by growing plants vertically, we open them up to much needed air circulation and light; two things very important for keeping plants healthy and productive. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l sheds some light and what you need to know to support your plants properly.

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BHG014-Proactive vs. Reactive Gardening; A World of Difference

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Years ago, a garden mentor friend came to visit my garden. As we strolled past all the raised beds of thriving vegetable plants, he commented on how healthy and lush everything looked. I explained all the things I did to make sure it looked that way. When I finally finished, he simply said; “that’s the difference between proactive and reactive gardening”. Proactive gardening will change your gardening life for the better. If you’re an organic or eco-friendly gardener, this podcast is for you!

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BHG013-Vacation Planning; Garden to-do’s before you go

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Summer’s arrival usually means two things; a thriving vegetable garden and vacations. But the thought of leaving your garden for a week or so, just as it seems to need you the most, can cause great angst for many of us. But fear not. With the right preparation, you can take that time away and feel confident in knowing your garden will be just fine without you. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l offers important tips on how to keep our gardens growing strong, even when we’re not there.

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BHG012-Companion Planting Basics

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Being proactive when it comes to managing pests and diseases is a must. One way to help with that organically is with companion planting. It’s a term used to describe the placement of plants in a garden that either attract, repel or confuse certain bugs and insects from finding the plants you’re trying to protect. It’s a common practice in organic agriculture and worthy for effective control in home gardens too. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l covers the basics of companion planting and what you need to know to get started at home.

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BHG011-Mulch is a Must!

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There are three things you can do to eliminate 95 percent of your gardening challenges. First, put the right plant in the right place. Second, improve the soil by adding plenty of compost and organic matter. Third, add mulch! It’s one of those win, wins in the garden. Not only does it look great, mulch does so much to help your plants thrive all through the season. In this podcast, Joe Lamp’l tells you why mulch is a must, in every garden!

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BHG010-Plant it Right for a Faster Start and Better Results

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Gardeners have a lot of things in common, and one thing’s for sure, we all want our gardens to be healthy, and grow as quickly as possible, at least when it comes to harvesting! So there are a few things you can do to help ensure your gardens success. So when it comes to planting your garden, this podcast will talk about some of the most important things you need to know to plant it right and get it off to a fast start.

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BHG009-Patience is a Virtue

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About this time of the gardening season, which is still really early, our new plants are finally in the ground, the seeds have sprouted, and our mouths are already watering in anticipation of that first homegrown tomato. Unfortunately, our plants never seem to grow as fast as we would like, so allow me to offer a small dose of reality on what you can and can’t do to speed up the process. Take comfort in knowing that once our plants are in the ground, Mother Nature takes over, and it’s her timetable that dictates much of when our plants will be ready to harvest.

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BHG008-Growing Vegetables in Containers & Small Spaces

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Just because you don’t have a large yard or plot to have a garden, that shouldn’t stop you from growing your own vegetables. These days, there are great varieties that grow well in containers and small spaces. In today’s podcast, Joe Lamp’l talks about what you need to know to have a great, small space garden, and even discusses some specific varieties to try, including tomatoes!

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BHG006 – Using Notes & Pictures for Gardening Success

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The best gardeners learn from their prior success and failures. It’s all a learning experience. It’s part of gardening. So with that in mind, making notes and taking pictures of your garden as it grows through the season is a key part to ensuring a bountiful and healthy garden in future seasons. But what’s important to note and where do you begin? This week, Joe Lamp’l walks you through the process he goes through, starting before the first plant goes in the ground. Keeping good records is one of the best habits you can form as a gardener and this podcasts includes lots of great ideas on what to know.

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BHG005 – Raised Beds; The Best Growing Environment for a Productive Garden

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This week, we focus on raise beds. How to make them properly and why they work so well for creating the ideal growing conditions for your plants to thrive. Given the option, I can’t imagine not gardening in raised beds. They provide the best growing environment for plant roots to thrive by creating essential elements for success below ground, namely, good soil structure and drainage.

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BHG003 – Why Compost is the Best Soil Amendment for Your Garden

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This week, we focus on my all time favorite soil amendment and why I love is so much! To set the stage, one of my favorite garden quotes that I put into practice all the time is; “feed the soil and let the soil feed the plants”. It’s true. Healthy soil is the key to healthy plants. It helps add life and fertility, and improves the soil structure. Yet of all the organic matter you can add to improve you soil, compost is king! There is no store bought product better for the garden, and I believe it’s the single most important ingredient we can add to our gardens..

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BHG002 – It’s All About The Soil; A Formula For Success

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The Burpee Home Gardens Tip of the Week Podcast provides practical information from gardening expert and national television host, Joe Lamp’l on how to grow a bountiful vegetable garden. From planting to harvest, we have what you need to know, every step of the way. In this episode, we focus on what exactly makes “rich healthy soil” and how do you know when you get there.

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