Food Garden Life: Helping You Harvest More from Your Edible Garden, Vegetable Garden, and Edible Landscaping

Fragrant cold-hardy citrus. Some you can even eat fresh off the tree. Find out about cold-hardy citrus and methods for growing citrus in cold climates.

Forced rhubarb is a winter specialty that's quite different from rhubarb grown outdoors: It's milder, more tender, and brightly coloured. Brian French from Lennox Farm explains how to force rhubarb.

A fascination with unusual tomatoes grows into an addiction, and a business. We chat with Teresa Zohorsky from Solana Garden.

We talk about growing quince with Joseph Postman; and talk about cooking root vegetables with Jennifer MacKenzie, who shares recipes from her book The Complete Root Cellar Book.

Bob Bors talks about how to grow haskap, an early and very cold-tolerant fruit.

Some tomato variety ideas for your 2023 garden. (Yes, a tomato plant you can bring indoors for winter!)

Jane Steward, author of 'Medlars – Growing & Cooking,' talks about how to grow medlar, how to cook medlar — and shares some fascinating medlar history.

Garden Planning and Seed ShoppingHorticulturist and vegetable-garden expert Donna Balzer (https://donnabalzer.com) talks about garden planning and shares her tips for seed shopping.We talk about:* Favourite early spring greens crops* Making a vegetable garden plan* Succession crops* Storage Crops* Where to get seeds* Testing seeds for viability* Seed Lingo

Daniel Speck from Henry of Pelham (https://henryofpelham.com)winery talks about growing grapes, wine, and different types of wine grapes.We talk about:* What makes Niagara an excellent grape-growing region* Grape vine care* Vinifera grapes, labrusca grapes, and hybrid grapes* The history of the Henry of Pelham winery* The Baco Noir and Pinot Noir grapes* Food pairings for Baco Noir wine“Baco is Canada’s Grape!”

Mark Wolbers, president of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association (https://www.apfga.org), talks about growing fruit north of 60.We talk about:* The range of fruit that grows in Alaska* The growing conditions in different parts of Alaska* Using greenhouses and high tunnels* The gardening culture in Alaska* The advantages of growing in a northern area* Opportunities for monetization* A greenhouse-winery!“Snow is our friend!”

Dave Hanson from Sage Garden Greenhouses in Winnipeg, Manitoba tells us about growing herbs indoors.Dave has joined us here on the show before to talk about exotic edibles. Along with Sage Garden Greenhouses (https://sagegarden.ca), he co-hosts The Grow Guide podcast (https://www.thegrowguidepodcast.com). We talk about:* Herbs that can be moved indoors from the garden* Seed-growing herbs indoors over winter* 3 bullet-proof herbs for growing indoors* Lesser-known herbs that are well suited to indoor conditions* Indoor herb care and feeding* Potting soil for growing herbs indoors* Controlling pests on indoor herb plants“Even though I’m a greenhouse grower, I like to un-complicate things!”

Taking Math to the GardenIt started with a math lesson. A very boring math lesson.Educator Sonya Harris was trying to get a concept to stick. And the thing that got it to stick was the garden.A non-gardener, she saw how it could help kids take in ideas. But she wasn’t sure where to start once she got buy-in from the principal to make a garden. So she did it with a fun celebrity event. We talk about:* Launching the school garden with a “yard-crashing” event featuring an HGTV star* Bringing the classroom to the garden — and the garden to the classroom* Creating The Bullock Garden Project (https://www.bullockgardenproject.org) to help other educators start gardens* Funding the non-profit project with a for-profit seed company, Garden Teachers Yard (https://gardenteachersyard.com)* Resources for educators who want to incorporate gardening into the curriculum

Discover the Next Great AppleSusan Poizner, founder of Ben Nobleman Community Orchard (https://communityorchard.ca) in Toronto, talks about the upcoming apple-tasting fundraiser event for the orchard. Poizner is a college instructor, author of Grow Fruit Trees Fast and Growing Urban Orchards, and the founder of Orchard People (https://orchardpeople.com).At the virtual apple tasting, participants are guided through characteristics such as:* Smell* Flavour* TextureThe apples in the tasting were bred in Ontario — and have not yet been released.An apple tasting event is something you can do yourself! Poizner shares tips on how to host your own apple-tasting event.Pruning Fruit TreesWe also talk about how to prune fruit trees:* Why prune fruit trees* How to prune fruit trees* Winter vs. summer pruning* Water sprouts* When to cut off healthy branches* Whip cuts

We chat with giant vegetable grower Norman Kyle from Ennismore, Ontario.Kyle will have a number of his giant vegetables on display at the 2022 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (https://www.royalfair.org) in Toronto, November 4-13.We talk about:* His 1,659-pound pumpkin — a personal best* Tips on growing giant vegetables* How to grow giant pumpkins* Getting seed* The Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario (https://www.gvgo.ca)

We chat with artist, filmmaker, and gardener Arlin McFarlane in Whitehorse, Yukon about gardening in cold climates.McFarlane produced the gardening show The Curious Gardener (http://thecuriousgardener.ca), about Yukon farmers and gardeners.We talk about:* Gardening when there are only about 75 frost-free days in the growing season* Gardening on poorly developed soils* How to grow tomatoes in the far north (spoiler alert: Arlin grows tomatoes!)* The importance of microclimates* The show The Curious GardenerConnectThe Curious Gardener: thecuriousgardener.ca (http://thecuriousgardener.ca)

Steven explains why lemons are his top citrus choice for cold climates.He talks about:* How cold lemon trees can get* How cold the fruit can get* Fruiting and flowering* Using lemon leaves in the kitchen* How big potted lemon plants will get* His favourite lemon for growing in a pot in cold climates

Grow Your Own SpicesIn the first part of the show, we chat with Tasha Greer about how to grow your own spices. She’s the author of the book Grow Your Own Spices. We chat about:* The difference between a herb and a spice* Spice-growing ideas for this time of year* Seed-grown spices* “Underground” spices* Spices that might already be in your landscape* Spices that a patio gardener can grow in containers and overwinter indoorsFeed Yourself for a YearIn the second part of the show we talk with homesteader, cold cellar, and food storage expert Steve Maxwell for ideas about food storage – even if you’re an urban dweller. He’s the creator of the online course Feed Yourself for a Year: Select & Store 365 Days of Food.He talks about:* The reason for having a supply of stored food* The advantage of preserving your own food vs. kits* Ideas for urban dwellers to store food* The importance of stored water* Making basement root cellars* Making a roothouse* Smoking food

We chat with Adina Oosterwijk, the Community Greening Officer at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia.We talk about:* Home food gardens that are productive and aesthetically pleasing* A tomato festival* The Royal Botanic Garden (https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au) in Sydney, which has three different sites that each have different growing conditions and plant collections* Garden outreach to vulnerable communities* Scrappy plants for tough growing conditions

We chat with garden expert and author Niki Jabbour in Halifax, Nova Scotia to find out what’s new in her garden this summer, how things are growing, and for tips for new gardeners.Her top advice for people who want to start growing food but haven’t started this year:  “There’s lots of things you can still plant, even in the coming weeks—so don’t think that you’ve missed the boat!”Greenhouse versus GardenHer greenhouse tomato plants are a good two weeks ahead—and far bigger than those growing in the gardenStraw-Bale UpdateNiki grows in straw bales every year. They are doing well this year…the challenge is keeping them well wateredFun CropsEver heard of ‘Itachi’ cucumber or ‘Black Kat’ pumpkin?Succession PlantingNiki has lots of ideas for succession planting from this point onwards, including carrots, beets, and winter radishes

Excerpt from the live radio show, March 2020 In The Biggs-on-Figs segment, Steven talks with Will Pananes, a fig grower in Pennsylvania who uses heat column to protect his figs over the winter.

We chat with author and market gardener Dani Baker about forest gardening.Baker has created a forest garden on her USDA Zone 4 farm. She shares her tips for making a forest garden, whether it’s an acre or just a few square feet.We talk about:* Permaculture principles* Creating microclimates* Grouping plants in layers* Understanding your space* Matching plants to conditions* What you can do at this time of year to get startedHer new book is The Home-Scale Forest Garden: How to Plan, Plant, and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape.

2022 Tomato RoundupSteven and Emma take a look at the 2022 tomato crop.We chat about:* What’s new in the tomato patch* Growing methods* Top varieties* Tomato seed saving* Favourite tomato recipes

Toronto Garlic FestivalIn the first part of the show, we chat with Peter McClusky about garlic. He’s the founder of the Toronto Garlic Festival (https://torontogarlicfestival.ca), now in its 12th year. We chat about:* The hardneck garlic grown in Ontario, and it’s culinary properties* How to grow garlic at home* The festival, which includes seed garlic, prepared food, educational events, and music. * The festival is Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. here in Toronto.  Backyard Hens get HentopiaIn the second part of the show we talk about backyard hens with Frank Hyman, author of the book Hentopia (http://www.hentopiacoops.com). Hyman’s approach to keeping chickens is that he aims to spend less time doing chicken-related chores than cooking eggs. And he sets up the coop so that he can go away for a couple of weeks at a time.He tells us about:* Practical feed and feeder ideas* Creating practical water dispensers — even in cold climates* Making a pallet coop* (Spoiler alert: we hear about the cricket rodeo he gives his hens)

We chat with Pittsburgh author and horticulturist Denise Schreiber about edible flowers.Schreiber is the author of the book Eat Your Roses.We talk about:* Common edible flowers* Lesser-known edible flowers* Top tips for edible flowers* Edible-flower recipes, including rose-petal ice cream, pork sliders with nasturtium, roasted-red-pepper soup with nasturtium, lavender-flower biscotti

We chat with Darryl Nelson and his teenage son, Aden, about light and gardening under lights.Darryl and Aden tell us how they taught children about light at a children’s event at a local museum. (Spoiler alert: it involved colourful Skittles candy.)Darryl is an avid food gardener — and his specialty is light. His business, Just Led Us (http://justledus.com), specializes in lighting.

Land ConservationWe chat with Jack Spruill, whose farm is is on the shore of North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound, the largest freshwater sound in the world.Spruill plans to donate the farm to an organization that will maintain public access, with the land used for low-impact farming, research, and education programs.At the moment, some of the property is used for a community garden — and a community fig orchard.We talk about:* The idea of public access, and how it scares some organizations* Mechanisms for land conservation* Tips for bringing people together around food and gardening* The community fig orchard

Time Outdoors…and TroutYou probably never expected to hear about polar bears on The Food Garden Life Show.Today’s show is a bit of a departure from our usual focus on plants. We continue with our focus on food, the outdoors, and the human story.Time Outdoors…and FamilyMike Borger, lived some of his younger years as a self-described canoe bum, travelling northern waters in pursuit of brook trout. Today, he helps people plan trips to remote fishing destinations through his business Canada Fishing Guide (https://www.canadafishingguide.net/).We learned of Mike Borger when a friend sent us a link to a video of a great family trip: A Dad who takes his 10-year-old son on a spring brook-trout fishing trip into Algonquin Park – and they get the mother lode of fish.In today’s show, my son Quinn, an avid angler, joins in our chat with his fishing questions.We talk about:* Travelling northern canoe routes (and a polar bear encounter!)* Mike’s passion for brook trout* His epic brook trout fishing trips to Algonquin Park with his son, Brendan* Favourite tackle* Reading a lake when fishing for brook trout* Tips for new anglers* How he created a business doing what he lovesConnect* Canada Fishing Guide: canadafishingguide.net (https://www.canadafishingguide.net)

Summer in the GardenIn the first part of the show, we chat with landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing, hosts of the Down the Garden Path radio show and podcast (https://downthegardenpath.libsyn.com).We talk about:* Seasonal gardening tips* What to do in the garden now* Their new book, Down the Garden Path (https://www.amazon.ca/Down-Garden-Path-Step-Step/dp/B0B1JNGSJ3/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjw3K2XBhAzEiwAmmgrApRGyFdzLdBGxjtAnfKuFxt1dWG6uCETTKcf9QQ2RWIEq5iWuS_5XhoCbv0QAvD_BwE&hvadid=230011066480&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000914&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=17808617124252494495&hvtargid=kwd-298335751831&hydadcr=22455_10105497&keywords=down%20the%20garden%20path&qid=1659622310&s=books&sr=1-1)ForagedIn the second part of the show we talk about unique foods, foraging, and turning your passion into a career with Jack Hamrick from Foraged (https://foraged.market).He tells us about:* How a chat with a forager and some Chicken of the Woods mushrooms set him on the path to creating an online marketplace for foraged and specialty foods* The journey of building a business* Top tips to get started with a food business* Unique foods he loves on Foraged (https://foraged.market)

Katie Elzer-Peters tells us about kitchen gardening. That is, gardening in the kitchen -- with leftover greens, seeds, and roots.We talk about growing:* sweet potato* carrots* lettuce* celery* beets* green onions* leeks* turmeric* gingerAnd saving seeds from squash and tomatoes.Katie's is the author of No-Waste Kitchen Gardening: Regrow Your Leftover Greens, Stalks, Seeds, and More.

Container GardeningPittsburgh gardener Seth Finn talks about his container garden and the container garden on the roof of his daughter’s restaurant.The restaurant rooftop garden furnished the restaurant with fresh figs and shishito peppers amongst other things.We talk about:* Wicking containers* How often to replace or top up the potting soil* Growing figs in wicking containers on the roof* Plumbing together a series of containers to simplify watering

A Rose Garden Re-ImaginedIn this episode we speak with Alex Henderson about the rejuvenated rose garden at Royal Botanical Gardens (https://www.rbg.ca/gardens-trails/by-experience/whats-in-bloom/rose-garden/). Henderson, Curator of Living Collections, explains that the original rose garden, planted in 1967, was suffering from the combined effects of poor soil health, rose varieties susceptible to disease, and a ban on cosmetic pesticides. We chat about: * Creating more ecological balance by having mixed plantings of roses and flowering perennials* Changing from overhead irrigation to drip irrigation* Selecting rose varieties with improved genetics

Summer Vegetable GardenIn the first part of the show, we chat with vegetable gardening expert Niki Jabbour.She shares tips about:* Summer vegetable garden succession crops* Growing vegetables in pots* Supporting tomato plants* Managing slugsJabbour is an award-winning author of four books: The Year Round Vegetable Gardener, Groundbreaking Food Gardens, Veggie Garden Remix, and Growing Under Cover. As well as hosting and producing The Weekend Gardener radio show, she is a CBC radio columnist. Her award-winning website is savvygardening.com (https://savvygardening.com).Hardy ApplesIn the second part of the show we talk about hardy apples with Bob Osborne.He tells us about:* Choosing a location for apple trees* Apple rootstock* Tips for growing apples in cold climates* Apple varieties* Cider apple varietiesOsborne has over 40 years experience propagating and selling apples. He runs Corn Hill Nursery in New Brunswick, and is a CBC radio columnist, and the author of the book Hardy Apples: Growing Apples in Cold Climates.

Straw-Bale GardeningIn this episode we speak with Joel Karsten about straw-bale gardening.He is the author of Straw Bale Gardens Complete.We chat about: * Straw bale gardens as a way to grow in very wet conditions* Making non-straw bales out of other available organic materials* Trellising for straw-bale gardens* Making raised straw-bale gardens* Growing mushrooms on straw bales (spoiler alert: then you can grow veggies afterwards!)Connect* strawbalegardenclub.com (https://www.strawbalegardenclub.com) and strawbalegardens.com (https://strawbalegardens.com/) for straw-bale gardening information* strawbalemarket.com (https://www.strawbalemarket.com) to shop for straw bales* balegardenbuddies.com (https://www.balegardenbuddies.com) for straw-bale garden community and mentors

In this episode we visit Misilla dela Llana in Washington State to talk about growing food year-round.She is the host of the YouTube channel Learn to Grow (https://www.youtube.com/user/LearnToGrow1), where she shares her passion for growing food.In this episode we chat about: * Extending the growing season* Crops for season extension* Perennial food crops* Some of her top cropsHer new book is Four-Season Food Gardening: How to grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs year-round.

Year of the Garden2022 is The Year of the Garden here in Canada.This year of celebration includes lots of ideas to help people weave gardens and gardening into their lives.We chat with Michel Gauthier and Cheney Creamer about their weekly Year of the Garden invitations that offer people something simple to do in the garden.Gauthier is the executive director of the Canadian Garden Council. Creamer is the chair of the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association."Anything that slows us down has to be good for us.” Michel GauthierLive the Garden LifeHow do you weave gardening into your life? Tell them about it by sharing your garden and what you love about gardening, and use the tag #yearofthegarden.Connect* Year of the Garden (https://livethegardenlife.gardenscanada.ca)* Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association (https://www.chta.ca)* Cheney Creamer, One Green Square (http://www.onegreensquare.ca)

Eating Locally in YukonSuzanne Crocker joins us from Dawson City, Yukon to tell us about the year she spent knowing where all the food on her plate came from.There was no salt, no sugar, and no caffeine. There were three hungry (and sceptical) teenagers, and a reluctant husband. There was no grocery-store food in the house for for the entire year.Food DiscoveriesCrocker talks about some of the techniques she learned during the year:* Making birch syrup to use as a sweetener* Foraging weeds and spruce tips* Juicing potatoes to make a thickener* Using rhubarb juice as a vinegar substituteGardening North of 60With only a couple of months of frost-free days, the gardening season is short and intense. The intense light causes some cool-weather vegetables such as spinach to bolt.Crocker talks about crops that do and don’t grow in Dawson — and about gardening with moose!From Medicine to FilmCrocker was a rural family doctor before becoming a filmmaker. She captured the year of her family eating locally in her new film, First We Eat (https://firstweeat.ca/).This isn’t the first time she’s turned the lens on her family. Her first feature documentary, All The Time In The World, shared her family’s experience leaving home to live in the remote Yukon wilderness for 9 months.

Cold-Hardy Fruit and NutsIn the first part of the show, we chat with veteran fruit growers Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano, founders of Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.Their focus is cold-hardy fruit and nuts with good disease resistance and minimal pest problems — plants suited to home gardens and landscapes.They tell us about:* Medlar* Mulberry* Himalayan Chocolate Berry* Honeyberry (a.k.a. Haskap)* HazelnutTheir new book is Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts: 50 Easy-to-Grow Plants for the Organic Home Garden or Landscape.Creating Habitat for Native PollinatorsIn the second part of the show we talk about native bees and how we can support them in our gardens, with bumblebee researcher Sheila Colla and native plant expert Lorraine Johnson.They tell us about:* Gardening as a way to support native bee species* How honeybees can impact native bee populations* The disappearance of the rusty patched bumblebee in OntarioTheir new book is A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators.

Today we hang out with 2 urban gardeners who brainstormed 101 ways we can grow food and beauty in urban gardens. Teri Speight and Kathy Jentz talk about creative ways that city dwellers can make productive, functional, and beautiful gardens.Jentz is a journalist, editor, and frequent radio and TV guest. She is also the editor and publisher of Washington Gardener magazine.  Speight is a speaker, writer, and podcaster. She’s the former head gardener of the City of Fredericksburg, founding farmer of a CSA, and an estate gardener.

Gardener and author CaliKim joins us from southern California to talk about growing vegetables in raised beds.Grow Vegetables in Raised BedsRaised beds can have a number of advantages:* Soil warms more quickly in spring* Less back and knee strain* A solution for locations with less-than-ideal soilHow to Make Raised Bed GardensCaliKim says that raised bed gardens don’t have to be a box or a square. “Think outside the box,” she advises. A raised bed garden can be tailored to the yard and to the gardener. That could mean: * A shape suited to the location* Choosing materials that tie in to the style of the garden* A mobile unit to be place wherever there is available sunlight * “You have to make it fit your situation.”

Gardening with ChickensIn the first part of the show, we chat with chicken expert and author Lisa Steele.Steele is a Maine Master Gardener and 5th generation chicken keeper.In this episode, she tells us about:* Integrating chickens into the garden* What to grow for chickens* What to avoid growing* The pecking order, and how to deal with it* Using chicken manure in the garden* Using eggshells and cycling them back into the gardenGrow Fruit Trees FastIn the second half of the show, we chat with fruit tree expert Susan Poizner, founder of Orchard People (https://orchardpeople.com).Poizner is the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show, a college instructor, and the author of the award-winning book Growing Urban Orchards.In this episode, she tells us about:* What to do with fruit trees in the spring* Shopping for fruit trees* Pruning fruit trees* Common problems first-time fruit tree growers often face* The community orchard she helped found in Toronto

Heirloom Vegetable SeedsJere Gettle from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds joins us to talk seeds, seed saving, and seed collecting.He loves meeting gardeners, chefs, and farmers who share old seed varieties and the stories behind them.Lifelong Passion for Heirloom SeedsGettle started his seed business as a teenager, with a 12-page photocopied price list.Today, the seed company tests over 4,000 heirloom seed varieties each year.Gettle says that for a variety to make the cut for the catalogue, he’s looking for 3 things:* It’s beautiful* It tastes great* It grows well

What do you Need to Raise Chicks?We’ve talked about backyard poultry here on the show before, but we’ve never explored raising chicks. Our guest today is Dr. Scott Gillingham from Guelph, Ontario. He’s a poultry veterinarian who works with big flocks. But he’s also a homesteader with his own small flock. Commercial scale and homestead scale agriculture are often in different silos. His passion is bridging the silos.We’ll hear about:* Crop fill* Brooding chambers* Preventative medicine* Comfort zones* Giving chicks the right temperature* Suitable feed for chicks“You become the hen and you have to understand the attributes of a hen and how to provide for and nourish that chick.”Observation is Very ImportantWe’ll also talk about something that is very useful tool when raising chicks: A 5-gallon bucket. Gillingham explains how he uses a simple bucket to sit on and observe what’s up. It works in big commercial barns; it works with small home flocks.He says that when chicks have everything they need you’ll see them eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing. If not — you’ll see huddling for warmth or with wings up trying to cool themselves.Book about How to Raise ChicksGillingham’s book is Raising Amazing Chicks: The First Seven Days.

Make Seed and Nut Oils at HomeOur guest today makes oils from a wide range of nuts and seeds. Bevin Cohen runs Small House Farm in Michigan, where he specializes in oils, seeds, and cosmetics. Home Oil PressingCohen says home oil pressing gives fresh oil with superior flavour to oils that are mass produced.He explains how to press small batches of oil at home. Oil Seeds for Northern GardenersIn this episode, Cohen talks about how to press oil from:* Flax* Hemp* Walnut* Pumpkin* Black currant* Borage* Watermelon

Crooked FarmzIn the first part of the show, we chat with Sean Smith from Crooked Farmz (https://crookedfarmz.net) in Toronto. Smith talks about his journey into growing food, learning about soil and composting, and the beginnings of his Toronto microfarm.Compost Tea by SubscriptionHe calls himself the “brewer” at the farm. The brew? It’s compost tea.Along with selling at farmers markets, Smith has taken another route to selling the compost tea: by subscription. Home Composting TipsSome of Smith’s top composting tips:* Understand what “brown” and “green” ingredients are, and have some of each* Make sure there is enough air* Make sure there is enough water Honey Bees and Native BeesIn the second half of the show, we chat with Missouri beekeeping expert, author, and TEDx speaker Charlotte Wiggins (https://www.gardeningcharlotte.com).Wiggins talks about attracting native bees to gardens, gardening for both native and honey bees, and shares tips and ideas for people thinking about getting into beekeeping.Tips for People Interested in Keeping Bees* Learn beekeeping lingo* Join a beekeeping club, make beekeeping friends* Take a class about beekeeping* Volunteer with local beekeepers* Don’t rush getting your own hives, get the hang of things first Looking for more beekeeping guidance? Wiggins’ latest book is the award-winning A Beekeeper’s Diary: Self-Guide to Keeping Bees.

105 Million Head of LivestockJarrod Goldin, one of the founders of Entomo Farms, talks about how he and his brothers got into the business of raising food-grade crickets, the use and benefits of crickets as a food source — and about using cricket frass as a fertilizer.Cricket Frass FertilizerFrass: It’s the word for insect excrement. If you’re wondering what cricket frass looks like, Goldin describes it a sand-like in texture and light coloured.Entomo Farms initially treated it as a waste product. They gave some away, and stored some on the farm.After seeing how well vegetation grew where they had piled the frass, and after hearing anecdotally about its use as a plant feed, Entomo Farms began to study the use of the frass as a fertilizer. Initial trials on fields of hay have shown surprisingly large yield increases, along with longer-term residual effect.Entomo Farms cricket frass is now available commercially.

Sharing with CommunitySusan Antler joins us to talk about the Plant • Grow • Share a Row program. This program helps groups and individuals to grow extra vegetables to share with nearby food banks and soup kitchens.First StepAs a first step, Antler suggests connecting with a local food agency to find out what is needed, and also find out details such as delivery days and times.Another way to get started is to connect with a group of like-minded people in the community who want to grow to share.Plant • Grow • Share a Row ProgramThe goals of the program include:* Helping people plant extra vegetables to share at harvest time* Providing seeds to participants* Sharing gardening knowledge

Winter-Hardy VegetablesWolfgang Palme joins us to talk about winter-hardy vegetables and year-round growing. He is an agronomist, and head of the Research Institute of Horticulture in Austria.Accidental DiscoveryPalme’s journey into winter vegetable growing started by accident one year when autumn weather was unusually cold. Some of the test plots that he had not yet harvested survived, much to his surprise. So he started to investigate cold-hardy crops.He was surprised to find that that published frost hardiness recommendations are often incorrect.Not NewPalme points out that growing cold-tolerant crops and using simple protective measures is nothing new. This knowledge has simply faded with the advent of large-scale, high-tech growing.Low-tech, low-input approaches are often well suited to small farms and home gardeners. As well as costing less, there is a smaller environmental footprint.Surviving WinterPalme explains that frost is not the main challenge for overwintering greens: It’s moisture and disease. A covering such as a hoop house, tunnel, or cold frame can keep leaves dry and reduce susceptibility to disease. In combination with a covering, good ventilation is important, to let humid air escape.

Edible LandscapesLindsay Stuijfzand talks about how she weaves her passion for growing food into her work as a landscaper.Pretty Tasty GardensStuijfzand is a horticulturist who runs Pretty Tasty Gardens, an edible-landscape garden company in Toronto. Roots in LandscapingWhen she first got into the industry, she worked in conventional landscaping — with a focus on ornamental plants and hardscaping.As her interest in edible plants grew, she branched off into edible landscaping. It’s a path that makes her a bit of an outlier—or trailblazer—in the landscape industry.

Grow Food IndoorsIn the first part of this episode we chat about growing food indoors with Kim Roman, a garden educator and square-foot-gardening instructor. Her new book is How to Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year Round. Regenerative GardeningIn the second part of this episode we find out about regenerative gardening from Stephanie Rose. She is a permaculture designer and herbalist.Her new book is The Regenerative Garden.

The Best Way to Grow TomatoesThere’s more than one way to slice a tomato; there’s more than one way to grow a tomato.Growing tomatoes is like many things in life…there are lots of ways you can tackle it. Do you have a favourite way? Or a tomato-growing tip handed down in your family?Different Strokes, Different FolksIn this episode, we take a deep-dive into growing tomatoes with two experts who have very different approaches to growing tomatoes.* Garden expert, author, and broadcaster Joe Lamp’l loves growing tomatoes. He’s met lots of gardeners using a wide range of tomato-growing techniques through his work as the host and producer of the Growing a Greener World television series, and through his podcast, The joe gardener Show. * World-renowned tomato grower Craig LeHoullier co-leads the Dwarf Tomato Breeding project, has named and popularized many well-known tomato varieties such as ‘Cherokee Purple,’ and is an expert on straw-bale gardening. He’s the author of the book Epic Tomatoes.Tomato TalkLamp’l and LeHoullier talk about:* The tomato-growing methods they use in their own gardens* How their gardens differ* Tomato-growing ideas they’ve learned from each other* Favourite tomato varieties* Tomato-growing techniques they’ve seen in other gardensThey also share tips for new gardeners. “Don’t get hung up on the destination, but learn to love the journey,” says LeHoullier.Growing Epic TomatoesLamp’l and LeHoullier bring together their tomato-growing experience in an online course called Growing Epic Tomatoes. Registration is open now (https://organicgardeningacademy.com/p/growing-epic-tomatoes).

One Farm, Many FarmersDaniel Brisebois joins us from La Ferme Cooperative Tourne-Sol near Montreal. The farm operates as a workers co-operative, where farm owners are the workers. When the farm started in 2005, sales were through both farmers markets and CSA baskets. Today, sales are entirely through CSA baskets. Work-Life BalanceThere is a focus on work-life balance. Vacation and parental leave — challenges for many farmers — are possible under the co-operative model.“It’s always been important to us that we don’t burn people out.” Seeds and BreedingSeed sales have always been part of the farm business, but were a small portion in the beginning — $700 in the first year. Today, the farm sells more seeds than vegetables, with an online seed store and seed racks in over 150 retail locations.Spreadsheet ManiacBrisebois believes in the importance of making business decisions based on data. He uses spreadsheets to collect and understand farm data. He shares his passion for spreadsheets through his Farmer Spreadsheet Academy (https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com). Daniel Brisebois website: goingtoseed.net (https://goingtoseed.net)La Ferme Cooperative Tourne-Sol: fermetournesol.qc.ca (https://www.fermetournesol.qc.ca/en/)Farmer Spreadsheet Academy: farmerspreadsheetacademy.com (https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com)

Beneficial InsectsIf you’ve heard the terms beneficial insects, beneficial bugs, or biological control, these all relate to this ideas of letting some bugs help us deal with the challenges that other bugs cause for us.In commercial horticultural production, beneficial bugs are big business. They’re used for some field crops, in greenhouses, in nurseries. In GardensBeneficial bugs can help to control infestations of insect pests in gardens too. The gardener just needs to know where to look…and how to garden in a way that’s friendly to these beneficial bugs.Pittsburgh-based horticulturist and award-winning author Jessica Walliser joins us to talk about attracting beneficial insects to gardens.

Today we talk about wind tunnels, horticultural therapy, landscaping with edibles, and gardening with kids. Our guests today are professional garden educators who have an infectious love of gardening.We start in Prince Edward County in Ontario, chatting with consultant and horticulturist Charlie Dobbin about using edible plants in ornamental gardens, gardening in windy areas, and birds in the garden.Then we head to Puerto Rico to chat with Perla Sofia Curbelo about horticultural therapy, gardening and wellness – and about gardening with kids!

Wood chips: They’re abundant, inexpensive, and renewable. There are many possible applications in horticulture.Uses of Wood ChipsWood chips have many uses in gardens, farms, and landscapes:* Mulch to suppress weeds and conserve moisture* Heat for propagation* Growing media* High-carbon ingredient for composting systems* Soil amendmentsBen Raskin’s new book is The Wood Chip Handbook.He sees a lot of untapped opportunity for wood chips in horticulture. He uses wood chips at the agroforestry farm he manages. And through his work as the head of horticulture and agroforestry at the Soil Association (https://www.soilassociation.org), talks to growers and researchers working with wood chips.

The garden is the bridge.For clients of The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, one way to connect with the surrounding community is through gardening.Atullya Singh, CAMH Garden Co-ordinator, talks about the Sunshine Garden, located at the main hospital site in downtown Toronto.When neighbours drop by for the weekly market where CAMH clients sell produce grown on site, Singh considers it as an opportunity to make stronger bonds with the community. “My mission is only accomplished if I have these customers connected to the actual garden,” he explains as he describes taking them over to see the garden.Horticultural TherapyAlong with community connections, the garden is a way of providing horticultural therapy for CAMH clients. Singh explains that for some people, the social aspects are therapeutic. For others, it’s having something to focus on. For others, its being outdoors.The garden is a joint venture between CAMH and a Toronto organization called Foodshare, which supports community-based food initiatives.

Beekeeping with a bees-eye viewOur guests today help us explore bee-friendly beekeeping techniques.* Lessons from the way bees live in the wild* Management strategies that respect the functioning of bee hives* Hive design elements that promote colony health and resilienceCommon Sense Natural BeekeepingKim Flottum is editor emeritus of Bee Culture magazine. He teaches beekeeping courses, lectures on beekeeping, and writes about beekeeping and the business of bees. He also hosts the Beekeeping Today and Honeybee Obscura podcasts. Stephanie Bruneau is a beekeeper, herbalist, and artist. She runs The Benevolent Bee, where she sells honey and bee-related products. She lectures on bees and bee-derived products.In their new book, Common Sense Natural Beekeeping, they explore ways to keep bees while minimizing human intervention.

Gardening for the BlindChristine Nichols and Gord Johnston share ideas to help blind and low-vision people garden, and talk about the gardens at the Canadian Hellen Keller Centre, which serves the deaf-blind community. They talk about:* Using landmarks in the garden* Colours for low-vision gardeners* Spatial awareness in the garden* Visual memoryBird GardeningSteven Price, past president of Bird Studies Canada, talks about how to attract birds to gardens and how to make gardens bird-friendly.He talks about:* Plants* Features (e.g. water features)* Feed

We wrap up the 2021 season of podcasts with 12 ideas for ways that you can give something — something other than material “stuff” — to the gardeners in your life.