Advertise on podcast: Upside Down Tulips - A Garden Podcast

Pull up a chair and grab a plate—it's our Summer Garden Potluck! Instead of digging into one big gardening topic, we're sharing a little bit of everything that's happening in our Colorado gardens. From bumper crops to garden flops, funny mistakes to mysterious plant behavior, this episode is packed with midsummer stories, practical tips, and plenty of laughs. This season we ask: What's stealing the show in our gardens? Which experiments are actually working? What completely flopped? And why is gardening always just a little bit weird? Along the way we chat about: Tomatoes, tomatoes...and more tomatoes The flowers putting on the best show this summer Succession planting and surprise harvests New gardening experiments we're trying Garden mysteries we're still trying to solve Japanese beetles, weeds and other uninvited guests Funny garden mistakes that only gardeners will understand Lessons we're taking into the rest of the season Plus: New Pod Plays Mail Bag (Ring! Ring!) Bad potluck jokes Garden inspiration And maybe a little "moist." So grab a cold drink, head outside, and join us for a relaxed summer conversation about everything that's blooming, growing, surviving—and occasionally confusing us—in our gardens. Because every gardener has a story to bring to the table. :) Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

⚠️ Gentle Warning: This episode contains mild adult humor, gardening innuendo, repeated use of the word “moist,” and an emotionally intense relationship with mulch. Listener discretion advised. Hi Friends! It’s hot. It snowed yesterday. The tomatoes are confused. So are we. It’s Spring 2026 and gardening has officially become a survival skill. This spring on Upside Down Tulips, we dive headfirst into drought gardening during one of the weirdest weather years yet. Denver Water restrictions are here, mulch has become a personality trait, and apparently California uses giant floating shade balls to reduce evaporation? Neither did we. Gardening remains weird. Edith somehow achieved basil immortality. Christy finally turned her compost pile and found inner peace. We discuss emergency tomato-cage frost blankets, boiling water tricks for surprise freezes, and ask the important question: Why can’t we grow spinach and peas anymore?! Then we dig into practical and surprisingly hopeful ways to garden during drought — from smarter watering and drip irrigation to xeriscaping, hydrozoning, compost, mulch and shade cloth. We share how to water less but smarter, why mulch is basically therapy for soil, which veggies can actually handle the heat, and how to keep your containers from turning into tiny terracotta ovens. Plus: why your tomatoes may need shade, and why your soil desperately needs a weighted blanket. PLUS: terrible jokes & bad gardening puns strange weather stories a possible dystopian “Letter from the Future” from the mail bag  a new dramatic mulch podplay because apparently this is who we are now So grab your soaker hose, aggressively spread some mulch and join us for a funny, heartfelt and practical summer episode full of dirt, drought and determination. And remember: When in doubt… mulch it! Oh — and yes… There may be an Easter egg after the credits. Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

The garden world can feel a little upside down these days — so this week we bring you a whole episode of Stranger Garden News! First, we catch up on the strange happenings in our own gardens. What happened to winter? What are we growing inside? And why are some things still happily growing outside like the calendar means nothing? Then we dig into some of the most hopeful — and occasionally bizarre — garden stories from around the world. Turns out there’s a lot of strange and wonderful news sprouting out there. In this episode we share stories about: • The hot new seed-starting trend: snail roll gardening • What in the world RFK Jr., Monsanto, and gardening have to do with each other • The strange things people discover hiding in their gardens • How Brazilian farmers are replacing nitrogen fertilizer with microbes • Garden hacks involving plastic forks, diapers, and cinnamon (yes, really) • The latest hopeful news about the monarch butterfly population • And what new seeds we’re tempted to try this year Of course we also have pod plays! This week we bring back the fan favorite Stranger Garden Things — plus a brand-new installment. And we’ll visit the Mail Bag (Ring! Ring!) and share a little garden inspiration to remind us why we keep planting — even though it is technically still winter. So grab a seed catalog, pull up next to your favorite houseplant, and join us for an episode full of laughs, dirt, and a little good news from the garden. So grab a seed catalog, pull up to your favorite houseplant and join us for a hopeful episode full of laughs, dirt, and a little good news from the garden. Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

You asked for it and its back!  Two brand new Who Killed Rosemary pod plays.  Find out where Misty Contour is at with the mysterious death of Edith's Rosemary.   In the garden, we are slowly sliding from fall to winter and now is the time for reflection on: The Good The Bad And… The Ugly!  Including a very ugly letter for the mailbag  ENJOY! Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

It's summer and the garden surprises & experiments keep coming—and we love (most of) them! Edith finds a black grasshopper and a mysterious scarlet beetle. Christy's cauliflower turns purple and she finds her reading glasses... in the compost pile. We share what’s blooming in our gardens, how our zucchinis are doing, and updates on tomatoes, cabbage (Christy's pride and joy!), basil, arugula, tarragon, and more. Edith’s rosemary lives. Christy’s… not so much. We’re also replanting for fall harvest—peas, beets, and maybe revenge. Plus: • Edith’s leeks are now perennials • Christy has a pumpkin situation • Peas that grow in a bush?! Yes, please. • Results from our romaine showdown • Armenian (or is it Albanian?) cucumber updates • Luffa dreams and pruning tips for tomatoes and cukes • New tomato varieties we're trying out: Early Girl+, Champion 2, and Oxheart Don’t miss a hilarious Mail Bag letter from Mexico about car zucchinis, a new gardener's stand-up set in You Might Be a Gardener, and a beetle with a PR problem in The Benefits of Japanese Beetles. We wrap with an inspiration to make peace with rainy days—and yes, there's a little Easter egg if you listen past the credits!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

Spring has officially sprung, and the garden is bursting with life! Flowers are blooming, veggies are growing, and—surprise!—some plants are totally taking over. Edith’s garden is overrun with greens, Christy’s garden is a dandelion jungle, and yes… some plants didn’t make it. (insert moment of silence here) Ah well! Onward we go. This week, we dig into: 🌿 What’s New in the Garden? Lessons learned: Don’t plant orach (you’ll see why!) Tomatoes remain a mystery Ground cherries = delightful Reminder: Seeds don’t last forever! New varieties: cosmos, poppies, foxglove, lupines, romaine, and (of course) more tomatoes Hot garden trends: Shaggy lawns Turf wars (aka turf lawns) Moon gardening Plant parenthood Fire-resistant gardening A delightful letter from the mailbag with thoughts on tomatoes, hydrangeas, and raspberries Plus: new tips, new tools, and new ways to listen to your garden 🔥 Burning Questions We Explore: What seed has the longest shelf life? What’s the 2025 garden color of the year? How many times does Edith say “moist”? What moon phase is best for cutting your hair? 🌱 Bonus fun: Our sincere apologies for the pea puns. 🐣 And psst... there's a hidden Easter egg at the end of the episode—don't miss it! Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

Edith’s potatoes may have gone to the dark side, but we are forging ahead with the small and enjoyable garden tasks of winter and dreaming of our 2025 garden.  So, let us inspire your next garden with all the many benefits and joys of gardening!    We have gathered our top reasons why we garden:  From health to wealth.  From making friends to murdering carrots. From learning to lunging.  And filled with little tips and tricks and laughs along the way.    It’s seed catalog season so, we have stuffed this episode with THREE funny pod plays about our favorite reason to go to the mailbox.  Speaking of mail:  We got a letter from Lindsey delivered to our mailbag (Ring! Ring!) about her garden trials and dreams – an inspiring letter of resilience and renewal.  Need even more inspiration?  Christy has some!   Bonus:  Leonardo DiCatrio makes an appearance.  Can you find him? So, grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine or clean those garden tools - while you join us!   Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

Fallelujah!  A pretty darn good year in the garden. No hail, no frost, no covering – yet. Edith grew ground cherries.  Christy grew zinnias.  We both grew a lot of tomatoes.  Edith might have killed her peach tree.  Christy mysteriously killed her cabbage.  We both killed our rosemary.  Aphids chewed, Japanese beetle chewed, mildew took up residence.  So, it all resulted in a lot of learning, we hope you can learn, too!  Why you should keep your compost a little drunk.   Why it’s never too late to plant. Or too early.  What seeds need to be fresh as a carrot What plant can benefit from calcium tablets Should you get a Japanese Beetle Trap? How much work do you really have to do this fall? And some humor with all this education!  We’ve got two NEW pod plays to keep you and all the lilac bushes in good humor.  And some inspiration to last the upcoming Persphone Period.  So, pick up a rake, do a little harvesting or put your weary feet up with a cup of cider and enjoy this season’s fun and informative episode! Oh – and stick around past the end credits for a little easter egg. Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

Our gardens are  doing great!  So far.  If you don’t count the heat, the Japanese beetles… and the murders! Life is growing fast and furious in our gardens and we are applying water like we are applying for a job. Edith loves her loveage. Christy is at peace with her peace rose. Edith is plum crazy about her plum tree.  Christy is thinks Edith’s peach tree harvest is going to be… peachy keen.  :) Our summer gardens are a potpourri of marvels, questions and fun tips. To shell or not to shell peas? Is it possible for gardeners to be psychopaths? When should you trim back your tomatoes? Where does the term potpourri come from? How can Windex be a tool in your garden? How to get the most blooms from your geraniums? Why is July 27 an important gardening date? Which mite might help you control bindweed? Why you shouldn’t name plants after people you know. If you want some fun Brand New pod plays, we got ‘em.  If you want some inspiration, we got it.  If you want some moist soil – it’s there.  We sure had fun recording this episode – and hope you can join in the laughter, while learning a thing or two.  So put on your headphones, head out into your garden and enjoy! Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

Spring is back! We are back!  Edith is back!  Our sore backs are back!  And we have lots to share! Find out what is growing in our gardens and what we have killed this Spring What is the safest non-organic vegetables to buy in the grocery store? Edith has all the deets and beets. We spill the beans on our favorite mistakes from last year: Which plant only produced one solitary veggie? And which plant produced WAY too much? Discover what new plants we are growing this year and why one new seed packet will make bath time lots of fun. Learn a bunch of our favorite and easy Spring garden tips. Enjoy TWO NEW POD PLAYS Plus:  Letters from the Mail Bag (Ring! Ring!), a beautiful inspiration, and a shout out to “moist”.  A “humorfull” and informative episode for sure! Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Last and First Frost Date

It's almost Spring!  And don't worry,  Upside Down Tulips will be back soon with an all new episode that celebrates our favorite mistakes of last year and our dreams for this year's garden.  PLUS:  Christy and Edith are gathering their best tips and tricks for your Spring Garden.  Until then, here is a little something for all you gardeners out there: A little Pod Play about the adventures of the LIttle Seed Pot.  Enjoy! Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

We have put down our hoes and, like our garden, are settling down for long winter’s nap. BUT! Before we are carried off to a deep hibernation filled with dreams of next year’s garden, we wanted to spread some holiday cheer and share with you our favorite holiday pod plays just for the gardener, the wanna-be gardener and anyone who considers well-aged manure a thoughtful gift.   An inspiring “Night Before Christmas” The kookiest “Gift of the Magi” A funny solution to all your holiday cooking A Gardener's Christmas Carol The perfect rom-com movie 12 Days of craziness A New Year’s parade of wine! Happy Holidays and see you in 2024! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Click here to write to us!  Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE Find Your Persephone Period

The garden is wrapping up for the year, pumpkins have been turned to jack o’ lanterns, green tomatoes are in the attic and onions are a’ walkin. So, let’s celebrate all the garden good news stories of the year! Christy and Lindsey share good news about: Updates on Lahaina Banyan Tree The benefits of urban gardening The discovery of a holly tree in Brazil A gardener who has created over 300 community gardens A pear tree that refuses to die, A whole new spin on rooftop gardening How mushrooms can protect trees And what renewable resource is working great in Ireland Plus we have pod plays that take you to the depths of the underworld and the heights of leaf piles! Thanks to you all for joining us in our 2023 gardens! Find Your Persephone Period Want to see Lindsey in a play? Coal Country at Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Kathryn and Christy get in costume to celebrate Halloween and the end of the garden season!  We dig into our herb book and get witchy with it! We share natural witchy herbal remedies from our gardens commonly used to offer some relief as we head into flu and cold season.  Learn how to make all kinds of soothing tea  from basil to echinacea to oregano to thyme!  Why is garlic so prized in the healing world? And why we putting stuffed turkeys in our bathtub? Pod Plays? Yup, we have stuffed this Halloween special with all the fan favorites that we only play during Halloween: The Killing Frost,  Stranger Garden Things, Ichabod Grain and Silence of the Lamb’s Ear.  The Squirrel is back destroying our pumpkins! And we have a BRAND NEW Halloween Pod Play just for the gardener. A very special episode with shout outs to moist, mucus and intestinal worms.  Just the way we like it.  And we hope you do, too – Halloween is not the same if we can’t be witch you!  (Insert cackle here!) Want to know mor about BASIL? Click here! Want to know more about GARLIC?:Click here! Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

Asters and marigolds are blooming, finches are enjoying sunflowers - and the harvest is finally coming in.  We welcome Fall!  And we scheme how to squeeze in a few extra weeks before Mother Nature decides to fully blanket us in snow.  So, Kathryn and Christy have curated some of our favorite tips and tricks to fool Mother Nature.  And not just in the Fall, but in ALL four seasons. How watering helps when Jack Frost is a’comin? The ins and outs of covering: What materials? When? Why uncover? How to anchor? What are the best plants to snatch away from Mother Nature – and how? How to fool Mother Nature in the winter with used milk jugs? Build a wall of water in early spring to get a head start! Don’t let Mother Nature hail on your parade in the summer. Plus: A Squirrel Lawyer send Upside Down Tulips a cease and desist letter. Christy did it again and forgot about produce in the attic. Edith makes a surprise appearance. Mailbag (Ring, Ring!) delivers a letter and gives us hope and Alex Trebek schools us all. Lots of fun and info! OnHilarious. Dynamic. Shocking. See Kathryn Gray, Michael Moore and Karen Slack in THE MINUTES directed by Christy Montour-Larson at Curious Theatre Company! A Tapestry of Great Hits! See Leslie O'Carrol and Linsday Pierece in BEAUTIFUL, THE CAROL KING MUSICAL at the Arvada Center! Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards! How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!  Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch! Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary Learn How to Winter Sow! Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE