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Rating

★★★★★

4.9

from

30 reviews

Description

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.

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Garden Variety podcast

Fine pruning your fruit trees

2026/02/06

Our relationship with fruit trees is a little different than our relationship with other trees. Iowa State University’s Suzanne Slack shares advice about when and how to prune fruit trees, vines and bushes.

BONUS: Exploding trees? Please!

2026/01/30

Extremely cold temperatures can put pressure and tension on trees as the outside freezes faster than the inside. This can cause cracks in the tree. Frost cracking has been around forever, but only recently has the idea of “exploding trees” gone viral. In this bonus episode, DNR Forester Mark Vitosh joins us to bust some myths and give advice on what to do if your tree does crack.

Prune with purpose

2026/01/23

Some trees, like oaks, need to be pruned during the dormant season to avoid diseases — though you'll likely want to wait for warmer winter days. Mark Vitosh, district forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, joins the show to talk about winter tree maintenance.

Getting to the root of African violets

2026/01/09

African violets are beautiful, endlessly varied and just finicky enough to make growing them a rewarding challenge. Iowa State University horticulturists Cindy Haynes and Aaron Steil talk all things African Violets and share gardening New Year’s resolutions.

BONUS: A ditch tree for free

2025/12/22

Have you got your Christmas tree yet? If you haven't, there's still enough time to check out your local ditch. In this bonus episode, we hear from one caller about his holiday tradition of sourcing his tree from the side of the road.

Mistletoe, holly, and all plants jolly

2025/12/19

As winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and the solstice bring light into the darkest time of year, we’re taking a closer look at the plants tied to those traditions — beyond poinsettias and Christmas trees.

A look at the Christmas indus-tree

2025/12/05

When you buy a Christmas tree at a farm, tree lot, or store, you’re buying an agricultural product. More than 35 million Christmas trees are harvested every year in the United States, and there are approximately 200 Christmas tree growers in Iowa. DNR Forester Mark Vitosh is here to give us some insight into the industry that brings so many people joy this time of year. To further grow your gardening knowledge, sign up for our Garden Variety newsletter.

BONUS: Trouble in tropical plant paradise

2025/12/01

Our horticulture experts brainstorm solutions for a well-intended caller who gifted his wife a tropical plant in a Midwestern climate.

Follow these cider house rules

2025/11/21

Storage, sauce and cider. There are a number of ways that we can continue to savor the tastes of apple season into the winter months.

Berry good winter prep

2025/11/14

It's time to get your berries ready for the cold. Your future self, and your strawberries, will thank you.

BONUS: Respect your insects

2025/11/11

Non-native insects can compete with some native species for resources, but they rarely cause extinction of native insect species.

Leaf me alone

2025/11/07

Raking leaves is a classic fall chore, but those leaves could be put to good use.

Scare your plants off

2025/10/31

How to (s)care for spooky plants.

Too bug to fail

2025/10/24

As it gets colder outside, you may notice some creepy crawly household invaders inside. Here's what you should do

Daffodil with it

2025/10/17

Digging into bulb basics and beyond with horticulture experts.

Mr x 🔪 2025/03/02

TGI hort day!

I don’t garden. I’m here for the puns

woogathering in singapore 2024/08/04

I look forward to this podcast every week

I found this podcast in the NPR app and it has become one of my very favorites. There isn’t any filler, it’s all content. It gives useful information ...

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