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★★★★★

4.9

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33 reviews

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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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Check latest episodes from Garden Variety podcast

You won't be-leaf your eyes

2026/10/09

Fall has arrived and beautiful colors are creeping across the landscape. After a couple of dry and less vibrant autumns, this year may be quite different. On this episode, DNR Forester Mark Vitosh joins us to talk autumn leaves and how the weather affects the colors we see. He also shares some of his fall forest favorites.

Clove is all you need

2026/10/02

It’s a staple in almost every kitchen, but if you’re going to grow your own garlic you have to do some planning ahead. On this episode, Iowa State University horticulture professor and chair Ajay Nair guides us through planting, caring for and harvesting garlic.

Best advice on the web

2026/09/25

Autumn is here and before winter arrives, insects and arachnids have some important work to get done. In the meantime, we can enjoy the beautiful handiwork of orb weaver spiders which is especially visible this time of year. On this episode, entomologist Zach Schumm of the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic joins us to talk about orb weaver spiders. He discusses their beautiful work and how they prepare for winter.

Blame it on the rain

2026/09/18

Some Iowans spent a lot of the summer wishing for rain, others spent the summer wishing the rain would stop. Later summer deluges are raising some concerns about what a strong El Nino means for the next few months. Agricultural climatology specialist Madelynn Wuestenberg joins us on this episode with her insight.

Cool temperatures, cooler advice

2026/09/11

How to prepare for the first frost of the season (hint: start now)

The crickets are humming

2026/09/04

If you step outside into the quiet of a summer afternoon or evening right now, you'll probably hear a merry cacophony of insect sounds. We talk with Laura Iles, director of the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center about the singing insects of late summer in Iowa.

Invasive maneuvers

2026/08/28

The woods may be lovely, dark and deep, but most Iowa woodlands are plagued with invasive species. On this episode, we talk with DNR District Forester Mark Vitosh about the non-native invasive plants that we should be concerned about in Iowa forests and some management techniques.

Lawn and order

2026/08/21

One of the perennial questions we field is when to plant grass seed. The answer is right now. On this episode we talk with Iowa State University turfgrass specialist Adam Thoms about seeding and overseeding your lawn. We also talk about the fall lawn chores you should have on your horizon.

BONUS: Weeding out the competition

2026/08/19

It’s state fair season and the Iowa State Fair has a competition for everything from biggest boar to longest beard to the best pie. But one contest puts people’s knowledge of backyard weeds to the test. We hear from the participants at the Iowa State Fair Weed Identification Contest.

Feeling symp-tomato-ic?

2026/08/14

Eating a ripe tomato fresh from the garden is one of the true pleasures of summer, but growing tomatoes can be challenging — especially if your plants get hit by disease. In this episode, we talk about tomatoes and their many diseases with Chelsea Harbach, plant disease diagnostician with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic.

The rule of mum

2026/08/07

While some of us are making the most of the last few weeks of summer, other folks are ready to move on to fall. Demand for iconic autumnal plants and colors starts earlier every year. On this episode, we talk with ISU Extension Horticulture Specialist Randall Vos about producing fall plants on demand.

Happily ever aster

2026/07/31

If your yard and landscape look worse for the wear after a few weeks extreme heat, maybe it's time to think about a refresh. On this episode, Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Specialist Aaron Steil joins us. He tells us about the beautiful perennials that thrive in the heat of summer.

What's on the vege-table?

2026/07/24

We are at the height of the season for homegrown produce. Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Specialist Dan Filius guides us through the bounty of this time of year and share some advice for harvesting and storing potatoes, onions and garlic.

It's like a heat wave burning in my hort

2026/07/17

Warm season crops like tomatoes and green beans need consistent warmth to thrive, and it may seem like they love the heat, but when it gets too hot some of our favorite vegetables go on strike. On this episode, we talk with entomologist Laura Iles about how heat affects pollination and pollinators.

Help your trees feel oak-kay again

2026/07/10

Thanks to storms and severe weather, tree limbs are down while tree stress is up. But there are ways to help the timber in your area and to keep damage from happening. We talk with Iowa State University professor of horticulture Jeff Iles about helping trees with storm damage, as well as preventative measures to consider before the next round of severe weather.

Podcast reviews

Read Garden Variety podcast reviews

4.9 out of 5

33 reviews

★★★★★

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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