Gardening Archives

Food justice Gardening Insects Local food Monarch butterflies Native plants

Monarch Butterflies: Yet Another Species on the Brink

May 28, 2022May 30, 2022 Mike Nowak Bob Benenson, Dolly Foster, gardening, Local Food Forum, monarch butterflies, monarch population 2022, Peggy Malecki, summer farmers markets, The Green Dispatch, The Mike Nowak Show, types of milkweed

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:07:12 — 61.2MB)

The monarch numbers from Mexico were just released and they’re…okay. Which means that the iconic species is still threatened. Horticulturist Dolly Foster returns to the show to talk about choosing plants–including milkweed–to attract monarchs and other pollinators to your yard. Bob Benenson of Local Food Forum reports on the start of summer farmers market season and some developments for small farms and growers.

Environment Gardening soil health sustainability Tree Care

The Sky’s the Limit for Women in Arboriculture

May 14, 2022May 17, 2022 Mike Nowak Adapting to Dive, Bartlett Tree Experts, Diveheart, Megan Kacenski, Peggy Malecki, scuba therapy, spring tree care, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, women in arboriculture

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:06:01 — 60.4MB)

ISA certified arborist Megan Kacenski from Bartlett Tree Experts stops by to talk about how she became an arborist representative and what kind of opportunities exist for women in the tree care industry. She is joined by show regular Skeet from Bartlett. Diveheart, which helps disabled children, adults and veterans gain confidence and independence through scuba diving, is coming out with a documentary. Executive Director Tinamarie Hernandez previews the world premiere showing on May 18.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:24 — 57.3MB)

The Mike Nowak Show with Peggy Malecki helps the Illinois Food Scrap Coalition kick off International Compost Awareness Week. Merleanne Rampale from SWALCO, James Kim from Vernon HIlls Park District, and Vytas Papedinskas of Save Our Soil LLC report on a pilot program that is helping communities utilize the regeneration properties of compost. John Bates from Field Museum Birds helps clear up some confusion regarding use of backyard bird feeders during the current avian influenza outbreak in the U.S.

Climate change Food gardening Gardening Insects Lifestyle Native plants Tree Care

The Marvelous Melinda Myers Makes It Better

April 23, 2022April 25, 2022 Mike Nowak climate change, gardening expert Melinda Myers, Great Courses “How To Grow Anything, growing annuals and perennials, invasive jumping worms, Melinda's Garden Moment, Midwest Gardener's Handbook, native plants, Peggy Malecki, The Mike Nowak Show, USDA Hardiness Zones

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:52 — 58.1MB)

The Marvelous Melinda Myers returns to talk spring gardening. We learn about the changes in the latest version of her “Midwest Gardener’s Handbook,” As always, we’ll answer as many gardening questions as time allows. Mike and Peggy dip into the latest environmental stories during their “Green Dispatch” segment. And meteorologist Rick DiMaio returns to talk about inconsistent spring weather (what else is new?)

Climate change Composting Food justice Gardening Local food Native plants Organics soil health

How to Go Beyond Organic Growing

March 26, 2022March 29, 2022 Mike Nowak beyond organic growing, Bob Benenson, Chicago's Green City Market, Emily Murphy, fighting climate change in your garden, GROW NOW, Local Food Forum, opening farmers markets in April, Peggy Malecki, regenerative gardening, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:57:23 — 55.6MB)

If it’s spring, it’s time to talk once again to Bob Benenson from Local Food Forum. He reports on as many issues as he can get to in about 20 minutes, They include the reasoning behind Chicago’s Green City Market’s decision to open a month earlier. Author Emily Murphy returns to the show to talk about her new book, GROW NOW. In it, she shares the gospel of regenerative gardening, no-till, and what it means to go beyond organic.

Biology Climate change Gardening Insects Natural sciences Organics

Phenology Is a Key Component of Life on Earth

March 12, 2022March 15, 2022 Mike Nowak Budburst, climate change, Fruition Seeds, gardening, growing tomatoes, heirloom seeds, Nature's Notebook, Peggy Malecki, Petra Page-Mann, The 606, The Mike Nowak Show, USA National Phenology Network

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00:23 — 57.0MB)

If you’re not familiar with the concept of phenology, we hope to give you an introduction on today’s show. Alyssa Rosemartin from the USA National Phenology Network and citizen scientist Jean Linsner, who has worked on The 606 in Chicago, talk about the importance of keeping track of nature’s calendar. Petra Page-Mann from Fruition Seeds returns to explain why her company focuses on organic heirloom seeds.

Composting Gardening Organics soil health Tomatoes

Start the Best Fruits and Vegetables

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 Mike Nowak Chicago Botanic Garden, Lisa Hilgenberg, organic gardening, Peggy Malecki, Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, seed starting, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, The Orchid Show: Untamed

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00:16 — 57.9MB)

Lisa Hilgenberg is horticulturist for the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There, she is responsible for some 50,000 plants, including 400 types of edibles. Today she has advice on when and how to get your seedlings started for the Midwest growing season. We also talk about The Orchid Show: Untamed at the Garden.

Gardening

Tomatomania V: Off to the Races

Monarch Butterflies: Yet Another Species on the Brink

The Sky’s the Limit for Women in Arboriculture

The Regeneration Miracle That Is Compost

The Marvelous Melinda Myers Makes It Better

The Possibilities of Amazing Native Plants

How to Go Beyond Organic Growing

Phenology Is a Key Component of Life on Earth

Expect Great Growing in 2022

Start the Best Fruits and Vegetables