Chicago Botanic Garden Archives

February 26, 2022 Mike Nowak

Start the Best Fruits and Vegetables

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.

Conservation Lawn Care Podcast

April 24, 2021 Mike Nowak

Feel Good About Caring for Your Lawn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00:51 — 57.4MB)

Like it or not, many homeowners think that gardening means maintaining a lawn. Alec McClennan from Good Nature Organic Lawn Care and Dan Dinelli, superintendent of North Shore Country Club in Glenview, discuss non-toxic ways of keeping lawns healthy. Taran Lichtenberger from Budburst at the Chicago Botanic Garden wants you to grab your camera and participate in next week’s City Nature Challenge 2021. Leslie Graham and Chris Crone explain how the North Shore Plant Club can help folks save money on all kinds of plants.

We're Gardening for the public - Lisa Hilgenberg

Gardening Plant-based diet This Week's Show

February 26, 2021 Mike Nowak

“We’re Gardening for the Public.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:59:52 — 108.7MB)

Lisa Hilgenberg from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden prepares for the 2021 season with less uncertainty than in 2020. “The Plant-Based Boss” Elysabeth Alfano returns to talk about innovations in plant-based foods.

Keep Eating Healthy - Peggy Malecki and Jody Osmund

Podcast

April 4, 2020 Mike Nowak

Keep Eating Healthy and Grow Some Food Yourself

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:31 — 42.1MB)

Lisa Hilgenberg from the Regenstein Fruit and Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden explains how 50,000 plants get maintained during a coronavirus outbreak. Scott Jamieson from Bartlett Tree Experts reports on the kind of essential tree care work that can still be done during a stay-at-home order. Jody Osmund from Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm CSA, Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell from Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, and Melissa Flynn of the Chicago Green City Market are all working to keep local farmers in business during this crisis.

Podcast

February 8, 2020 Mike Nowak

Nature’s Best Hope Is You

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:14 — 43.2MB)

Doug Tallamy returns to the show to discuss his new book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” about how our planet’s salvation will be via native plants and the insects they support. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Jim Ault talks about Brilliance: The Orchid Show, which runs through March 22.

Podcast

January 26, 2019 Mike Nowak

It’s the Seed-i-est Time of the Year!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:45:00 — 49.1MB)

Lisa Hilgenberg, horticulturist for the Regenstein Fruit and Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden, has seed choosing and seed starting tips. Lan and Pam Richart from Eco-Justice Collaborative follow up on efforts to protect the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River in Central Illinois from coal ash contamination.

Information from Past Shows Podcasts

April 7, 2018 Mike Nowak

April 8, 2018 – Anticipation…

LaManda Joy from Peterson Garden Project promotes their annual Organic Edible Plant Sale. Sarah Surroz of Conserve Lake County talks about their new partnership with Openlands. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Lisa Hilgenberg answers spring veggie gardening questions.

Information from Past Shows Podcasts

October 22, 2017 Mike Nowak

October 22, 2017 – A Great Lake on the Brink

Mega-horticulturist Lisa Hilgenberg from the Chicago Botanic Garden talks about fall garden work, including planting spring bulbs. Molly Flanagan from Alliance for the Great Lakes and Tony Maas of Freshwater Future report on disappointing progress in the fight against algae in Lake Erie.

Information from Past Shows Podcasts

August 26, 2017 Mike Nowak

August 27, 2017 – Live from Heirloom Fest at the Chicago Botanic Garden!

Mike and Peggy head to the Chicago Botanic Garden to broadcast live from Heirloom Fest: Tomatoes and More. Horticulturist Lisa Hilgenberg from the Regenstein Fruit and Vegetable Garden joins them to talk about the 50,000 plants under her care.

Information from Past Shows Podcasts

August 12, 2017 Mike Nowak

August 13, 2017 – Cultivating Resilience

Mike’s taking a couple of days off and Peggy Malecki sits in the pilot’s chair for today’s show. Lisa Hilgenberg, mega-horticulturist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, joins Peggy in-studio as they welcome Michelle Hickey of The Resiliency Institute to discuss using permaculture, growing food security projects and using community engagement to build resilient communities. Then Peggy and Lisa welcome Chicago Botanic Garden plant care specialist Chris Beiser for a lively discussion of late summer gardens, plant problems and yellow jacket wasps.