Petal and Plot- Plant Stories and Garden Tips

Pickle Pride & Garden Editing E:33

If you've ever visited a state fair in late summer, you may have had a pickle served on a stick, deep-fried, battered, stuffed, or wrapped. But pickles are more than just

Discussing Dahlias with Kelly Riordan E:32

Few flowers make a garden stop traffic quite like a dahlia. From tiny pom-poms to dinner plate-sized blooms, dahlias come in an almost unbelievable range of colors, shape

Corn Sweat & Plant Forensics E:31

Picture an early August afternoon in the Midwest. The sun is blazing, the air feels thick enough to wear. You step outside and within minutes your shirt is damp, your hai

Wildfires & Grasses E:30

The sun hangs low and red, and the air smells faintly of burning wood. A summer afternoon looks more like an apocalyptic sunset and an air alert pop oops and an alert pop

Joe Pye Weed & Shrub All Stars E:29

Who was Joe Pye? Was he a real person? Why has this towering wildflower become one of the most beloved plants in pollinator gardens? And how did a plant once gathered for

Echinacea & Late Summer Color E:28

Today's story begins on the sweeping grasslands of North America. Brilliant purple blooms with spiky orange cones that almost seem to glow in the summer sunshine. Today,

Mint Yards & Garden Refreshes E:27

Today we're talking about one of the world's most recognizable herbs. Many gardeners even spend part of the summer trying to keep it from taking over their garden. But th

Honeyberries & Effective Watering E:26

When strawberries may still be green and blueberries and fruit cheese are just beginning to set their crops, hidden among the leaves of an unassuming shrub, clusters of d

Elderflowers & Companion Planting E:25

The elderflowers are blooming as we explore the culinary delights and medicinal properties of elderflowers and elderberries, as well as the folklore behind them and ways

Lady Slippers & Insect Control E:24

Step back with us into the cool shade of Minnesota's forests and wetlands in search of one of the state's most beloved wildflowers, Lady Slippers, a flower so enchanting

Foxglove Mysteries & Rabbit/Deer Proofing E: 23

The breathtaking cottage garden flower with a deadly secret, discover the folklore and medicinal properties of foxgloves, as well as growing tips to get your blooms to co

Azalea Honey & The Chelsea Chop E: 22

Azaleas are known for their stunning color, but also have quite the interesting past, one that is millions of years old. Azaleas have left soldiers lying paralyzed in dit

Crabapple History & Fertilizing 101 E: 21

Follow along with us as we journey through the history of the crabapple from prehistoric times to the modern sweet apple. Crabapples have been prized by gardeners for the

Morels and Lilacs & Garden Center Shopping E:20

When the lilacs are blooming here, the morels are popping up. Did you know that fungi are more closely related to animals than plants? Which begs the question- can vegans

Perennial Vegetables & PLOT Design Method E:19

Plant it once and harvest for years, discover the low-effort, high-reward edible garden that keeps giving season after season. And stop guessing at the garden center, lea

Serviceberries & Mulch Matters E: 18

Join us as we explore the origins of all the different names for service berries along with the rich history of this important native shrub and the deep ties that culture

Tulip Drama & Soil Success E: 17

There was a time when single tulip bulb once was once worth the cost of a luxurious home and also a time when eating tulip bulbs saved people from famine during war, tune

Milkweed Knitting & Dividing Perennials E: 16

Did you know you can knit with Milkweed seed fluff? Come discover why it is considered the 'cashmere of the prairie' and how it connects crafting to conservation. Are you

Ephemeral Stories & Pollinator Gardens E:15

Dive into ephemerals with us, plants that come up and flower briefly and then disappear, from folklore to medicinal uses to how to grow them yourself and all the scientif

Radish History & Succession Planting E: 14

From the pyramids to art work at holiday markets, radishes have been celebrated in some pretty interesting ways, hear their story and more about how easy they are to grow