The Beet: A Podcast For Plant Lovers

If you’re noticing a proliferation of flies, and your brassicas or root vegetables are starting to yellow, it’s a warning sign. You may have an infestation of root maggots. These fly larvae are no joke! Hungrily, they will chew through your plants, causing them to lose vigor, wilt, yellow, and possibly die off. Learn More: Root Maggots On The Rampage: Wiping Out Delia Species Pests Keep Growing, Kevin Podcast Sponsor: Garden Maker Naturals Natural and organic fertilizers with complete ingredient transparency, custom-mixed for your garden's unique needs. Check it out by clicking this link and tell them Kevin from Epic Gardening sent you! Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peat pots (or a substitute) are a fantastic way to start seeds, but there are a lot of different types. I break down which to use for which purpose in today's episode. Learn More: Peat Pots Revealed: Biodegradable Planters For Your Garden Keep Growing, Kevin Podcast Sponsor: Garden Maker Naturals Natural and organic fertilizers with complete ingredient transparency, custom-mixed for your garden's unique needs. Check it out by clicking this link and tell them Kevin from Epic Gardening sent you! Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scale insects: some of the most annoying houseplant and greenhouse pests out there! These are tricky because they can have a wax or armored coating, making them less susceptible to treatment options. Figure out what to do to deal with them! Learn More: Scale Insects: All About Them And How To Get Rid Of Them Keep Growing, Kevin Podcast Sponsor: Garden Maker Naturals Natural and organic fertilizers with complete ingredient transparency, custom-mixed for your garden's unique needs. Check it out by clicking this link and tell them Kevin from Epic Gardening sent you! Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy new year! I hope you had a wonderful celebration and are excited to get gardening in 2018. In today's episode we talk about how to get the most out of your garden by planning it properly from the start! Keep Growing, Kevin Podcast Sponsor: Garden Maker Naturals Natural and organic fertilizers with complete ingredient transparency, custom-mixed for your garden's unique needs. Check it out by clicking this link and tell them Kevin from Epic Gardening sent you! Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question comes from Isaac, who wants to know if it makes sense to use PVC tubes to compost worms in a raised bed. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the hottest gardening methods out there right now is straw bale gardening, popularized by Joel Karsten, the book's author. It's a unique method that has a lot of advantages, so let's take a look at it! Learn More: Straw Bale Gardens Complete Book Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Square Foot Gardening gets a lot of praise...but are there downsides? In this episode I go over the reasons you SHOULD consider it, but also some of the cons to the method. Learn More: The All New Square Foot Gardening Book Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This old woman figured out a way to never garden past 11am but still have enough produce to feed her and her husband without ever going to the grocery store for 18 years. Pretty amazing - check out her method! Learn More: Gardening Without Work by Ruth Stout Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we all recover from our holiday celebrations, you might not want to get back out in the garden and put in hard work. What if I told you...you don't have to - and you can still have an abundant garden! That's what we're talking about today - hope you enjoy :) Learn More: Charles Dowding's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I AM WRITING A GARDENING BOOK! But I need your help to shape the content. It's going to be called The Field Guide to Urban Gardening. 225 pages, 300 images, chock-full of amazing gardening plans, info, guides, and more. Sign up for the early access reader's group Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just because Christmas is here doesn't mean it's time to get rid of your pointsettia! You can encourage it to re-bloom in the Spring if you follow these simple fertilization tips! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't forget about the bathroom when it comes to decking your house out with some gorgeous greenery! The plants I recommend in this episode will all thrive in a bathroom environment - high humidity, relatively low light. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a lot of choices when it comes to how to make soil for your raised beds...but which is best? We'll take a look at the ideal soil makeup, as well as some modifications you may want to make based on your unique growing conditions. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Water is one of those topics that sounds simple, but can be complex once you get into the details...especially when it comes to hydroponics. In today's episode I give a rundown of it it's a good idea to use distilled water in your hydroponic system. Learn More: Distilled Water For Plants: What You Need To Know Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting seeds is always a challenge, as our little plants are in the beginning phase of their lives and need a lot of TLC. Here's a quick rundown of some essential gear you'll need to give your seeds their best start. Learn More: Essential Seed Starting Equipment and Supplies Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often think that the roots of our plants are the only way they get nutrition, but this is not true! You can foliar feed your plants, or feed the leaves to spot-fix many different nutrient deficiency issues. Learn More: Foliar Feeding and Fertilization in Hydroponics Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I recommend ladybugs often as a critical part of integrated pest management in the garden...but once you have them munching on your pests, how do you keep them there? Learn how in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've never seen thrips, I'm jealous of you. These are the weirdest, most alien-like garden pests out there...and they do a ton of damage to your plants! Learn how to get rid of them in today's episode. Learn More: Thrips: What Thysanoptera Pests Are And How To Eliminate Them Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sweet potatoes don't grow from seed, they grow from slips - and you can start an almost unlimited amount of them from home. Let's get into it! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever thought of growing banana trees as ornamentals? If not, you should - and this episode explains exactly how to do it. Learn More: Dwarf Banana Tree: Growing Banana Plants as Ornamentals Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cilantro is an annoying plant to start from seed, so here are a few tips to make it a bit easier for you! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tilling by hand can be a chore, but less of one if you use the right tools! In this episode we look at why and when to till your garden as well as a few recommendations on quality tillers. Learn More: Hand Tiller Guide: The Best Hand Tiller For Your 2018 Garden Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question comes from Eric, who wants to know the most cost-effective and efficient system for growing hydroponic strawberries. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question comes from Isaac, who wanted to know the difference between heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid or F1 seeds. It's a common question and a confusing topic - so let's dive in! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tagetes erecta, Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii, Canna generalis, Zinnia elegans. These are just some of the words you’ll find on the plant labels at your local home and garden store. Are your eyes glazing over yet? If so, I totally understand! But trust me, these words have meaning. They are all scientific names for common plants that can be found in your garden. As you continue reading the plant label you’ll find other gardening jargon that may not make sense to you at first. It’s easy to get confused by the terminology and instructions on plant labels. Learn More: Plant Labels: What’s On Them And How To Read Them Properly Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coleus is a gorgeous type of ornamental plant with a very complicated naming history! In 1763, coleus was part of the Ocimum genus. Later, it was recognized as its own genus of plants. Part of the Lamiaceae family, the genus name Coleus was eventually retired and these plants were incorporated as part of the Plectranthus genus. They’ve also been classified as Solenostemon genus, which complicates things even more. But what is coleus? Sometimes called painted nettle, they are multi-hued, stunning plants grown for their leaves rather than flowers. Excellent for either container gardening or for adoring garden beds, they offer amazing color in partial shaded areas. Learn More: Coleus: How To Grow And Care For Plectranthus Scutellarioides Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most stationary and tumbler-style composters handle plant materials, paper and cardboard, some manures, and the occasional eggshell. Vermicomposters can handle all of those as well as occasional rice or pasta that can gum up a tumbler composter or draw pests if added too frequently. But only one method of composting can handle all of the above as well as dairy products and meats, and that is bokashi composting! Learn More: Bokashi From Scratch: How To Build And Use Bokashi Composters Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leeks are an often overlooked veggie in the garden, which is a shame because they're low-maintenance, easy to grow, and damn delicious! Learn More: Leeks: Everything You Need To Know To Grow And Harvest Them Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kale is a wonderful, cold-hardy green that is a "cut and come again" crop. That means you can make successive harvests of kale for a LONG time. But when do you harvest, and how much should you harvest to avoid harming the plant? We answer that in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drip irrigation is supposed to save time, but it can be a hassle if you don't know how long you should leave it running for. I recently installed drip in my front yard raised beds, so I had to figure this problem out for myself. Listen in and learn! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Epic Gardening listener Isaac wrote in and asked for a basic overview of worm composting, so here we go! It's pretty simple and VERY effective, so you should definitely be worm composting at home. Learn More: Best Worm Composters: Indoor, Tray, and Flow-Through Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a week of dropping juicy gardening knowledge on all of us, Jared shares his story: how did he end up making a fertilizer with spent beer grains, human waste, and algae? And what does it mean for your garden? More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is plenty of fertility available to you for FREE in your surrounding community. In today's episode we talk about making use of free waste streams to boost the productivity of your garden. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever struggled with a tumble composter? If so, you're not alone. Jared from Upcycle talks about a few of his favorite composting techniques in today's episode that AREN'T compost tumblers. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean for your garden if you use a water soluble fertilizer vs. water insoluble? We're back with Jared of Upcycle to talk about which you should use in your garden to get the results you want. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's more to fertilizer than meets the eye. And it's fascinating stuff! Jared from Upcycle is back to share his wealth of knowledge when it comes to fertilizing your plants. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone automatically assumes organic produce is better...but is it true? The real answer is more complex than you might think. Jared from Upcycle is back to share his perspective on OMRI and organic certifications. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The title says it all...is it possible (or safe) to grow with human waste? I bring on my friend Jared, the owner of a fertilizer company here in San Diego to drop some knowledge about using our own waste as fertilizer. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're like me, you love supporting local, organic producers at the market. But what if I told you that you're not always buying produce from the people that are growing it? As a farmer's market vendor, Steven Cornett comes in to share some questions you can ask to be sure the people selling produce to you are the ones growing it. We also go over some tips that you can use if you're a farmer's market vendor to gain an edge over your competition. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I get more questions about watering than I do anything else. How to tell if you're overwatering, underwatering, what to do if your plants are stressed, the list goes on. Steven Cornett drops in to the podcast to give you some knowledge so you'll never have to ask these questions again. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you're growing in raised beds or preparing new ground for in-ground beds, you might not have the best soil quality. Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms talks about how you can drastically improve your soil with little effort. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is one plant that market gardeners, permaculture enthusiasts, and composters all love. Find out what it is and why it's so special, with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you wanted to grow everything you eat for your Thanksgiving next year? Is it even possible? Here's how I'd approach it, with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever had trouble with carrots (like me), here 3 tips to make sure you get an epic harvest. This is an episode with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms here in San Diego, CA. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today kicks off a week with Steven Cornett, the founder of Nature's Always Right Farm. We'll be talking about a bunch of awesome gardening info, but this episode introduces Steven and how he made the leap from a full-time English teacher to a full-time small scale market gardener. Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peace lilies are incredibly beautiful houseplants the produce gorgeous white blossoms. However, they're also notoriously hard to take care of indoors. I've killed a few myself! In today's episode learn the conditions they love so you never kill one again. Learn More: Peace Lily Care – How to Grow Spathiphyllum Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're growing indoors, you might forget about ventilation, which is a shame because it's super important to the performance of your grow. In today's episode we get into an overview of ventilation. Learn More: Grow Room Ventilation 101 Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LED lighting companies love coming up with "creative" ways to sell their lights, so in today's episode I bust two marketing myths that they'll use to try and sell you lights, while giving you a deeper understanding of how plants use light along the way! Learn More: Indoor Grow Lights on Epic Gardening Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode I clear up a detail about soil aeration that I missed in a previous episode and go into organic ways to control oxalis in the garden. Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digging forks are wonderful garden tools, but can be confusing to buy - should you get a garden fork, spading fork, broadfork...you get the picture. Learn how to choose the correct fork for your garden in today's episode. Learn More: Digging Fork Decisions: Which One And What’s Best For Your Wallet Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices