The Beet: A Podcast For Plant Lovers

Ever opened up your compost tumbler or turned your pile, only to find it full of maggots? Fear not! In today's episode we cover if they're good, bad, or neutral for your compost and what you should do about them! Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode comes from my friend Randy Williams, a retired farmer. He sent me 6 weird gardening ideas to try this season, and I'm excited to share them with you as well! Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have soil that's better suited for pottery? Fear not! There are plenty of ways to improve clay soil so you can garden successfully. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question comes from Jonny, who just planted a bunch of sunflowers in his front yard! We go into exactly when to harvest the delicious seeds, as well as two different methods to use. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Overwatering is one of the biggest reasons new gardeners kill their plants. Learn the 5 most common symptoms of overwatering so you can catch and prevent it early. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buying plants at the nursery can get expensive, especially if you have a large garden to plant! Save money and learn more by starting your own seeds for cheap. Read the article: A Simple Guide to Starting Seeds for Hydroponics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peanuts are not nuts, but legumes...did you know that? If you didn't, you probably also don't know how peanuts grow (hint: they grow weird). In today's episode. learn how to plant them. Give them a try this year! Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These plump, juicy-red delicious treats are a garden staple...but how do you fertilize them to get maximum yield? Find out in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apples have been around for 6,000 years...but can you eat crabapples? It's a common question that not many people know the answer to...until now. Read the article: Can You Eat Crab Apples? A Simple Guide To This Ornamental Fruit Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever been in a garden center and stood there confused on the difference between these similar sounding soil additives, you're not alone. Today's episode explains what perlite and vermiculite are and when to use each in the garden. Read the article: Perlite vs Vermiculite: What’s the Difference? Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year growers come out with cool, unique varieties of peppers to try. This episode looks at 8 of my favorite picks for 2017 from J&L Gardens. Read the article: Bring on the Sizzle This Summer 8 New Hot Peppers for 2017 Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aquaponics can be even more complex than hydroponics, which is why it's a good idea to pick up a book or two when you're getting started. Here's a list of my personal favorites. Read the article: Best Aquaponics Books, Resources, Blogs, and Videos Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most growers have problems with too little nutrients, but there is such a thing as too MUCH. Nitrogen toxicity is a common problem as growers transition plants from vegetative to flowering phase. Learn how to identify and troubleshoot it in today's episode. Read the full article: http://www.epicgardening.com/nitrogen-toxicity/ Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question is, "How much space do I need to make it worthwhile to grow veggies?" It's a good question and as with many gardening questions, the answer depends on what you like to grow and how much space you have access to. Find out more in today's episode. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you like herbs or ornamentals, these six plant ideas for window boxes will brighten up both your kitchen and your home. Window boxes are an ideal way to squeeze more growing space out of your home, especially if you live in an urban environment. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When growing indoors, we are paying for our sunlight. So it makes sense to get the most out of our indoor grow lights...but how do we know when to replace them? This episode answers that question for HID, LED, and T5 bulbs. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding indoor grow lights is important if you want to achieve maximum yields. Today's episode runs you through PAR spectrum, intensity, and power requirements. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you prevent plant fungus issues without using fungicide? Well, it's easy: use a mixture that includes baking soda. Today's episode runs you through this simple recipe, as well as how to deal with more serious fungal issues. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garlic spray is a cheap, effective, and eco-friendly way to prevent pests and diseases. Learn how to make it as well as a few additions you might want to try for extra effectiveness. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest challenges of growing hydroponically is keeping your reservoir cool. Warm reservoir temps cause all sorts of problems, so today's episode covers a few ways to cool down your nutrient reservoir! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a lot of bad books and bad information out there when it comes to hydroponics. Today's episode covers my best recommendations for books if you're looking to learn more about hydroponics. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you are starting to garden, you want to see results! And what better way to get results than to plant veggies that mature quickly? Here are six that you should consider if you want a fast harvest. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many common veggies can be regrown from scraps. In this episode we look at 8 that are simple to regrow so you have an endless supply of delicious herbs and veggies. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When people tell me they don't have a green thumb, I just shake my head. Everyone can have a green thumb...gardening isn't very hard! Here's how to get a green thumb quickly. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Organic matter, humus, compost...what is the difference between all of these things? And specifically, what the heck is humus? It can be confusing, but once explained will make total sense. Keep growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

pH sounds like a complicated topic, but it doesn't have to be! Understanding pH is vital to being a great gardener, so in this episode we dig into what it is and how the pH of your soil or nutrient solution impacts your plants. Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you struggle to grow microgreens? After growing them commercially and answering these questions so many times in email, it's time I address them on the show! We'll look at 5 different problems that can happen to your microgreen crop and how to solve them. Microgreens are fun and delicious, but can be frustrating if you don't have the growing process dialed in! For more information, visit http://www.epicgardening.com/microgreens Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question is a simple one: When should you water your garden? Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not important, though. Getting this one wrong can cause your plants all sorts of stress! Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question comes from Sally: “I’m sure this is a silly question, but I always see it recommended to plant more than one seed per hole. But why? I just got a seed starting kit with some seeds and want to make sure I’m using them efficiently. Can you help me out?” Not a silly question at all, Sally! Let's dive into it. Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode answers a question I got from Bo Bennet. He asks, "I've heard that plants grown hydoponically grow faster than soil plants. Is this true? If so, why?" Great question! We'll look at 4 reasons why plants (may) grow faster in a hydroponic system. Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, I share 7 reasons why you MIGHT want to consider hydroponics over soil gardening. That's not to say soil gardening is bad...not at all! But there are distinct advantages to growing hydroponically that many gardeners are unaware of! Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first episode of the Epic Gardening podcast, we take a look at hydroponics — what is it, where it came from, and if it's a beneficial way to grow plants. Thanks for tuning in to the very first episode — I'm grateful to have you with me! Keep Growing, Kevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices