Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Plantrama - plants, landscapes, & bringing nature indoors

Ellen Zachos talks candidly about how Mythic Plants is finding its audience. She comments about which plants the readers seem to respond to, and what advice she would give garden writers who have a book idea that's close to their heart. C.L. ends by asking Ellen, " If you could have a god or goddess tending your garden, which one would you welcome? Which god or goddess would be banned from your landscape?" 

C.L. starts off by asking Ellen Zachos to comment on why the Greek myths so "extra"? It's like these myths love a massive overreaction… punishments and rewards are dialed up to the highest stakes! Ellen talks about the plant that had her saying, "Wow!" as she worked on the book. She gives some behind-the-scenes information about the illustrations and the look of the book, and comments on the lack of plants in Christopher Nolan's movie The Odyssey

C.L. Fornari interviews Ellen Zachos about her new book, Mythic Plants. Here about working with an agent to get a publishing contract. Learn what Ellen's vision of the book was as she began, and how that changed over time. 

Two plant geeks talk about the process, pleasures, and problems of creating a book. In this episode Ellen talks about her journey from being a Broadway actress to becoming an author of plant and garden books. 

Ellen and C.L. talk about three interesting edibles from the True Leaf Market catalog, explain what they're working on and catch up with some listener emails. They end by talking about seven seed starting tips offered by our friends at Gardeners Supply Company, and invite listeners to join them at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle.

:30 What's For Dinner: Our top picks from the True Leaf Market catalog

7:23 Eat/Drink/Grow:   What's new with the Plantrama team.

19:46 Insider Information: 7 tips for seed starting

We're talking about garlic and crabapples, plants that are new to our hearts, and some interesting research on bulbs done at Cornell University. Plus some words of appreciation for all of our listeners…Plantrama people are the best!

 See the bulb research information here.

:27 What's For Dinner: What C.L.and Ellen love for tasty meals.

5:14 Eat/Drink/Grow:   New Plants…new to us, that is.

15:21 Insider Information:   Bulb research from Cornell University

23:03 Love Letters and Questions:  We're entering a dormant period, but here's our shout out to all of our listeners.

Learn about turning Hydrangea flowers blue, how to tell if you're looking at Queen Anne's lace or the poison hemlock, and not enough room for all these plants! Plus C.L. loves listening to the Audible version of Michael Pollen's book, This is Your Mind on Plants.

:29  True or False:   To turn Hydrangeas blue, place rusty nails in the ground

3:48 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Queen Anne's Lace and Poisonous Look-Alikes

15:04 Check This Out:  Michael Pollen's book "This is Your Mind on Plants"

20:30 Love Letters and Questions: Candace writes: "There isn't room in my house for all of these plants…not if I want to say married. Help!"    

In this episode Ellen and C.L. discuss some favorite peppers, and answer common listener questions about drought-damaged plants and helping their gardens recover from a hot, dry summer. We share an exciting new plant from Proven Winners, and answer a listener's question about clover lawns.

:36 What's For Dinner: Peppers!

10:39 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Recovering From A Hot, Dry Summer  

19:45 Insider Information:  Excited about Queen Tut Papyrus

21:35 Love Letters and Questions: Sandy writes:  "Do you like clover lawns?"

Link to Queen Tut on the Proven Winners Website:  https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/cyperus/graceful-grasses-queen-tut-dwarf-papyrus-cyperus-prolifer 

In this Encore presentation from 2017, Ellen and C.L. start the end-of-summer party off with suggestions for snacks and garden hors d'oeuvres. The second segment offers ways that you benefit from an outdoor office, and no, it's not the low rent.

Our main segment suggests ways you can spruce up (horticultural pun intended) your yard and gardens for summer gatherings. Whether you're holding a simple barbecue, birthday celebration, rehearsal dinner, cocktail party or other event, here are ideas for hiding eyesores, improving what you've got and adding color.

Our fourth segment addresses a plant noob's question: "Will this plant will come back to life or is it dead?" We end with an email from a listener who asks about end-of-year bargain plants.

In this end-of-August episode, C.L. and Ellen discuss how to tell why the leaves on your plant are turning yellow. They explain that noticing which leaves are yellowing, and where they are, can help explain why this is happening. Next the Plantrama team explains some botanic terms, and discusses what to forage for or plant in your vegetable garden right now. The episode ends with advice to Sandy about when to bring her houseplants back inside after they have spent the summer out of doors.

:38 Plant Noob: Yellow Leaves – how to know what causes this?

9:42 Insider Information: Angiosperm and Gymnosperm – what do these terms mean?  

11:26 Eat/Drink/Grow: Fall Planting and Foraging     

22:23 Love Letters and Questions: Sandy wonders "when does houseplant summer camp end?"

 https://backyardforager.com/rose-hip-soup-recipe-nyponsoppa/

https://rainwand.com/

Ellen and C.L. discuss whether the use of mulch robs the soil of nitrogen, and we take a dive into the Polygonaceae family…smart weeds and knotweeds. We give you the scoop on two informative webinars for anyone interested in growing hydrangeas, and answer a question about the odd, jelly-like forms that a listener has found on some junipers.

1:42  True or False: Mulch robs the soil of nitrogen.     
6:21  Eat/Drink/Grow: Is your weed smart or knot? 
12:31   Insider Information: Hydrangea webinars given by C.L.    
16:33  Love Letters and Questions: Aliens in the juniper!   

Thanks to our sponsors at Dramm Rainwands!

https://rainwand.com/

In this encore episode, Ellen explains what to make with under-ripe wild grapes and C.L. persuades listeners to combine some creamy brie cheese with those homegrown tomatoes. Next we explain that the end of the summer is the ideal time to propagate everything from woody ornamentals to annuals and perennials. Now that cooler weather is on the horizon, we discuss what can be transplanted in the fall, and answer a listener's concern about importing bugs into the house when she brings potted houseplants back in for the winter. 

:32   What's for dinner: End of Summer Flavors! Partially ripe wild grapes and home grown tomatoes with creamy brie and fresh basil.

5:48  Eat/Drink/Grow: taking cuttings. If you want to propagate a favorite shrub, perennial or tree, now is the time for making cuttings.

21:22  Did You Know? Fall transplanting. Which plants can be moved early in the fall?

28:02 Love Letters and Questions: bring your houseplants indoors but leave the bugs outside.

What can you pickle this summer? Should you buy a tree that's tiny? Ellen and C.L. discuss these topics, plus what to do with bare or just unattractive spots in the garden, and whether summer planting makes sense in July.

 :29    What's for dinner:  Pickles.
7:12    Insider Information: Don't be afraid to start with small shrubs and trees!
12:30   Eat/Drink/Grow:   Dealing with bare areas where plants have died or construction had to happen.
22.52   Love Letters and Questions:  Bailey wrote about moving to a new property in the heat of the summer.

 Brought to you by our friends at https://rainwand.com/ 

Have you wondered how, or if, mulch kills weeds? Have you tried to grow a citrus plant from a seed? Ellen and C.L. discuss these topics, and answer Dianna's question about her kousa dogwood that isn't doing well. Plus C.L. tells Ellen and our listeners about a robot that weeds in gardens.

:28   Plant Noob:   Does mulch kill weeds? 
6:47    Eat/Drink/Grow: Some considerations when growing citrus from Seed.
14:02   Check THIS Out!:    Tertill: a solar-powered, robot weeder.

18:13  Love Letters and Questions    From Dianna: "I purchased a kousa dogwood from a landscaper and they installed it for me."

Have you seen the photo of plastic forks, tines up, in the garden? Wondering about spraying fertilizer on the leaves of plants to give them added nutrients? And how about that auto-flowering type of Cannabis…should you be harvesting in July?

:36    True or False:  Plastic forks in the garden?
7:21   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Foliar feeding.
18:20  Love Letters and Questions:    Manny asks about Cannabis

Ellen and C.L. talk about the difference between raspberries and blackberries, give suggestions for plants that grow well in the tiny spaces in rock walls, and discuss whether you should panic when you see bugs on a plant. We end with a listener's question about a perennial garden filled with early-summer bloomers.

:30 What's For Dinner: Raspberries  

6:32 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Plants to grow in Rock Walls 

18:19 Plant Noob: What to assume when you see an insect?

22:24 Love Letters and Questions:  Leddy wonders if the perennials she bought in May can be brought into flower again.

C.L. and Ellen have suggestions for edible flower petals, whether you want to use them for visual or taste appeal. Hear a discussion about taproots - what are they and what they mean for you – and hear if you need to be concerned about crop rotation.

:38 What's For Dinner: Flowers petals!

5:53 Eat/Drink/Grow: Tap roots.

20:18 Love Letters and Questions: Amanda asks: "Can you recommend any books or reliable resources for crop rotation?

Ellen and C.L. discuss ways to use the mint you grow, the basics of harvesting garlic, and ways of supporting vegetables and newly planted trees. Plus we answer a listener's question about spraying fertilizer directly onto foliage.

:33   What's for dinner:  Mint beyond mojitos   
4:12    Insider Information:  Harvesting Garlic
17:46  Eat/Drink/Grow:  Plant supports.
26:40  Love Letters and Questions: Karen asks about spring fertilizer directly on plants.

Ellen and C.L. talk about a common insect that causes damage in many vegetable gardens: flea beetles. Next they address questions and issues that arise when houseplants have been put outside for the summer, review an inspiring new book, and answer Ryan's question about possible ground cover crops for weed suppression in flower farms.

:28 Plant Noob: Flea beetles  

7:37  Eat/Drink/Grow:  So your houseplants are out for Summer Camp

18:12 Book Review:  The Urban Garden

22:12  Love Letters and Questions: From Ryan about weed control in a flower farm.

C.L. and Ellen discuss what to do if your tree dies, and what actions to take when something has already happened and you need to respond or do your best to fix it.

:30     True or False:   You should remove dead trees from your property

6:24    Eat/Drink/Grow:  After the fact. Or, I've already done it! Now What???

22:00    Love Letters and Questions:    Sandi asks:  "When early flowering perennials such as blue salvia, peonies, or penstemon stop blooming, what do I do with them?

:38    What's For Dinner: Dill.   
8:59    Eat/Drink/Grow:  "Is it too late to plant?" 
20:14   Insider Information:  What alliums do.
22:42   Love Letters and Questions: Donna re: miniature lemon cypress tree

In this first of five June episodes, C.L. and Ellen talk about growing dill, planting in the summer, and what allium foliage does when these bulbs come into bloom. Plus we answer a listener's question about growing lemon cypress trees indoors…was she given bad advice?

In this end-of-May episode Ellen and C.L. discuss using lettuce to wrap tasty fillings, for a meal or snack. We explain what a botanist does, the importance of several types of diversity in our yards and gardens, and answer Pete's question about applying Mediterranean style to a Minnesota garden.

:28      What's for dinner:   Lettuce Wraps
3:22     Insider Information:   What is a botanist?
7:33       Eat/Drink/Grow:    Garden Diversity 
21:58   Love Letters and Questions:  From Pete about "Mediterranean Gardening"

The Plantrama team discusses the best way to fill a raised bed, why the practice called hugelkulture is getting so much buzz, a podcast recommendation, and finding a garden mentor.

:30      Plant Noob: Why you shouldn't fill a raised bed with only compost.
5:24   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Hugelkultur  
16:29   Check THIS Out!:  a plant podcast that C.L. loves.
18:48  Love Letters and Questions    Morgan in Michigan writes about finding garden mentors.

Have you ever bought an envelope of seeds that had no instructions on it? Do you have clay soils where you garden? Ellen and C.L. start the program with these topics, then move onto invasive plants in the landscape, and the differences between different types of potting media.

:30   True or False:   It's okay to send out seeds without any germination information.
5:12     Eat/Drink/Grow:  Gardening in Clay
21:18  Insider Information:  Inspired by Carol invasives in the landscape
25:16   Love Letters and Questions:    From Adriana any difference between potting soil and seeding-starting mix?

 Brought to you by our friends at Rainwand.com

It's pasta for dinner, and everything coming up roses in this episode of Plantrama. Ellen shares her nettle pasta recipe, and C.L. talks about a quick way to use any garden greens with linguine. We discuss the highs and lows of growing roses, and end by answering a listener's question about catkins.

:37 What's For Dinner:  A go-to garden or foraged pasta.  

6:55 Eat/Drink/Grow:   Roses.

24:50 Love Letters and Questions: Diedre asked What is a catkin?

Brought to you by our friends at Rainwand.com 

In this episode Ellen and C.L. celebrate spring salads, discuss organic fertilizers and discuss the many ways to grow vining Clematis.

:28    What's for dinner:  Spring Salads 

6:24     Insider Information:  Organic fertilizers

11:03    Eat/Drink/Grow:    Clematis

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Rainwand.com

The Plantrama team gives those new to vegetable gardening some advice about raised beds...how deep, what to fill them with, and whether they need a weed barrier underneath. We talk about how to remember what you've planted, without sticking ugly labels next to every plant in your garden. In a new segment, we tell you about a couple of great things that we've discovered.

:45   Plant Noob:  Raised bed Tips   
10:46   Eat/Drink/Grow: Methods for remembering what you've planted
21:36   Check THIS Out!:  C.L. raves about Fleurs de Villes and Ellen talks about Spice Jungle!

https://www.spicejungle.com/

https://www.fleursdevilles.com/  

Our podcast is supported by our friends at Dramm – check out all of their wonderful products at https://rainwand.com/

Do you need a special fertilizer for Cannabis budding? Do you need special fertilizers for different types of plants? Do some fertilizers work better than others, and can you make your own out of food scraps? These questions answered and more in this episode.

:33      True or False:   In order to get Cannabis to bud, you have to use special "bloom" fertilizers
3:22     Eat/Drink/Grow:  Fertilizer Facts and Fantasies
20:06   Love Letters and Questions:   Shelley wrote:  "Is it true that the roots of plants only go out to the dripline?

The Plantrama team gets their fingers sticky with strawberry juices today as we talk about foraging for wild berries, and how to grow strawberries in your garden. Hear about the types of plants, protecting berries from critters, using this plant as groundcover, and more. We end with some thoughts about soil temperatures.

Here is a great chart from the Cooperative Extension-Sacramento County, showing how long seeds take to germinate in different soil temperatures. 

:38 What's For Dinner: Strawberries

3:45 Eat/Drink/Grow: Strawberries

19:25 Insider Information: The importance of soil temperatures

Spring Greens, Plants for Arbors, and Forced Bulbs

In the last episode for March Ellen and C.L. answer the last batch of questions collected at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle. Many of these focus on plants for arbors and pergolas.

:28    What's for dinner: Spring Greens
3:37    Insider Information:   Can a night blooming Cereus grow indoors in AK? 
5:27   Eat/Drink/Grow:   Plants for arbors, pergolas and trellises  18:16  Love Letters and Questions: From Rachel about a forced hyacinth bulb

Ellen and C.L. address more questions from the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle. We discuss the herb that gets no respect, Parsley, plus keeping outdoor furniture dry, escaping the insect invasion in your outdoor living areas, and how we started a podcast...and how you might start a garden business too!

:40   What's for dinner: Parsley

4:19  Insider Information:  Garden furniture in rainy climates

10:57  Eat/Drink/Grow:  Keeping mosquitoes out of the garden

16:05  Plant Empowerment – How Plantrama came to be

With thanks to our sponsor: www.rainwand.com

Hear about how to garden if you move frequently, creating consistent gardens in sun and shade, colors that work together, and growing strawberries in a greenhouse. That and keeping the neighbor's dogs from killing plants when they urinate on them.

With thanks to our sponsors:

Storey Publishing, Gardener's Supply Company and Botanical Interest Seeds! 

1:06    Plant Noob: The neighbor's dogs kill my plants on the sidewalk!

4:42    Eat/Drink/Grow: Designing Gardens – questions from the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival

17:09  Insider information: purple hyacinth beans...edible or poison?

17:57  Love Letters and Questions  Growing strawberries in greenhouses

Questions from the 2022 Seattle flower show continue, with blue, mophead hydrangea blooming and pruning in our main segment. Ellen and C.L. also talk about pH for vegetable gardens and peonies that stop blooming.

 This episode brought to you by our friends at Dramm - makers of rainwands and other garden gear.

:45  The Plant Noob:   How important is soil pH for vegetables
6:56 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Hydrangea Happiness
18:17 Love Letters and Questions:   30 year old peony stopped blooming.

C.L. and Ellen answer questions that were submitted at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle. They discuss pruning raspberries, great plants with white flowers, and how to get rid of fungus gnats.

1:31   What's For Dinner: Raspberries!      

10:14    Eat/Drink/Grow:   Gardens with White Flowers. 

21:56    Insider Information:  Fungus Gnats

With thanks to our sponsors at the NWFGS:  Storey Publishing.

Gardener's Supply Company, and Botanical Interest Seeds.

If you're bored with your usual breakfast, this episode is for you. We also explain photoperiodism, talk about starting pepper seeds and growing them in the garden, and answer a listener's question about Lantana.

:30 What's for dinner: Breakfast Alternatives

8:11 Insider Information:  Photoperiodism  

10:56 Eat/Drink/Grow:  Peppers

25:55 Love Letters and Questions: Sam writes to ask about Lantana

Link to Ellen's Clafouti recipe.

Link to C.L.'s Oatmeal Cups recipe.

Do you grow citrus indoors for at least part of the year? Learn to be the bee! We also suggest plants for the "COVID cranky" (and who isn't?) plus becoming a local or niche garden expert.

:34     Plant Noob:  Pollinating Citrus You're Growing Indoors   
4:24    Eat/Drink/Grow: Plants for the Covid Cranky
18:36   Plant Empowerment:   Becoming a local or niche garden guru.

Have you ever wondered if plants talk to each other? Do you want to have a big number of perennial plants cheaply? Would you like to know what it takes to grow Cannibis from seed? Ellen and C.L. cover these topics in this episode.

 :30   True or False: Plants talk to each other.
7:22   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Growing Perennials From Seed
21:06   Love Letters and Questions:    R.B. wrote:  "Last year I tried growing Cannabis from seed and it was a failure.

In this episode Ellen and C.L. talk about cilantro and coriander...one in the same plant. We have agreeing opinions about Stevia, and explain the reason that it takes awhile for some new introductions to reach the marketplace. The podcast ends with Anne's question about hauling weeds to the compost...necessary?

:30        What's For Dinner:  Coriander/Cilantro  

10:38    Eat/Drink/Grow:   Plants that are natural sweeteners...beyond sugar.

19:41    Insider Information:  How the horticultural supply chain works

22:25    Love Letters and Questions: Anne wonders if she can leave the weeds in the garden after pulling

This episode starts with ideas for cooking with dried mushrooms. We explain how to tell the difference between pine, fir and spruce trees, do a dive into Ericaceous plants, and end with a question about taking cuttings and transplanting houseplants in the winter.

:30 What's for dinner:  How to cook with dried mushrooms 

9:16 Insider Information:  Pines, firs and spruce.

14:11 Eat/Drink/Grow:    Ericaceous plants

22:11 Love Letters and Questions:  Shannon wrote about repotting houseplants now.

The Plantrama team discuss a botanic term for plants that put leaves straight up out of the ground (no stems!), and answer a listener's question about a Bromeliad that hasn't made more blooms. Ellen and C.L. present a new segment: Plant Empowerment, which explains how to make a passion for plants into a profession. We start with custom container plantings.

:33    Plant Noob:   Acaulescent plants 

2:38    Eat/Drink/Grow:  Plant Empowerment! 

25:33    Love Letters and Questions    Jennifer wrote about a Bromeliad that isn't flowering.

The Plantrama team discusses the common belief that eggshells provide quick calcium for plants. Next we look at the myths, misunderstandings and misuse of moss, and end with a question about making a terrarium.

:30  True or False:  Eggshells are good calcium for gardens

4:45  Eat/Drink/Grow:  Moss.

21:37  Love Letters and Questions:  Ricci asks about terrariums

Ellen and C.L. talk about eating chestnuts, the perennial plant that's commonly called hellebores, and what it means when you are talking about pesticides. We end with a listener's question about growing foxglove plants from seed.

 :34  What's For Dinner:   Chestnuts 

6:31  Eat/Drink/Grow:   Helleborus

17:50  Insider Information:  Define "Pesticide"

21:38  Love Letters and Questions:  Lynn asked about propagating foxgloves

We start out discussing what can be substituted for rice when you cook. Our main segment is about grafted plants, and we end with a discussion about vegetable seeds that you might want to start in the winter, and whether it's worth it to save a poinsettia from year to year.

:30  What's For Dinner  Alternatives to rice
9:58   Eat/Drink/Grow:  Grafting and Grafted Plants
18:46   Insider Information:  Vegetable seeds that get started early.
22:29   Love Letters and Questions:  Kenny wrote: Poinsettia…save it or not?"

In this just-after-the-solstice episode, Ellen and C.L. discuss how to use juniper berries, supporting heavy amaryllis flowers, taking cuttings and Cyclamen.

 Ellen's Smreka recipe here.

:30 What's for dinner: What can you use juniper berries for?

5:00 Insider Information: Supporting heavy Amaryllis flowers

9:57 Eat/Drink/Grow: Taking Cuttings – which plants should you take cuttings from, how and when.

22:22 Love Letters and Questions: How to keep Cyclamen alive.

In this episode C.L. and Ellen explain what "bare root plants" are and why you might want them. Next, they talk about the genus Dracaena, which includes some of the most popular houseplants. They end by disagreeing about general rules for pruning (sorry Morgan).

:27  Plant Noob: Bare Root plants

11:55    Eat/Drink/Grow:  Dracaena

20:21    Love Letters and Questions: Morgan requests some easy rules of thumb about pruning.

If you're wondering if you need to protect your perennial plants with a winter mulch, this episode is for you. Ellen and C.L. go on to talk about the moth orchids, the most commonly sold orchid and an easy one to grow. The show ends with a discussion about the pros and cons of leaving the leaves in your landscape and gardens.

:30  True or False:   Perennials have to be protected with a "Winter Mulch."  
5:35  Eat/Drink/Grow:  Phalaenopsis – The most common orchid sold today.
23:43   Love Letters and Questions:    Allison wonders about if it's wise to leave the fallen leaves in her gardens.

Ellen and C.L. give ideas for the best low-tech kitchen tools, gift suggestions for all on your list, and tips for why ordering your seeds now is a good idea. We end with some audible plant-based listening suggestions for a listener. 

:29    What's For Dinner:  Some suggestions for must-have, low-tech kitchen equipment
8:42   Eat/Drink/Grow: Our suggestions for plant/garden related gifts for the new homeowner, the first-time vegetable gardener, the houseplant lover, and the forager.
18:19   Insider Information:  Seed orders now?
20:13   Love Letters and Questions: Morgan asks for other plant-based listening suggestions.

From roots to leaves to flowers! C.L. and Ellen talk about the difference between yams and sweet potatoes, explain what a root nodule is, and discuss leaf-spot fungus, especially on house plants. The episode ends with a listener question about flowers for a Florida garden.

:30  What's for dinner:    Yams Vs Sweet Potatoes

2:52    Insider Information:  What are root nodules

4:31    Eat/Drink/Grow: Fungal Leaf Diseases    

18:04   Love Letters and Questions:  Chris asks about flowers for a Florida garden.   

It's all houseplants all the time in this episode of Plantrama. Ellen and C.L. give advice about cleaning the leaves of indoor plants, talk about the many Calatheas that grow well with less light, and answer a question abot the tropical known as "money plant."

:36   Plant Noob: Ways to clean off houseplants in the winter

6:52  Eat/Drink/Grow: Calatheas – low-light house plants.

22:07  Love Letters and Questions Nicki asks:  "How do I grow Pachira aquatica, aka money plant?

 The Plantrama team discusses the advice to hang herbs upside down for drying, and whether you should prune evergreens now. We end with a letter from a listener about doing battle with the birds.

:31   True or False:    Hanging herbs upside down to dry them helps the flavors (or in the case of Cannabis, the cannabinoids) drain into the leaves/buds.
2:27   Eat/Drink/Grow:   Pruning evergreens now.
18:52   Love Letters and Questions: Alexander and the battle with the birds.