Fostering Blooms – Details, episodes & analysis

March is here, and so is your official garden prep checklist! 🌱 In this episode, Shannon and Caitlyn are marching (literally) into spring with a jam-packed to-do list to get your garden thriving. From chitting potatoes (aka prepping them to sprout) to sowing tomatoes, peppers, and flowers, they’re covering everything you need to do right now to stay ahead of the season.

But they’re not stopping there — they’re also sharing smart bed prep strategies (hello, cardboard hoarding) and talking about their own garden experiments so you can learn what works (and what flops) without doing all the trial and error yourself. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gardener, this episode is full of practical tips, a lot of laughs, and the friendly encouragement you need to make March your most productive garden month yet.

Plus, get a sneak peek of their upcoming guest, Anne of All Trades (@anneofalltrades), and the game-changing composting method they’re testing this month. If you’re ready to kick winter to the curb and get growing, this episode is for you.

Highlights:
🌱 The truth about chitting potatoes (and why you’re probably already doing it).
🌱 What you can sow and transplant this month (spoiler: a lot).
🌱 Clever bed prep hacks (your Amazon boxes finally have a purpose).
🌱 Why direct sowing is about to become your new favorite task.
🌱 Our favorite pepper varieties (and why bell peppers are kinda boring).
🌱 Hardening off 101 (because your baby plants deserve a soft launch into the real world).
🌱 Garden experiments we’re running — so you don’t have to.

Let’s go grow, baby! 🌸

Must-Have Gardening Tools: Game Changers for Every Gardener!

In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon Foster-Boline & Caitlyn Blum break down the absolute best gardening tools that will make your garden life easier, faster, and more enjoyable.

We cover everything from the historical Sussex trug 🏡 to the life-changing Japanese sickle, plus essential tools for weeding, planting, pruning, and seed-starting.

🌱 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The one tool every gardener wishes they had known about sooner
✔️ Why the Hori Hori knife is like a samurai sword for gardening 🗡️
✔️ The best weeding tools to save your back & time ⏳
✔️ How to use a stirrup hoe like a pro
✔️ Why a high-quality watering can is worth the investment

📌 Time Stamps:
00:00 - Welcome to Fostering Blooms!
00:09 - Introduction: Gardening Tools That Matter
02:12 - Show and Tell: Our Favorite Gardening Tools
04:29 - The Life-Changing Japanese Sickle
06:54 - The Stirrup Hoe: Weed Like a Pro
09:08 - The Widger: The Secret Seed-Starting Tool
10:43 - The Hori Hori: Your All-Purpose Garden Knife
12:36 - Watering Cans, Tarps & Other Hidden Essentials
16:21 - Final Thoughts & Our #1 Tool Picks

📢 Resources & Products Mentioned:
🛒 Shop Our Favorite Gardening Tools:

• Widger
• Stirrup Hoe
• Hori Hori Knife
• Japanese Sickle
• Sussex Trug
• Felco Pruners
• Haws Watering Cans
• Snips
• Tarps

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📺 Watch the video version on YouTube: Fostering Blooms Channel

In this episode of Fostering Blooms, hosts Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum ignite their passion for gardening in a fun and fiery conversation.

Caitlyn shares gripping tales of her favorite plants, including a resilient Bathsheba rose, and delves into her long-standing love of gardening that traces back to her teenage years.

Listeners will also be treated to Caitlyn's dream garden inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Italy and her eclectic garden style.

As the conversation explores the therapeutic benefits of gardening, Caitlyn shares her journey—from founding her family’s first farm in her youth to raising miniature donkeys and goats with her own family today.

The hosts emphasize their mission to inspire both novice and experienced gardeners alike, making it clear that gardening is not just about plants but about sharing joy and knowledge. Tune in for an episode that promises to be as informative as it is heartwarming.

00:00 Introduction to Fostering Blooms

00:20 Choosing the One Plant to Save

01:35 The Story Behind a Love for Gardening

03:05 Dream Garden Design

04:41 Describing Garden Style in Three Words

06:00 Life on the Farm

08:08 Why We Started This Podcast

10:36 Conclusion and Farewell

In this solo episode of Fostering Blooms, Caitlyn takes you deep into the world of dahlias—one of the most breathtaking flowers you can grow.

From choosing the right varieties to planting, watering, and maintaining a thriving dahlia garden, she shares essential tips and personal insights to help you succeed.

🌿 Learn about:
✅ The best conditions for healthy, vibrant dahlias
✅ Common mistakes to avoid when planting & caring for tubers
✅ The top dahlia varieties Caitlyn is excited to grow
✅ How to deal with pests & diseases naturally
✅ Creative ways to expand your garden space

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, this episode is packed with expert advice and inspiration to help you grow stunning dahlias from tuber to bloom.

🎧 Tune in now and let’s go grow, baby!

* Hellebores (Helleborus spp.)Wedding Party® Series: This series offers a range of colors, including speckled pinks and deep purples

* Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

• 'BloomStruck' (Endless Summer® Series): Known for vivid rose-pink or purple blooms, depending on soil pH.

• 'Blushing Bride' (Endless Summer® Series): Features pure white blooms that mature to blush pink or blue.

* Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

• 'Little Lime': A compact hydrangea with lime green blooms that age to a rich pink.

* Hostas (Hosta spp.)

• 'Blue Perfection': Known for its large, blue-gray leaves.

• 'Waterslide': Features ruffled, wavy blue leaves with a waxy coating.

• 'Mouse Madness': A miniature hosta with variegated leaves.

• Features arching stems with variegated leaves and small white bell-shaped flowers.

* Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

• A woodland plant with bright yellow poppy-like flowers.

* Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

• 'Sutton's Apricot': Known for its soft apricot-colored blooms.

* Yew (Taxus spp.)

• 'Hicksii' (Hick's Yew): A columnar evergreen shrub suitable for hedges.

* Boxwood (Buxus spp.)

• 'Green Velvet': A compact boxwood with a rounded form.

* Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

• Known for its oak-shaped leaves and white to pinkish blooms.

* Sky Pencil Holly (Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil')

• A narrow, columnar holly ideal for vertical accents.

* Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

• Features heart-shaped pink or white flowers that dangle from arching stems.

* Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)

• 'Ruby Port': A deep wine-colored variety.

* Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla)

• 'Bright Lights': Features vibrant, multicolored stems.

* Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

In this episode, Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum hosts of Fostering Blooms, discuss their comprehensive February gardening to-do list, ensuring you're garden ready with them. They emphasize the importance of ordering seed potatoes from a trusted supplier like Wood Prairie Farm, and introduce the concept of 'chitting'. 

The conversation includes tips on sowing a variety of vegetables both indoors and directly into the garden, with insights on soil preparation, composting, and the benefits of using family-run businesses for quality, organic seeds. 

Caitlyn & Shannon also share personal experiments with succession planting and soil amendments, ending with a lighthearted discussion on composting with 'pluffy' manure.

00:00 Introduction and February To-Do List

00:10 Getting Garden Ready: Seed Potatoes

05:13 Sowing Seeds Indoors

08:02 Direct Sowing in the Garden

11:52 Transplanting and Hardening Off Seedlings

15:41 Composting and Weeding

18:37 Conclusion and Final Tips

In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum kick off the new year with their top garden goals for 2025. They discuss New Year's resolutions specifically for gardening, including composting, intentional garden design, propagation, and succession planning. 

Shannon shares her aspiration to master composting, while Caitlyn emphasizes the importance of intentional garden design. Tune in to get inspired, learn new tips, and set your own garden goals for a flourishing 2025!

00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings

00:11 Garden Goals for 2025

00:36 Composting Aspirations

03:17 Designing the Garden

04:40 Propagation Plans

05:56 Succession Planning

08:22 Conclusion and Wrap-Up