The Garden Question – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of The Garden Question Podcast, host Craig McManus converses with Jenny Simpson, co-owner of Creekside Nursery in North Carolina.

They delve into the concept of becoming a diligent student of your garden by understanding its unique conditions and adapting to the southeastern U.S. climate.

Jenny offers expertise on soil management, especially with red clay, and choosing suitable plants.

Topics include dealing with full sun gardens, the importance of knowing plant mature sizes, and tips for growing specific varieties like camellias and hens and chicks.

The discussion extends to the challenges faced by new gardeners in the area, the integral role of her family in their nursery business, and the significant impact of social media on their success.

Listeners are encouraged to engage in continuous learning, enjoy the creative aspects of gardening, and adapt their practices for a beautiful year-round garden.

Jenny Simpson meets people on their gardening journey and helps them grow, bloom, and thrive both in their garden and life!

In this episode we talk about how being a student of your garden puts you on a track to success.

Jenny & Jerry Simpson are growers and retailer of specialized plants that thrive in the often-challenging climate of the southeastern United States.

Their Creekside Nursery, Inc. is an all-hands-on deck family operation located in the serene countryside outside Dallas, NC.

As a Proven Winners' Destination Garden Center, they offer the region’s largest selection of Proven Winners' plants. 

Jenny creates and publishes 5 very informative garden videos a week. You will want to follow Jenny’s family adventures along with 75,000+ followers @GardeningwithCreekside on YouTube.

Time Line

00:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast

00:41 Meet Jenny and Jerry Simpson

01:59 Understanding Your Garden

03:02 Challenges of Southern Gardening

04:01 Soil and Planting Tips

09:16 Exciting New Plant Varieties

19:43 Dealing with Deer in Your Garden

23:34 The Journey of Creekside Nursery

26:36 Post-Pandemic Garden Center Boom

27:13 Challenges of Attracting Customers to a Rural Nursery

27:59 Embracing Social Media for Business Growth

29:24 Family Involvement in the Nursery Business

32:09 Engaging the Younger Generation in Gardening

37:15 Tips for Successful Garden Design

40:34 Debunking Garden Myths

41:16 Personal Gardening Memories and Stories

43:14 Influences and Lessons in Gardening

49:32 Future Garden Plans and Connecting with the Community

Mike and Judy Cunningham are harvesting the last summer crops at Country Gardens Farm.

Fall gardening is just beginning. Mike takes a break to talk about his favorite time of the year in the garden.

Some of the things you will discover in this episode are the best practices Mike implements for soils, plant selections, and timing. All important for a successful fall harvest.

Mike and Judy Cunningham have been teaching people how to grow, cook, and preserve good organic food for over 10 years.

Country Gardens Farm is a third-generation family farm growing a wide assortment of organic year-round vegetables they sale to the community from their 3 acres.

Mike with lots of input from Judy authored his successful "Seven Steps to an Organic Vegetable Garden"

You will remember Mike's openness in sharing his successful methods for growing good food in our inaugural episode 001 of "The Garden Question" Podcast.

This episode 073 “Fall Organic Vegetable Gardening” an edited and remix version of episode 017 with Mike Cunningham. 

Fall Vegetable Gardening Wisdom with Mike Cunningham

Exploring the Essentials of Fall Organic Vegetable Gardening with Mike Cunningham

The Garden Question podcast, hosted by Craig McManus, features successful organic farmer Mike Cunningham, who shares expert insights into fall gardening.

Mike and his wife Judy, who run the organic Country Gardens Farm, discuss best practices for soils, plant selections, and timing for a successful fall harvest.

Additionally, Mike shares tips on protecting plants from cold weather, differences between summer and fall crops, and methods for extending the growing season. This episode, an encore and remix, is packed with valuable information for both novice and experienced gardeners.

00:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast

00:41 Meet Mike and Judy Cunningham

01:53 Why Plant a Fall Vegetable Garden?

03:08 Protecting Plants from Cold Weather

04:21 Differences Between Fall and Summer Crops

04:55 Planting Onions and Garlic for Spring Harvest

07:17 Understanding Days to Maturity (DTM)

08:40 Best Practices for Planting Fall Crops

14:00 Growing Carrots in the Fall

16:02 Container Gardening Tips

17:18 Growing Leafy Greens in Containers

19:41 Other Fall Crops to Consider

23:06 Dealing with Pests in the Fall Garden

26:22 Organic Remedies for Caterpillars

27:22 Dealing with Aphids and Four-Legged Pests

29:28 Importance of Soil Health

30:57 Fertilizing Your Fall Garden

34:19 Planting and Caring for Transplants

37:56 Winter Cover Crops and Soil Maintenance

40:19 Handling Plant Debris

42:11 Farm Events and Activities

44:57 Learning from the Garden

47:46 About Country Gardens Farm

49:40 Conclusion and Podcast Information

In this episode of The Garden Question Podcast, host Craig McManus interviews Shannon Currey, a horticultural educator and consultant with Izell Native Plants.

They delve into the distinctions between ornamental grasses and turf grasses, and the ecological benefits of using grasses and sedges in garden design.

Shannon provides insights into the growth cycles of warm season and cool season grasses, and offers practical advice on plant selection and maintenance.

The episode also touches on the importance of planting densely, the ecological value of grasses, and tips for gardeners in different zones.

Shannon shares her personal experiences and professional journey, aiming to inspire both novice and experienced gardeners to create beautiful, functional, and low-maintenance outdoor spaces.

Are you ready to try something new? Then grasses and sedges could be your next garden adventure.

You will find the opportunities for creating a rich layered interesting garden that serves more than an ornamental function.

Developing the whole ecological package. Improving the soil and developing a more aesthetically functionating garden are in your future.

We all need better solutions for suppressing weeds and gardening under trees. 

Shannon is a horticultural educator and consultant with Izel Native Plants.

She began her work life as a social scientist and then changed her career pursuit to horticulture at North Carolina State University.

Shannon joined Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale grower specializing in grasses, sedges, and other graminoids.

She has shared her advanced knowledge of graminoids in articles published nationally.

You will often find her speaking across the country to professional organizations, community groups, and at public gardens.

Shannon currently serves on the Perennial Plant Association’s Board of Directors and is on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Scientific Committee.

She was honored in 2020 with the Libby Wilder Award from the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association.

In 2022 she joined Izel Native Plants to expand their education and outreach efforts.

00:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast

01:11 Introducing Shannon Curry: Horticultural Expert

02:29 Understanding Ornamental and Turf Grasses

03:19 Exploring Sedges and Their Ecological Value

06:19 Warm Season vs. Cool Season Grasses

11:23 Grasses and Sedges in Garden Design

19:39 Practical Tips for Growing and Dividing Grasses and Sedges

24:47 Adapting Northern Gardening Principles to the Southeast

27:35 Mulch and Weed Management

27:52 Choosing the Right Plants for Your Climate

28:49 Starting Small and Experimenting

29:54 The Unique Qualities of Grasses and Sedges

30:18 Design Elements of Grasses

32:16 Seasonality and Maintenance of Grasses

34:05 Ecological Benefits of Grasses

34:57 Cutting Back and Dividing Grasses

37:33 Planting and Managing Grasses and Sedges

41:36 Common Garden Myths and Mistakes

42:03 Personal Gardening Experiences

48:53 Future Gardening Plans and Favorite Plants

50:16 New Horticultural Adventures

52:15 Final Thoughts and How to Connect

Mike Cunningham believes that having a salad every day is probably one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.

In this episode we will discover how simple, easy, and quick growing greens can keep your salad bowl full all winter.

Fresh tasty nutritional eating right from your deck, patio, or backyard sounds great to me.

Mike and Judy Cunningham have been teaching people how to grow, cook, and preserve good organic food for over 10 years.

Country Gardens Farm is a third-generation family farm growing a wide assortment of organic year-round vegetables they sale to the community from their 3 acres.

This episode 077 - Growing Baby Salad Greens all Winter with Mike Cunningham

Mike’s blog post Baby Salid Greens with video on how to plant in a bed.

Judy’s Recipes

Facebook: Country Gardens Farm

Instagram: MikeCunningham1529

Website: Country Gardens Farm

00:00 Introduction to The Garden Question Podcast

00:42 Meet Mike Cunningham: Growing Greens Expert

01:59 Why Grow Baby Salad Greens?

03:46 How to Grow Baby Salad Greens

04:57 Succession Planting and Container Tips

06:18 Soil and Fertilizer Mix for Greens

15:29 Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling

18:44 Exploring Microgreens

24:15 Seasonal Growing Tips

28:27 Additional Crops for Your Garden

30:39 Connecting with Country Gardens Farm

33:16 Conclusion and Podcast Information

Are you ready to try something new? Then grasses and sedges could be your next garden adventure.

You will find the opportunities for creating a rich layered interesting garden that serves more than an ornamental function.

Developing the whole ecological package. Improving the soil and developing a more aesthetically functionating garden are in your future.

We all need better solutions for suppressing weeds and gardening under trees. 

This is episode 076 – Growing & Understanding Grasses & Sedges - Shannon Currey

Shannon is a horticultural educator and consultant with Izel Native Plants.

She began her work life as a social scientist and then changed her career pursuit to horticulture at North Carolina State University.

Shannon joined Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale grower specializing in grasses, sedges, and other graminoids.

She has shared her advanced knowledge of graminoids in articles published nationally.

You will often find her speaking across the country to professional organizations, community groups, and at public gardens.

Shannon currently serves on the Perennial Plant Association’s Board of Directors and is on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Scientific Committee.

She was honored in 2020 with the Libby Wilder Award from the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association.

In 2022 she joined Izel Native Plants to expand their education and outreach efforts.

Izel’s unique sales model brings native plant wholesale growers’ inventories directly to the end consumer.

00:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast

01:11 Introduction to Episode 76: Grasses and Sedges

01:18 Meet Shannon Curry: Horticultural Expert

02:29 Understanding Ornamental vs. Turf Grass

03:19 Exploring Sedges and Their Ecological Value

06:19 Warm Season vs. Cool Season Grasses

11:23 Grasses and Sedges in Garden Design

19:39 Practical Tips for Growing and Dividing Grasses and Sedges

24:47 Adapting Northern Gardening Principles to the Southeast

27:35 Mulch and Weed Management

27:52 Choosing the Right Plants for Your Climate

28:49 Starting Small and Learning from Examples

29:54 The Unique Qualities of Grasses and Sedges

30:18 Design Elements of Grasses

32:16 Seasonality and Maintenance of Grasses

34:05 Ecological Benefits of Grasses

34:57 Cutting Back and Dividing Grasses

37:33 Planting and Managing Grasses and Sedges

41:36 Common Garden Myths and Mistakes

42:03 Personal Gardening Experiences

50:16 New Horticultural Adventures

52:15 Final Thoughts and How to Connect

Sarah Roberts and her team have brought the New Perennial Movement to the south on a large scale. The new Entrance Garden’s large sweeps of grasses, perennials, native plants presented in a naturalistic style welcomes you to the Atlanta History Center.

The garden has settled in and in this episode Sarah explains the details that makes it successful.

It is a creation perfect for insects, small mammals, birds and people.

Sarah Roberts is the Olga C. de Goizueta Vice President of the Goizueta Gardens and Living Collections at the Atlanta History Center

A college internship in curation at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University sparked Sarah’s career path in public horticulture.

During her undergraduate studies at Berry College, she spent a year on scholarship in  the United Kingdom studying historic gardens as part of her honors degree in Horticulture.

The next five years were spent as Curator of Herbaceous Plants and Outdoor Gardens at the New York Botanical Garden.

She then returned to England, completing a Diploma in Garden Design from the UK’s Garden Design School.

Upon Sarah’s return to the US, she began consulting for the Atlanta History Center which led to her current position as Vice President of Goizueta Gardens.

She leads the development, curation and preservation of the 33-acre public garden with three historic houses.

Sarah has written for numerous publications, been featured on Martha Stewart Radio, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, GardenSmart TV series and the podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class.

Jason Powell declares the queen of the garden to be antique roses.

Who could argue with old garden roses that exudes excellent fragrance, shape, disease resistance, and low maintenance.

We talk about how these fragrant flowering shrubs make a huge impact in your garden when pairing them with some surprise companion plantings.

Jason and his wife Shelley partner with Jason’s Mom and Dad to produce heirloom plants at their nursery Petals from the Past.

Their mission is to educate and grow “tough plants for southern gardens”.

Jason earned a Bachelor degree in Horticulture from Auburn University and a Master degree in Horticulture from Texas A&M University.

He is a proud member of the infamous Texas Rose Rustlers where they scouted and rescued thousands of antique roses all over the southeast.

Jason insider’s look at The Peggy Martin / Hurricane Katrina Rose survival story will amaze you. 

Mike and Judy Cunningham are harvesting the last summer crops at Country Gardens Farm.

Fall gardening is just beginning. Mike takes a break to talk about his favorite time of the year in the garden.

Some of the things you will discover in this episode are the best practices Mike implements for soils, plant selections, and timing. All important for a successful fall harvest.

Mike and Judy Cunningham have been teaching people how to grow, cook, and preserve good organic food for over 10 years.

Country Gardens Farm is a third-generation family farm growing a wide assortment of organic year-round vegetables they sale to the community from their 3 acres.

Mike with lots of input from Judy authored his successful "Seven Steps to an Organic Vegetable Garden"

You will remember Mike's openness in sharing his successful methods for growing good food in our inaugural episode 001 of "The Garden Question" Podcast.

This episode 073 “Fall Organic Vegetable Gardening” an edited and remix version of episode 017 with Mike Cunningham. 

In this episode of The Garden Question podcast, host Craig McManus speaks with Mike Cunningham about the fundamentals of fall organic vegetable gardening.

The discussion covers best practices for soil management, plant selections, and timing, crucial for successful fall harvests.

Mike shares insights on protecting plants from cold weather, the differences between summer and fall crops, and the importance of soil nutrition.

Additionally, the episode highlights the benefits of cover crops and practical tips for container gardening. Listeners will also learn about managing pests organically and how Mike and his wife Judy teach their community to grow, cook, and preserve organic food at their third-generation Country Gardens Farm in Georgia.

00:00 Introduction to The Garden Question Podcast

00:41 Meet Mike and Judy Cunningham

02:02 Why Plant a Fall Vegetable Garden?

03:17 Protecting Plants from Cold Weather

04:30 Differences Between Fall and Summer Crops

05:04 Planting Onions and Garlic for Spring Harvest

07:26 Understanding Days to Maturity (DTM)

09:01 Growing Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts

14:41 Carrots: A Sweet Winter Treat

16:11 Container Gardening Tips

17:27 Growing Leafy Greens in Containers

19:50 Fall Gardening: Brassicas and More

23:12 Dealing with Pests in the Fall Garden

26:38 Safe Insect Control with BT

27:31 Dealing with Aphids and Other Pests

28:29 Protecting Your Garden from Deer and Rabbits

29:37 The Importance of Soil Health

31:06 Using Organic Fertilizers

34:27 Planting and Caring for Transplants

38:05 Winter Cover Crops and Soil Maintenance

40:28 Handling Plant Debris and No-Till Methods

42:20 Farm Events and Seasonal Activities

45:06 Learning and Growing with Nature

47:55 About Country Gardens Farm

49:49 Conclusion and Podcast Information

Color excites us more than any design element in the garden because it speaks emotionally to us.

In this episode we will dissect and learn how color speaks to us in our garden.

Dr. Laura Deeter received her PhD in horticulture from The Ohio State University where she is currently a Full Professor of Horticulture at Ohio State ATI in Wooster, OH.

She teaches a multitude of horticulture classes including: Woody and Herbaceous Plant Identification, Landscape Design, Sustainable Landscaping, Plant Health Management, Landscape Construction, and Ecology, to name a few.

Twice awarded the OSU Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching,

the Perennial Plant Association Teaching Award

the American Horticulture Society Teaching Award,

Perennial Plant Association Service Award,

a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ohio Landscape Association

and Professor of the Year from Instructure.

She travels extensively around the country speaking on a variety of topics ranging from taxonomy and nomenclature to shade gardens, design, color, and specialty gardens and plants.

At home she gardens on her tenth of an acre with her hubby, four dogs, 100 pink plastic flamingos and counts her 300+ species of perennials as dear friends.

Naturalistic planting design begins with understanding what roles certain plants play in nature.

One of the most useful concepts in a plants’ survival strategy is learning how to classify it on the Grimes Triangle.

This is a new concept for me. I don’t remember every hearing about this classification system or how it works.  

We talk about this and more in this episode 071 – Success with Naturalistic Plantings with our guest Jared Barnes, Ph.D. 

Dr. Jared started gardening when he was five years old. Since then, he has enthusiastically pursued how to best cultivate plants and cultivate minds. 

He currently fulfills those passions as an award-winning associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  

He obtained his Ph.D. in horticultural science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He interned at The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.

By traveling around the US and to eleven countries he has gained national and global horticulture perspectives.  

Jared educates the public with his weekly newsletter Plant-Ed and his monthly podcast Plantastic all found on his website Meristeam. 

His passion has been recognized by peers in interviews in Organic Gardening, Greenhouse Grower, AmericanHort Connect, Ken Druse’s Real Dirt, and Nursery Management.

His articles have appeared in The American Gardener, Fine Gardening and Carolina Gardener.