PODCAST · leisure
Connecticut Garden Journal
by Connecticut Public Radio
Connecticut Garden Journal hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi provides gardening tips for every season. Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more.Learn more about Charlie at gardeningwithcharlie.com.
Episodes
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Prepping for winter, and a series wrap
With the changing season, it’s time to close the garden down. Before the cold weather hits, drain and bring in outdoors hoses, clean and sharpen garden tools and start protecting plants for winter. Wrap young trees with plastic or wire fencing to about 2 feet up the trunk and a few inches below…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Get a jump on spring by planting bulbs in containers
It's hard to think about winter with such warm, fall weather, but spring flowering bulbs need to be planted soon. If you want to enjoy your spring flowering tulips, daffodils, crocus and other bulbs a little earlier in spring or if you don’t have a garden, consider forcing them in containers. You...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Fall-planting garlic and shallot varieties
With our warm fall, we're still enjoying fresh tomatoes, peppers, greens, and zucchini from the garden. But it's also time to start thinking about planting garlic and shallots. These two alliums are easy to grow. Unlike other veggies, you plant garlic and shallots in the fall for an early summer...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: For fall cleanup, remove diseased plants, leave the rest
As the days shorten and weather cools, somewhat, it's time for some fall garden chores. One of the rules that's changed is around perennial flower garden cleanup. Traditionally, we'd cut back and remove the dying foliage of perennial flowers such as daylilies, peonies, echinacea and rudbeckia....
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Alliums are a trouble-free bulb to plant right now
October is spring bulb planting time. While the tulips, daffodils, and crocus head the list of popular bulbs to plant later this month, don't forget some of the more unusual bulbs such as the alliums. Allium or flowering onion plants range in sizes from 5 inches to 4 feet tall. The tall varieties...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Time to bring some herbs indoors
As the temperatures dip, it's time bring some of your favorite herbs indoors. Some of the best herbs to move inside to grow and cook with include parsley, rosemary, geraniums, chives, thyme and oregano. The advantage of bringing a mature, potted herb plant indoors is it will continue to send out...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Boltonia for a meadow, slope or cottage garden
Fall is for asters. Asters are reliable native plants that give us color in our autumn gardens. But there are other natives that are equally as beautiful and trouble-free. One of the best is boltonia. Boltonia, or false aster, is related to asters. It features plants that grow 5- to 6- feet tall...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Don't eschew sneezeweed; Helenium is a fall alternative to mums
If you're looking for some color this fall in your perennial flower garden, certainly mums are always a nice addition. But here is a carefree, native perennial to grow for fall color and food for the pollinators. Helenium has the unfortunate common name of sneezeweed because it blooms when…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: How to spot when apples and pears are ripe for the pickin'
It's apple and pear season and time to start harvesting. Actually some varieties are already ripe, but most will be harvested this month. If you're growing apples or pears in your yard, going to a pick your own orchard or just foraging for wild trees, it's good to know when to harvest. If you...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Connecticut Garden Journal: Effective grub control that's safe for the environment
If you've had a rough year battling Japanese beetles, now is the time to control them. Many gardeners are familiar with Japanese beetle adults that cause damage to many flowers, vegetables and fruits. While there are chemical controls for these and other ground dwelling beetles, there are…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Easy greens to plant now and eat in fall
One of the trends I've noticed in our region is longer and warmer falls. This is an opportunity to garden more and now is the time to start planting quick maturing, cool weather loving veggies. The easiest veggie to grow for a fall harvest is greens. Spinach, lettuce, arugula, escarole, kale and...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: It's hot and muggy...and the melons are eating it up
The hot, wet summer has been particularly good for growing melons. Cantaloups, honeydews and watermelons all seem to be enjoying the heat and humidity, more than I am. Once the melon fruits form and start to grow big, the question always comes up about when to harvest the fruits. So, let's talk...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Rose of Sharon may not be a rose, but it's still sweet
Late summer is often a time with little color from shrubs in our yard. That's why I love Rose of Sharon. Rose of Sharon's name is misleading. It's neither from Sharon, Israel or a rose. It's in the mallow family haling from Asia and is the National Flower of Korea. It came to Europe in the 1600's...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Don't let raccoons stop you from growing corn
There are few animal pests as clever as the raccoon. With their dextrose hands and feet, they can get into garbage cans, sealed compost bins and gardens with relative ease. I avoided growing sweet corn for years because of raccoons. Then I thought I'd try popcorn. I figured popcorn doesn't have...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The perennial hardy hibiscus is a showpiece
One type of perennial flower that I really love is shrub-like perennials. These are plants that quickly grow large in one season and even when they aren't flowering, put on quite a show. The one that's blooming right now is hardy hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus grows in zones 4 to 9 and is different…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Once lettuce and peas are done, plant okra
If you’re lucky, around mid-July, warm weather loving veggies are thriving. I recently returned from a trip to find our okra had grown a few feet while I was away. Okra is a traditional Southern vegetable that should be grown in Northern gardens, too. Plant dwarf, quick maturing varieties now and...
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CT Garden Journal: Crepe myrtle may thrive in a warming Connecticut
With our warming climate comes many challenges. But one advantage is the possibility of growing some plants that normally would not thrive in Connecticut. This is true of crepe myrtle. Known as the “lilac of the South,” crepe myrtle has traditionally been successfully grown in zone 7 and warmer...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: A deer deterrent that's likely in your refrigerator right now
I'm always looking for the most recent techniques to help protect our plants from deer and other critters. Deer browsing our shrubs, vegetables, and flowers is a constant source of angst for home owners. Fencing deer out of your yard is often not practical for a suburban homeowner, so repellent...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Strategies for putting the kibosh on squash bugs
The warm, wet spring and now summery weather has encouraged our summer squash and zucchini to thrive. But we're not the only ones enjoying these plants. Squash bugs are here and laying eggs on the undersides of summer squash, winter squash, and melon plants. You may not see much damage yet from…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Thinning the crop helps fruit trees thrive
We're potentially going to have an abundance of tree fruits this summer. With the mild winter and spring and the right about of sun and moisture, our cherries, plums, pears, apples and peaches have set lots of fruit. While I'm excited about the potential fruit glut, I also know that trees might…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Edamame is buttery, delicious and easy to grow
If you've ever been to a Japanese restaurant, chances are you've seen or eaten edamame. Edamame is a selection of soybeans that are harvested young when the green seeds fill out the pod similar to peas. You eat the seeds and the flavor is buttery and delicious. You can buy frozen edamame at…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The hows and whens of pruning spring flowering shrubs
Now that the lilacs and other spring flowering shrubs have finished flowering, it's time to prune. Many gardeners delay pruning until later in summer, or even next spring, but that's wrong. Pruning late will remove the flower buds for next year's show. After spring flowering shrubs, such as…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Go nuts planting peanuts
With summer here, it's time to experiment with some unusual, warm weather loving vegetables. One unique veggie I've tried growing for a few years now is peanuts. These nuts taste even better than store bought ones when grown in your garden. Peanuts are commonly grow in warmer climates, such as…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Training squash to grow up
Most vegetable gardeners are familiar with the benefits of growing veggies vertically. Certainly we know peas and pole beans love to climb. Tall varieties of peas, such as 'Tall Telephone' and 'Sugar Snap', climb up a trellis or fence with ease. Pole beans like to wrap around a pole or support as...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: ‘Genovese’ is one variety in a world of basil colors and flavors
As the weather warms, I'm starting to think about basil. It's a bit early to plant basil, but it is a good time to shop for plants and seeds of some of the more unusual basil varieties. While we all know and love 'Genovese' basil, there are many other flavors to basil. One of our favorites is...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Lasting alternatives to “No Mow May”
One of the recent trends to help pollinators thrive is called “No Mow May.” The idea is to not mow your lawn in May and let the weeds, which may be wildflowers, too, sprout up and bloom. This will provide pollinators with the pollen and nectar they need. Since lawns make up 40 million acres of…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Grow a hearty summer and fall favorite - Dahlias
With all the bulbs and spring ephemerals blooming right now, it's hard to think of flowers for late summer. But now is the time to plan for that quieter period when fewer flowers are blooming. One of the most versatile flowers to grow for summer and fall color is the dahlia. Dahlias hail from the...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: 5 Ways gardeners can celebrate Earth Day
On April 22nd we'll be celebrating the 54th annual Earth Day. While it's great to participate in Earth Day activities, why not make some changes to how we garden to support life on this planet better. I have some suggestions. Gardeners use a lot of plastic pots. Most of these plastic pots cannot…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Try growing interesting varieties of kohlrabi and broccoli raab
Many gardeners grow Brassica family veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. I also like to experiment with two other Brassicas: kohlrabi and rapini. Kohlrabi looks a bit like a space satellite. It's low growing and forms an edible, handball sized, swollen stem...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: To prune hydrangeas properly, ID them first
I've just about finished my winter pruning. Blueberries, crabapples, apples and other fruit trees are done. Now it's time to start on my hydrangeas. Pruning hydrangeas can be confusing to home gardeners because when you prune varies depending on the type of hydrangea you're growing. That's the...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Keep deer away with unappetizing plants and shrubs
One of the benefits of speaking at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show last month was having time to listen to other speakers. One, in particular, caught my attention. Adam Wheeler from Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden spoke about deer proofing your garden. Adam has been trying to thwart deer…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: For the freshest peas, grow your own
One of the joys of growing your own vegetables is fresh garden peas. Fresh peas are rarely found in grocery stores, so it's best to grow your own. Luckily, growing peas is easy, if you follow a few guidelines. It's best to sow peas in the ground while it's still cool. They like to mature early to...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The best phlox varieties for home gardeners
One of the best perennial flowers for blooming from mid-summer to fall is the tall garden phlox. Phlox paniculata and other tall species have colorful blooms, and depending on the selections, are great pollinator plants. However, they can be plagued with powdery mildew disease during our humid...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Zinnias are colorful, diverse and pollinator magnets
We love to grow zinnias. This Mexican, annual flower creates loads of color from mid summer to fall and is a magnet for pollinating bees and butterflies. There are many types of zinnias. Most fall in the Zinnia elegans species. They range from a few feet tall to 5 feet tall. We like the old...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Grow ground covers for pollinators
Growing a pollinator garden has become very popular. But many gardeners don't have room for yet another garden. Another way to approach supporting pollinators is to find places in existing gardens to grow plants they love. One neglected group of plants for pollinators is ground covers. Growing...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The three keys to growing indoor greens
Have you noticed? The days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger. Spring is coming! I'm getting ready to start a whole variety of vegetables and flowers for transplanting into the garden this spring. But we don't have to wait to enjoy all those tasty veggies. With the longer days and...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Twenty years in the making, a new GMO tomato is ready to grow
We know about GMO foods. Commodity crops, such as corn, rice and wheat, and some vegetables and fruits, such as squashes and pineapples, are genetically modified. But these varieties are available only to commercial growers. Now we have a GMO tomato that's available for home gardeners to grow....
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Gardeners, what’s your sign?
Houseplants can be fun and fulfilling to grow. You always should grow the right houseplant for your room, but another fun way to choose houseplants is to select them based on Zodiac signs. Zodiac signs can correspond to your personality traits. For example, if your Zodiac sign is Aries you may…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Tips for growing succulents indoors
Succulents can make great houseplants depending on your space and light levels. Many gardeners love picking up some of these small plants in winter to add some greenery to their indoors. But it does matter which succulents you grow, and where you grow them, in your home. For high light windows…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Tips for urban gardening
As I finish touring India, I'm reminded of the power of urban gardens. India is the most populated country in the world and it's impressive how they garden in such a crowded place. We also can garden in small spaces in our towns and cities, but there can be challenges. Here's a few tips for urban...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: While winter roars outside, grow lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms inside
One way to get a gardening fix in the middle of winter is to grow mushrooms. Gourmet mushrooms are hard to find in the wild and often very expensive in grocery stores. An easy way to have gourmet mushrooms is to grow them indoors with mushroom kits purchased online. Growers have expanded the...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: New veggie varieties to grow in 2024
One of my favorite winter activities is perusing print catalogs and websites for new varieties to try this coming year. I have my favorites, but I'm always on the lookout for something new. So, after looking at a few of my favorite companies I have my 2024 list of new vegetables to grow. Here we...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: When you shop local, think of seeds, too
Happy New Year. January is time to go through all my old seeds, see what I need to replace and try some new varieties. This year let's keep our seed purchases local. There are vegetable and flower seed houses based in Connecticut offering a nice variety of seed to purchase. NE Seed in East…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Make holiday plants last into spring and beyond
After the holidays, many gardeners wonder what to do with the holiday plants they purchased or received. Many of those plants can have a second life indoors and outdoors. Let's go through the list. Poinsettias aren't hardy outdoors during our winters, but they do hold their bract colors…
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Ecological or regenerative gardens are in tune with nature
With the holidays upon us, many gardeners have free time from their jobs and gardening outdoors. It's a good time of year to see how ecologically oriented your yard is. Ecological or regenerative gardening focuses on the whole yard, including the soil, to create a habitat that's good for birds,...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Celebrate the holidays around a living Christmas tree
Many gardeners have already selected and decorated their holiday tree for the season. But if you're still planning on getting a tree, consider this alternative; a living holiday tree. Living holiday trees are ones you'll plant in your yard once the holidays are over. It's a great tradition where...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The new hardiness zone map reflects a changing climate
The USDA plant hardiness zone map splits the country into 11 zones, with a and b half zones, based on average winter minimum temperatures over the past 30 years. Although not the last word on plant hardiness and survival, the map has been a touchstone for gardeners to compare plants and determine...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Time to revive your amaryllis bulbs
I was poking around my basement the other day and found my amaryllis bulbs. I stored them down there a few months ago to go dormant. Now it's time to move them into a sunny, cool room. Amaryllis bulbs are native to the southern hemisphere. They normally bloom in spring and early summer in those...
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Connecticut Garden Journal: Decorate with succulents
I hope everyone is having a good Thanksgiving break. This time of year it's nice to do some indoor craft and gardening projects. One of my favorites is decorating with indoor succulents. Succulent plants have become very popular for their low maintenance and interesting shaped and colored leaves....
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Connecticut Garden Journal: The benefits of raised bed gardening
After the cold weather that ended our growing season, it's predictably warmed up again. This temperature fluctuation is our new norm, so we should be ready to act when we have a window of opportunity. That's why I'm building some new, raised beds this week. Raised bed gardening is a great way to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Connecticut Garden Journal hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi provides gardening tips for every season. Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more.Learn more about Charlie at gardeningwithcharlie.com.
HOSTED BY
Connecticut Public Radio
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Connecticut Garden Journal have?
Connecticut Garden Journal currently has 171 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Connecticut Garden Journal about?
Connecticut Garden Journal hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi provides gardening tips for every season. Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more.Learn...
How often does Connecticut Garden Journal release new episodes?
Connecticut Garden Journal publishes regularly with 171 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Connecticut Garden Journal?
You can listen to Connecticut Garden Journal on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Connecticut Garden Journal?
Connecticut Garden Journal is created and hosted by Connecticut Public Radio.
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