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PODCAST · science

The Plant Prof

by Vikram Baliga

I talk about random facts and whatever nerdy plant stuff pops into my head. Probably very chaotic and very silly, with maximum chlorophyll and dad jokes. Very science, much plant, wow.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 16, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Plants are Cool

    You clearly should know by this point that I think plants are cool. Listen in to a couple of the reasons why I think plants are cool.

  2. Do You Wanna Have a Snowstorm?

    Hey, it's really freaking cold.

  3. That's Pretty Neat

    I learned today that I'm so old I'm probably going to have archaeologists hanging around soon. Listen to this, go watch Neature Walk, and I'm going to go take some Advil for my aching old man joints and watch reruns of MASH.

  4. A Society Grows Great

    I promise I'll talk more about plant stuff soon. I promise. For now, though, here are some thoughts from my first day teaching my first lecture!

  5. Trust the Process

    Life is....something right now. Wild? Crazy? Unpredictable? Finding a process that helps you find your center goes a long way to getting your brain right. For me, one of those processes is making a good cup of coffee! This episode was inspired, in part, by a tweet from last week by The PhD Story.

  6. You Made It!

    If you're reading these show notes and/or listening to this podcast, you've made it through 2020 and to today. I know it's been hard and I know things look bleak sometimes, but making it through this year has proven you can do hard things. Keep striving and keep going. I love all you nerds, and...

  7. Tree Planting

    Hey there, Magical Meat Skeleton! You should plant a tree! They're good for your health in SO many ways. Here's some good info on how to do the thing! https://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/treeplantingtools.html

  8. And BINGO Was His Name-O

    This was an impromptu podcast recording with my son, Bradley, because I didn't have any other content ready to go. As always, he's a better podcaster than I am.

  9. Purple Doesn't Exist

    Purple is just a lie your brain tells you about the universe. Let's talk about that and why Red Onions are actually "purple." A special thanks to Steve Mould (@MouldS) for his excellent video about color mixing and John Seymour (@John_TheMathGuy) for this brilliant blog post about the linguistic...

  10. Wild Green Charity Battle

    Hey, here's a surprise bonus episode that I'm cross-posting with my other podcast Planthropology! It's a thank you for all the support this year, information about a giveaway that I'll be starting tomorrow, and a plug for the Wild Green Memes for Ecological Fiends annual charity battle! Wild…

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  11. A Confession

    I sit on a throne of Christmas Tree lies.

  12. Keeping Your Plants Warm

    If you're cold, they're cold...sort of...

  13. Planthropology

    I maybe kinda almost forgot about today's episode. Bebop on over to Planthropology to hear a great episode I recorded this morning about Christmas trees! You can listen on CastBox (which I highly recommend) or anywhere else podcasts live! Also, hit me up on Twitter and let me know what I should...

  14. It's Probably Not a Yam

    That thing you keep calling a yam? Yeah, it's probably not that.

  15. Your Recipe Needs More Garlic

    Garlic: For more than just annoying vampires.

  16. It's Wild Cabbage All the Way Down

    Like, half of the vegetables you eat are really just cabbage.

  17. Waterproof Plants

    Plants have adapted a lot of ways to keep water in and other things out. Let's talk about that, you and me. Also, "Wookie" is the word I was looking for. Don't forget to go subscribe to The Plant Prof playlist on the Planthropology YouTube channel!

  18. Types of Hydroponic Systems, Part 2

    Let's talk about hydroponics systems! I cover drip, NFT, and aeroponic systems in today's episode. Also, be sure to check out the Plant Prof playlist on the Planthropology YouTube channel!

  19. Types of Hydroponic Systems, Part 1

    Let's talk about hydroponics systems! I cover Water culture, ebb and flow, and wick systems in today's episode. Also, be sure to check out the Plant Prof playlist on the Planthropology YouTube channel!

  20. Trees Don't Grow That Way

    Apparently there are a lot of misconceptions about how trees grow.

  21. So, About Grad School...

    Yes, I keep changing the schedule , but let's talk about grad school.

  22. Tell a Good Story

    Tell a story and tell it well, for the sake of the universe. Podchaser Apple Castbox Stitcher

  23. Hydroponics

    You probably think you need soil to grow plants. Well, you kinda do, but hydroponics is a soggy way to work around that issue!

  24. Grow Lights

    Plants need light to grow. So do you. You're basically a plant.

  25. Windy Tree Wood

    Trees don't like the wind any more than you do.

  26. Cool Season Color

    Flowers are important in the cool season too. Plant some plants unless you're an anti-plant plant from a foreign government. You're pollinator friends will thank you.

  27. Hardiness Zones

    Hardiness is for plants and heartiness is for stew. I'm talking about one of those two things today.

  28. Pansies and Road-noise

    Pansies are super tough little plants. Also recording in the car is less than ideal.

  29. Bok Choy

    Bok choy? More like BOK CHOICE, amiright?! I'm so sorry, please don't unsubscribe.

  30. Yes, Once

    Hey, today I soap-boxed for a while about how "natural" does not equal "safe."

  31. Don't Eat the Mushrooms

    One of the most common questions I get is about whether or not people should eat the mushrooms that pop up in their yards. Spoilers: No. No you should not.

  32. The Superior Chapstick

    Let's talk about the coolest new catchphrase that all the kids are saying, "That's the Superior Chapstick." Really it's a thing. You should start saying it. Also, Burt's Bees, please sponsor me.

  33. Plant Identification

    Identifying plants can be hard. Learn some ID tips and tricks, including how best to not piss off your favorite plant expert when you send them pictures.

  34. Trailer

    Hey, welcome to The Plant Prof! I'm Dr. Vikram Baliga, a PhD in horticulture and your friendly neighborhood podcast host. Hang out around here and let's talk about random plant stuff!

  35. Crunchy Leaf Zombies

    He didn't lie down. They never lie down. 10 points if you can name that reference. Hey, let's talk about why leaves don't always fall off after they freeze and die! Mmmk? Mmmmk.

  36. Happy Bean Water

    You need to be more caffeinated. There may not be enough caffeine in the world for this year, but let's talk coffee and see if we can make a dent in the sleepyness.

  37. Fall (Autumn maybe?) Color

    It's Fall/Autumn (Fautumn?) in the northern hemisphere and the trees are changing color. Let's talk about why! Also, never forget that Bradford pears suck.

  38. Spicy Pumpkins

    It's pumpkin spice marketing gimmick season!

  39. Berries Are a Lie

    You know what freaks people out? Berries do. They're not what you think they are, and most of them would really suck in a smoothie. Listen in to fill your brains with berry knowledge!

  40. The Plant Prof

    Well, hello, it's a new thing! It'll mostly be random plant facts and nerdy musings. You can blame Paul Csomo from the Varmints Podcast for this. In fact, you should. @ him for unleashing this chloro-filled nonsense on the word.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

I talk about random facts and whatever nerdy plant stuff pops into my head. Probably very chaotic and very silly, with maximum chlorophyll and dad jokes. Very science, much plant, wow.

HOSTED BY

Vikram Baliga

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Plant Prof have?

The Plant Prof currently has 40 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Plant Prof about?

I talk about random facts and whatever nerdy plant stuff pops into my head. Probably very chaotic and very silly, with maximum chlorophyll and dad jokes. Very science, much plant, wow.

How often does The Plant Prof release new episodes?

The Plant Prof has 40 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to The Plant Prof?

You can listen to The Plant Prof 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 The Plant Prof?

The Plant Prof is created and hosted by Vikram Baliga.
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