Good Growing

Love them or fear them, hot peppers bring the heat to gardens and kitchens alike. Join us as we dive into the spicy world of peppers with Dr. Jack McCoy. Learn about what makes peppers hot, why some people love to eat them, how to grow them, ways to use your harvest, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/llkA3W2adiYSkip to what you want to know: 00:28 – Welcome. Do we like to eat hot peppers? 03:33 – Jack, tell us about what you are currently teaching/working on at U of I. 04:48 – Student Sustainable Farm at University of Illinois 10:19 – Jack, how did you get into hot peppers? 13:22 – Why is there so much interest in hot peppers? 17:04 – Why are hot peppers hot? Why did they evolve to be hot? 20:08 – How do capsaicin levels relate to Scoville units? 23:47 – Which came first, hot or sweet peppers? Are they all the same? 25:53 – How do we grow peppers? 30:05 – Suggestions for starting pepper seeds indoors 33:15 – Do peppers need any kind of special fertilization or irrigation routines? 34:18 – Is there anything that happens during the growing season that affects the pepper's heat? 39:44 – What pests do we need to watch out for? 44:31 – Do we need to protect ourselves when harvesting hot peppers? 47:50 – Any peppers to recommend for chiliheads? What about beginners? 50:43 – Favorite way to use hot peppers 54:30 – There seems to be a hot pepper arms race, is there a limit to how hot peppers can be? 56:01 – What's the hottest pepper we’ve ever eaten? 1:01:41 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye! Allerton Supper Club Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.eduEmily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies. Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk --You can find us on most podcast platforms. iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377 Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/ Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/ Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902 Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

Join University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Chris Enroth on a winter walk through the prairie as he demonstrates how to overseed an existing native prairie by hand. Learn why winter is the perfect time for prairie overseeding, how they select their seed that is spread, and how to mix seed with a carrier for even spreading. Chris explains practical tips for seed collection, hand sowing methods, using locally sourced seed from community seed shares, and how overseeding supports long-term prairie health. Perfect for native plant lovers or anyone curious about hands-on conservation work that can be done in the winter. Tune in, learn the process, and discover how hand-sown prairie seeds can transform local landscapes over time.Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF6gGjGbjxURezab MixGolden Alexander - Zizia aureaHairy Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum pilosumFoxglove beardtongue - Penstemon digitalisGrass-leaved goldenrod - Euthamia graminifoliaSlender Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum tenuifoliumShowy goldenrod - Solidago speciosaRattlesnake Master - Eryngium yuccifoliumMissouri Ironweed - Vernonia missuricaRigid Goldenrod - Oligoneuron rigidumPrairie Coreopsis - Coreopsis palmataTall Coreopsis - Coreopsis tripterisVirginia Spiderwort - Tradescantia virginianaYellow Crownbeard - Verbesina helianthoidesWild Senna - Senna hebecarpaBlack-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennisFalse Sunflower - Heliopsis helianthoidesPurple Coneflower - Echinacea purpureaContact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribeAny products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk --You can find us on most podcast platforms. iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377 Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/ Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/ Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902 Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

How do trees survive freezing temperatures without turning into popsicles? Well, they do kind of turn into popsicles, but they control which part freezes. In this Gardenbite of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth breaks down the fascinating science behind how trees and other plants make it through harsh winter conditions.Whether you’re a gardener, nature lover, or just curious about the secret life of plants, this episode gives you a clear and engaging look at what happens inside trees during winter—and how you can help prepare your landscape plants to survive cold stress.

Welcome back to the Good Growing Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re sharing a special throwback conversation with Dr. Michael Ward, ornithologist at the University of Illinois. We’re answering real homeowner questions about backyard birds—everything from bird feeders to territorial cardinals to preventing window collisions.If you’re wondering what to feed birds, how to clean feeders, why birds hit windows, or how to attract more colorful birds to your yard, this episode is packed with expert insights to help you create a healthier, more bird‑friendly backyard.Watch this on YouTube https://youtu.be/jKHrH_eeGFoThe full conversation with Dr. Ward https://youtu.be/HxZ3HiI69hs Skip to what you want to know:01:30 How do we discourage barn swallows from building nests underneath overhangs?03:52 Should we feed birds bread, crackers, and other human food?05:10 Is there anything we can do to stop birds from hitting our windows?07:33 What can we do about a territorial cardinal? 08:47 Should we feed birds all year? When is the best time to feed birds?10:33 I only get sparrows at my feeders. How do I attract more types of birds?12:22 Do we need to provide birds with water in the winter, or do they use snow?13:18 How often and with what should we clean birdfeeders?Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribeAny products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk --You can find us on most podcast platforms. iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377 Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/ Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/ Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902 Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us

Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating world of American persimmons (Diospyros virginiana)! In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris, Ken, and special guest Nick Frillman explore everything from tree identification and growing tips to wildlife connections and seed stratification.We’ll bust common myths—like whether persimmons need frost to ripen—and uncover quirky folklore, including the famous fork, knife, or spoon winter prediction.Skip to what you want to know:00:33 Hey Ken!01:28 Where can we find persimmon growing naturally in Illinois?05:31 Sprouting persimmon seeds.07:51 What animals are eating and moving the seeds around Illinois?08:49 Folklore: Do persimmons require a frost to ripen?10:15 Can persimmon seeds predict the future winter weather?15:07 Other persimmon myths/facts16:56 Persimmon is the sweetest fruit native to Illinois.17:54 Where can we go to learn more about persimmons?19:18 Svannah Institute persimmon breeding19:29 University of Connecticut Climate Smart Orchard Handout19:50 Thank yous and Happy New Year!Growing and Enjoying Pawpaw and Persimmon with Patrick Byers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy6aZdQ5FokCliff England - persimmon breederJames (Jim) Claypool - persimmon breeder (deceased)Cornell - http://www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/mfruit/persimmons.htmlSavanna Institute - https://www.savannainstitute.org/persimmon/ Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Nick Frillman frillma2@illinois.eduCheck out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribeAny products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk --You can find us on most podcast platforms. iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377 Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/ Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/ Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902 Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us