Vegetable Gardening

This Week on Vegetable Gardening Mike returns for the 6th season of the Vegetable Gardening podcast with special guest Marissa McClellan who runs the popular website FoodInJars.com talking about how you can preserve the many fruits, vegetables and herbs you grow at home. In this episode Marissa fills us in on all kinds of great information when it comes to preserving harvests of all sizes. P.S. The name of the restaurant was called Del Friscos ...listen to the podcast.  You'll understand what that means. In this episode, here's what we'll cover How Marissa got started in food preservationSupplementing your harvest with farmer's market items to preserve even moreFood preservation toolsKnowing which canning method you should use for which fruits and vegetablesProperly drying herbsWater bath canningPressure canningItems mentioned in this podcast Food In Jars (website)Naturally Sweet Food in JarsPreserving by the PintFood in Jars (book)Local Mouthful PodcastAbout this week's guest Marissa McClellan Marisa McClellan is a food blogger, cookbook author, and canning teacher based in Center City Philadelphia. Her books include Food in Jars, Preserving by the Pint, and Naturally Sweet Food in Jar. She has written for publications like Vegetarian Times, USA Today, Parents Magazine, The Sweethome, Food Network, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, Grid Philly, Saveur, Edible Philly, and Table Matters. Marisa also co-hosts a podcast dedicated living a food-focused life called Local Mouthful. Find more of her jams, pickles, and preserves (all cooked up in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at foodinjars.com. About the Host Mike Podlesny is the author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the Rest of Us as well as the creator of the Seeds of the Month Club where members receive non gmo, heirloom variety seeds every month.  Be sure to listen to Mike each week on the Vegetable Gardening Podcast, as he interviews the gardening industry's leading experts. You can also read gardening articles from Mike on his blog at AveragePersonGardening.com/blogBe sure to Visit the Show's Sponsor

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #188 where Mike interviews Joe Lamp`l of the award winning TV show Growing a Greener World. Joe joins this week`s podcast to give us a little background and history on his own gardening adventures. He`ll then "dive" in and give you some great tips on making all of the compost your garden will need to thrive and produce great tasting vegetables, fruits and herbs. You`ll also get to hear all about the fun behind the scenes antics that go on with Growing a Greener World, as well as the hard work it takes to put together an award winning show. All of this and much more on this week`s vegetable gardening podcast! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: All about Joe Lamp`lCompostingWhat should go into the compost pileWhat should not go into the compost pilePesticides in the home gardenBroadleaf spraysThe affects of pesticides on birdsTips gardeners can use for a greener planetWhat it takes to put together Growing a Greener WorldThe fun behind the scenes itemsThe hard work that goes into the showA look into some show highlightsItems mentioned in this episode include: Growing a Greener WorldAll about Joe Lamp`lSubscribe to Growing a Greener WorldGrowing a Greener World on FacebookGrowing a Greener World on Twitter Green Gardener's Guide: Simple, Significant Actions to Protect Preserve Our Planet Show Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Joe Lamp`l: Passionate about all things green since childhood, Joe Lamp’l has gardened both personally and professionally for more than 30 years. Joe’s infatuation for gardening began in Miami, Florida when he stuck a broken branch from his parent’s favorite plant into the ground. A few weeks later, it had taken root and Joe was not only relieved, he was hooked for life. His vocation in gardening and horticulture also began at a young age, working in nurseries and running his own lawn care and landscaping business. After college, Joe established ScapeWise®, a design and horticultural consulting firm which is still active today. Joe’s seasoned experience and unique ability to take complicated subjects and present them in a fresh, entertaining and easily understood style, was quickly getting noticed and his first national television opportunity soon came knocking. For three years Joe hosted Fresh from the Garden on the DIY Network. There, he was responsible for maintaining a picture-perfect garden with the premise of taking vegetables from seed to harvest in a single episode. Eventually, with no other vegetables left to profile, the show retired production 52 successful episodes later! However, Joe didn’t miss a beat as his next opportunity for national television was waiting. He immediately stepped in as host of GardenSMART on PBS television for three years where he featured spectacular gardens around the country and profiled the dedicated gardeners who nurture them. Today he is Host and Executive Producer (and creator) of Growing a Greener World®, currently in its 5th season and seen on public television stations across America. When not filming from his own scenic North Georgia farm and garden, the series travels the country to tell the stories of people and places doing great things for the planet through organic gardening, green living, and farm to table cooking. In addition, he is a contributing guest expert on shows such as The Today Show, Good Morning America and The Weather Channel. Along the way, Joe’s passion for gardening and environmental stewardship led to the founding of The joe gardener® Company, an organization dedicated to bringing smart eco-friendly resources for gardening and outdoor living. His tireless work and dedication to growing a greener world has resulted in hundreds of articles, tool and book reviews, Joe’s blog, three podcast series, award winning photography and more. In 2011, The American Horticultural Society selected Joe as the recipient

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #197 where Mike chats with gardening expert, Dr. Allan Armitage. Dr. Allan Armitage is a well known award winning writer, speaker and gardening researcher throughout the world. Mike and Dr. A discuss ornamental horticulture and how the wide range of various plant species play an intricate role in making your landscape not only more aesthetically pleasing but purposeful. That, and so much more this week on Vegetable Gardening! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Planting garlicPicking a tiller for your garden (or not)Landscape Plants and Greenhouse CropsGardening is Easy and Fun!MoonvineOrnamental HorticultureGardening TravelsDr. A's gardening encyclopedia AppItems mentioned in this episode include: Dr. Allan ArmitageDr. A's AppDr. A's booksAwardsDr. A on FacebookFollow Dr. A on TwitterCheck out Dr. A's beautiful garden pictures on PinterestShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Dr. Allan Armitage: Dr. Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. Born and raised in Canada, he lived in Quebec and Ontario, then in East Lansing, Michigan and Athens, Georgia. He has worked with landscape plants and greenhouse crops in the North and South, and travels from coast to coast and all parts in between sharing his passion for plants. He holds his B.Sc from McGill University in Montreal, otherwise known as The Harvard of the North, his M.Sc. from University of Guelph and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. His career has taken him all over the world, lecturing throughout United States and Canada, as well as many countries in Europe, South America, New Zealand and Australia. His knowledge has allowed him to write 13 books, countless academic papers and hundreds of articles for professionals and lay people alike. He has been honored for his achievements throughout he country - the respect from his colleagues is most impressive. He has written a monthly column for the national greenhouse publication, “Greenhouse Grower”, for over 30 years and has not repeated one yet. To view always entertaining, informative, and sometimes instructional short videos, visit his YouTube channel. Lastly, all plants and no play make Allan a dull boy - squash, tennis, reading, guitar and yes, even dancing, make Dr A anything but a dull boy. Previous Podcast Episodes #196: Mike interviews Maria Zampini of HGTV and Upshoot Talking About Annuals, Vegetables, Trees, Shrubs and Woody Ornamentals#195: Mike interviews Jennifer Bartley of American Potager about Kitchen Gardens#194: Mike interviews Dave LeDoux about Heirloom Varieties and Annie Haven about Soil Conditioning#193: Mike interviews Al Hildreth about Bee Keeping#192: Mike interviews Marie Iannotti about Gardening

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #196 where Mike chats with HGTV gardening expert, Maria Zampini. In 2012 Maria was named Director of Plant Development for the Agricola Management Group, the exclusive licensee of the HGTV HOME Plant collection. Her work includes sourcing genetics for the various plant collections, working with grower and retail partners as well as networking with garden writers.   Maria writes a monthly column in Garden Center Magazine and a regular column for Nursery Management. Her work has appeared in numerous other publications, including American Nurseryman, Nursery News, Country Folks Grower, Fine Gardening and the northern issues of State-by-State Gardening Magazine. She is also a sought-after speaker, lecturing on new plant introductions, sustainability, native plants, plant patents and trademarks and other plant-related topics. Mike and Maria go into depth talking about various annuals, perennials, tree species, bringing new plants to market and woody ornamentals. That, and so much more this week on Vegetable Gardening! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: UpshootHGTV Home Plant CollectionAnnualsPerennialsShrubsTree SpeciesCrabapplesNew Plant developmentWeeping CherryPatents and Trademarks for new plantsGarden-Pedia Items mentioned in this episode include: UpshootUpshoot on FacebookFollow Upshoot on Twitter Garden-pedia: An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms Heavily armed drug cops raid retiree’s garden, seize okra plantsShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Maria Zampini of Upshoot and HGTV Gardens: Maria’s first memory of working in the family business is putting fertilizer pills in pots at age seven. Maria worked her way up the green corporate ladder and now represents LCN Selections and other new plant varieties, researching and developing the plants and introducing them to the market. Under her guidance UpShoot has expanded its breadth of work to include marketing of garden related products. Additionally, Maria is also a respected author, speaker and consultant. Before founding UpShoot, Maria was the President of Lake County Nursery, Inc. She ran the 1000-acre nursery, led a staff of more than 250 people, managed the destination attraction retail garden center and oversaw the research and development divisions. Maria also was responsible for the nursery’s marketing and advertising, producing a yearly catalog (known as “The Bible” in the industry), press releases, tags, flyers and other marketing collateral. Maria has a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture from Penn State University. She helps guide the industry as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Plant Patent Owners and the Legislative Committee of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association. She has previously served as Director of the International Ornamental Crabapple Society and as President of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association—the first and only female to fill those roles. She has also been recognized with an Honorarium by the Nursery Growers of Lake County, Ohio. In addition to her horticulture work, Maria contributes to her community as a member of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, Painesville Division. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Lake Erie College and the Lake County Visitors Bureau. Previous Podcast Episodes #195: Mike interviews Jennifer Bartley of American Potager about Kitchen Gardens#194: Mike interviews Dave LeDoux about Heirloom Varieties and Annie Haven about Soil Conditioning#193: Mike interviews Al Hildreth about Bee Keeping#192: Mike interviews Marie Iannotti about Gardening#191: Mike interviews Susan Appleget Hurst About Herb Gardening and AppleHurst

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #195 where Mike interviews Jennifer Bartley author of the books The Kitchen Gardener's Handbook and Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook. Jennifer is a licensed landscape architect in Ohio and California and CLARB Certified. She holds an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from The Ohio State University. Jennifer has written for Fine Gardening, Organic Gardening and Birds and Bloom Magazine. She frequently lectures around the country on seasonal, sustainable and edible garden design. This week, Mike and Jennifer discuss everything about kitchen gardens, garden design, landscape architecture and the importance of planting various flowers to attract beneficial insects and which ones you should choose. That, and so much more this week on Vegetable Gardening! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Kitchen GardensGarden DesignPlanting Flowers to attract beneficial insectsForagingAnnualsPerennialsItems mentioned in this episode include: American PotagerThe Kitchen Gardener's HandbookDesigning the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager HandbookAmerican Potager on FacebookJennifer Bartley on TwitterNot All Bugs are Bad (blog post)Show Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Jennifer Bartley of American Potager: American Potager is a landscape architecture firm founded with the belief that gardens can be beautiful, productive and restorative. Our designs are inspired by the grand French kitchen gardens and borrow elements of enclosure, seasonality and dependence on the garden for everyday food and flower arrangements. We are part of the new mandate in modern garden design to create sustainable, useful and edible gardens that bring joy to the soul and bounty for the table. We create master plans for estates and intimate kitchen gardens for restaurants but always with a place to sit and enjoy the harvest. We select the ideal brick or stone for patios, paths and walls. We design fences, gates, potting cupboards, trellises and wrought iron fruit tunnels. We are experts at selecting plants that create shade, enclosure, volume, structure, fragrance, bloom, bouquets, shelter and something to eat every day of the year. We collaborate with clients, architects and other landscape architects on an individual basis to create outdoor garden rooms that are places of beauty and respite. Previous Podcast Episodes #194: Mike interviews Dave LeDoux about Heirloom Varieties and Annie Haven about Soil Conditioning#193: Mike interviews Al Hildreth about Bee Keeping#192: Mike interviews Marie Iannotti about Gardening#191: Mike interviews Susan Appleget Hurst About Herb Gardening and AppleHurst#190: Mike interviews Tamra Fakhoorian About the Benefits of Duckweed About the Host Mike Podlesny is a member of the Garden Writers Association as well as the author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person and the creator of the Seeds of the Month Club. You can listen to Mike each week right here on the Vegetable Gardening Podcast where he interviews gardening industry experts.

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #194 where Mike has two guests on the show, Dave LeDoux of Back to My Garden and Annie Haven of Authentic Haven Brand. Mike picks the minds of two experts to get some great information about heirloom variety vegetables and how to condition your soil for optimum growth. In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Back to My GardenHeirloom variety vegetablesSoil conditioningSaving SeedsBrewing manure teaShawna Coronado's new book Vertical GardensItems mentioned in this episode include: Back to My GardenAuthentic Haven BrandDave's top 5 heirloom tomatoesHow to brew the manure teaShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guests, Dave LeDoux and Annie Haven: Dave Ledoux lives in a small town halfway between Toronto and Detroit. He and his wife love raising heirloom vegetables in their backyard raised garden beds. This season they have 22 types of tomatoes! He blogs at www.backtomygarden.com about their adventures in gardening. Authentic Haven Brand offers a full line of all-natural, premium soil conditioner teas for the home gardener, landscaper and farmer. Haven Brand uses only the highest quality manures from livestock that are raised on permanent, native grass pastures at the Haven Family Ranch. Previous Podcast Episodes #193: Mike interviews Al Hildreth about Bee Keeping#192: Mike interviews Marie Iannotti about Gardening#191: Mike interviews Susan Appleget Hurst About Herb Gardening and AppleHurst#190: Mike interviews Tamra Fakhoorian About the Benefits of Duckweed#189: Mike interviews Steven Biggs Author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can`t

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #193 where Mike travels south to North Carolina and has an in depth conversation with expert bee keeper Al Hildreth of Shamrocks Buzzy Bee. Al was certified by NC State University in 2008 as a master beekeeper. He has served three years as Vice-President of the Johnston County Beekeeping Association and 4 years on the Clayton Farm and Community Market Board. Al has had as many as 35 beehives and today, with his wife Kathy, they own ShamrocksBuzzyBee.com, as well as a brick and mortar storefront located in Four Oaks, NC In this episode, Al is going to fill us in on how he got started as a hobby bee keeper, then turned it into a successful business, and all of the information you need to get into bee keeping yourself. That, and so much more on this week's Vegetable Gardening Podcast! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Shamrocks Buzzy BeeGetting started in bee keepingSigning up for a bee keeping courseHive equipmentHoney bee biologyHarvesting your honeyWorking with concerned neighborsHow to keep your bees alive from year to yearSeasonal managementQueen bees/Queen BreedersItems mentioned in this episode include: Shamrocks Buzzy BeeShamrocks Buzzy Bee on FacebookEmail AlBee productsShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Al Hildreth: As a beekeeper, I have hives throughout Johnston County, NC. We started in beekeeping in 2008 with two bee hives and expanded to 10 hives in 2009. Currently in 2013, we have 25 hives. Our customers love our local honey. Our bees are kept with a natural method. We go into our bees every two weeks to check how they are doing. We only treat our bees as needed not twice a year like many beekeepers do. The last time I treated a hive for varroa and tracheal mites was in the Spring of 2009. I have used powdered sugar to control mites and use Honey Bee Healthy to keep the hives going healthy. Honey Bee Healthy is described here if you have further interest: http://honeybhealthy.com/HoneyBHealthy.html . Although we do not spray around our bee hives, honey bees can fly up to a 5 mile radius so we cannot guarantee the honey is organic honey. We can only trust the honey bees will bring back good and healthy sweet stuff to make the honey we enjoy. My hives are pure and natural without contaminants, but not certified organic. I place the bees on farms with farmers who give extra attention to how they control pests to their crops. They are fully aware that honeybees are struggling to survive and they are playing a part in their survival. The farmers benefit from pollination and I benefit from having a place to keep the bees. The farmers I work with have smaller farms as large monoculture crops can make the bees weak. They are like us, they need a diverse diet. Since our honey bees are located on small farms, and not large monoculture farms, our honey is Wildflower honey. This means, the honey bees are allowed to collect what is ever blooming and bring it back to the hive. They do pollinate the crops, but collect more nectar from wild flowers. Previous Podcast Episodes #192: Mike interviews Marie Iannotti about Gardening#191: Mike interviews Susan Appleget Hurst About Herb Gardening and AppleHurst#190: Mike interviews Tamra Fakhoorian About the Benefits of Duckweed#189: Mike interviews Steven Biggs Author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can`t#188: Mike interviews Joe Lamp`l of Growing a Greener World

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #192 where Mike heads to the great state of New York and chats with gardening author and expert Marie Iannotti. Marie is going to fill us in on all kinds of great gardening information from her own experiences as a garden author, a co-op executive and of course from her own home gardening adventures. That, and so much more on this week's Vegetable Gardening Podcast! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Gardening basicsCo-opsWater gardensAttracting beneficial wildlifeSetting up your fence to keep groundhogs outSeed savingSeed startingHeirloom veggiesItems mentioned in this episode include: About Marie IannottiPractically GardeningCooperative Extension System OfficesThe Beginner’s Guide to Heirloom VegetablesThe Timber Press Guide to gardening in the NortheastMarie Iannotti on About.comShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Marie Iannotti: Marie has been gardening most of her life and she's been very fortunate to have learned not just from trial and error, but from some true old world gardeners. Gardening, like life, is about the discovery. If you can’t take pleasure in that, you probably aren’t going to enjoy gardening. Gardening is my way of sharing what I’ve learned and all the wonderful things I love about being in a garden. It’s not about trends or status or the best garden money can buy, it’s about creating and enjoying your garden. Previous Podcast Episodes #191: Mike interviews Susan Appleget Hurst About Herb Gardening and AppleHurst#190: Mike interviews Tamra Fakhoorian About the Benefits of Duckweed#189: Mike interviews Steven Biggs Author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can`t#188: Mike interviews Joe Lamp`l of Growing a Greener World#187: Mike interviews Laurie Neverman from Common Sense Homesteading

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode # 191 where Mike heads west to America's heartland to the State of Iowa to have an in depth conversation with one of the gardening industry's leading experts, Susan Appleget Hurst. Susan is going to get you excited about growing fresh, tasty herbs in your own home, and tempt your taste buds with some great recipes so you know how to use the herbs that you are growing. From there, Susan is going to tell you about how she took an early 20th century Iowa jail and, with the help of her husband, turned it into her own home as well as her successful business location, Applehurst. That, and so much more on this week's Vegetable Gardening Podcast! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Growing herbsTasty herb recipesApplehurstAn Iowa jail as home?Fairy GardensUsing your creativity in the gardenItems mentioned in this episode include: About Susan Appleget HurstApplehurstApplehurst on FacebookApplehurst Newsletter ArchiveBook Susan to Speak at Your EventShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Susan Appleget Hurst: Susan Appleget Hurst is an experienced speaker and writer on home and garden topics. A former garden editor at the Meredith Corporation, she produced, wrote, and edited garden stories for Better Homes and Gardens magazine, Country Gardens magazine, and Garden Shed magazine. Susan was also the publisher and editor of IowaGardener.com, the first online subscription-based resource for gardening hobbyists in the state. The success of that website lead her to create and publish the perfect garden calendars for her home state’s gardeners, The Iowa Gardener’s Guide, and she also wrote a weekly garden advice column for The Des Moines Register. A Certified Master Gardener in Iowa, and a graduate of the Introductory Sommelier Course at the Court of Master Sommeliers, Susan manages to find fun in her work every day. Susan and her husband Jerry live at the former Madison County Jail in Winterset, Iowa. Their college-age sons sometimes come home to spend the night in jail—with their parents’ approval. Previous Podcast Episodes #190: Mike interviews Tamra Fakhoorian About the Benefits of Duckweed#189: Mike interviews Steven Biggs Author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can`t#188: Mike interviews Joe Lamp`l of Growing a Greener World#187: Mike interviews Laurie Neverman from Common Sense Homesteading#186: Mike interviews Dave LeDoux of BackToMyGarden.com talking about Heirloom Vegetables

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #190 where Mike heads west to the blue grass state of Kentucky and interviews Tamra Fakhoorian an industry leading expert in the field of duckweed. Tamra is going to tell us all about duckweed's uses in food, fuel, water filtration and how many other countries are using duckweed as part of their sustainability. From there, Tamra is going to take you step by step so you can get started growing duckweed, which species to use, and how to use them to help improve the soil structure in your home vegetable garden. That, and so much more on this week's Vegetable Gardening Podcast! In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: What is duckweedVarious species of duckweeedHow to grow duckweedHow to use duckweed in your gardenInternational Lemna AssociationOngoing research about the benefits of DuckweedItems mentioned in this episode include: Duckweed GardeningGreen Sun ProductsInternational Lemna AssociationContact TamraDuckweed on YouTubeShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Tamra Fakhoorian: Tamra Fakhoorian has a deep committment to global sustainable living through renewable energy and waste nutrient recycling. She consults on duckweed and algae production as well as integrated farming systems in the US and abroad. Spring, 2013, she began commercial duckweed production through GreenSun Products, LLC. Watch for her quality boutique animal feeds online and on store shelves in Western Kentucky and surrounding region. In an effort to become more energy independent, Tamra single-handedly retrofitted an older country home to be near-zero energy. She cooks with solar ovens on a routine basis and gives workshops on the subject for area students. Tamra serves as co-founder and Executive Director of International Lemna Association. The ILA is a nonprofit dedicated to global education, research, and production of duckweed.

Mike appeared on a recent episode of the Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener's Podcast with hosts Joey and Holly Baird talking about gardening in New Jersey.  Mike gives you some insight on what is going on in his garden, what he's growing and the size of the garden area.  From there Mike talks about how the chickens are doing and his constant battle with the rabbits.  You'll  learn some behind the scenes info on the Vegetable Gardening Podcast, the guests he talks to and why he loves doing the show.

Mike gets interviewed by Niki Jabbour who is the host of The Weekend Gardener on News 95.7 out of Halifax.  Niki and Mike talk about what is growing in Mike's garden, what are his favorite veggies, how are the tomatoes doing and of course, Mike gives us a sneak peak into the upcoming season of the Vegetable Gardening Podcast. 

This Week on Vegetable Gardening In this week's episode Mike speaks Stacey Chillemi, best selling author of the book The Complete Herbal Guide: Heal Your Body and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables, which has sold over 100,000 copies.  Stacey will fill you on how her battle with epilepsy lead her to a healthier lifestyle that included fruits, vegetables and herbs that she grows right at home. From there, Stacey and Mike talk about what it means to detoxify, what are herbal remedies and why gardening plays an important role in maintaining a healthy balanced lifestyle. This and so much more on this week's episode of Vegetable Gardening! In this episode, here's what we'll cover Healing your body naturally using alternative methodsMaintaining optimal healthUsing fruits, vegetables and herbs grown at home for better healthThe fruits, vegetables and herbs you should be growingFoods that heal the body naturallyNatural body healing remedies using herbs from your gardenItems mentioned in this podcast All about Stacey ChillemiThe Complete Herbal Guide: Heal Your Body and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and VegetablesThe Complete Herbal Guide WebsiteThe Epilepsy BlogStacey's appearance on Dr. OzAbout this week's guest, Stacey Chillemi Stacey Chillemi graduated from Richard Stockton College in Pomona, New Jersey, majoring in marketing and advertisement. In the mid-nineties while in college, she began her first book, Epilepsy: You’re Not Alone.  It was published six years later. Before and after graduation in 1996, she worked in New York City for NBC. Since the birth of her children, she has been a freelance journalist. She has written features for journals and newspapers. Her articles have appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines in North America and abroad. She won an award from the Epilepsy Foundation of America in 2002 for her help and dedication to people with epilepsy. Stacey Chillemi is author of the new book, Natural Remedies for Common Conditions: How to Prevent, Heal and Maintain Optimum Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins and Food. Chillemi's passion is helping others discover the surprising secrets to healing the body and maintaining excellent health for life. Stacey has dedicated her life to the field of health, alternative medicine and herbal medicine. Stacey educates others and shares with them the natural remedies to stay healthy, restore health, and look and feel younger. If you have been on a roller-coaster ride of medical conditions, you will finally be able to heal your body, and maintain excellent health for life." About the Host Mike Podlesny is the author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the Rest of Us as well as the creator of the Seeds of the Month Club where members receive non gmo, heirloom variety seeds every month.  Be sure to listen to Mike each week on the Vegetable Gardening Podcast, as he interviews the gardening industry's leading experts. You can also read gardening articles from Mike on his blog at AveragePersonGardening.com/blog Be sure to Visit the Show's Sponsor

Listen in as we rebroadcast episode #189 where Mike interviews Steven Biggs. Steven Biggs is a journalist and author specializing in gardening, farming, and food production. As a life-long gardener, he has gardened wherever he’s lived, planting allotment gardens, container gardens, indoor gardens, and gardens in the overgrown backyards of rental houses. His earliest garden memory is stealing a carrot from his Baba’s prized vegetable garden. He encourages his three young children to steal as many carrots as they want from his garden. Along with studying horticultural science at the University of Guelph, he has worked in greenhouse and nursery production, plant propagation, biological controls, horticultural supplies, and farm marketing. In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Growing Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs in CanadaRooftop gardeningGrowing FigsOverwintering techniques for your fig treeChoosing the right containerChoosing the right soil mixFig varietiesItems mentioned in this episode include: Steven BiggsFollow Steve on TwitterGrow Figs tips on FacebookGrow Figs Where You Think You Can'tNo Guff Vegetable GardeningShow Sponsors: Seeds of the Month ClubAmpleHarvest.orgAbout this week's Guest, Steven Biggs: In his garden writing and talks, he favours a practical, no-nonsense, fun approach to things. He believes that when people see how fun gardening can be, more people will garden! As a contributing editor for the farm business magazine County Guide, he covers stories in the agricultural community and other parts of the food chain. He talks to food thinkers and chefs, visits food retailers and processors, and cruises food-related trade shows. Examples of stories are a look at food in Toronto’s Arab Quarter and meeting a Saskatchewan farmer selling specialty oil into the health-food sector. He is especially proud of his story about an Ontario hog and wild boar producer, which won an award with the American Association of Journalists and Authors—a non-farm audience. Steven’s book No Guff Vegetable Gardening, co-authored with Calgarian Donna Balzer, is a Canadian bestseller. It uses a fun, slightly irreverent, illustrated approach that banishes the idea growing vegetables is exotic or difficult. His most recent book, the award-winning Grow Figs Where You Think You Can’t, shows people how simple it can be to grow figs in cold climates. Previous Podcast Episodes #188: Mike interviews Joe Lamp`l of Growing a Greener World#187: Mike interviews Laurie Neverman from Common Sense Homesteading#186: Mike interviews Dave LeDoux of BackToMyGarden.com talking about Heirloom Vegetables#185: Mike talks with Dee Nash Author of the Book The 20 to 30 Something Garden Guide#184: Mike talks with Chris McLaughlin Author of the Book Vertical Vegetable Gardening and A Garden to Dye For

This Week on Vegetable Gardening In this week's episode, Mike chats with Steve Albert, author of the book, The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide: A Practical Vegetable and Herb Garden Encyclopedia, about various tips, tricks and techniques that you can use, regardless of space, to grow your best garden ever. Steve, a Master Gardener, will show you how to grow in anything from a few raised beds, to patio gardens, to large scale gardens and more.  He'll give you his list of his favorite heirloom varieties that he likes to grow, as well as which ones grow great in small spaces. From there Steve will give us insight into growing zones, and a lot more details on making your best soil ever with some composting techniques.  This and so much more on this week's episode of Vegetable Gardening! In this episode, here's what we'll cover Gardening in raised bedsGardening in small spacesComposting for great soilHeirloom varieties that you must tryEasy solutions to common gardening problemsWhat harvest to table really meansKnowing what you can grow in your zoneItems mentioned in this podcast The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide: A Practical Vegetable and Herb Garden EncyclopediaHarvest to TableHarvest to Table on FacebookSteve on TwitterAbout this week's Guest Steve Albert I live in the Sonoma Valley of California just a mile or two from the bustling village of Kenwood—post office, grocery and feed store, gas station, and two churches—a village surrounded by crop land, pastures, orchards, and vineyards. My vegetable garden and kitchen are in USDA growing zone 8b; that means we get some frost and freezing every year but almost never any snow. I write Harvest to Table in my utility room with one door leading into the kitchen and the other out into my vegetable and flower garden. (The coat and boot rack sit right behind my chair and my two cats Sister and George are either sleeping on the utility counter next to me or are in the kitchen demanding to be fed). Everything you’ll find at Harvest to Table I either learned in my garden or kitchen—with a little help from my gardening and cooking neighbors, friends, and family. Everything you’ll find here I’ve grown in my garden and cooked in my kitchen. Just so you know up front, I’m a big fan of compost and butter. Harvest to Table is for the beginner and veteran gardener alike. The goal is to find easy solutions to common garden problems. I’ve found that no matter where I have lived to get great results in the garden what’s been important are the fundamentals. No matter where you live you have the same growing sequence as I do. To bring great food from your garden to your table, stick to the fundamentals. About the Host Mike Podlesny is the author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the Rest of Us as well as the creator of the Seeds of the Month Club where members receive non gmo, heirloom variety seeds every month.  Be sure to listen to Mike each week on the Vegetable Gardening Podcast, as he interviews the gardening industry's leading experts. You can also read gardening articles from Mike on his blog at AveragePersonGardening.com/blog Be sure to Visit the Show's Sponsor