The Plantastic Podcast

Mar 04 2025 38 ep. 69 mins 70
The Plantastic Podcast artwork

Plants can’t talk, but we can! The Plantastic Podcast is a show for plant killers, green thumbs, and everyone in between. Listen along as Dr. Jared deconstructs the practices of the best plantspeople of our time so that you can better cultivate your plants and yourself.

  Leisure  Science  Education
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson on Growing Orchards with Giving Grove (#38)

Mar 04 2025 78 mins  
This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interviewed Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson of The Giving Grove to learn about how to grow better orchards at home and in a public space. We discuss strategies they have used to establish over 650 orchards nationwide, fruit tree selection and efforts to save heirloom varieties, pest management techniques using holistic sprays and kaolin clay, be

Jack McCoy on Garden Lessons from Travels Abroad (#37)

Feb 01 2025 59 mins  
In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Jack McCoy about his journey from childhood gardening in Knoxville to becoming a thoughtful garden designer envisioning southeastern landscapes. Jack shared how what began as a chore with his father grew into a deep passion for plants and landscapes. We discuss his pivotal experiences, from designing a rain garden at UT

Shannon Currey on Elevating Plantings with Education (#36)

Jan 11 2025 71 mins  
In this episode of the Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Shannon Currey of Izel Native Plants about her path from social psychology to horticulture and how it shaped her passion for plants and landscapes. Shannon discusses the evolution of perennials in horticulture, from purely decorative elements to essential components of resilient, dynamic plantings. We explore the importance of

Ben O'Brien on Wild by Design (#35)

Dec 14 2024 61 mins  
In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I talk with Ben O’Brien to explore his journey into naturalistic planting design. Ben shares how his rural upbringing and a transformative visit to the High Line sparked his passion for blending wild and cultural landscapes. We dive into his innovative grit planting trials, where he tested growing plants in recycled materials wit

Lucy Bellamy on A Year in Bloom (#34)

Nov 23 2024 56 mins  
This month, I interviewed Lucy Bellamy on her new book A Year in Bloom. Lucy shared her journey of becoming a passionate gardener and editor of five years of Gardens Illustrated. With A Year in Bloom, we discussed how bulbs are perfect for sustainable planting, the creative blend of practicality and artistry in gardening, and the 50 experts she surveyed for the best bulbs for every

Lis Meyer on Home Plant Propagation (#33)

Sep 14 2024 68 mins  
This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Lis Meyer is packed with practical tips on plant propagation including cuttings, bulb scaling, and grafting. Plus, don't miss several videos on propagation at the end of the show notes!

Patrick Cullina on Dynamic Naturalistic Design (#32)

Aug 11 2024 109 mins  
This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Patrick Cullina is a master class in naturalistic planting. Here's 12 things I learned from our conversation: Patrick’s approach to categorizing plants to simplify design (8 minute mark), his preference for gravity over novelty in plant choice (20 minute mark), crafting narratives in landscapes (24 minute mark), his design proce

Erin Presley on Making Gardens Relatable to All (#31)

Jul 05 2024 78 mins  
For July's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Erin Presley speaks about the importance of making gardens relatable for everyone. She is a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin where she manages the herb garden, native woodland areas, pond garden, and gravel garden. She highlights unique projects, including creating culturally relevant gardens with Ho Chu

Gary Lewis on Ground Covers for Every Garden (#30)

Jun 07 2024 68 mins  
In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Gary Lewis, the owner of Phoenix Perennials and author of The Complete Book of Ground Covers. Gary takes us on a journey through his lifelong passion for plants, highlighted by his hands-on experience at a wholesale nursery, his self-taught mastery within the horticultural field, and buying a nursery when he was working on his master's deg

Polly Nicholson on The Tulip Garden (#29)

May 03 2024 57 mins  
In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Polly Nicholson, owner of Bayntun Flowers and author of The Tulip Garden, shares her deep-rooted love for plants and her journey into gardening and tulip cultivation. Polly provides insights into historical tulip species, her dedication to preserving tulip varieties, and the importance of maintaining heritage plants. She also delves into t