Move Over Blueberries: A New Fruit for the Northern Gardener
Bob Bors talks about how to grow haskap, an early and very cold-tolerant fruit.
Bob Bors talks about haskap, a.k.a. honeyberry, a very cold-tolerant fruit
Haskap is a Fruit for Northern Gardens
In this replay of a 2019 interview, we chat with Bob Bors, head of the fruit breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan.
We talk about:
Breeding haskap (a.k.a. honeyberry) fruit
Cold-tolerance of haskap
How to care for haskap
How to prune haskap
Cold-tolerant cherry varieties from University of Saskatchewan
Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens
Bors is also the co-author of an excellent book: Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens. The book is not currently in print—but it’s well worth hunting for a used copy.
Dwarf and Unusual Tomatoes
Some tomato variety ideas for your 2023 garden. (Yes, a tomato plant you can bring indoors for winter!)
Tomato expert Linda Crago talks with Emma about some dwarf and unusual tomato varieties.
A Tomato Variety to Bring Indoors for Winter
Emma chats with tomato expert Linda Crago about the 'House' tomato, a compact tomato plant that some gardeners keep over the winter in the house.
They also talk about a few other unusual tomato varieties, including one of the ugliest tomato plants you'll see: 'Stick.'
Reviving a Forgotten Fruit...by Planting an Orchard!
Jane Steward, author of Medlars – Growing & Cooking, talks about how to grow medlar, how to cook medlar — and shares some fascinating medlar history.
How to Grow and Cook Medlar
Author and medlar expert Jane Steward from Eastgate Larder talks about how to grow and cook medlar.
Jane Steward, author of Medlars – Growing & Cooking, talks about how to grow medlar, how to cook medlar, and shares some fascinating medlar facts. (Find out how medlar wood was used in Dutch windmills!)
Steward planted a medlar orchard, holds the UK National Collection of medlars, and runs Eastgate Larder—a food business where she processes medlar.
We talk about:
How to grow medlar (Mespilus germanica)
How to cook medlar
Steward’s journey into planting a medlar orchard and starting a food-processing business
How to “blet” medlar
Medlar rootstock
Medlar fruit in Turkey and around the Caspian Sea
(Spoiler alert: we also hear about medlar gin and a delicious medlar chutney)
“If you want to have medlars in your life you really need to have a tree!”
Connect
Eastgate Larder: eastgatelarder.co.uk
Find the book at Prospect Books, or online at Amazon.
Want More on Medlar?
Interested in Lesser-Known Fruit?
Top Crops and Seed Shopping
Horticulturist and vegetable-garden expert Donna Balzer talks about garden planning and shares her tips for seed shopping.
Garden Planning and Seed Shopping
Horticulturist and vegetable-garden expert Donna Balzer talks about garden planning and shares her tips for seed shopping.
Horticulturist and vegetable-garden expert Donna Balzer talks about garden planning and shares her tips for seed shopping.
We talk about:
Favourite early spring greens crops
Making a vegetable garden plan
Succession crops
Storage Crops
Where to get seeds
Testing seeds for viability
Seed Lingo
Connect
Donna’s website: donnabalzer.com
Want More Planning Ideas?
Find out about vegetable-crop spacing in this article.
Interested in Heirloom Seed?
Hear Jere Gettle from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds talk about his journey into seeds.
Meet Canada's Grape
Daniel Speck from Henry of Pelham winery talks about how to grow grapes, European wine grapes, North American labrusca grapes—and hybrid grapes.
Growing Grapes and Making Wine in Niagara
Daniel Speck from Henry of Pelham winery talks about growing grapes, wine, and different types of wine grapes.
Daniel Speck from Henry of Pelham winery talks about growing grapes, wine, and different types of wine grapes.
We talk about:
What makes Niagara an excellent grape-growing region
Grape vine care
Vinifera grapes, labrusca grapes, and hybrid grapes
The history of the Henry of Pelham
Baco Noir and Pinot Noir grapes
Food pairings for Baco Noir wine
“Baco is Canada’s Grape!”
Matthew, Paul, and Daniel Speck
Connect
Henry of Pelham Winery: henryofpelham.com
Want More Interesting Drink Ideas?
If this episode got you thinking about fun drinks to serve over the holidays, tune in to the episode entitled, Garlic-Infused Vodka and a Cricket Rodeo, where Peter McClusky from the Toronto Garlic Festival tells us about garlic-infused vodka.
Interested in Growing Fruit?
Check out these articles about growing fruit in cold climates.
Apricots in Alaska!
Mark Wolbers, president of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association, talks about growing fruit north of 60.
Grow Fruit North of 60
Mark Wolbers, president of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association, talks about growing fruit north of 60.
Mark Wolbers, president of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association, talks about growing fruit north of 60.
We talk about:
The range of fruit that grows in Alaska
The growing conditions in different parts of Alaska
Using greenhouses and high tunnels
The gardening culture in Alaska
The advantages of growing in a northern area
Opportunities for monetization
A greenhouse-winery!
“Snow is our friend!”
Connect
Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association: apfga.org
Want More on Growing Food in the North?
Tune in to hear Suzanne Crocker from Dawson City talk about eating locally for a whole year in the episode No Groceries North of 60.
Great Herbs for Indoor Growing (Ditch the Scorched Rosemary!)
Dave Hanson from Sage Garden Greenhouses talks about growing herbs indoors over winter: The easiest herbs to grow indoors, potting, feeding, and care.
Grow Herbs Indoors
Dave Hanson joins us to talk about growing herbs indoors over the winter. He’s the owner of Sage Garden Greenhouses and co-host of The Grow Guide podcast.
Dave Hanson from Sage Garden Greenhouses in Winnipeg, Manitoba tells us about growing herbs indoors.
Dave has joined us here on the show before to talk about exotic edibles.
Along with Sage Garden Greenhouses, he co-hosts The Grow Guide podcast.
We talk about:
Herbs that can be moved indoors from the garden
Seed-growing herbs indoors over winter
3 bullet-proof herbs for growing indoors (for people like Steve…who has a habit of killing rosemary plants over the winter)
Lesser-known herbs that are well suited to indoor conditions
Indoor herb care and feeding
Potting soil for growing herbs indoors
Controlling pests on indoor herb plants
“Even though I’m a greenhouse grower, I like to un-complicate things!”
Top Herbs for Indoors
Connect
Sage Garden Greenhouses: sagegarden.ca
The Grow Guide podcast: thegrowguidepodcast.com
Want More on Herbs?
We have more inspiring interviews about growing and using herbs.
School Garden Kicks Off with Celebrity
Sonya Harris joins us to talk about school gardens, gardening with kids, and The Bullock Garden Project
Taking Math to the Garden
Sonya Harris’ from The Bullock Garden Project on bringing the garden to the classroom.
It started with a math lesson. A very boring math lesson.
Educator Sonya Harris was trying to get a concept to stick. And the thing that got it to stick was the garden.
A non-gardener, she saw how it could help kids take in ideas. But she wasn’t sure where to start once she got buy-in from the principal to make a garden.
So she did it with a fun celebrity event.
We talk about:
Launching the school garden with a “yard-crashing” event featuring an HGTV star
Bringing the classroom to the garden — and the garden to the classroom
Creating The Bullock Garden Project to help other educators start gardens
Funding the non-profit project with a for-profit seed company, Garden Teachers Yard
Resources for educators who want to incorporate gardening into the curriculum
Joining the board at KidsGardening.org
Connect
Bullock Garden Project: bullockgardenproject.org
Garden Teachers Yard: gardenteachersyard.com
Kids Gardening: kidsgardening.org
Want More on Gardening with Kids?
We have lots of inspiring interviews with educators, and a series of kids-gardening videos that Emma did when she was younger
How to Prune Fruit Trees + Apple Tasting 101
Susan Poizner talks about how to have your own apple-tasting event, and explains how to prune fruit trees.
Discover the Next Great Apple
Susan Poizner from Orchard People talks about how to have your own apple-tasting event, and explains how to prune fruit trees.
Susan Poizner, founder of Ben Nobleman Community Orchard in Toronto, talks about the upcoming apple-tasting fundraiser event for the orchard. Poizner is a college instructor, author of Grow Fruit Trees Fast and Growing Urban Orchards, and the founder of Orchard People.
At the virtual apple tasting, participants are guided through characteristics such as:
Smell
Flavour
Texture
The apples in the tasting were bred in Ontario — and have not yet been released.
An apple tasting event is something you can do yourself! Poizner shares tips on how to host your own apple-tasting event.
Pruning Fruit Trees
We also talk about how to prune fruit trees:
Why prune fruit trees
How to prune fruit trees
Winter vs. summer pruning
Water sprouts
When to cut off healthy branches
Whip cuts
Connect
Orchard People: orchardpeople.com
Ben Nobleman Community Orchard: communityorchard.ca
Want More on Growing Fruit?
Electric Saws and Giant Pumpkins
Norman Kyle joins us to talk about growing giant veggies — and about his 1,659-pound pumpkin.
It Takes an Electric Saw...to Get Seeds from this 1659-Pound Pumpkin
Norman Kyle with his 1,659-pound pumkin, which will be on display at the 2022 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto
We chat with giant vegetable grower Norman Kyle from Ennismore, Ontario.
Kyle will have a number of his giant vegetables on display at the 2022 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, November 4-13.
We talk about:
His 1,659-pound pumpkin — a personal best
Tips on growing giant vegetables
How to grow giant pumpkins
Getting seed
Want to See a Great Display of Giant Veg?
Go to the 2022 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, November 4-13.
If you’ve never been to the Royal – go. There are veg displays, a honey competition, agricultural competitions, and ideas and products from people who are passionate about food.
Want More on Giant Vegetables?
Hear Phil Hunt talk about a giant pumpkin that looked like a Volkswagen Beetle as it grew in his garden.
75 Frost-Free Days and Bird Song Just After Midnight
Gardening north of 60° with Arlin McFarlane. She’s an artist, filmmaker, and gardener in Whitehorse, Yukon, and the producer of the gardening show The Curious Gardener.
Gardening in Whitehorse, Yukon
Arlin McFarlane from Whitehorse, Yukon, talks about gardening in the north and her show, The Curious Gardener.
We chat with artist, filmmaker, and gardener Arlin McFarlane in Whitehorse, Yukon about gardening in cold climates.
McFarlane produced the gardening show The Curious Gardener, about Yukon farmers and gardeners.
We talk about:
Gardening when there are only about 75 frost-free days in the growing season
Gardening on poorly developed soils
How to grow tomatoes in the far north (spoiler alert: Arlin grows tomatoes!)
The importance of microclimates
The show The Curious Gardener
Connect
The Curious Gardener: thecuriousgardener.ca
Want More on Far-North Gardening?
Hear Suzanne Crocker talk about growing and eating only local food for a year, in Dawson City, Yukon.
Potted Lemons for Cold-Climate Gardens
Steven Biggs talks about why lemon trees are a good plant to start with if you’re thinking of growing citrus in a cold climate.
Why Lemons are a Good Citrus Plant to Start With
Steven explains why lemons are his top citrus choice for cold climates.
Steven explains why lemons are his top citrus choice for cold climates.
He talks about:
How cold lemon trees can get
How cold the fruit can get
Fruiting and flowering
Using lemon leaves in the kitchen
How big potted lemon plants will get
His favourite lemon for growing in a pot in cold climates
Want to Learn More about Lemons?
Book About Growing Lemons in Cold Climates
Ever wondered about how to grow a lemon tree in a pot? Or in the ground if you’re in a borderline hardiness zone?
This book explains how to grow a lemon in a pot and enjoy your own homegrown lemons.
Grow Spices + How to Store Food
In this episode: Grow your own spices with Tasha Greer, and food storage and preservation with Steve Maxwell.
Talking about growing spices with Tasha Greer, author of Grow Your Own Spices.
Grow Your Own Spices
In the first part of the show, we chat with Tasha Greer about how to grow your own spices. She’s the author of the book Grow Your Own Spices.
We chat about:
The difference between a herb and a spice
Spice-growing ideas for this time of year
Seed-grown spices
“Underground” spices
Spices that might already be in your landscape
Spices that a patio gardener can grow in containers and overwinter indoors
Feed Yourself for a Year
Homesteader, cold cellar, and food storage expert Steve Maxwell talks about food storage.
In the second part of the show we talk with homesteader, cold-cellar, and food-storage expert Steve Maxwell for ideas about food storage – even if you’re an urban dweller. He’s the creator of the online course Feed Yourself for a Year: Select & Store 365 Days of Food.
He talks about:
The reason for having a supply of stored food
The advantage of preserving your own food vs. kits
Ideas for urban dwellers to store food
The importance of stored water
Making basement root cellars
Making a roothouse
Smoking food
Attractive Food Gardens, Scrappy Plants, and Outreach
Adina Oosterwijk, the Community Greening Officer at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia talks about community outreach and home food gardens that are productive and aesthetically pleasing.
Connecting Gardens, People, and Food
Adina Oosterwijk, the Community Greening Officer at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia talks about community outreach and making attractive home food gardens.
We chat with Adina Oosterwijk, the Community Greening Officer at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia.
We talk about:
The Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, which has three different sites that each have different growing conditions and plant collections
Home food gardens that are productive and aesthetically pleasing
Garden outreach to vulnerable communities
Scrappy plants for tough growing conditions
A tomato festival
Home-Scale Forest Garden
Dani Baker, author of The Home-Scale Forest Garden, talks about planning, planting, and caring for a forest garden.
Making an Edible Landscape with a Forest Garden
Dani Baker, author of The Home-Scale Forest Garden, talks about planning, planting, and caring for a forest garden.
We chat with author and market gardener Dani Baker about forest gardening.
Baker has created a forest garden on her USDA Zone 4 farm. She shares her tips for making a forest garden, whether it’s an acre or just a few square feet.
We talk about:
Permaculture principles
Creating microclimates
Grouping plants in layers
Understanding your space
Matching plants to conditions
What you can do at this time of year to get started
Her new book is The Home-Scale Forest Garden: How to Plan, Plant, and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape.
Scenes from Dani Baker’s Forest Garden
2022 Tomato Roundup
Tomato Roundup. Steven and Emma talk about the 2022 tomato crop and top varieties.
2022 tomato roundup with Steven and Emma
2022 Tomato Roundup
Steven and Emma take a look at the 2022 tomato crop.
We chat about:
What’s new in the tomato patch
Growing methods
Top varieties
Tomato seed saving
Favourite tomato recipes
Garlic-Infused Vodka and a Cricket Rodeo
In this episode: Growing and cooking garlic, and the Toronto Garlic Festival with Peter McClusky, and chicken-keeping tips and ideas from Frank Hyman, author of Hentopia.
Talking about growing and cooking with garlic, with Peter McClusky, founder of The Toronto Garlic Festival.
Toronto Garlic Festival
In the first part of the show, we chat with Peter McClusky about garlic. He’s the founder of the Toronto Garlic Festival, now in its 12th year.
We chat about:
The hardneck garlic grown in Ontario, and it’s culinary properties
How to grow garlic at home
The festival, which includes seed garlic, prepared food, educational events, and music.
The festival is Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. here in Toronto.
Backyard Hens get Hentopia
Frank Hyman, author of Hentopia, talks about backyard hens.
In the second part of the show we talk about backyard hens with Frank Hyman, author of the book Hentopia.
Hyman’s approach to keeping chickens is that he aims to spend less time doing chicken-related chores than cooking eggs. And he sets up the coop so that he can go away for a couple of weeks at a time.
He tells us about:
Practical feed and feeder ideas
Creating practical water dispensers — even in cold climates
Making a pallet coop
(Spoiler alert: we hear about the cricket rodeo he gives his hens)
Trailer Video for Hentopia
Recipes in Bloom
Denise Schreiber, author of Eat Your Roses, tells us about edible flowers and shares recipe ideas, including rose-petal ice cream, roasted-red-pepper soup with nasturtiums, and lavender-flower biscotti.
Ice Cream, Sliders, Soups, and More with Edible Flowers
Denise Schreiber, author of Eat Your Roses, talks about edible flowers.
We chat with Pittsburgh author and horticulturist Denise Schreiber about edible flowers.
Schreiber is the author of the book Eat Your Roses.
We talk about:
Common edible flowers
Lesser-known edible flowers
Top tips for edible flowers
Edible-flower recipes, including rose-petal ice cream, pork sliders with nasturtium, roasted-red-pepper soup with nasturtium, lavender-flower biscotti
Helping Kids Understand Light...with Skittles!
Darryl and Aden Nelson talk about gardening under lights and teaching kids about light.
Bringing Light to a Children’s Science Camp
We chat with Darryl Nelson and his teenage son, Aden, about light and gardening under lights.
Darryl and Aden tell us how they taught children about light at a children’s event at a local museum. (Spoiler alert: it involved colourful Skittles candy.)
Darryl is an avid food gardener — and his specialty is light. His business, Just Led Us, specializes in lighting.
Land Conservation, Public Access, and Figs!
Jack Spruill joins us to talk about land conservation, public access — and figs!
Land Conservation
We chat with Jack Spruill, whose farm is on the shore of North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound, the largest freshwater sound in the world.
Spruill plans to donate the farm to an organization that will maintain public access, with the land used for low-impact farming, research, and education programs.
At the moment, some of the property is used for a community garden — and a community fig orchard.
Talking about land conservation, public access — and figs — with Jack Spruill.
We talk about:
The idea of public access, and how it scares some organizations
Mechanisms for land conservation
Tips for bringing people together around food and gardening
The community fig orchard
Connect
Spruill Farm: spruillfarm.org
Hi, We’re Steve and Emma!
We help people grow food on balconies, in backyards, and beyond—whether it’s edible landscaping, a vegetable garden, container gardens, or a home orchard.
