NPR Topics: Gardening https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1054 NPR stories about gardening, plants, and food crops. Read interviews and commentary and subscribe to the Gardening RSS feed. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:03:21 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Topics: Gardening https://www.npr.org/sections/gardening/ What's soil blocking? This seeding method helps gardeners use less plastic and peat Soil blocking is an environmentally friendly method to prep seedlings. The technique has captured the attention of serious gardeners who'd like to make their growing more sustainable. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:54:58 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/nx-s1-5334478/gardening-soil-blocking https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/nx-s1-5334478/gardening-soil-blocking

Soil blocking is an environmentally friendly method to prep seedlings. The technique has captured the attention of serious gardeners who'd like to make their growing more sustainable.

(Image credit: Neda Ulaby)

]]> Neda Ulaby Vegetable Gardening On A Budget Wondering what to do with that old PC case? You could turn it into a planter, and grow strawberries in winter. "Cheap vegetable gardener" Shawn Verrall describes how he gardens in his limited backyard space, in a less-than-ideal climate, without spending a lot of money. Fri, 28 May 2010 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2010/05/28/127240673/vegetable-gardening-on-a-budget https://www.npr.org/2010/05/28/127240673/vegetable-gardening-on-a-budget Wondering what to do with that old PC case? You could turn it into a planter, and grow strawberries in winter. "Cheap vegetable gardener" Shawn Verrall describes how he gardens in his limited backyard space, in a less-than-ideal climate, without spending a lot of money.

]]> From The Ground Up: Greening Your Lawn Lawn expert Paul Tukey, author of <em>The Organic Lawn Care Manual</em>, explains how to have a greener, less weedy lawn without an arsenal of lawn care products. Turf specialist Jim Baird describes his lab's efforts to breed grasses that stand up to heat with less watering. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/10/02/113435523/from-the-ground-up-greening-your-lawn https://www.npr.org/2009/10/02/113435523/from-the-ground-up-greening-your-lawn Lawn expert Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, explains how to have a greener, less weedy lawn without an arsenal of lawn care products. Turf specialist Jim Baird describes his lab's efforts to breed grasses that stand up to heat with less watering.

]]> Want To Cut Grass Out Of Your Life? Try Moss Summertime doesn't have to mean hours behind the lawn mower, at least for shade-dwellers. Forty years ago, David Benner, horticulturist and moss enthusiast, killed all the grass on his property and cultivated moss in its place. Benner has 25 different moss species growing in his garden near New Hope, Pa. Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/07/10/106470901/want-to-cut-grass-out-of-your-life-try-moss https://www.npr.org/2009/07/10/106470901/want-to-cut-grass-out-of-your-life-try-moss

Summertime doesn't have to mean hours behind the lawn mower, at least for shade-dwellers. Forty years ago, David Benner, horticulturist and moss enthusiast, killed all the grass on his property and cultivated moss in its place. Benner has 25 different moss species growing in his garden near New Hope, Pa.

]]> Thomas Jefferson's Natural Passion Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was an architect, an inventor and a statesman. But his passion was nature. Host Liane Hansen visits Monticello, Jefferson's primary residence on a mountaintop in Virginia, and tours Jefferson's magnificent gardens. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:28:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/07/05/106280972/thomas-jeffersons-natural-passion https://www.npr.org/2009/07/05/106280972/thomas-jeffersons-natural-passion

Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was an architect, an inventor and a statesman. But his passion was nature. Host Liane Hansen visits Monticello, Jefferson's primary residence on a mountaintop in Virginia, and tours Jefferson's magnificent gardens.

]]> 'Wicked Plants' Creep Through Brooklyn Gardens <em>Wicked Plants</em> is a new book documenting the sometimes deadly plant kingdom. Author Amy Stewart writes about illegal, dangerous and toxic species, including oleander and poison sumac. This summer, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features some of these "evil" plants skulking among its lily ponds and greenhouses. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:20:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/06/19/105406255/wicked-plants-creep-through-brooklyn-gardens https://www.npr.org/2009/06/19/105406255/wicked-plants-creep-through-brooklyn-gardens

Wicked Plants is a new book documenting the sometimes deadly plant kingdom. Author Amy Stewart writes about illegal, dangerous and toxic species, including oleander and poison sumac. This summer, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features some of these "evil" plants skulking among its lily ponds and greenhouses.

]]> Margot Adler The Heritage Rosarium: A Once-A-Year Experience It takes an obsession to create a rose garden as glorious as the one Nick Weber has grown at his home in Ashton, Md. He calls it the "Heritage Rosarium," and it's filled with nearly 700 heirloom varieties of ramblers and climbers. Nick and his wife, Roseanne, open the garden to the public only once a year on Memorial Day weekend. Sun, 24 May 2009 15:25:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/05/24/104510051/the-heritage-rosarium-a-once-a-year-experience https://www.npr.org/2009/05/24/104510051/the-heritage-rosarium-a-once-a-year-experience

It takes an obsession to create a rose garden as glorious as the one Nick Weber has grown at his home in Ashton, Md. He calls it the "Heritage Rosarium," and it's filled with nearly 700 heirloom varieties of ramblers and climbers. Nick and his wife, Roseanne, open the garden to the public only once a year on Memorial Day weekend.

]]> Jacki Lyden Talking Tomatoes Into Growing Bigger The Royal Horticultural Society held open auditions to try to come up with the 10 best voices to encourage their tomatoes in a month-long experiment. Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/04/04/102748047/talking-tomatoes-into-growing-bigger https://www.npr.org/2009/04/04/102748047/talking-tomatoes-into-growing-bigger The Royal Horticultural Society held open auditions to try to come up with the 10 best voices to encourage their tomatoes in a month-long experiment.

]]> As Spring Arrives, A Return To The Garden Host Jacki Lyden shares some thoughts on the first weekend of spring. Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2009/03/22/102223519/as-spring-arrives-a-return-to-the-garden https://www.npr.org/2009/03/22/102223519/as-spring-arrives-a-return-to-the-garden Host Jacki Lyden shares some thoughts on the first weekend of spring.

]]> 'Good Blooming Year' For California Wildflowers Peak season for desert wildflowers is just around the corner. Gail Sevrens, state park district services manager for the Colorado Desert District, which includes Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California, says this is a good year to catch some more elusive species in Anza-Borrego. Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2009/03/05/101499769/good-blooming-year-for-california-wildflowers https://www.npr.org/2009/03/05/101499769/good-blooming-year-for-california-wildflowers

Peak season for desert wildflowers is just around the corner. Gail Sevrens, state park district services manager for the Colorado Desert District, which includes Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California, says this is a good year to catch some more elusive species in Anza-Borrego.

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