Bloom Box: Growing Deeper

Don’t forget your dragon hide gloves! Sarah and Hanna are heading to Hogwarts for a special herbology-themed episode featuring magical plants from the Harry Potter universe — and their real-life counterparts you can actually grow in your own garden. From calming hellebores to, they dig into the folklore, horticulture, and just a little bit of magic behind these spellbinding species. Whether you’re a wizarding world fan or just love a weird plant story, this episode is full of enchanting garden inspiration (and a few poison warnings).

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For the annual  fall cleanup episode, Sarah and Hanna are joined by David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, to talk about one of the simplest and most impactful garden actions: leaving the leaves. David shares the science behind this seasonal practice, the wildlife it supports, and how “messy” gardens are essential for biodiversity and climate health.



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In this fall-themed episode, Sarah and Hanna are joined by Community Forester Sarah Browning to talk about the insects (and a few not-quite-insects) that become more noticeable this time of year. From spiders in the basement to mosquitoes that won’t quit, the conversation covers who these critters are, what they’re doing in the fall, and how to live with—or without—them.

Learn why wolf spiders seem extra big in autumn, what oak itch mites are really up to in your red oaks, and why minute pirate bugs have such a misleadingly cute nam...

In this Q&A episode, Hanna and Sarah tackle common questions about pollinators—what counts as one, why their populations are declining, which crops depend on them, and how gardeners can support them with the right plants and practices. They also discuss the crime of beehivery and whether or not you need to worry about someone stealing your beehive.

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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As summer winds down, Sarah and Hanna take a breather to reflect on the wild weather, what’s thriving (and what’s struggling) in their gardens, and projects big and small. We're talking soggy lawns, giant sunflowers, raspberries, raised beds, and storm cleanup—this episode covers the full range of gardening successes and struggles. 

They also answer a listener question about what to do with a shady yard (spoiler: mulch is your friend) and share what’s blooming right now in Nebraska gardens. 

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In this lively episode, Sarah and Hanna are joined by Chrissy Land from the Nebraska Forest Service to debate their favorite (and least favorite) landscape plants. From drought-tolerant natives to misunderstood troublemakers, they make their case for which plants deserve a spot in public spaces—and which are better for the home landscape. The discussion covers climate adaptability, maintenance concerns, personal bias, and the importance of matching plants to place.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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This week on Growing Deeper, Sarah and Hannah welcome Dana Freeman, Urban Agriculture and Local Food Systems Extension Educator, to tackle a problem many gardeners face: Why do vegetables thrive one year and fail the next?

Learn why soil quality matters, how to water your containers correctly, and what to do when the weather doesn't cooperate. Dana shares practical solutions and fall gardening tips that will help beginners and experienced growers alike. Whether you're struggling with cucumbers or wondering if your lettuce can handle the heat, this is a can't-miss episode for home gardeners.<...

Sarah Browning joins us for the first time to discuss our favorite mid-summer blooms. These are some of our go-to plants to keep color in the garden all summer long. Not every summer is as rainy as this one, in dry years full summer color can be a challenge, but these dependable species have become favorites for their drought and heat tolerance.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Every gardener has “that spot” that they aren’t happy with but aren’t sure what to do about it. This week we’re reviewing our problem areas, some success stories, and some ongoing struggles. We would love to hear your stories as well! Share a success story and give us all hope or share an area you aren’t sure how to approach and maybe someone will have a suggestion (or at least commiseration).



For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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We talk about them all the time, but what exactly is a sedge? Why can’t we call them grasses? Why do we love them so much? Bob Henrickson joins us this week to answer all our sedge questions!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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We love grasses, native, ornamental, even annual! It's hard to imagine gardening in the Great Plains without them. They create the base and backdrop for native flowers while creating a sense of place in a prairie state. Grasses are also critical habitat for butterflies, moths, and other pollinating insects.

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or...

Need help planning a summer vacation or family trip? Justin Evertson (Green Infrastructure Coordinator) and John Woodworth (Community Forester) join us to talk about our favorite trips to public gardens across the state.

Through the American Horticultural Society's reciprocal admissions program, NSA members can receive perks like free admission, free parking, entrance to special exhibits, and other discounts at over 380 public gardens across North America!

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box...

Need help planning a summer vacation or family trip? Justin Evertson (Green Infrastructure Coordinator) and John Woodworth (Community Forester) join us to talk about our favorite trips to public gardens across the state.

Through the American Horticultural Society's reciprocal admissions program, NSA members can receive perks like free admission, free parking, entrance to special exhibits, and other discounts at over 380 public gardens across North America!

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box...

This information and scripts for emails and phone calls are available here: https://plantnebraska.org/how-to-help/advocacy.html

The President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 “Skinny Budget” threatens to eliminate the U.S. Forest Service’s State, Private, and Tribal Forestry (SPTF) programs—a move that would have devastating consequences for communities, volunteer fire departments, landowners, and forests across Nebraska. 

These programs directly support wildfire prevention, volunteer fire departments, reforestation, community forestry, forest health, and rural economic resilience. Their elimination would leave Nebraska communities without the resources, tools, and partnerships needed to protect l...

We know our listeners enjoy learning about plants they should consider or try each year and we like to make those lists based on a theme. We've done pollinator habitat, we've done other wildlife, we've done shrubs, etc. This year we're going through our team (at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Nebraska Forest Service) and sharing everyone's signature, or favorite plants.

Anyone who regularly designs landscapes, helps people select plants, or influences what is planted in public spaces eventually ends up with a toolbox of their favorite species. These are our tried and true...

Plants are often used to screen visually, for protection from wind, and to limit sound pollution from roadways. One of the most common questions we get is how to select trees, shrubs, grasses (and even perennials) for use in a screen or ‘Living Fence’. Today we’re discussing some of our go-to plants as well as the framework for designing a living fence or creating a visual screen.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Thanks to the Lied Center, we had the opportunity to meet Dr. Tyson over Zoom and ask him two questions related to his Cosmic Perspective talk! He will be at the Lied Center tonight for a sold-out show. This week we’re partnering with the Lied Center to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day, check out the show notes for our tips and events.

We hope to see you at Spring Affair this weekend!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: ttps://plantnebraska.org/podcast

This week, we're Growing Deeper into a topic introduced in an episode of our Plant Talk webinar series (watch here). Keystone species, an idea discussed by entomologist Doug Tallamy in several of his books, are a foundation of healthy, functioning habitat. Today we're discussing some of the keystone species of the Great Plains and how understanding this theory impacts the way we design urban greenspaces.

You don't want to miss the full show notes this week, they are packed full of great (and a few funny) links! https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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This was by far been one of the most popular episodes we have recorded. It's practical, it's helpful, and it brings us hope of spring and new projects. Whether you are a new or longtime listener, we hope you enjoy this look back at how to prepare a new garden bed or get ready to replant an old one. An insider tip: as gardeners we're always in a hurry to get outside so we often shorten well used phrases like "preparing a new bed" to "bed prep".

We talk about everything from killing and...

There are so many things to keep in mind when trying to garden sustainably and it would be tempting to think they are all black and white issues, “choose this not that and you’ll have the perfect, ecologically friendly garden”. In this episode we’re sharing specific choices we’ve had to make in our own gardens based on available time, physical ability, budget, and problems we’ve needed to solve.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Thank you Hannah for your question about planting near buried utilities! We though your question was common enough to answer on it's own instead of during another episode. This is a complicated topic since every neighborhood is designed a little different.

Always call 811 and refer to your local ordinances (rules) for planting near utilities.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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The 2025 issue of The Seed (our largest annual publication) is out and we're giving you practical tips and steps to advocating for tree planting and greenspaces in your community! Whether you see yourself as a hands on volunteer, a vocal advocate, or a future member of a committee or tree board, we hope to inspire you to take the first step to guiding your own community to plant for the future.

Read The Seed (current and past issues)

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at...

This week we are replaying one of our most popular early episodes. All about soil; what it is, what it isn’t, what lives in it, why it’s so important, and what we can do to improve and protect it.

It may be a little cold to go outside but we'll offer you a hint of spring and walk you through learning what kind of soil you have and what that means for your plant choices and your garden. Understanding your soil is a key starting place, so if you're planning to create a ne...

The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum mission is to plant Nebraska for healthy people, vibrant communities, and a resilient environment. This week we're reflecting on what this means to us and why, when our jobs often involve more people and paperwork than plants, we continue to be inspired to keep planting. We truly have a wonderful team to work with and we were glad the whole NSA team and our community forestry partners at the Nebraska Forest Service we willing to share their stories!

In this episode we hear from:

Sarah and Hanna review their resolutions from last year, plan their 2025 garden projects and share their predictions of what will be in and what will be out this year.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Bob Henrickson joins us to announce the 2025 Great Plants for the Great Plains selections!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

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Friluftsliv, translated as "free air life", is the Norwegian value of time spent in the outdoors. Michelle, whose family fully embraces friluftsliv, introduced us to the idea last episode during our book review. We've thought of several ways that we practice the free air life, intentionally or naturally, to share and have decided to join Norway in declaring 2025 the year of friluftsliv!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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We're kicking off the holiday season with our annual book review and gift guide! Michelle DeRusha joins us again this year and we share some of the garden related books we read this year (or are looking forward to reading). We also share our list of gift ideas for the gardener in your life, or for your own wish list.

For more in-depth show notes, including a full list of the books and gifts we listed, visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Dr. Dennis Ferraro, herpetologist, joins us to talk about the reptiles and amphibians that live in and around our gardens. Nebraska is home to many cool species, some can find habitat in our yards and some cannot.

Learn more about his work on his website which includes an identification guide.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Hanna and Sarah talk about their fall garden plans, cleanup and compost. Dr. Amy Schmidt, a livestock bioenvironmental engineer and professor at UNL, joins us for an interview about how manure can be used to improve our garden soil.



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Hanna and Justin talk about trees and shrubs as weeds. Which species are problematic and how to manage them. Justin has many years of experience working with towns, parks and larger conservation areas to manage invasive and weedy species and shares some of his best tips!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Sarah is back! Hanna and Sarah are joined by Carina and Kim from the Nebraska Recycling Council to talk about recycling and other waste reduction practices. We learn about how recycling works broadly, how recycling and waste reduction help our communities and our environment, and what we can strive for as individuals. 

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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In this episode, Hanna gets some late summer gardening advice from the all-knowledgeable Bob Henrickson. They talk about watering, weeding, prepping garden beds, planting trees, and more. Listen now and learn how you can set yourself up for success this fall for next year!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Hanna is joined by Kim Slezak, Wood Utilization expert with the Nebraska Forest Service, to talk about how to use wood. There are so many ideas, from biochar to furniture to woodchips, we can give you a way to use your trees if they must come down.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Christina Hoyt from the Nebraska Forest Service is back as promised to talk with Hanna about the history and trends in community forestry in Nebraska. Listen now to learn easy ways you can support community forestry right in your own neighborhood.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Our song of the summer is the sound of cicadas. Jody Green from Douglas-Sarpy County Extension joins Hanna to talk about the essential Nebraska summer insects, cicadas and fireflies. Learn how to support these bastions of summer in your yard and garden by listening now.

Update: Soil drenching can kill the eggs of cicadas, but it doesn't appear to impact nymphs. 

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Christina Hoyt from the Nebraska Forest Service joins Hanna to talk about how their gardens are looking this summer, how to be a more relaxed gardener, and answer a listener question about community trees.

CORRECTION:

Christina mentions Solidago rigida as used in her patio pond, but the actual species is riddellii.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Hanna is pleased to talk with Dan Moore from Kinghorn Gardens all about what it takes to manage the beautiful and environmentally friendly gardens on the Assurity Center campus in Lincoln near Union Plaza. 

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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An intro conversation to the water cycle and how water gets to our homes and gardens. Hanna interviews her sister Dr. Lundon Pinneo, professor of education at the University of Arkansas Little Rock.

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Jennifer Morris, Forest Health Specialist for the Nebraska Forest Service, joins us this week to help us recognize tree problems. She walks us through deciding if this is a 'wait and see', 'I can fix it', or 'call an arborist' issue.

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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In this episode, we talk about the struggles and fun of gardening with pets. Toby joins us to talk about his experience and Sarah and Hanna share their tips.

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Tired of having a yard full of grass? Whether you are trying to create habitat, save water, be more sustainable, or are just plain tired of mowing we have some ideas for you! From small changes you can make today to be more environmentally friendly to full lawn replacements, and a few wild ideas just for fun.

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Let us help you learn how to design your own pollinator garden! Our online subscription provides everything you need to be your own landscape designer; Hanna and Sarah walk through how to use the Build-Your-Own Bloom Box program and offer suggestions on how to design without the materials or if you are outside the Great Plains. 

Learn more about Build-Your-Own Bloom Box at plantnebraska.org/bloom-box 

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Spring Affair 2024 is right around the corner! Hanna and Sarah highlight a few plants that you should know about. They also share a few tips for shopping and making the most of the event. Spring Affair dates are:

For more information on sale dates and to view the full plant list visit: https://plantnebraska.org/resources-events/events/spring-affair.html

For more tips on making the most of yo...

This week we are switching things up and talking about our favorite annuals for pots or temporary garden beds!

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Thinking about adding fruit trees or shrubs to your landscape this year? Bob Henrickson and Brad Kindler join us to talk about native fruits and more traditional fruits we can grow in our home landscapes, acreages or farms. We also talk about what to consider when deciding what to plant and how to choose fruits that will fit your gardening style and your family.

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Kyle Martens, friend of the podcast and garden enthusiast, joins us to talk about how he starts vegetable seeds at home. He has some great tips on timing, supplies, and realistic expectations for beginners.

He credits Community Crops, a local nonprofit based in Lincoln, NE with much of what he has learned but there is no doubt he has expanded on what they taught him!

For more in depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Hanna and Sarah are joined by Justin Evertson and Kendall Weyers to hear what advice they would give someone who wanted to start a project in their town. Justin, Kendall, Brad Kindler and Sarah make up what we call the Green Infrastructure team; we manage the project funding programs that the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum offers, consult on projects and offer landscape design services (among many other things of course). If you have ever daydreamed about planting trees or creating a native landscape in your town then this episode is for you!

Read Sarah's blog...

Ron Poe from the Nebraska Department of Transportation joins us to talk about NDOT's goals for creating a "Nebraska" landscape along our state highways. He answers our questions about pollinator habitat, erosion control, tree planting, mowing practices and more.

A little light reading for those who are interested: NDOT's Vegetation Manual.

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It feels like a second New Year after 2 winter storms and 4 snow days which makes for a good day to talk about resolutions! Sarah and Hanna review their resolutions, goals and plans for their 2024 gardens and share their predictions of what will be in and what will be out this year.

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Happy New Year!

Sarah, Hanna and Bob review the Great Plants selections for this year. The Great Plants program is a collaboration between the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association to promote underutilized plants that are favorites of industry professionals in Nebraska. Each year a tree, conifer, shrub, perennial, and grass are selected to be highlighted and promoted for the year.

Find the Great Plants Gardener publication here.

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An update but unfortunately not a definitive answer on the palm tree debate.

We'll be taking a little break since our next scheduled episode would land on Christmas Day; our next episode will be coming January 8th with the 2024 Great Plants selections!

This week we will review the recent USDA Zone Map update and what it means for Nebraska. We also talk about the limitations of the map and the other factors we consider when predicting plant hardiness.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

A couple of sources we used to get a better understanding of the USDA map:

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/pages/map-creation 

https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/new-plant-hardiness-map-used-gardeners-nationwide-and-based-osu-climate-data-unveiled 

Show Notes

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Our top gifts for gardeners!

Each year we round up some of our favorite gardening/outdoor products that we think would make good gifts, many we have enjoyed receiving ourselves. This year we created categories:

All the books we mentioned can be found on our Bookshop.org profile.

We hope this gives you some ideas for gifts to give the gardeners in your life (or to add to your own wish list)!

Dave Zahn is back to finish our conversation about harvesting and storing nuts so they can be enjoyed through the winter.

Also joining us is Sam Creal who makes syrup from the walnut trees on his property.

Check out Creal Baking to learn more about how to purchase. They don't currently ship syrup but can be found at farmers' markets and craft shows in eastern Nebraska.

Show Notes

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Dave Zahn, a long time member of the Nebraska Nut Growers Association, joins us this week to talk about nut trees that are native to Nebraska as well as introduced species that grow well here. We talk planting, growing and a little about harvesting nuts both for personal use and as a crop. To be continued with part 2 focused more on harvest and processing!

Learn more about the Nebraska Nut Growers Association

Show Notes

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It may be fall but gardening season isn’t over! This week we are talking all about fall planting bulbs: how, what, when and how to protect them from critters.

We had a lot of fun recording this episode and out ‘end of planting season’ caught up with us; check out the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum on Patreon for an uncut version featuring bears and shrews.

Show Notes

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Heather Beyers, founder of Great Plains Nursery, joins us this week to talk about trees to plant in your landscape or community. Great Plains works hard to promote native trees that increase the biodiversity of our landscapes while meeting the needs of humans and thriving in urban settings (not an easy task!). That mission makes Heather a good source of ideas for trees to plant, not just for their beauty and hardiness, but also for wildlife and insects.

Learn more about Great Plains Nursery

Show Notes

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An interview with Jenny Hopwood from the Xerces Society all about the life cycle of stem nesting bees and how we can create habitat for them. Often known for their work with pollinator habitat, the Xerces Society works with any invertebrate species.

Their mission: The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas a...

Listen in to today’s episode where Sarah and Hanna share and discuss their favorite nature and gardening related apps. From iNaturalist to SkyView to Planter there are a lot of tools to help you learn about and enjoy they great outdoors. There is also a “deleted scene” from this episode available on our Patreon!

Show Notes

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Did you know Nebraska has over 200 species of butterfly? Hanna and Sarah compare which species they see the most in their urban vs rural yards and how to create nesting habitat. They also take a look at the species that migrate including Monarchs.

Join our iNaturalist bioblitz and see how many butterflies we can photograph through September 1st!

Mail in dead butterflies and moths to USGS

Monarch Watch Tagging Kit

Nebraska Game & Parks Butterfly guide

Botanical Latin- the language of plants- can be baffling but also incredibly helpful. Not really a language at all, this system of naming (nomenclature) gives each plant and official and universal name. These scientific names come in handy when identifying plants with regional common names or when several plants have the same common name; like sunflowers.

International Botanical Congress (yes, it's real)

Show Notes

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Erin Ingram and Jenny Keshwani join us from GROWABLE, science literacy team, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They recently hosted an event called Climate and Mental Health for high school and college students and shared with us what they learned.

View the documentary "Gen Z Mental Health: Climate Stories"

Show Notes

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Join the new Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Patreon for weekly plant profiles, bonus podcast content and behind the scenes looks in our greenhouse and at our projects!

https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

It’s the middle of the summer and hopefully everyone has something blooming in their garden! But, midsummer brings some issues with it as well; flopping, insects, diseases & Random Death (it happens to us all). These issues aren’t unique to this time of year but they often intensify in the summer heat.

June 17th is Member Appreciation week at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum! We are a member supported nonprofit and rely on our wonderful members to help us plant Nebraska every year. Learn more about NSA memberships here.

Show...

How does heat affect plants? How do plants affect temperature?

Summer in the City: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ofnHmxE-I

Photosynthesis: Mrs. Frizzle says it best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMNVwkxoW6k

Stomata: any of the minute pores in the epidermis (skin) of the leaf or stem of a plant, forming a slit of variable width which allows movement of gases in and out of the intercellular spaces.

Transpiration: the exhalation of water vapor through the stomata.<...

Happy Wildflower Week!

The first week of June we always celebrate Nebraska Wildflower Week by traveling to the panhandle to spend time hiking and visiting with our partners and friends. For this episode we're going to take you along with us.

Show Notes

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Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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It's time for another episode of the Bloom Box Growing Deeper podcast. In this edition, Sarah and Hanna answer listeners' questions about gardening, including how much to water during this very dry spring, how to deal with invasive weeds and more.



Show Notes

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Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Denise Wally, former Nebraska Forest Service coworker and current friend, joins us to talk about her love of growing mushrooms. As a member of the Nebraska Mycological Society she enjoys teaching others about the identification, culinary uses and growing of mushrooms. She has experimented with ways to include mushrooms in both her landscape and her culinary gardens with great success, both for the mushrooms and the other plants!

Show Notes

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Bloom...

It’s Spring Affair Week and that applies to EVERYTHING we do at NSA. So, today’s episode is all about Spring Affair. Sarah and Hanna share practical tips and tricks to use while you’re shopping and list more than a few plants you should look for while you’re shopping. Toby and Michelle also join in to talk about vendors and creating spring affair news.

Spring Affair is our major fundraiser for the year and is one of the largest plant sales in the Midwest! 

Show Notes

Duration: 00:46:44

Chrissy Land, Western Nebraska Community Forester for the Nebraska Forest Service, joins us to talk about the importance of trees to bees.

As a forester she knows and loves trees, as a beekeeper she knows and loves bees, and with a background in landscape design and maintenance she knows how to combine the two!

Doug Tallamy is one of our favorite authors when it comes to the ecological importance of trees, especially oaks. Check out our Bookshop link to find our most read books of his.

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April Fool's! No tricks here but we are changing things up and talking about all our 'unpurposeful' gardening projects. We always try to help you garden with a purpose but today that purpose is whatever brings you joy whether or not it has a direct tie to habitat or ecological services.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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Victory Gardens made a comeback during Covid. This is an opportunity for us to talk about a significant movement in home horticulture- similar in many ways to the current movement of sustainable/habitat gardening at home.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

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The days are getting warmer (between snowstorms) and we're getting excited for spring!

Between the Spring Affair plant list and the Bloom Box design archives this episode is dedicated to pre-spring "window" shopping.

Review Bloom Box: Growing Deeper and make Hanna pay! Ratings and review help new listeners find our podcast and help us create better content for you. Never reviewed before? Here are some tips.

Show Notes

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How are we planning to improve our soil this spring? Lot's of poop!

Late winter-early spring is a great time to make sure their is organic matter ready to decompose in your garden.

Our podcast episodes are now on YouTube! We also have how-to videos, webinars and other resources so check it out.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Our interests and hobbies matter to the people who care about us most, sometimes they come along for the ride, diving in with us, and sometimes they cheer us on while appreciating the fruits of our labors (pun definitely intended).

With Valentine's Day coming up, we spent some time talking with our husbands about our gardening obsessions. Hanna's husband Matthew is an admirer her gardening efforts and is happy to help with dirt moving and food harvesting. Sarah and Nick like to work together in the garden and keep trying to improve their vegetable...

Equitable access to public spaces is central to our civic life and democracy. We can’t let the threat of terrorist attacks or mass shooters turn our public spaces into inaccessible fortresses. To protect our people and economy, cities instead need thoughtful, designed security solutions that balance the need for openness with the management of risk. Roxanne Blackwell, co-interim CEO of ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects)

With this quote in mind we took a look at some of the research around using plants to create community in public spaces and keep those spaces saf...

The Great Plants program is a partnership between the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association with the goal of promoting overlooked and underutilized plants that are native or well adapted to our area.

Bob Henrickson has been leading this program for the last couple of decades and joins us to talk about this years Great Plants of the Year and highlight some of our past favorites.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a...

Get cozy with a book this winter while we wait for the ground to thaw and planting to begin!

Sarah and Hanna, along with Michelle our communications specialist, talk about their favorite books that keep them thinking of gardens and growing.

Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate link to purchase any of these titles and support Bloom Box & NSA at no extra cost!

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Help us Plant Nebraska by supporting the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Annual Campaign:

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At the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum we plant Nebraska for healthy people, vibrant communities and a resilient environment.

We do this through tree planting, garden making, education and community building.

Learn more about the work we do across Nebraska.

Show Notes<...

This week we recorded our first Bloom Box Kids episode with John! It's about 10 minutes long about different ways animals survive the winter. If you're celebrating the solstice by putting out food for wildlife, this episode may help start the conversation.

Show Notes

The winter solstice is drawing near! This week we're talking about winter survival methods, human and animal. For humans, a major cold survival tactic is to celebrate with feasts and holidays; so we're learning about solstice festivals around the northern hemisphere.

Our horticulture assistant John has a background in herpetology and an interest in all sorts of animals. He joins us to share some of the interesting strategies different animals have for surviving the big cold.

Show Notes

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Some ideas for the gardeners in your life this holiday season! (or give gardeners ideas for their Christmas lists)

For experienced gardeners who have all the 'stuff' they need, consider a donation to an organization or cause they are passionate about.

plantnebraska.org/donate

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook...

In this episode Sarah and Hanna talk about what they wish they had known when they started gardening. They get into proper tools, soil types, and size and timing among other things.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more...

Happy Halloween from Bloom Box!

We're facing our fears on this spooky holiday and talking about stings. Listen in to hear 5 different people + Hanna and Sarah share their bee sting stories and experiences working closely with bees and wasps.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

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What do bees do in the fall? Courtney Brummel from the UNL Bee Lab talks us through fall in the life of both native bees and honey bees. Plus some tips on how to make your garden a friendly place to nest.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us...

What do bees do in the fall? Courtney Brummel from the UNL Bee Lab talks us through fall in the life of both native bees and honey bees. Plus some tips on how to make your garden a friendly place to nest.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us...

Fall beauty is more than just brightly colored trees and pumpkins (thank goodness because good tree color years only come around once in a while)! In the fall we appreciate a different, more muted, color palette as well as textures. In the fall the landscape draws us in and invites us to look closer; at the seed heads, at the insects, at the small flowers hiding in protected places.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Fall beauty is more than just brightly colored trees and pumpkins (thank goodness because good tree color years only come around once in a while)! In the fall we appreciate a different, more muted, color palette as well as textures. In the fall the landscape draws us in and invites us to look closer; at the seed heads, at the insects, at the small flowers hiding in protected places.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

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Fall planting just feels a little more relaxed and easy going with less pressure to plant and less pressure to water all summer. Today we're focusing on fall tree planting and dividing/moving plants in the next episode.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Fall planting just feels a little more relaxed and easy going with less pressure to plant and less pressure to water all summer. Today we're focusing on fall planting of perennials and grasses, stay tuned for fall tree planting and dividing/moving plants in the next episode.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

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School may have started but it's still summer! We've weathered the July/August heat flash and are ready to get back outside. We're playing a little bit of catch-up and looking forward to fall.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

One of the magical things about plants is their ability to bring people together. Whether its the beauty, the connection to nature or the source of food; gardens create common ground between people who may have little else in common. They help us see the world together- something desperately needed right now. These are just a few of the ways we've experienced the gardening pull. We would love to hear your stories!

Show Notes

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Being a gardener means trying new things, embracing our failures, and experimenting again. Anyone who has gardened for more than a year has likely experienced some pretty epic successes and a few hard falls. We're going to talk about some of our most entertaining mistakes and some of the biggest lessons we learned.

Bob Henrickson, NSA's Horticulture Program Director, joins us and shares stories from his widely varied experiences. From public horticulture on UNL's campus and the state fair grounds to personal gardening and vegetable growing, Bob has grown it all!

Show...

Have weeds? Looks like you're a gardener! And you're not doing it wrong- there's no way to have a garden and not pull some weeds. But we can be intentional about how much work we do and which weeds we fight or accept. Also, we complain a little about the weeds we are struggling with and how our relationship to our neighbor's garden styles influences our yards.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box...

Gardening is it's own language, let's talk about some of the terms we often get asked to define when talking to new gardeners!

This will almost certainly have a part to so share the gardening terms that confused you when you first started gardening or the ones that you're still unsure of years later.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

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It's National Pollinator Week! Obviously we love our pollinators here at Bloom Box so join us in talking about some of the most important insect pollinators and what we can do to help them.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Bloom Box: Growing Deeper: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Ann is a Research Technician for the Department of Agronomy & Horticulture at the University of Nebraska. She graduated this spring with her Masters of Applied Science and presented her research on the Bloom Box program!

We learned more about how her degree and research worked and what she learned about Bloom Box. Her paper was titled "Affordances of a Pre-designed Pollinator Garden Program on Personal Development and Engagement with Others" which translated means "the opportunities Bloom Box gardens create for personal growth and community building".

Show Notes

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We went a little long this week, there was just so much to talk about! Gardening in apartments comes with some unique challenges but plant lovers are creative and will always find a way to grow.

Christina Hoyt from the Nebraska Forest Service shares some of her best tips and tricks as an apartment dwelling plant lover. We also talk about some of the more creative containers we have grown plants in.

Show Notes

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave...

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures in our lives who taught us to love the outdoors and inspired us to grow (pun intended ;-) Planting the seeds of love for plants and nature is one of the greatest honors and gifts of motherhood. We had fun talking to our moms and Karma, the unofficial gardening mom of NSA, and sharing memories.

Show Notes

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Bloom Box: Growing Deeper...