Ken Johnson
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator serving Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, and Scott Counties
Appears in 263 Episodes
Ep. 216 Chemical Trespass in Illinois: How Herbicides Are Impacting Native Trees and Ecosystems | #GoodGrowing
In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, hosts Chris Enroth and Emily Swihart are joined by horticulture educator Ryan Pankau to unpack a 2024 study from the Illin...
Gardenbite: Why are there holes in my roses? Roseslugs | #GoodGrowing
Roses are grown in many gardens for their large, showy, often fragrant flowers. If you grow roses, you may have noticed something eating the leaves of your plants, cau...
Ep. 215 Get to Know Asclepias (Milkweed) 2025 plant of the year | #GoodGrowing
In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson dive deep into the fascinating world of milkweed—also known by its gen...
Ep. 214 Backyard grapes: From vine to wine, juice, or snack | #GoodGrowing
Have you ever dreamed of harvesting your own grapes right from your backyard? Or maybe you have a grape plant or two and are unsure of how to care for them. Check out ...
Ep. 213 Summer Mosquito Control: What Really Works to Keep Bites Away |#GoodGrowing
Tired of being a mosquito magnet? In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson bust common mosquito myths and dive ...
Ep. 212 Peonies: Beauty, history, and backyard blooms | #GoodGrowing
Peonies are a springtime showstopper, fragrant, full, and beloved in gardens across the world. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast and explore the history of pe...
Gardenbite: The life and bites of buffalo gnats | #GoodGrowing
It’s late spring, which means buffalo gnats are back and biting. This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we take a look at buffalo gnats, where they live, their lifecyc...
Ep. 211 Gardening Tips for Spring: Hardening Off Plants and Managing Pests | #GoodGrowing
Join Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson, horticulture educators with University of Illinois Extension, as they dive into the most pressing spring gardening questions. From g...
Ep. 210 No Mow May: What is it and does it work in Illinois | #GoodGrowing
The calendar has turned to May, which means it’s time for No Mow May. No Mow May was started to help pollinators, but does No Mow May work well in Illinois? Check out ...
Ep. 209 Vegetable gardening in small spaces | #GoodGrowing
From getting exercise to growing your own food to a sense of accomplishment, there are many benefits to having a vegetable garden. However, sometimes, we run into spac...
Ep. 208 IPM: Techniques, Tools, and Tips for a Healthier Garden | #GoodGrowing
Join Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson on the Good Growing podcast as they dive into the world of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In this episode, they explore the founda...
Ep. 207 Bee Conservation: Honeybees, Native Bees, and Their Roles | #GoodGrowing
Join us on the Good Growing podcast as we dive into the fascinating world of bees with horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson. In this episode, we explore...
Ep. 206 Answering your spring gardening questions | #GoodGrowing
Spring has arrived, which means the gardening questions have started coming into Extension offices. Tune in to this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we answer some of th...
Ep. 205 Spring Ephemerals: Discovering Hidden Woodland Treasures | #GoodGrowing
Welcome to another episode of the Good Growing podcast! Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson as they dive into the fascinating world of spring ephe...
Ep. 204 Decoding Soil Test Results: What those numbers really mean | #GoodGrowing
Welcome to the Good Growing Podcast! In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson dive deep into the world of soil testing. Whether you're a se...
Ep. 203 Native grasses and pollinators: The overlooked role of native grasses in supporting pollinators | #GoodGrowing
Native grasses are often overlooked when it comes to pollinators, but they can play a crucial role in supporting many different types of pollinators. Tune in to this w...
Ep. 202 The Humble Garden Pea: History and How to Grow Them | #GoodGrowing
Welcome to another episode of the Good Growing Podcast! Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson as they delve into the fascinating world of garden pea...
Ep. 201 Chamomile: Discover 2025's herb of the year | #GoodGrowing
Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson from the University of Illinois Extension as they delve into the fascinating world of chamomile, the 2025 Herb...
Ep. 200 Monstera: From the rainforest to must-have houseplant | #GoodGrowing
Have you joined the Monstera craze? With their unique leaves and forms, Monsteras have become popular houseplants. Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn ...
Gardenbite: Tree Topping - A result of chainsaws and bad decisions | #GoodGrowing
In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth with University of Illinois Extension takes us on a deep dive into the controversial pr...
Ep. 199 The return of the Grow Along | #GoodGrowing
Looking to try something new in the garden this year? You’re in luck because, back by popular demand, the Good Growing Grow Along returns with a fresh lineup of unique...
Gardenbite: Calendula: An ornamental with many uses in the garden and kitchen | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we continue our look at the 2025 year of plants with calendula. Known for its vibrant orange and yellow flowers, calendula is no...
Ep. 198 Clustered Mountain Mint Perennial Plant of the Year | #GoodGrowing
Welcome to the Good Growing podcast! In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson from the University of Illinois Extension delve into the 2025...
Ep. 197 Discovering Dogwoods: From trees to shrubs and even groundcovers!
In this episode, horticulture educators Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson, and Emily Swihart dive deep into the fascinating world of dogwoods (genus Cornus). Whether you're a ...
Ep. 196 Good Growing 2024 Year in Review: Top Episodes, Cicada Mania, and More | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken and Chris reminisce about 2024. We look at you favorite episodes and share our favorite moments. From cicadas to using dynami...
Gardenbite - Going Nuts Over Chestnuts: History, Growing Tips, and Culinary Uses | #GoodGrowing
Welcome to the Good Growing podcast! In this special gardenbite episode, horticulture educator Chris Enroth from the University of Illinois Extension revisits a fascin...
Ep. 194 More than red: The many colors and forms of poinsettias | #GoodGrowing
When most people think of poinsettias, they think of red, but they can be found in a variety of colors and forms. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss our t...
Ep. 193 Our Favorite Gardening Books for Winter Reading, Gifts, or Anytime of Year | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast, Emily Swihart joins Ken and Chris to discuss our favorite gardening and landscaping books. We discuss reference books, fiction a...
Gardenbite: Tips for selecting and transporting holiday plants| #GoodGrowing
The holiday season is here, which means evergreens, poinsettias, amaryllis, and other holiday plants have arrived in stores. Plants are often at the center of our holi...
Gardenbite: Voles in the landscape & mice in the house | #GoodGrowing
This week, we have a Gardenbite excerpt from our webinar, in which we discussed wildlife damage in the home landscape. In this clip, Chris details two common rodents i...
