Ken Johnson
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator serving Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, and Scott Counties
Appears in 270 Episodes
Ep. 220 From the ground up: How to create and care for raised bed gardens | #GoodGrowing
Thinking about building raised beds, but not sure where to start? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast as we discuss the benefits and challenges of raised bed ga...
Ep. 219 Tree identification: Learning to name the trees around you | #GoodGrowing
Ever wondered how to tell one tree from another—or why it even matters? Check out this week’s Good Growing podcast, where we dive into the magical world of tree identi...
Ep. 218 Midsummer Lessons: What’s Growing (and Dying) in Our Yards | #GoodGrowing
In this candid and photo-filled episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson take you on a tour of their own backyards. You...
Gardenbite: Wasps, the unsung heroes of our gardens | #GoodGrowing
Wasps often get a bad reputation for being aggressive and painful pests. However, they play important roles in our gardens. From pollination to pest control, wasps are...
Ep. 217 Agroforestry: Blending trees, crops, ecology, and economy| #GoodGrowing
Have you ever wondered if trees and crops can grow together and actually benefit each other? Or maybe you've heard the term "agroforestry" and aren't quite sure what i...
Gardenbite: Spigelia a native plant for your landscape | #GoodGrowing
In this Gardenbite episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Chris Enroth kicks back over the Fourth of July weekend to flash back to a 2021 chat with Extension educator El...
Gardenbite: Dispelling Myths and Telling the Itchy Truth About Chiggers | #GoodGrowing
In this itchy edition of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture educator Chris Enroth shares his annual run-in with one of summer’s most irritating pests—chiggers. Jus...
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...
