Ken Johnson
Bio
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator serving Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, and Scott CountiesAppears in 224 Episodes
Gardenbite: The Science Behind Fall Color | #GoodGrowing
Have you ever wondered what causes the reds, yellows, oranges, and maroons of autumn? There are lots of different plant pigments beyond the green color of chloroplast....
Ep. 186 Managing weeds in the fall | #GoodGrowing
Have the weeds been popping up all over the place in your landscape? You’re in luck, fall is a great time to manage weeds. On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we disc...
Ep. 185 Growing Hazelnuts in Illinois | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris talk about hazelnuts. Chris remembers hazelnut shrubs growing in the woods from his childhood, we compare European ...
Ep. 184 Understanding the Power of Cover Crops: Tips for Home Gardeners
This week on the Good Growing Podcast: Join Ken and Chris as they delve into the fascinating world of cover crops! More and more home gardeners are discovering the ben...
Ep. 183 Old-time garden remedies | #GoodGrowing
There are a lot of garden remedies that have been used throughout the years, and some of them are still recommended today. Do they work? Should we still be using them?...
Ep. 182 What’s Bugging Our Gardens and Trees in 2024 | #GoodGrowing
In this episode, we dive into the latest challenges facing gardeners and landscapers. From toppling trees to the potential for itchy mites dropping from the sky, Ken a...
Good Growing Grow Along second check-in
It’s time for another Grow Along check-in. Each year we at Good Growing decide to try growing some new (to us) vegetables. This year we invited you to grow along with ...
Gardenbite: Fall Tree Planting | #GoodGrowing
Many of us skipped planting trees this spring to avoid damage from periodical cicadas. But now that we’re approaching fall, we have an opportunity to plant some trees....
Ep. 181 Plant problems we are seeing in 2024 | #GoodGrowing
Have you been having problems in your garden this year? We certainly have! On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we discuss some of the most common problems we’ve been ...
Ep. 180 Navigating Water-saving Products for the Yard & Garden | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast, Ken and Chris sift through a survey that asks homeowners about water-saving products that can be used during water restrictions....
Ep. 179 Plants we wouldn’t plant or would think twice about before planting again| #GoodGrowing
While we tend to focus on the positives of plants, not all plants work well in all gardens or for all gardens. Whether they are too aggressive, require too much time a...
Gardenbite: Harvesting Sweet Corn & Two Common Sweet Corn Pests | #GoodGrowing
Our Gardenbite for this week goes back to 2021 where Ken and Katie answered all of Chris' sweet corn growing questions. Right now we are starting to see sweet corn get...
Good Growing Grow Along 1st Check-in
Each year we at Good Growing decide to try growing some new (to us) vegetables. This year we want to invite you to grow along with us. This video is for those who sign...
Gardenbite: More than monarchs: Insects on milkweed | #GoodGrowing
Milkweeds have become a popular garden plant in the last several years. They are most commonly planted to help support monarch butterflies because milkweeds are the so...
Ep. 178 Tomatoes to Ticks and Beyond: Early Summer Garden Q & A | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris answer early summer gardening questions. From landscapes and lawns to tomatoes and ticks, we share recent questions...
Ep. 177 Getting your garden ready for vacation | #GoodGrowing
Have you ever gone on vacation only to come back to an out-of-control landscape or, even worse, dead plants? Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast to learn about ...
Gardenbite: Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes, Cause and PREVENTION | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast we bring you a short gardenbite explaining what causes blossom end rot and why throwing eggshells in the planting hole at the beg...
Ep. 176 Native Grasses in the Prairie and Your Yard | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris chat with Erin Garrett about native grasses and how to use them in our landscapes. Erin is a Natural Resources, Ene...
Ep. 175 Eating periodical cicadas | #GoodGrowing
Are you an adventurous eater or interested in eating insects? You’re in luck! Many places in Illinois are awash in periodical cicadas, and while we usually think of th...
Ep. 174 Monarch Butterfly Science w/ Dr. Andy Davis | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast we learn about monarch butterfly science from a leading scientist in the field of monarch butterflies, Dr. Andy Davis from Univer...
Ep. 173 Answering Common Lawn Questions | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing podcast Ken and Chris look at some common lawncare questions. What can you do about growing grass in the shade? Does crabgrass preventer ...
Ep. 172 Growing fruit in containers | #GoodGrowing
Do you want to grow your own fruit but have limited space? Growing fruit in a container may be the solution for you! On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we welcome ba...
Ep. 171 Periodical Cicada Preparation, Protecting our baby trees! | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken has to work hard to contain his excitement for the upcoming periodical cicada emergence. Meanwhile, Chris has been building d...
Ep. 170 Gardening at night: Creating gardens to enjoy at night | #GoodGrowing
Do you enjoy spending your evenings outdoors? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about how you can create a garden to be enjoyed at night. Learn about night-...
April is Pond Management Time! Talking aerators, duckweed, and vegetated buffers | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast we rewind back to when we sat down in person with Duane Friend to discuss pond management. For this Gardenbite episode, we look s...
Gardenbite: Managing bagworms at home | #GoodGrowing
Have you had problems with bagworms in your landscape? Bagworms are troublesome insects that can make evergreens and other plants rather unsightly. Learn about the lif...
Ep. 169 Growing Perennial Vegetables, Asparagus, Rhubarb & More | #GoodGrowing
This week on the Good Growing Podcast Ken and Chris talk about perennial vegetables that we can grow here in Illinois. Many of the preparation and care instructions ma...
Ep. 168 Starting seeds at home | #GoodGrowing
Have you started your seeds yet? On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we talk about how you can start your own seeds. Learn about the benefits of starting your own see...