Gardening Goals for 2025: Let's Grow Together This Year - Episode 8
Release Date: 01/29/2025
Garlic, Shallots & Scapes—Oh My! Fall Planting to Summer Harvest - Episode 30
Fostering Blooms
f you've ever dreamed of skipping the grocery store garlic aisle and harvesting your own flavorful bulbs—this is the episode for you. 🧄 We’re diving deep into everything garlic and shallots: The difference between hardneck vs. softneck garlic When and how to harvest for peak flavor Curing and storing tips for long-lasting bulbs Why garlic scapes are your new kitchen obsession What & when to plant in the fall for big summer rewards Plus: real talk on what went wrong in one of our garlic beds, and how we plan to fix it next season. Whether you're a first-time grower or a...
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Wives vs Wives: Gardeners vs Sports Fans in the Ultimate Showdown - Episode 29
Fostering Blooms
Can our wives tell the difference between an aphid and a stratified seed? Do we know what a full nelson is or how many yards it takes to get a first down? It’s time for the ultimate showdown in this hilarious episode of Fostering Blooms! We recorded this battle of the brains back in winter—but with roses blooming and sports season in full swing, it felt like the perfect time to drop it. Shannon and Caitlyn face off against their wives, Beth and Cierra, in a trivia match of gardening vs sports knowledge. The prize? David Austin roses or Lady Vols center court tickets. The trash talk is...
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"No Thank You!" Plants (and Gorgeous Alternatives We Love) - Episode 28
Fostering Blooms
Welcome to Fostering Blooms! In this episode, we’re sharing our latest round of “No Thank You” plants — the ones we’ve grown, inherited, or almost bought… but now politely decline. 🙅♀️🌿 These aren’t plants we hate — okay, maybe one or two — but ones we’ve learned aren’t the right fit for our gardens due to invasiveness, poor pollinator value, maintenance headaches, or just plain overuse. And of course, we’re not here to judge — we’re here to help you make better planting choices with smarter, more beautiful alternatives. ✨ Grab your tea (or gloves),...
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Garden Ready June: The Full Summer Checklist (With a Side of Melons) - Episode 27
Fostering Blooms
This week on the podcast, we’re covering everything you should be doing in the garden this month — from what to plant, what to pull, and what to support, to how we’re handling pests, mulch math, and our melon experiments (yes… there are melon bralettes involved 😅). Here’s a taste of what’s inside: ✔️ What to sow right now (okra, beans, melons & more) ✔️ Why mulching early = your future self’s BFF ✔️ Natural pest control strategies we’re actually testing ✔️ Support systems for dahlias, tomatoes & chilies ✔️ Our fertilizing routines (real talk, no...
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Mob Rules in the Garden: Why Some Veggies Should Never Share a Bed - Episode 26
Fostering Blooms
Welcome to Fostering Blooms, the podcast where we dig deep into gardening and all the ways it can enrich your home and life. Today, we’re diving into the garden's underground world of veggie families and why planting them side-by-side can cause more drama than a mafia reunion. In this episode, we cover: The four major plant families and their turf wars: Solanaceae (Nightshades), Brassicaceae (The Crucifer Crew), Fabaceae (Legume Syndicate), and Cucurbitaceae (The Gourd Family) The real reason you shouldn’t plant tomatoes after potatoes (aka Blight City!) Why rotating crops helps...
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Don’t Do That! 7 Garden Myths That Might Surprise You - Episode 25
Fostering Blooms
In this episode, we’re busting some of the most common garden myths—like whether you really need to water every day, if gravel helps drainage, and whether native plants actually take care of themselves. Spoiler: we’ve made some of these mistakes too! We’ll share our honest opinions on fertilizing, talk about what works (and what totally doesn't), and laugh through a few garden confessions along the way. Plus, Shannon shares a sweet update about a special garden she’s planting in memory of her dog Xena. 🌼💛 So grab your compost and your curiosity—we’re...
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Pollinator Power: Year-Round Plants for Bees, Butterflies & Beyond - Episode 24
Fostering Blooms
Pollinator gardening isn’t just a trend—it’s essential. In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon and Caitlyn break down how to build a garden that supports bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, parasitic wasps, and even hoverflies—season by season. From herbs and annuals to perennials and native plants, you’ll discover how to keep pollinators well-fed all year long (yes, even in winter!). Plus, they share personal stories, propagation tips, and why it’s time to rethink your lawn. Whether you have a large garden or just a few containers, this episode is packed with practical,...
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Free Plants & Full Beds: What to Divide, Propagate & Plant Right Now - Episode 23
Fostering Blooms
We already gave you our May To-Do list… but this episode? It’s a deep dive into the three garden activities we’re obsessed with this month: dividing, propagating, and planting. We’re sharing how to multiply your garden without multiplying your budget, with real talk about what’s working (and what’s not) in our own spaces. Expect soil-saving propagation tips, free plant goldmines, and a plant list packed with everything that thrives in May. Inside the episode: 💸 Our favorite plants to divide this month 🌱 What we’re propagating in soil and water (spoiler: yogurt jars...
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Garden Ready: May – To-Do List for Summer Blooms, Big Veggies & Fewer Weeds - Episode 22
Fostering Blooms
Welcome to Fostering Blooms — the podcast where two gardening-obsessed friends, Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum, dig into the joys (and challenges!) of growing a beautiful life from the ground up. In this episode, we’re talking about all the real-life tasks we’re doing in May to get our gardens set up for a season of lush blooms and abundant harvests. That means trench-planting tomatoes, laying down limestone screenings, dealing with the first big pest wave (hello, flea beetles 😱), and making time for drip irrigation before the summer heat rolls in. We also share what we’ve...
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Best Flowers for Pressing: Easy-to-Grow Blooms for Beginners - Episode 21
Fostering Blooms
Want to grow your own pressed flower collection on a budget—without needing expert skills or a giant garden? In this solo episode, Shannon answers a question from Instagram follower, Dee at the Fairy Door Project, and breaks down exactly how to create a simple, budget-friendly garden for growing flowers ideal for pressing. From building a no-dig raised bed to choosing the right blooms for sun and shade, Shannon shares beginner-friendly, low-cost ways to get started right now. You'll learn: The easiest no-dig method to build a 4x4 raised bed (without wood!) When and how to plant seeds for...
info_outlineIn this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum kick off the new year with their top garden goals for 2025. They discuss New Year's resolutions specifically for gardening, including composting, intentional garden design, propagation, and succession planning.
Shannon shares her aspiration to master composting, while Caitlyn emphasizes the importance of intentional garden design. Tune in to get inspired, learn new tips, and set your own garden goals for a flourishing 2025!
00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings
00:11 Garden Goals for 2025
00:36 Composting Aspirations
03:17 Designing the Garden
04:40 Propagation Plans
05:56 Succession Planning
08:22 Conclusion and Wrap-Up