Encyclopedia Botanica

A weekly podcast about edible gardening hosted by Hilary Dahl and Colin McCrate, owners of the Seattle Urban Farm Co.

Episode 114: Garden Soil Ecosystems with Jeff Lowenfels 12/04/2021

Episode 114: Garden Soil Ecosystems with Jeff Lowenfels The quality of produce you grow is dependent on the quality of your soil. We are big advocates of doing everything possible to make garden soil the best it can be right from the start, and then working year after year to maintain and improve its quality. In this episode we're joined by award winning author Jeff Lowenfels to discuss the soil food web and garden soil ecosystems. Jeff Lowenfels is the author of an award-winning trilogy of books on soil, Teaming With Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide To The Soil Food Web, Teaming With Nutrients: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to Optimizing Plant Nutrition and Teaming With Fungi: The Organic Grower’s Guide to Mycorrhizae. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/21375824

Episode 113: Wood-Framed Raised Beds 11/27/2021

Episode 113: Wood-Framed Raised Beds In this episode Hilary and Colin answer a listener's questions about wood-framed raised bed construction best practices. Their business, Seattle Urban Farm Company has designed and built hundreds of custom raised bed gardens in the Seattle area, so check out this episode for an inside scoop on all of the pro tips! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/21294845

Episode 112: High tunnels, Hoophouses and Greenhouses 11/17/2021

Episode 112: High tunnels, Hoophouses and Greenhouses This week we'll be discussing management techniques for growing in high tunnels, hoophouses and greenhouses! We're thrilled to be joined this week by our good friend and Seattle Urban Farm Co co-founder Brad Halm. Brad is also the co-author of our gardening books, including our most recent "", which is available for and will ship in early February 2022. Send us your question and episode topic suggestions: /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/21190463

Episode 111: Powdery Mildew 11/03/2021

Episode 111: Powdery Mildew This week on the podcast we're tackling powdery mildew! Colin and Hilary are joined by Jenny Rebecca Glass, Extension Coordinator and Plant Diagnostician for the WSU-Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory. Jenny will help us answer your questions about the lifecycle of this common garden disease as well as management tips and techniques. Send us your question and episode topic suggestions: /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/21031778

Episode 110: Growing Under Cover with Niki Jabbour 10/27/2021

Episode 110: Growing Under Cover with Niki Jabbour In this podcast we chat with special guest Niki Jabbour about techniques for using structures of all sizes in your garden year-round to extend your season, reduce pest pressure, and improve yields. Show notes: E /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/20952716

Episode 109: Cucumbers 10/19/2021

Episode 109: Cucumbers Everything you wanted to know about cucumbers but were afraid to ask. We dig into the history of the cucumber, it's botanical curiosities and why you should start succession planting them. …! In order to keep making this podcast, we need your support by taking this for our podcast hosting platform. Once we have enough replies to the we will creating episodes again! In this season we’ll be addressing topics selected by you! So, starting now please email your garden questions or topics you’d like us to cover to our new dedicated email address: /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/20871290

Fall 2021 New Season Preview! 09/30/2021

Fall 2021 New Season Preview! After an extended hiatus, we’re back and ready to bring you some amazing new episodes of the Encyclopedia Botanica Podcast! …! In order to keep making this podcast, we need your support by taking this for our podcast hosting platform. Once we have enough replies to the we will creating episodes again! In this season we’ll be addressing topics selected by you! So, starting now please email your garden questions or topics you’d like us to cover to our new dedicated email address: /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/20663999

Episode 108: Garden Beets with Kellie Phelan 06/28/2019

Episode 108: Garden Beets with Kellie Phelan Kellie's back as a special co-host for this last episode of the 2019 season and it's all about growing, harvesting and cooking with beets! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/10332182

Episode 107: Harvesting For Quality and Production with Colin McCrate 06/22/2019

Episode 107: Harvesting For Quality and Production with Colin McCrate Learning proper harvest timing and technique can help increase yields and ensure you get the best tasting produce from your garden. In this episode, Hilary and Colin talk harvesting methodology. They break down the techniques into five categories to help you make the most of your bounty. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/10246754

Episode 106: Vegetable Gardening Wisdom with Kelly Smith Trimble 06/07/2019

Episode 106: Vegetable Gardening Wisdom with Kelly Smith Trimble Hilary and Kelly Smith Trimble discuss Kelly's new book, Vegetable Gardening Wisdom; and share simple words of advice and practical inspiration for getting most out of your vegetable garden! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/10089596

Episode 105: Straw Bale Gardening with Craig LeHoullier 05/18/2019

Episode 105: Straw Bale Gardening with Craig LeHoullier Turns out gardening in straw bales might be the least expensive and most effective way to create a season-long container garden! Hilary and Craig LeHoullier discuss what a straw bale garden is and how to set one up! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9830075

Episode 104: Growing Tomatoes (Re-release) 05/10/2019

Episode 104: Growing Tomatoes (Re-release) Tomatoes are probably the most popular garden vegetable, and for good reason; they're versatile, highly productive, and produce fruits that are far superior to any you can buy at the grocery store. In this episode we'll discuss tips for choosing and the best tomato for your space and needs and how to plant tomatoes. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9730265

Episode 103: Tomatoes with Emma Biggs 05/03/2019

Episode 103: Tomatoes with Emma Biggs Emma Biggs talks with Hilary about the techniques she uses to grow 133 varieties of tomatoes, from seed to harvest, on her family’s urban lot in Toronto, Canada. Find photos, links to Emma's work, and more in the show notes for this episode: /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9647126

Episode 102: Edible Garden Design with Stefani Bittner 04/28/2019

Episode 102: Edible Garden Design with Stefani Bittner Stefani Bittner, owner of Homestead Design Collective, talks with Hilary about how to create a beautiful and productive outdoor living space. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9561587

Episode 101: Container Gardening with Sara Gasbarra 04/19/2019

Episode 101: Container Gardening with Sara Gasbarra In this episode, Sara and Hilary talk about container gardening. Much of Sara’s work is focused on utilizing unused balcony, patio and rooftop space in very urban environments, so this episode focuses on the unique set of needs and challenges that comes along with growing in more unconventional garden space. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9458924

Episode 100 - Edible Flowers with Rosalind Creasy 04/12/2019

Episode 100 - Edible Flowers with Rosalind Creasy Hilary talks with legendary garden writer, Rosalind Creasy about the joys and perils of eating flowers. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9365435

Episode 99: Carrots and Parsnips with Colin McCrate 04/05/2019

Episode 99: Carrots and Parsnips with Colin McCrate Hilary and Colin share everything you need to know to grow your best crop of carrots and parsnips yet! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9276359

Episode 98: Backyard Cutting Garden with Kelly Sullivan 03/29/2019

Episode 98: Backyard Cutting Garden with Kelly Sullivan Guest Kelly Sullivan of Botanique Flowers, a Seattle-based floral design studio, talks with Hilary about how she turned her 6,000 square foot city lot into a productive flower farm. /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9186257

Episode 97: Fruit Trees with Tara Austen Weaver 03/22/2019

Episode 97: Fruit Trees with Tara Austen Weaver In this first episode of the 2019 season, Hilary and Tara Austen Weaver discuss planning for, planting and growing fruit trees! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/9104153

Episode 89: Cauliflower- Rerelease 01/26/2019

Episode 89: Cauliflower- Rerelease I've been getting a lot of requests for more crop-specific episodes next season. I love these episodes and would be happy create more if we reach our . Remember that everyone who contributes any amount to the 2019 kickstarter campaign will have the opportunity to vote on the topics we cover in 4 of the episodes. But in the meantime, I thought I’d share this episode on Cauliflower from the 2018 season! Enjoy. We're 50% Funded!! Our ends on 2/1/2019, so if you're planning to contribute, now's the time :) Check out our to help bring the 2019 season of the Encyclopedia Botanica Podcast to life! #EBPodcast /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/8406812

Mini Q&A Episode + What's in store for the 2019 season! 01/19/2019

Mini Q&A Episode + What's in store for the 2019 season! Hey There! We have an amazing season of the Encyclopedia Botanica Podcast in store for you! Just like last season, Hilary will be joined by a different guest expert each week. We're hosting a Kickstarter campaign to fund this upcoming season of the podcast and we need your support to bring this project to life. Check out this episode for a teaser mini seed-starting Q&A episode and details on the what we have planned for 2019! We make this podcast for you and count on listener support to continue creating new content. This season will only happen if we reach our goal! Please check out our campaign here: To stay in touch be sure to check our website, , follow us on , and subscribe to our ! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/8316455

Episode 96: August Gardening Q + A 08/28/2018

Episode 96: August Gardening Q + A Hilary and Colin cover a wide range of listener questions in this late-summer Q+A episode. This is going to be the last regularly scheduled episode of the 2018 season. We're going to take the fall to write, record and produce our best episodes yet! Stay tuned for updates on how you can support the podcast and when to expect the launch of the 2019 season. To stay in touch be sure to check our website, , follow us on , and subscribe to our ! Thank you for another great season! /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6979035

Episode 95: Intuitive Cooking with Shannon Douglas, Brassicas Edition 08/10/2018

Episode 95: Intuitive Cooking with Shannon Douglas, Brassicas Edition In this episode Shannon Douglas of Honest Magazine and Hilary discuss intuitive cooking tips and techniques for the popular garden brassicas Kale and broccoli. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Any contribution helps. Consider supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group! For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: We're on a short break from show notes while navigating the first few weeks of parenthood- check out and for more on these subjects! #EBpodcast /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6911705

Episode 94: Tomato Hornworms 07/29/2018

Episode 94: Tomato Hornworms Natalie Carver of DC-based edible landscaping company, Love and Carrots, joins Hilary to share her experience with tomato hornworms. In this episode they discuss how to spot hornworms and their damage in the garden, and the best ways to manage them. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Any contribution helps. Consider supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group! For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: We're on a short break from show notes while navigating the first few weeks of parenthood- check out and for more on these subjects! #EBpodcast /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6862921

Episode 93: July Slack Q + A 07/13/2018

Episode 93: July Slack Q + A Hilary and Colin chat blueberry care, Brassica pests and the herb chervil in this Q+A episode. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Any contribution helps. Consider supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group! For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: We're on a short break from show notes while navigating the first few weeks of parenthood- check out and for more on these subjects! #EBpodcast /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6808139

Episode 92: Hand Pollinating Winter Squash 07/01/2018

Episode 92: Hand Pollinating Winter Squash This week on the podcast Hilary and Stephen Mirsky, of Seed Savers Exchange, discuss how to increase your winter squash yields through hand pollination. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Consider m or supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group. For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: h /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6763817

Episode 91: Basil 06/15/2018

Episode 91: Basil Basil is one of those crops that almost everyone wants to grow. It's relatively versatile and it is one of the most productive crops per plant that you can grow in your garden. In this episode Hilary is joined by former Seattle Urban Farm Co. colleague and farmer, Skip Mackintosh to discuss their time-tested techniques for making the most of the space you've dedicated to basil. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Consider m or supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group. For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: h /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6689034

Episode 90: Intuitive Cooking with Shannon Douglas, Spring Crop Edition 06/01/2018

Episode 90: Intuitive Cooking with Shannon Douglas, Spring Crop Edition Shannon Douglas of Honest Magazine defines "cooking intuitively" is a style of cooking based on understanding the fundamentals of cooking and paying close attention to your ingredients. In this episode she joins Hilary to discuss some general garden-inspired cooking tips that you can apply to a variety of crops. They'll focus on 2 spring crops, peas and radishes, to help illustrate these points. As always, Hilary will sprinkle in her harvesting and gardening tips as they relate to cooking intuitively. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Consider m or supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group. For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: h /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6658214

Episode 89: Cauliflower 05/18/2018

Episode 89: Cauliflower We're talking cauliflower! This crop is notoriously difficult to grow compared to other plants in the Brassica oleracea family. In this episode we discuss why and steps you can take to maximize your cauliflower growing success! Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Consider m or supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group. For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: h /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6608343

Episode 88: Backyard Honeybee Habitat with Mace Vaughn of The Xerces Society 05/04/2018

Episode 88: Backyard Honeybee Habitat with Mace Vaughn of The Xerces Society Backyard beekeeping of honeybees is a great way to increase the number of pollinators in your garden, learn about how pollination works and, of course, the hives provide you with your own source of local honey. One thing that is not commonly discussed is that honeybees are not native to North America. While honeybees are very beneficial, there are also many species of native bees that could use help too. Today we are going to talk a bit about native bees and why its important to create habitat for native pollinators, especially if you're a backyard honeybee keeper. Your support is what keeps this podcast going! Consider m or supporting us at the $5/month level for access to our Slack group. For more info, check out our Patreon page! Patreon: Show notes: h /episode/index/show/encyclopediabotanica/id/6556436

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