In this podcast, lifelong gardener Don Kinzler joins host John Lamb for a weekly dig into the fruitful topic of gardening in the upper Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, eastern Montana and southern Manitoba). Don Kinzler is a horticulturist with North Dakota State University Extension for Cass County. He has been a trusted resource for gardeners in the region for decades. Lamb is an arts and entertainment reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and a novice gardener, ready to learn. Questions for Don? Email him at donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu.
The 2026 Red River Valley Garden Tour has come and gone. The annual event gives Master Gardeners in Fargo-Moorhead a chance to show off their one-of-a-kind gardens to the community. In this episode, Don and John are joined by Tim Flakoll to talk about his experience as one of the eight gardens featured in the 2026 Red River Valley Garden Tour.
Nothing says midsummer quite like the lush color from your favorite lilies. How do you get started with them? In this episode, Don and John look at some of the more popular lily choices for our region and share some tips to get the most out of them.
The heat of the summer can be a mixed blessing, depending on your garden. What are the best ways to approach it? In this episode, Don and John discuss our current stretch of hot weather and give you the best advice for keeping your garden happy. Plus, what to do if your trees are damaged by woodpeckers.
The Red River Valley Garden Tour is coming up July 15 and 16, offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity to tour the yards of passionate Master Gardeners in our area. In this episode, Don and John are joined by Master Gardener Sandra Vigen for a preview of the tour. Plus, she has a question for Don about potato blight. For more details about the Garden Tour, visit https://rrvgardentour.com/ .
The Fourth of July is one of the season's best milestones. You're able to ease up on garden duties just in time to celebrate with friends and family. In this episode, Don and John go over some of the considerations to make as we mark this time during the season (and our nation's history). Plus, Don gives some insight in the eviable task of judging the fair's best rhubarb.
The Red River Valley Fair is approaching, and behind all those corndogs and funnel cakes are a lot of hard-working 4-H'ers. In this episode, Don and John talk with Lilly Beana and Samantha Weidner from the Cass County Extension Office about the upcoming fair and valuable experiences that 4-H can bring to young growers and producers.
We would all love to see lush gardens laden with perfect vegetables and pristine blossoms...but we all know that, more often than not, things don't go as planned. In this episode, Don and John go over some strategies for how to spot and approach issues in your vegetable, perennial and annual gardens, as well as your trees and shrubs.
Although we're well into June and the weather is heating up, you still have plenty of time to get plants into the ground. In this episode, Don and John go over all the basics of planting annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.
Spring is quickly turning into summer, and there's a lot of gardeners with questions as their yards and gardens start to take off for the season. In this episode, Don and John open the mailbag to answer questions from listeners.
If you love gardening shows (and we know you do!), our latest episode is a special treat. In this episode, Don talks with host Mary Holm and series producer Mike Cihak from the Pioneer PBS program "Prairie Yard & Garden." Mary and Mike discuss how they make the show and the work they put into featuring beautiful gardens across our region. For more about Prairie Yard & Garden, visit their website: https://www.pioneer.org/pyg/
Rather than actually springing, this spring has been more of a "now you see it, now you don't" situation, and that's given gardeners in our region a twinge of anxiety. In this episode, Don and John go over some ways to help get your growing season off to a great start, even if the weather didn't get the memo.
Will marigolds protect your plants from pests? Can you tell whether a pepper is male or female? Does insecticide made from chewing tobacco work? In this episode, Don and John are joined by Esther McGinnis, an associate professor of plant science at North Dakota State University, to help set the record straight on some gardening myths that may have come across your social media feed.
If you're striving for a healthy, weed-free lawn, the answer doesn't necessarily lie with killing weeds. You can do a lot right now to prevent them. In this episode, Don and John are joined by Lilly Bina, agriculture and natural resources extension agent, for tips on how to get that lush lawn you've always wanted without herbicides. And in case you have to resort to herbicides, she has some advice there, too.
The NFL recently held its 2026 draft, and while it was certainly entertaining, we thought there was a way to make it better: make it about gardening! In this episode, Don and John use the draft format to choose their dream lineup of trees, shrubs and plants that would make a winning combination in their yards. Along the way, maybe you'll get some ideas of your own and find new aspects to consider about the choices you make.
Yard and Garden Palooza was back this year with plenty of information for curious gardeners. In this episode, Don and John give you a recap of this year's topics, plus a rundown of spring cleaning items for your yard.
We've had a couple stretches of warm weather in the upper Midwest, and if you're like us, you're probably itching to get out into the yard and garden. In this episode, Don and John talk about some early spring tasks you can do to set yourself up for planting, like getting out to the garden centers to take advantage of sales. They also discuss a few things you probably shouldn't do this early.
Time for a thorough spring cleaning of the Growing Together mailbag. In this episode, Don and John answer listener questions about amaryllis bulbs, soil testing, starting marigolds from seed, and plenty more timely topics. If you have your own questions, email them to Don Kinzler at donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu.
Another Easter is upon us, which means the lush array of Easter plants and the threat (and benefit) of wet, heavy late-season snow. In this episode, Don and John discuss the Easter season through beloved plants like lillies and Easter cactus. Plus, they chat about the effects of early spring storms on your garden.
It's that time of year, between the Spring of Deception and Third Winter, when you just simply can't trust nature. In this episode, Don and John look use the upcoming April Fool's Day as inspiration for a look at all the tomfoolery happening in and around your garden, like old wive's tales, plants that deceive, and pranks you can play on your favorite gardener.
It's officially spring, which means gardening season is just around the corner. In this episode, Don and John discuss how to get ahead of weeds before the growing season begins, from early planning to smart prevention strategies.
