Garden Girls Podcast

David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, has spent over two decades making wildlife accessible for families and is the co-creator of Wild Critters USA with PBS Nature and Orbit: Science for Kids. His argument is simple: the most important wildlife you can connect with is already outside your door.We talked about why local wildlife matters for building real conservation values in kids, how habitat gardening works (and why your garden might already qualify as certified wildlife habitat without you knowing it), and what actually happens when kids get to ask a wildlife expert anything.Find David at: https://naturalist.nwf.orgWild Critters USA on YouTube: https://National Wildlife Federation: https://nwf.orgNWF Certified Wildlife Habitat program: https://certifiedwildlifehabitat.nwf.org/🎧 New podcast episodes every week.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*#backyardwildlife #habitatgardening #nativeplants #wildlifegarden #gardeningpodcast The Case for Backyard Wildlife with David Mizejewski

Did you know that cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all the exact same species? This week we dig into the 2,500-year breeding project that turned one scrappy coastal weed into half your produce aisle — starting with a Greek botanist doing side-by-side taste tests in 400 BC, and ending with a president who declared war on broccoli. Grab your garden gloves (or just a snack) and settle in — this is one of our favorite history deep-dives yet!🎧 New podcast episodes every week.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Fall gardening season is officially here, and we're sharing everything we're planting this year! From cool-season favorites like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and lettuce to the crops we're trying for the first time, we're walking through our complete fall garden plans.We also talk about what we're skipping this year, how our climates differ, and how we decide what actually earns a spot in our gardens. Whether you're just starting your fall garden or looking for ideas to fill empty beds, hopefully you'll leave with plenty of inspiration.Let us know in the comments: What are you growing this fall?🎧 New podcast episodes every week.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Who knows the other person better? Watch until the end to find out who takes the win!🌱 In this episode:• Our favorite plants and gardening habits• Funny "would you rather" questions• Random facts and guilty pleasures• Garden opinions• The answers that surprised us most👇 Play along in the comments! Which answers did you get right?🎧 New Garden Girls Podcast episodes every week!Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

This week we're diving into the biggest gardening trends taking over social media, garden centers, and backyards—and giving our honest opinions on whether they're here to stay or just another passing fad.We're breaking down which trends deserve the hype and which ones might disappear in a few years.Do you agree with our predictions?🌱 Let us know: Which gardening trend do you think will still be thriving five years from now?🎧 New Garden Girls Podcast episodes every week!Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Our new floral folklore series gets it's start with an ode to the most delicate flower found in the most brutal battlefields, the herb of one of the oldest forms of divination, one that still dots roadsides prolifically throughout the world. An herbal ally that transcends time, yarrow. Do you grow yarrow?Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Heat wave gardening, a pond update, and way too many tomatillos? This week's What's Growing On has all of it.Meg and Dagny catch up on surviving a 100°+ heat wave (and the 5am watering schedule that comes with it), the squash casualties of an over enthusiastic weeding session, and why one lone container of pineapple sage almost became a root rot disaster. Meg shares her nightly bug hunting routine that's kept her garden nearly pest free this year, Dagny gives a full report on her new backyard pond (native plants, tree frogs, and all), and both of them are drowning in tomatoes, cucumbers, and three tomatillo plants that had other plans.Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content:https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Not every bug in your garden is a pest! In this episode of the Garden Girls Podcast, we're talking all about the beneficial insects that help your garden thrive.From lady beetles and lacewings to parasitic wasps, hoverflies, praying mantises, native bees, and more, we explain which insects deserve a place in your garden, what they do, and how to attract them naturally.We also discuss:• Which insects eat common garden pests• The best flowers and plants for attracting beneficial insects• Pollinators vs. predators• Why pesticides often do more harm than good• How to build a healthier, more balanced garden ecosystemWhether you're growing vegetables, flowers, herbs, or fruit, understanding the insects living in your garden can make you a better gardener—and save you a lot of work.🎧 New Garden Girls Podcast episodes every week covering gardening, preserving, homesteading, and everything in between.If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a comment with your favorite beneficial insect, and let us know what topic you'd like us to cover next!Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content:https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Tomatoes can be one of the most rewarding crops to grow...until they suddenly aren't. Yellow leaves, blossom end rot, curling foliage, cracked fruit, flowers that never set tomatoes, mysterious spots, pests, diseases—it can feel impossible to know where to start.In this episode of the Garden Girls Podcast, we're walking through the most common tomato problems home gardeners face and how to diagnose what's actually going on. We cover nutrient deficiencies, watering mistakes, heat stress, fungal diseases, pests, blossom drop, blossom end rot, cracking, splitting, leaf curl, and more—plus practical tips to help your plants recover and produce their best harvest yet.Whether you're growing your very first tomato plant or you've been gardening for years, this episode will help you troubleshoot with confidence and keep your tomatoes thriving all season long.Let us know in the comments: What's the biggest tomato problem you've dealt with?Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content:https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

July is when the garden either rewards you or roasts you, and this episode is us being honest about which one is happening in ours. We're walking through what's actually thriving right now versus what we planted with high hopes and have since quietly stopped checking on. Tomatoes are having a moment, the tea herbs are peaking before the heat turns them bitter, and we get into what we're succession planting to keep the harvest going instead of watching it crash by August.We also get into the July gap nobody talks about, the stretch where spring crops are done and fall crops aren't in yet, and what we're doing with that space instead of leaving it empty.If you're gardening through peak summer in a hot zone like 8 or trying to keep things going in a cooler zone like 6, this is your July garden reality check 🌿Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content:https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

You sent in the questions, and we're answering them! In this listener Q&A episode, we're diving into your gardening questions, sharing our experiences, and chatting about the things that don't always fit into a regular episode. From growing tips and garden challenges to homesteading, content creation, and everything in between, this episode feels like sitting down for a conversation with friends in the garden.Thanks to everyone who submitted questions—we had a blast recording this one!Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

We don't know what we expected. Probably to laugh and move on...But the cards had opinions. We pulled tarot for our gardens and somehow ended up having one of the more honest conversations we've had about where we actually are with our lives. Come for the chaos, stay for Meg's reading that was uncomfortably accurate. Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girls Follow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032 Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/ Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod ***Links*** Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/all Epic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSC ode for 5% off! GARDENGIRLS *These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

One teaspoon of healthy soil holds more living organisms than there are people on Earth. Meagan and Dagny break down the science of what’s actually in your garden soil — the bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and mycorrhizal networks doing work you’ve never given them credit for. They cover what tilling and over-fertilizing actually do to soil biology, what the research actually says (vs. what went viral), and a practical soil health audit any gardener can run this weekend.Mentioned in this episode:Soil food web research: Dr. Elaine Ingham, USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceGlomalin discovery: Dr. Sara Wright, USDA (1996)No-dig gardening: Charles DowdingMycorrhizal network research: Toby Kiers lab, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamSupport our podcast and get exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

What should you be planting in June? In this episode, we're digging into the vegetables, herbs, and flowers you can still sow this month for a productive summer and fall garden. We'll share what we're planting, what's thriving in our gardens right now, crops that love the heat, and a few June gardening mistakes to avoid. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, this episode will help you make the most of your growing season. Support our podcast and get exclusive bonus content:https://www.patreon.com/c/GardenGirlsPodcast Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Welcome to The Garden Girls Podcast! We’re Meg and Dagny—two gardening content creators whose friendship started in a group chat filled with plant questions, garden wins, and the occasional gardening chaos. Eventually, we thought... why not invite everyone else into the conversation? Each week, we'll be digging into all things gardening—from growing food and flowers to preserving the harvest, garden experiments, historical deep dives, hot takes, and the mistakes we're making along the way. Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a complete beginner, or just someone who loves hearing passionate people talk about plants, you're in the right place. In this trailer episode, we're sharing what inspired us to start the podcast, what you can expect from future episodes, and why we think gardening conversations should be both educational and entertaining. Grab your coffee, tea, or seed catalog and join us. We're so glad you're here. 🌻 New episodes every week. 🎙️ Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode.

Most of the advice out there about getting kids into gardening is optimized for a perfect afternoon. This episode isn't that.I'm talking about what actually works when you have limited time, low buy-in from a small person, and a garden that cannot absorb a lot of chaos. Because kids don't need a curriculum. They need one thing that belongs to them and enough space to mess it up.If you've been waiting for the right moment to start — this is it. The bar is lower than you think.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Meg and Dagny get into the details of how they actually plan a garden party; the vibe, the food, the seating, what to do when it rains, and the things they've learned from throwing a few of them. Less Pinterest board, more real decisions made by two people who garden for a living and still stress about it. What's in this episode: how they set the mood without overdoing the decor, what food actually works when you're eating outside, seating setups that don't make your guests miserable, and the rain plan neither of them had. Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

Does companion planting actually work — or have we been following folklore dressed up as gardening advice?In this episode, we go deep on one of the most confusing topics in the gardening world. We debunk four of the biggest companion planting myths (including the beloved basil-and-tomatoes "flavor enhancer" claim), explain what scientists actually call this practice (hint: not companion planting), and tell you what the research genuinely supports.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

May is when the garden really starts to feel alive—and in this episode, we’re sharing everything we’re growing right now. From the crops that are thriving to the ones we’re experimenting with (and maybe already side-eyeing a little), we’re walking through what’s going into our gardens this month and why.We talk about our favorite warm-season vegetables, the flowers we can’t live without, and what we’re skipping this year. Plus, we get into what’s actually working in our gardens right now vs. what looks good on paper but never quite delivers.If you’ve been wondering what to plant in May—especially in a warmer climate like Zone 8 or a cooler one like Zone 6—this episode will give you ideas, inspiration, and a realistic look at what’s worth your time this month.Whether you’re planting tomatoes, loading up on herbs, or just trying to stay one step ahead of the heat, this is your May garden reset 🌿Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLSRenee's Garden Seeds: https://sh2543.ositracker.com/398693/9151*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*

We've been talking to our plants for years. Turns out, they've been trying to tell us something back. In this episode, Meagan and Dagny sit down with ⁨@theplantpapi⁩ — a therapist, houseplant creator, and genuinely one of our favorite humans on the internet — to talk about what plant care can teach us about taking care of ourselves. Watering as consistency. Repotting as growth. Pruning as letting go. Dormancy as permission to rest. It's a mental health conversation disguised as a gardening episode, and we're not sorry about it. Plus rapid fire questions, houseplant tips woven throughout, and at least one moment where we accidentally got real.Our main accounts:@meggrowsplants @thecottagepeach Listen on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-garden-girlsFollow us on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-girls-podcast/id1763113032Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlspod/Follow us on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@gardengirlspod***Links***Meg's Planting Calendar:https://meg-grows-plants.myshopify.com/collections/allEpic Gardening:https://shop.epicgardening.com/GARDENGIRLSCode for 5% off!GARDENGIRLS*These codes are affiliate links that we receive commissions from and help to support the podcast!*