482-Insect Safari: The Wondrous World of Everyday Bugs

Raking, blowing and removing fallen leaves is a familiar ritual for many homeowners, but the practice is more harmful than many realize. This week, I'm joined by Dr. Max Ferlauto, a state entomologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, to explore the science behind the "Leave the Leaves" movement. His research reveals how leaf removal reduces the number of insects that survive the winter — with consequences that ripple through the food web. Podcast Links for Show Notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

Peat moss is a staple in many gardeners' potting mixes, but harvesting it comes at a cost to the ecosystems where it forms. This week, I sit down with Dr. Merritt Turetsky, an ecosystem ecologist known as the "Queen of Peat," to explore the remarkable world of bogs, their vital role in storing carbon, and the surprising connection between peatlands and increasingly severe wildfires. Merritt explains why these often-overlooked ecosystems matter, how gardeners can reduce their reliance on peat moss, and what we stand to gain by protecting these ancient landscapes. Podcast Links for Show Notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

Leaves are so familiar that it's easy to overlook just how remarkable they are. But beneath their simple appearance is an extraordinary array of adaptations that help plants capture sunlight, move water, regulate temperature, defend themselves and build healthy soil. This week, I'm joined by evolutionary biologist Jonathan Silvertown, the author of "Nature's Magicians: How Leaves Conjure Up Our World," to explore the ingenious ways leaves shape the ecosystem — and why there's far more to a leaf than meets the eye. Podcast Links for Show Notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

October is the time to prepare your garden for winter while taking advantage of the cool weather and warm soil to plant, divide and protect. This week, I'm sharing 10 essential gardening tasks to tackle this month, from shielding young trees from deer and preparing frost blankets to planting garlic, spring-flowering bulbs and perennials. Podcast Links for Show Notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

Someone who is growing food at a scale larger than a home garden, but not as large as an industrial or commercialized food farm, is often called a market farmer or a market gardener. For home gardeners looking to make their vegetable garden something more, my guest this week, market gardener, educator and author Jean-Martin Fortier, is the perfect person to listen to. Podcast Links for Show Notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.