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This is a list of the most recent Evergreen Thumb episodes. You can search for specific episodes or topics with the magnifying glass icon in the upper right. New episodes are released every other Tuesday.
The WSU Master Gardener Program addresses important sociologic and environmental issues by teaching research-based horticulture information. We want people to have important skills and abilities that help mitigate challenges and understand that everyone has a role in creating and sustaining healthy and resilient communities.
Newest Episodes
How to Garden in a Changing Climate: Tips For Resilient Landscapes
In part one of our Program Priority Series we are going to talk about climate change. Master Gardener and Climate Actions Teams founder Mike Peronto joins us to share tips on how to create resilient landscapes in our changing climate.
Continue Reading How to Garden in a Changing Climate: Tips For Resilient Landscapes
The Best Edible Perennials For the Pacific Northwest
Love low-effort gardens that grow delicious produce? Tune in to hear local PNW author and garden educator Lisa Taylor discuss the best edible perennials to grow in the Pacific Northwest.
Continue Reading The Best Edible Perennials For the Pacific Northwest
How to Turn Food Scraps Into Garden Gold with Vermicompost
Ever wanted to learn how to use a worm bin to make vermicompost? Join Lewis County Master Recycler Composter Program Coordinator Jason Adams for tips on how to get started.
Continue Reading How to Turn Food Scraps Into Garden Gold with Vermicompost
How to Support Brain Health in Later Life With Gardening
Clinical psychology doctoral candidate & cognitive aging researcher Catherine “Katie” Luna joins us to talk about how gardening supports cognitive health in later life.
Continue Reading How to Support Brain Health in Later Life With Gardening
Nature’s Calendar: The Value of Phenology in the Garden
USA National Phenology Network Director Theresa Crimmins joins us to explain how to use Phenology to optimize your planting and harvesting schedules.
Continue Reading Nature’s Calendar: The Value of Phenology in the Garden
Rooting Out the Truth: Debunking Common Gardening Myths Part 2
In part two of our “Gardening Myths” series, host Erin Hoover separates fact from fiction on some widely believed plant remedies and techniques.
Continue Reading Rooting Out the Truth: Debunking Common Gardening Myths Part 2
Rooting Out the Truth: Debunking Common Gardening Myths Part 1
In part one of our “Gardening Myths” series, host Erin Hoover separates fact from fiction on some widely believed plant remedies and techniques.
Continue Reading Rooting Out the Truth: Debunking Common Gardening Myths Part 1
Holiday Houseplants: How to Care for Poinsettias, Christmas Cacti, and More
Love winter blooms? Master Gardener Jeanette Stehr-Green joins us to talk tips for keeping your holiday houseplants cheerful and blooming year after year.
Continue Reading Holiday Houseplants: How to Care for Poinsettias, Christmas Cacti, and More
Bee Prepared: Overwintering Solitary Bees Made Simple
WSU Bee Program Extension Coordinator Bri Price joins us to explain how listeners can best support solitary bees before and during the winter season.
Continue Reading Bee Prepared: Overwintering Solitary Bees Made Simple
How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms on Logs at Home
Can’t get enough mushrooms? Forester and author Kevin Zobrist shares how to grow Shiitake mushrooms right in your backyard.
Continue Reading How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms on Logs at Home
Seed Saving Secrets: How to Save, Store, & Share Seeds
Want to start saving your own seeds? Seed saving expert and Master Gardener Kamori Cattadoris shares her tips for seed saving success.
Continue Reading Seed Saving Secrets: How to Save, Store, & Share Seeds
One Year of Growth: Celebrating Our First Anniversary
It’s been a whole year! Host Erin Hoover recaps fan favorite episodes and questions she has been asked in this special anniversary episode.
Continue Reading One Year of Growth: Celebrating Our First Anniversary
How to Create Edible Ecosystems for Easy Food Production
Evergreen Thumb Host and Master Gardener Erin Hoover explains plant guilds, food forests and fedges and how plants in these systems work together to support productive and healthy edible ecosystems.
Continue Reading How to Create Edible Ecosystems for Easy Food Production
Pesticide Labels Demystified: What You Need to Know
Find pesticide labels to be confusing? Rachel Bomberger joins us to talk pesticide labels and how to interpret them.
Continue Reading Pesticide Labels Demystified: What You Need to Know
Harvesting the Best: Tomato Tips for Washington Gardeners
Need some Tomato Tips? Master Gardener Alice Slusher joins us to talk all things tomatoes and gives info on how to grow great tomatoes in Washington.
Continue Reading Harvesting the Best: Tomato Tips for Washington Gardeners
The Fundamentals You Need To Tackle Noxious Weeds In Washington
Curious about noxious weeds? Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board education specialist Anne Schuster joins us to discuss how to find information about noxious weeds and why we need to keep them in check.
Continue Reading The Fundamentals You Need To Tackle Noxious Weeds In Washington
Garden Truths: How to Identify Credible Gardening Advice
Evergreen Thumb Host and Master Gardener Erin Hoover discusses the importance of finding credible gardening information sources and how to find them.
Continue Reading Garden Truths: How to Identify Credible Gardening Advice
Unwelcome Guests: What You Need to Know About Japanese Beetles in Washington State
Cassie Cichorz joins us from WSDA to chat Japanese Beetles and what gardeners can do slow the spread of these invasive pests.
Continue Reading Unwelcome Guests: What You Need to Know About Japanese Beetles in Washington State
2024 Advanced Education Conference Preview: Gardening in a Changing Climate
AEC Co-Chairs Cathi Lamoreaux and Debbie Benbow give us a preview of the 2024 WSU Extension Master Gardener Advanced Education Conference
Continue Reading 2024 Advanced Education Conference Preview: Gardening in a Changing Climate
Defensible Space: Practical Steps to Wild Fire Resilience
Mike Karvia, a retired Assistant Fire Chief of 30 years at The Pacific County Fire District No. 1 and Master Gardener of 10 years joins us to discuss how to create defensible space to help homeowners be more resilient against the threat of fire.
Continue Reading Defensible Space: Practical Steps to Wild Fire Resilience
How to Prune to Prevent Crimes Against Nature with PlantAmnesty
Keith Dekker, a Clallam County Master Gardener and PlantAmnesty volunteer, joins us to discuss how to prune your plants to prevent crimes against nature.
Continue Reading How to Prune to Prevent Crimes Against Nature with PlantAmnesty
Digging Deeper: Exploring the Link Between Geology and Soil Composition
Mark Amara, a retired soil scientist and current WSU Extension Grant-Adams Master Gardener joins us to talk about geology and soil composition.
Continue Reading Digging Deeper: Exploring the Link Between Geology and Soil Composition
From Vine To Table: What You Need to Know About Growing Great Grapes in Your Backyard with Gwen Hoheisel
Gwen Hoheisel, a WSU Perennial Fruit Crop and Sustainable Pest Management Extension Specialist joins us to talk about how to be successful when growing grapes in home gardens and beyond.
Cultivating Tomorrow: A Special Episode for Cougs Give 2024
Join us for a special episode of The Evergreen Thumb podcast featuring guests Jennifer Marquis and Chalayne Foster as we share our support for the Master Gardener Endowed Chair Campaign for Cougs Give 2024.
Continue Reading Cultivating Tomorrow: A Special Episode for Cougs Give 2024
Spring Vegetable Secrets: Tips for Planning a Bountiful Garden
Bob Cain shares tips on how to use planning to set up a bountiful Spring vegetable garden.
Continue Reading Spring Vegetable Secrets: Tips for Planning a Bountiful Garden
Pests, Predators, and Prevention: Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Gardens
Laurel Moulton joins us to talk about using pests, predators, and prevention as integrated pest management strategies to help your vegetable garden thrive.
Continue Reading Pests, Predators, and Prevention: Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Gardens
Protecting Our Pollinators – How to Support Our Solitary Bees – Episode 016
Pollination Program Educator Thyra McKelvie joins us to explain how solitary bees fit in our ecosystem and the importance of protecting our pollinators.
Continue Reading Protecting Our Pollinators – How to Support Our Solitary Bees – Episode 016
Unveiling the Secrets of Successful Rain Gardens – Episode 015
Valorie Savisky joins us to chat about what successful rain gardens are and how to build them in the PNW.
Continue Reading Unveiling the Secrets of Successful Rain Gardens – Episode 015
Unearthing the Secrets of Soil Carbon Sequestration with Doug Collins – Episode 014
Doug Collins joins us to talk about soil carbon sequestration and how gardeners can contribute to a greener future.
Continue Reading Unearthing the Secrets of Soil Carbon Sequestration with Doug Collins – Episode 014
Dry to Dazzling: Beautiful Xeriscape Gardens with Elaine Jamerson
Elaine Jamerson, a Kittitas County WSU Extension Master Gardener, joins us to talk about the Xeriscape garden they installed last year.
Continue Reading Dry to Dazzling: Beautiful Xeriscape Gardens with Elaine Jamerson
Digging Into the Basics of Soil Biology – Episode 12
Soil is Alive! Join us today as we discuss the basics of soil biology. Plus, I review the January garden calendar.
Continue Reading Digging Into the Basics of Soil Biology – Episode 12
Designing With Nature – An Introduction to Permaculture
Have you ever heard of permaculture?
In this episode, I offer an introduction to Permaculture, a sustainable and holistic approach to gardening.
Continue Reading Designing With Nature – An Introduction to Permaculture
Managing Winter Issues in Trees with Tim Kohlhauff – Episode 010
Tim Kohlhauff, certified arborist, joins me to talk about winter issues in trees and shrubs.
Continue Reading Managing Winter Issues in Trees with Tim Kohlhauff – Episode 010
Pollinators In Winter with David James – Episode 009
Ever wonder what happens to pollinators in winter? Want to make sure they come back? Entomologist David James discusses overwintering garden pollinators.
Continue Reading Pollinators In Winter with David James – Episode 009
Greening Your Space: Caring For House Plants with Ann Amato – Episode 008
Ann Amato shares her expert insights on house plants, providing practical tips on care and the benefits they bring to our indoor spaces.
Continue Reading Greening Your Space: Caring For House Plants with Ann Amato – Episode 008
Beneath the Blooms: Creepy Garden Critters with Todd Murray – Episode 007
Ever wonder if all the “creepy” garden critters like snakes, spiders, and beetles are garden allies or enemies? Find out in my conversation with entomologist Todd Murray.
Continue Reading Beneath the Blooms: Creepy Garden Critters with Todd Murray – Episode 007
Bringing the Outdoors In: Indoor Gardening Essentials – Episode 006
In this episode of The Evergreen Thumb, Jonica Burkett explains indoor gardening essentials. She discusses the hows and whys of growing indoors, briefly touching on methods like aquaponics and hydroponics, as well as the key concerns of managing soil, water, and pests.
Continue Reading Bringing the Outdoors In: Indoor Gardening Essentials – Episode 006
Surviving Winter’s Wrath: Preparing Your Garden for Winter Weather – Episode 005
In this episode, Bonnie Orr, a Chelan/Douglas County WSU Extension Master Gardener, discusses various strategies for preparing gardens for winter weather. She emphasizes the importance of understanding your local environment, including factors like sunlight exposure, climate patterns (such as El Niño or La Niña), and the unique features of your yard, such as slopes, trees, and shade.
Continue Reading Surviving Winter’s Wrath: Preparing Your Garden for Winter Weather – Episode 005
Cultivating Second Chances: Benton-Franklin MGs Empower Incarcerated Youth
In this episode, I have a conversation with Alice Allison, a WSU Extension Master Gardener in Benton-Franklin Counties, about their work with the local juvenile justice center.
The Benton-Franklin County WSU Extension Master Gardener Program won the David Gibby Search for Excellence Award in the youth category at the 2023 International Master Gardener Conference in Overland Park, Kansas for this project.
Continue Reading Cultivating Second Chances: Benton-Franklin MGs Empower Incarcerated Youth
Cultivating Expertise: Inside the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program – Episode 002
Have you ever wondered what a Master Gardener is? What exactly do Washington State University Master Gardener Program volunteers do? In this episode, we talk about how the program started, how Extension Master Gardeners serve their communities, and how much Extension Master Gardeners love their “job.”
Rooted Resilience: How to Harvest and Store Crops for Winter – Episode 003
Do you like to store some of your garden harvest for the winter? Do you wish you had a root cellar to store it in? In this episode of “The Evergreen Thumb,” the focus is on how to harvest and store crops for winter without a root cellar.
Continue Reading Rooted Resilience: How to Harvest and Store Crops for Winter – Episode 003
Rooted Beginnings – Meet Your Host – Episode 001
In Rooted Beginnings, host Erin Landon shares her background as well as a gardening calendar and WSU Extension Master Gardener events for September.
Continue Reading Rooted Beginnings – Meet Your Host – Episode 001
Welcome to The Evergreen Thumb Podcast – Episode 000
Welcome to The Evergreen Thumb podcast, brought to you by Washington State University Extension Master Gardener program volunteers and sponsored by the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State. Since 1973, WSU Extension Master Gardeners have been developing programs to address the evolving needs of our communities. In each episode, we’ll…
Continue Reading Welcome to The Evergreen Thumb Podcast – Episode 000