Nothing can be quite as breathtaking as fall color, and though there's a certain poetry to this last burst of natural beauty before we plunge into winter, there's some hard science there, too.

In this episode, Don and John talk about the chemical changes that make fall color happen and talk about their favorite fall color plants, shrubs and trees. Don fields a listener question about late fall pruning and we all seem to agree that slugs are, indeed, super gross.

Crabgrass and quackgrass might sound a little funny, but they are such a common nuisance many homeowners simply throw up their hands and live with them. It doesn't have to be that way.

In this episode, Don and John talk about two of the most common weeds in our lawns and give you strategies to help bring them under control.

A common refrain here at Growing Together is that there's usually something going on with your garden, no matter what time of year, and the same holds true for your local garden centers.

In this episode, Don and John are joined by Luke Nygard, the owner of Nygard Nursery in Dilworth, Minn., for some reasons to give your local nursery a visit even though winter is coming fast. Luke also shares how he transitioned from professional drummer to full-time gardener to business owner.

Learn more about Nygard Nursery on their website: https://www.nygaardnursery.com/

You might think of Labor Day as the time when you start closing down shop for the year, but it's also the time when you can start laying groundwork for next year.

In this episode, Don and John go over some of the most fruitful tasks for your Labor Day/early September to-do list, like fertilizing your lawn, splitting geraniums and tackling your toughest weeds.

Topics in this episode:

0:42 Don's vacation seeing gardens on Martha's Vineyard, Boston and Hyde Park
6:40 Are tomatoes late this year?
12:50 The transition time of the Labor Day holiday
13:52 The most important time of year to fertilize your lawn
15:45 This is the best time to control lawn weeds
16:58 What kind of fertilizer should we be using?
18:54 Overseeding your trouble spots
20:06 What to use for spot spraying
21:31 Making cuttings from your geraniums
23:34 Dig and divide peonies
24:38 Planting tulip, daffodil, hyacinth bulbs
26:15 Moving rhubarb
28:30 Planning your garden expansion
30:27 Harvesting vegetables and fruits

Your riding mower might make you feel like royalty as you leisurely cut the grass on a hot day...but, you're missing out on some much-needed exercise when you do.

In this episode, Don and John welcome NDSU Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist Julie Garden-Robinson for a discussion about health and gardening, including why you should keep sweating behind your push mower. Julie also has some tips for how to get the most nutrition from your harvest bounty.

As you build out your yard and develop your garden, you'll inevitably find the need to put down some mulch to cover the ground and create pleasing areas around your growing spots.

In this episode, Don and John go over a few key points on mulch, edging and maintenence, including things to consider when choosing rock or mulch and how to prevent weeds.

Topics:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:33 Today's topic: Mulching
• 2:12 Listener question: What is this powdery substance on my lilacs?
• 4:36 How ground cover has changed
• 9:42 Maitaining rock mulch
• 11:34 Preventing weeds with a pre-emergent herbicide
• 19:46 A disadvantage to rock mulch
• 21:07 Wood mulch; chips vs. shredded
• 23:52 The advantages and disadvantages of wood mulch
• 25:02 What to put underneath wood mulch
• 26:51 Tips for using cardboard under mulch
• 30:00 Wood vs. rock mulch
• 31:17 Rubber pellets
• 35:02 Edging

You have questions, Growing Together has answers.

In this episode, Don and John open up the listener mailbag to hear what's vexing you in your garden. Plus, they share in a couple of listener successes.

If you have a question for Don Kinzler, send an email (with a photo, if possible) to donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu.

2:29 What's eating my tomatoes?
9:52 What's the best product for post-emergent weed control?
14:54 What's wrong with my baby oak trees?
20:51 White poinsettia success
23:38 How do I care for an apple tree still in the pot?
26:49 Why are leaves falling off my crabapple tree?
32:15 What is this horned caterpillar in my purslane?
37:07 Why is my plum tree bleeding sap?
38:57 Bergenia flower success
40:47 Should I order bare-root day lillies?
42:35 Can I prevent further harm to my storm-damaged tree?
46:01 When is the best time to prune maple trees?
49:23 Is this apple fungus?
52:38 How do I revive a neglected lawn?

If there's a favorite gardening activity of yours, chances are you'll be able to do it during the month of August.

In this episode, Don and John break down some of your main to-do items for the month of August, including fertilizing, weeding and dividing some perennials. You could likely start picking tomatoes or digging a few potatoes, too, and you might still be able to plant some radishes and greens.

Topics in this show:

0:00 Intro
2:03 Listener question: Slime molds
4:09 Grinding stumps for mulch
5:54 Introducing Samantha, NDSU Extension intern
7:56 Fertilizing annuals in late summer
9:11 Water soluable fertilizers on leaves
11:06 Deadheading
12:53 Digging and dividing perennials
18:08 Fertilizing your lawn
21:36 Aerating and seeding your lawn
26:34 Weeding your lawn
29:39 Fall tree and shrub care and planting
32:41 Tomatoes
36:14 Early potato harvest
38:45 Things you can still plant
39:38 What to look for with squash
41:15 When to harvest onions
43:32 Checking in on your apples