Urban Gardener Podcast

Over the last 10 years, there has been a surge in the number of people who are interested in beekeeping. Check out this latest episode with Julia, Mason, and Andrew to see what all the buzz is about! Relevant fact sheets:EPP-7317: The Africanized Honey Bee in OklahomaEPP-7155: Nectar and Pollen Plants of Oklahoma AGEC-2002: Beginning Honey Beekeeping Equipment and Associated CostsAGEC-276: Beekeeping Multiproduct Costs and Break-even Calculations

On this water-wise episode, Andrew, Julia, and Mason celebrate Smart Irrigation Month and discuss some basic was people can improve their irrigation efficiency without breaking the bank. Resources: HLA-6445: Smart Irrigation TechnologyBAE-1543: Soil Moisture-Sensing Systems for Improving Irrigation Scheduling PSS-2417: Using trend values from soil moisture sensors for irrigation decisionsHLA-6615: Simple Irrigation CheckupHLA-6617: Managing Pressure in the Home Irrigation SystemEPA's Water Sense: Find a ProIrrigation AssociationNASA's STREAM ToolNASA AcresNASA STELLA

On this special episode, Andrew, Julia, and Mason are joined by Alex Cox from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to discuss her work as a Farm to School Coordinator and the upcoming School and Community Garden Conference. If you have questions about the Farm to School Program, you can contact Alex at [email protected]:Conference RegistrationOklahoma Farm to School ProgramOklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry

On this episode, Julia, Andrew, and Mason sit down with OKC Beautiful's Executive Director: Natalie Evans. Learn about OSU Extension and OKC Beautiful's partnership to bring another Sustainable Urban Landscape Conference to OKC, and learn about some of the other fabulous work that OKC Beautiful does in this great city.OKC Beautiful's SiteSustainable Urban Landscape ConferenceOKC Beautiful's Programs

On this episode, Julia, Andrew, and Mason sit down with the current host of Oklahoma Gardening: Casey Hentges! Last year, Oklahoma Gardening celebrated 50 years on the air. Casey talks about this history of the show and how her own past led her to be the show's host. Oklahoma Gardening (PBS)Oklahoma Gardening (YouTube)Oklahoma Gardening (Facebook) Casey Hengtes (Bio and Scholarly Works)

Today's episode is a special one! Julia, Andrew, and Mason are joined by their very first (out of office) special guest: Marcus Long, Urban Soil Conservationist for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Marcus and the Dream Team discuss why the Conservation Commission formed and some of the services and programs run by the Commission. One of these programs is the incredible Yard-By-Yard program! Earth Kind 2026Yard-By-Yard: A Community Resiliency ProjectOklahoma Conservation CommissionHistory of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission

On today's episode, Julia, Andrew, and special guest Lili LeClaire dive into the language of flowers and how they have been used to communicate throughout history. So grab your Valentine and curl up for this special Valentine's Day episode. Sources Discussed:HLA-6425: Annual Flowers for Specific Uses in OklahomaHLA-6426: The Handling and Care of Cut Flowers"Valentine's Day and the Gains from Agricultural Trade: Cut Flowers in the US""Would Valentine's Day exist without the Red Rose"

On today's special episode, Andrew, Julia, and Mason discuss the Oklahoma Mesonet and its importance to Oklahoman's daily life, whether you're in agriculture or not! Oklahoma Mesonet SiteMesonet Irrigation PlannerHow to Use the Irrigation PlannerHistory of the Mesonet

On today's festive episode, Julia, Mason, and Andrew discuss the mysteries of mistletoe. What is its significance in Oklahoma? Why was it important in various points in history? How do you get it off your backyard tree? Tune in to find out!Related Articles and Fact Sheets: Mistletoe Science and FolkloreDrualus (Mistletoe): The Sacred Plant of DruidsMystical Mistletoe (Norfolk Botanical Garden) Mistletoes (University of California) Mistletoe (Oklahoma Historical Society) Mistletoe (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

On today’s special episode, Julia, Andrew, and Mason discussed algae and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and how they impact local water quality. They explained what causes harmful algal blooms and shared practical best management practices including reducing excess fertilizer, managing runoff, and protecting vegetated buffers.. The team emphasized how simple, research-based actions can make a big difference in keeping our waterways healthy.Related Fact Sheets:NREM-9213: Toxic Blue-Green Algal BloomsNREM-9223: Fish KillsNREM-9211: Pond PlantsNREM-9206: Common Pond Problems