Talkin' Dirty at the Library

Master Gardener, Soozi Pline, talks with Aloha LeRouge - a gourd grower and artist and member of the Huntsville Gourd Patch. Gourds originated from Asia and Africa thousands of years ago where they were mostly grown as utensils for eating and drinking or carving masks, musical instruments, and fishing floats. Aloha talks about growing gourds and techniques growers use to get unusual gourd shapes. She goes into detail about harvesting gourds and making sure they have space to air out and totally dry before carving.  As an artisan, Aloha explains the many different tools and techniques she uses to create her gourd art pieces  Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/https://alabamagourdsociety.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay      

Master Gardener Emily Clem talks with Regional Extension Agent, Allyson Schabel, about the life cycle of butterflies. They discuss different species, their host plants, and how to attract more butterflies to your garden. Common butterflies in the Southeast include swallowtails, brush-footed, sulphurs, and skippers. Peak season to see butterflies starts in late summer and continues through the fall as species like the monarchs migrate to warmer climates. Allyson references the Alabama Butterfly Atlas as a great resource for distribution, maps, photographs, gardening tips, flight charts, and more—all specific to Alabama. Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay     

Master Gardener, Emily Clem, speaks with Phil Terry, President of Living Art Bonsai for fourteen years. With over 50 trees, he talks about the art of growing small trees in pots and the techniques he's learned over the years to create these living plant sculptures. An ancient gardening practice originating from China and Japan, successful bonsai trees tell a story. Their exposed bark, twisting trunks, and weathered appearance are meant to mimic trees in nature that have withstood storms and other harsh conditions over time. Phil details, pruning, root management, tools, nutrients and soil condition as well as picking specific trees that are suited for bonsai pots. Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay    

Master Gardener, Soozi Pline, speaks with local herbal practitioner, Nancy Williams. Nancy grew up on her family's farm in Marion County and began learning about herbs and natural remedies as a child. She studied with Phyllis D. Light -  4th generation herbalist and health educator in North Alabama. Harvesting plants and herbs she grows on her property, Nancy makes teas, tinctures, salves, and syrup remedies. In the podcast she mentions specific plants, their benefits, and cites reading sources for further study. With her roots in traditional Appalachian healing, Nancy shares her wealth of knowledge about herbs and wellness.  Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Books referenced in the podcast:Southern Folk Medicine - book by Phyllis D. LightThe Herb book - by John B. LustHave questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay   

Master Gardener, Emily Clem, talks with earthworm expert, Jacob Zammito, about the role earthworms can play in your garden by improving soil structure. He talks about native worms, invasive worms, worm behavior, and how to attract and keep worms in your garden. Earthworm gardening encourages a healthy ecosystem with the added bonus of less or no tillage. Jacob shares his philosophy of letting nature do its work and the benefits of inviting earthworms into the garden.  Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay  

Master Gardener, Emily Clem, and Extension Agent, Kathy Terry-Warner, dig deep on the subject of invasive plants.  Many of the invasives were originally planted for their ornamental look (think Wisteria, Nandina, Bradford Pear, English Ivy, etc.) but have since taken over and now threaten our native plants and wildlife. ACES (Alabama Cooperative Extension System) has designated 2026 as the Year of Invasive Plants! They encourage both education and eradication and are hosting a number of events for the public to participate in getting rid of these unruly plants in  communities and backyard landscapes. Links:https://www.aces.edu/https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/2026-year-of-invasive-plants/https://www.weedwrangle.org/https://northalabama.wildones.org/events/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay    

Master Gardener Emily Clem talks with County Extension Agent, Lilly Oaks, about sun and shade mapping your garden. Proper planning is the key to a thriving yard and mapping is the first step. Identifying which spaces have the most sun, shade, drainage, and wind exposure is essential to know which plants will work in your landscape. Lilly highlights tools like the ShadeMap app to track the sun at your location. She also recommends North Carolina State Extension's plant tool to identify plants for specific conditions. Bottom line: knowing your yard's sun and shade positions can save you time, money, and effort in gardening.Links:https://www.aces.edu/  (Alabama Cooperative Extension)https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/https://shademap.app/https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay    

Master Gardener Emily Clem welcomes MG Anita Reeves to talk about houseplants. With over 100 plants in her collection, Anita shares her tips on soil, lighting, potting, fertilizing and more. She talks about the benefits of using LED lights and cautions against overwatering. She advises researching plants before you buy and then give them time to adapt to their new surroundings. Indoor houseplant gardening is rewarding and less physically demanding than outdoor gardening, boosting both mood and air quality.Links:https://www.aces.edu/  (Alabama Cooperative Extension)https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay     

Master Gardener Emily Clem talks with Urban Regional Extension Agent, Marcus Garner, about how to winterize your garden. Topics include pruning, mulching, and frost protection covers for plants during hard freezes. He also stresses the importance of tool maintenance and storage during the winter and suggests using the cold months to take inventory and plan for next year's garden. Other tips include wildlife deterrent, weather monitoring, and soil testing.Links:https://www.aces.edu/  (Alabama Cooperative Extension)https://mastergardeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alcpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email [email protected] by Pixabay    

Master Gardener, Emily Clem, talks with fellow Master Gardener and rose expert, Barbara McFarlen, about the selection and care of roses. Topics include watering, pruning, mulching, and fertilizing. She also gives details on specific fungicides and their proper use to treat black spot, rose rosette, anthracnose, and rose rust disease. Caring for over 100 rose plants in her garden, Barbara gives a master class in tending to these beautiful flowers. Links:https://www.aces.edu/     (Alabama Cooperative Extension)https://mastergerdeners-limestonecountyalabama.org/https://www.alpl.org/Have questions about this episode? Email: [email protected] by Pixabay