On our season finale, host Carmen Devito visits Zone 1 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes Alaska, and also revisits Zone 13, which includes Puerto Rico. First, we hear from Peter Johnson and Rusty Foreaker, agronomists with Alaska's Department of Natural Resources Division of Agriculture. After the break, we're joined by Dr. Grizelle González, Project Leader of the Research and Development Unit at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico. We Dig Plants is powered by Simplecast

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 2 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes Fairbanks, Alaska, where our first guest Cyndie Warbelow is a gardener. After the break, we're joined by Marta McDowell, author of The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes That Inspired the Little House Books. We Dig Plants is powered by Simplecast

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 3 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes parts of Alaska. Joining them on the line is Jeff Lowenfels, the author of a trilogy of award winning books on plants and soil, and the longest running garden columnist in North America. We Dig Plants is powered by Simplecast

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 4 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes the Wisconsin prairie. A pioneer in the native plant industry and recognized internationally as an expert in native plant community ecology, Neil Diboll has guided the growth of Prairie Nursery for 30 years. He has dedicated his life to the propagation of native plants and their promotion as uniquely beautiful, ecologically beneficial and sustainable solutions for landscapes and gardens. In 2013 Neil was the recipient of the Great American Gardeners Award from the American Horticultural Society. We Dig Plants is powered by Simplecast

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 5 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes parts of both Nebraska and Iowa. Del and Alice Hemsath are members of Nebraska's Soil Sisters and Misters Garden Club, which promotes education of the general public about the importance of outside activities for health, supports community projects, and provides education for youth and adults. Kelly Norris is an award-winning author and plantsman from Iowa and the first director of horticulture at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a newly revitalized public garden in Des Moines, Iowa. We Dig Plants is powered by Simplecast

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 6 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes Utah and western New York. Geoff Ellis is a landscape architect in Salt Lake City. He was born and raised in Utah and received a Master's Degree in Landscape Architecture from Utah State University. He is the Past President of the Utah Associated Garden Clubs and currently the President of the Alternative Garden Club. Sally Cunningham is a garden writer, educator, and CNLP (landscape professional), well known in Buffalo after 23 years on Channel 4 (WIVB-TV) and as columnist for the Buffalo News and Buffalo Spree magazine. She is formerly a Master Gardener and Cooperative Extension Agent. She is also author of Great Garden Companions which has sold 50,000 copies. She leads Great Garden Travel for AAA around the U.S. and Europe.

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 7 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes our home state of New York, as well as Virginia. Joining them are Dr. Cait Field, Manager for Science and Research Development at Freshkills Park in Staten Island, and Symsi Houser, ‎Operations Coordinator for the Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation.

John Coykendall is a renowned heirloom seed saver, a classically trained artist, and Master Gardener at Blackberry Farm, one of America’s top resorts. For nearly four decades, Coykendall’s passion has been preserving the farm heritage – the seeds and stories - of a small, farming culture in Southeastern Louisiana, and this work is the subject of a new documentary, Deeply Rooted, from Louisiana Public Broadcasting. The documentary will be screening at Slow Food Nations in Denver this July.

This month on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 8 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes the great state of Texas. First, they're joined by Master Gardener Jenny Peterson of J. Peterson Garden Design, which has been creating cool gardens in the Austin area since 2001. She is also the author of The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing & Joy in the Ground Beneath Your Feet. After the break, Rick Herman of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute tells us about the organization's 507- acre site, which is comprised of semi-desert grasslands and igneous rock outcrops.

On the summer season premiere of We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito visit Zone 9 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes New Orleans and Palm Springs. First up is Ann Macdonald, director of The New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways. Employees at the Department of Parks and Parkways perform an enormous number of tasks to maintain and upgrade public green spaces, and to re-green and beautify New Orleans. After the break, we’re joined by Troy Bankord of Troy Bankord Design, which specializes in landscape and interior design, consultation, and project installations in Palm Springs, San Francisco, Long Beach, Las Vegas, the Midwest, and the across The Desert Southwest.

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice and Carmen examine Zone 10 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes parts of Oregon, Florida, and Arizona. First, we're joined by Chris Daly, a senior research professor at Oregon State University, and founding director of the PRISM Climate Group. Next up is Denyse Cunningham, curator of the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens in Fort Lauderdale. And last but not least, we hear from Humberto Hernandez, farm superintendent of the University of Arizona.

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice and Carmen examine Zone 11 of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which includes both Hawaii and Florida. First, we're joined by Brandon von Damitz, co-founder of Big Island Coffee Roasters in Hawaii. After the break, we meet James Jiler of Urban GreenWorks, an organization which provides environmental programs and green job training to incarcerated men and women, youth remanded by court to drug rehab and at-risk high-school youth in low-income neighborhoods.

On the season premiere of We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito introduce a new series examining the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, taking you across the country one zone at a time. The map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. This week, we're joined by Scott Appell of Puerto Rico's Zone 13, and Tobias Koehler of Hawaii's Zone 12.

Grace, thirty feet above the Most Urban of Jungles. On the season finale of We Dig Plants, senior gardener John Gunderson joins Alice and Carmen to discuss gardening and garden practices at the High Line public park.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined in the studio by Elizabeth "Betsy" Barlow Rogers, a landscape designer, landscape preservationist and writer, whose lasting memorial is the revitalization of Central Park, New York City. This took place under her guidance as the first Central Park Administrator, and through the Central Park Conservancy, a private not-for-profit corporation that was founded, largely through Rogers' efforts, in 1980 to bring citizen support to the restoration and renewed management of Central Park. Betsy is also the author of Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito speak with renowned forager, food educator, and author Mike Krebill over the phone on his book, The Scout's Guide to Wild Edibles: Learn How to Forage, Prepare & Eat 40 Wild Foods. Organic supermarkets are common for New Yorkers and few of us are foraging for sustenance, but the practice of finding edible plants in the wild is actually on the rise. We go “Into the Wild” with Mike and discuss how his portable, instructional guide, featuring a curated selection of thirty-three best-tasting plants and seven of his personal favorite mushrooms, is inspiring and informing adults and the next generation of foragers.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by Caroline Seebohm and Curtice Taylor, author and photographer, respectively, of the book Rescuing Eden: Preserving America's Historic Gardens. From simple 18th- and early 19th-century gardens to the lavish estates of the Gilded Age, the gardens started by 1930s inmates at Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay to the centuries-old camellias at Middleton Place near Charleston, South Carolina—Rescuing Eden celebrates the history of garden design in the United States, with twenty-eight examples that have been saved by ardent conservationists and generous private owners, and opened to the public.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined in the studio by Gerard Lordahl, Director of Open Space Greening for GrowNYC. GrowNYC is the sustainability resource for New Yorkers, providing free tools and services anyone can use in order to improve our city and environment. With over 30 years of experience in urban and community gardening, Gerard currently leads a dedicated team of city-wide environmental professionals who design, maintain and coordinate services for hundreds of community, school, and roof-top garden projects each year.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by Sarah Lohman, author of the forthcoming Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine. The book introduces the explorers, merchants, botanists, farmers, writers, and chefs whose choices came to define the American palate, and uses long-forgotten recipes to explain how eight flavors changed the way we eat.

On this Halloween edition of We Dig Plants, hosts Alice and Carmen are joined by Mary Reynolds, a landscape designer and author of the book The Garden Awakening: Designs To Nurture Our Land and Ourselves. The book is a step by step instruction manual drawing on ancient methods of working with the land and using them to invite the power and energy of nature back into your life and surround your house and life in its life giving healing embrace. Introduction to the book: Everything becomes simple if you immerse yourself in nature. Life’s complications melt away, leaving only the truth of the present moment, and the presence of what I call God. In this place we can see our soul reflected in every living thing, every gust of wind and splash of rain, and here we can find peace. This is our true home. Yet we are losing what little wild places we have left in nature, those corners where the spirits of the earth are flowing freely, where harmony, and balance still exists and we feel accepted for the truth of who we are. We have gone off course and need to find our way again. An old pathway, overgrown and forgotten, is waiting impatiently to lead us back home. Nature is willing us on. A feature length movie based on Mary's true life story will be released in 2016. This focuses on the story of Mary's journey to build a gold medal winning garden at the Chelsea flower show.

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice and Carmen are joined by Megan Uithoven, Community Manager for GrowIt! GrowIt! is a mobile app that connects gardeners through photos and comments using geo-location technology. GrowIt! is the only app that allows you to rate plant pictures from your area. The goal is to engage the next generation of gardeners (Millennials mostly, ages 20-38). This free mobile app is the first of its kind, creating a social platform for users to promote plants they love and help others steer clear of plants that just don’t perform, and runs entirely on user submissions.

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice and Carmen are joined by Troy Guinther, founder and CEO of Natural Stone Wall Solutions. Natural Stone Wall Solutions was founded by a team of engineers and certified landscape architects using an innovative new method of building and seamlessly installing retaining and freestanding natural stone walls. Their retaining walls typically cost 25–50% less than traditional stone and stone veneer walls with an installation rate 20x faster than both methods.

Today on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito do their part to contribute to the "robots will take our jobs" story! Our guest: Rory Aronson, the creator of the FarmBot. This robot is installed above a planter box, before Raspberry Pi, a rudimentary (and cheap) computer pushes it into action. FarmBot then plants and waters seeds in order to grow crops with minimal human labor.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by William Thomas, executive director of the Chanticleer Foundation. Chanticleer has been called the most romantic, imaginative, and exciting public garden in America. The garden is a study of textures and forms, where foliage trumps flowers, the gardeners lead the design, and even the drinking fountains are sculptural. It is a garden of pleasure and learning, relaxing yet filled with ideas to take home.

On the season premiere of We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito discuss their new gardening exhibit, Garden of Discovery, which consists of growing tobacco, rice, cotton, begonias, and other plants with strange tales to tell in an urban setting – 550 11th Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn to be exact. For more information about the project, which will run from September 17th to the end of October, visit http://www.wedigplantspodcast.com/.

On the season finale of We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg speak with Dr. Richard T. Olsen, director of the U.S. National Arboretum. Prior to this appointment, he was a Research Geneticist and Lead Scientist in the Floral and Nursery Plant Research Unit (FNPRU) at the USNA. He reinvigorated the USNA’s urban tree program and developed new woody ornamental breeding projects utilizing genetic tools such as ploidy manipulation and interspecific and intergeneric breeding strategies. He is a recognized international leader in the public garden arena, providing his scientific expertise and practical knowledge to multiple national and international arboreta, urban forestry groups, and professional associations.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by Marta McDowell, a teacher of landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, and consultant for private clients and public gardens. Her garden writing has appeared in popular publications such as Woman’s Day, Fine Gardening and The New York Times. Marta's book All the Presidents' Gardens tells the untold history of the White House grounds. Starting with the seed-collecting, plant-obsessed George Washington and ending with Michelle Obama's focus on edibles, this rich and compelling narrative reveals how the story of the garden is also the story of America. Readers learn about Lincoln's goats, Ike's putting green, the Kennedys' iconic roses, Amy Carter's tree house, and much more. They also learn the plants whose favor has come and gone over the years and the gardeners who have been responsible for it all.

Author Yvonne Horn calls in to tell us about her travels to exceptional gardens around the world, from Macau to Iceland, Germany and England.

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito wrap up their season on horticulture in America. They then chat with guest David Milarch, founder of  Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit that seeks to replicate the genetic material of the world’s biggest and oldest trees (the ones Milarch calls “champion trees”) and replant them anew, all around the world.  

On this week’s episode of We Dig Plants, host Alice Marcus Krieg welcomes guests Dr. Richard McCourt and Dr. Alfred E. (Ernie) Schuyler, both of Philadelphia, to discuss the plants and horticulture associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Dr. McCourt is the Associate Curator of Botany at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences, Dr. Schuyler is its Curator Emeritus. “[Thomas Jefferson] didn’t like to use [tobacco], but Ernie says he grew it. He did live in Virginia, after all.” [23:30] – Richard McCourt  

On today’s episode of We Dig Plants we welcome Russell Shorto, an American author, historian, and journalist best known for his book on the Dutch origins of New York City, The Island at the Center of the World. The book is currently being developed into a dramatic series for PBS with Ridley Scott and David Zucker as executive producers. Shorto and hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg discuss how so much of our American identity and horticultural heritage comes from the Dutch. “Just in general, when you’re doing history, you’re always going back and forth from, I can’t believe how different things were to, I can’t believe things are exactly the same.” [40:00] – Russell Shorto  

On this President’s Day edition of We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg examine the roots of America’s horticultural heritage through the vision of its first families. From Washington to Lincoln, right up to the present day, American presidents and first ladies have had an undeniable influence on our nation’s horticulture. Guest Robin Selfridge joins in to discuss how this horticultural heritage has been documented in our coins and stamps. Finally, we learn a bit more about the current presidential candidates by analyzing their respective state flowers. “I think it’s fascinating when people pay attention to the symbolism of America.” [48:15] – Alice Krieg

In this episode of We Dig Plants, Executive Director Susan Lacerte of the Queens Botanical Garden and former Executive Director Roland “Chuck” Wade talks about how Flushing is the birthplace of the American horticultural industry. Prince Nursery was the first ever commercial catalog of plants. They came out around when the Boston Massacre was in 1737. This catalog was released when most people were still subsistence farming. Tune in to hear about how Americans saved the French wine industry and plants inspired the founding fathers. “We all come from some heritage of growing plants and eating plants.” [32:00] –Susan Lacerte on We Dig Plants “A country is only as strong as its soil.” [45:30] –Roland “Chuck” Wade on We Dig Plants

Today on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking trees… really big trees… and what it takes to move them! Tune in as they are joined by David Cox of Environmental Design, Inc./TreeMovers.com, the premier tree transplanting company in the world.

This week on We Dig Plants , solo host Alice Marcus Krieg is on the line with Thomas Rainer.  Thomas is a landscape architect, teacher, and writer who lives in Arlington, Virginia. He has designed landscapes for the United States Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the New York Botanical Garden, and recently teamed up with Claudia West to write the book, “Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes.” These two leading voices in ecological landscape design, reveal how plants fit together in nature and how to use this knowledge to create landscapes that are resilient, beautiful, and diverse. As practical as it is inspiring, Planting in a Post-Wild World is an optimistic manifesto pointing the way to the future of planting design.

Tune in as Alice and Carmen wrap up their series, “China: Mother of Gardens,” discussing the beautiful peony.   Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Peonies is on the line discussing the history and evolution of this flower, sharing that his focus is the Chinese tree peony (Paeonia sufferuticosa) and that they are among the most elegant, vibrantly colored flowers you will ever come across, so much so that the Chinese call them their National Flower. For over 1300 years, tree peonies have been growing in China on hillsides, coloring the landscape with their extraordinary color and infusing the air with the most invigorating scents. This is an episode not to be missed! “We try to stay really true to the names, because there’s so much history to any one cultivar.” [35:00] –Dan Furman on We Dig Plants  

How have native Chinese plants changed Western gardens? Continuing their focus on Eastern Asian plants, this week We Dig Plants takes on the Camellia.  Between the interesting factoids that link the Camellia to both the economic and ornamental realms, Carmen and Alice share the history behind the Camellia sinensis (tea plant) before getting Brienne Gluvna Arthur on the line in the second half of the show to further discuss the differences between Camellias commonly found throughout the United States today.  Did you know the Camellia was Coco Chanel’s favorite? Tune in for more on this fashionable flower.

How have native Chinese plants changed Western gardens? Find out on a brand new episode of We Dig Plants.  Carmen & Alice are joined by Dan Hinkley. Dan is an American plantsman, garden writer, horticulturist and nurseryman. He is best known for establishing Heronswood Nursery, in Kingston, Washington; and Windcliff, on the Kitsap Peninsula near Indianola, WA; and for collecting, propagating, and naming varieties of plants new to the North American nursery trade. “You can promote a plant for general cultivation at least until people can pronounce the name.” [07:00]

Kelly Norris is a 20-something, award-winning author and plantsman from Iowa and the first director of horticulture at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a newly revitalized 14-acre public garden in Des Moines, Iowa, and this week he joins Alice and Carmen for this season’s last show of _ We Dig Plants _. Popularly known for his book “A Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts” and his second book, “Plants with Style,” he is also a speaker that has garnered acclaim for his high-energy, zealous presentations on the national stage, leading many to call him one of the rising stars of American horticulture. He shares with the hosts that his career infamously began at age 15 when he talked his parents into buying a nursery (Rainbow Iris Farm), and since then he’s become one of the few gurus on marketing horticulture to emerging demographics. Tune in for an inspiring show! > #### “Horticulture is about humanity: it’s about people, plants, and passion.” [17:00] “Plants have personality, sure it anthropomorphizes plants on some level, but gardens have a distinct personality. Gardens should be expressions of their creators.” [19:15] –Kelly Norris on We Dig Plants  

On two hundred acres in the Hudson Valley, Amy Goldman grows heirloom fruits and vegetables–an orchard full of apples, pears, and peaches; plots of squash, melons, cabbages, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and beets. Today, she joins Alice and Carmen for a brand new episode of We Dig Plants.  Talking her new book, “Heirloom Harvest: Modern Daguerreotypes of Historic Garden Treasures,” she shares her passion for preserving agricultural heritage, beautiful and unique heirlooms that truly are organic treasures.  Over fifteen years, the acclaimed photographer Jerry Spagnoli visited Amy’s gardens to preserve these cherished varieties in another way–with the historical daguerreotype process, producing ethereal images with a silvery, luminous depth and a timeless beauty, underscoring the historical continuity and value of knobby gourds, carrots pulled from the soil, and fruit picked fresh from the tree.

_ We Dig Plants _ is getting artsy this week as Alice and Carmen welcome Abbie Zabar to the studio for a thorough talk on her work. Abbie is an acclaimed artist, graphic and garden designer, and the author of five books. Her first book, The Potted Herb (1988), is now considered a gardening classic. Her landscape collages have been represented by Allan Stone and BlumHelman, and the Flowers in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art series has been represented by Ursus Books & Prints and the Horticultural Society of New York. Her artwork has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the Parrish Museum (Water Mill, NY), the International Paper Corporation, the Louvre, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (London) and the Vigeland Museum (Oslo), and is part of the permanent collections of the Mead Paper Corporation of America, the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation (Pittsburgh, PA) and the Smithsonian Museum. Zabar’s illustrated articles have appeared in Garden Design, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Gourmet and The New York Times, as well as in numerous esteemed British publications. Zabar is currently the Program Chairperson for the Manhattan Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society and a Learning Leader at P.S. 198. This program was brought to you by the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York. “My style depends on what I’m working off. I can work in many mediums.” –Abbie Zabar on We Dig Plants  

This week on _ We Dig Plants _, Alice and Carmen are tipping their hats to the homesteaders that settled the country located west of the Mississippi River. Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862, the Homestead Act encouraged western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land.  On the line with Dan Housholder, he explains the story behind his family’s history of 19th century homesteaders that worked the land in Kansas.  After returning to his roots and repurchasing the land that once belonged to his ancestors, he shares his homesteading journey from researching the original Homesteading Act to how his family became involved to the farm auction that led him back to the land in Kansas.  Tune in for a fascinating story!

Fruits and vegetables have changed a lot since the onset of agriculture 10,000 years ago, as generation after generation of farmers artificially bred crops to select for more desirable traits like size and taste. Today on _ We Dig Plants _, Alice and Carmen are visualizing and delving into the vast world of plant genetics and breeding with James Kennedy, on the line from Australia.  A VCE Chemistry teacher at Haileybury, one of Australia’s largest and leading independent schools, he has 5 years teaching and tutoring experience in Cambridge, Melbourne and Beijing, plus he is a progressive informative graphic artist.  Realizing that scientific topics like evolution can be hard for anyone to digest, he has created some terrific infographics to show just how drastic evolution has been. One of of James’ original posters, for instance, shows how corn has changed in the last 9,000 years — from a wild grass in the early Americas known as teosinte to the plump ears of corn we know today.  Tune in for this fascinating show and check out James’ work here! “As a science teacher, I would be expected to be on the pro-GM side… as a human being, I know that I have this slight preference for natural stuff too.  I can’t pick a side.” [19:00] –James Kennedy on We Dig Plants

A small patch of land within the 58-acre Shore Road Park, Narrows Botanical Gardenswas formerly an overlooked area of parkland. Today the gardens thrive, enriching the lives of nearby residents and on the line with hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito is Jimmy Johnson, urban landscape designer heavily involved with the Narrows Botanical Gardens. Continuing the series on horticultural disrupters, We Dig Plants is delving into the recent trend in park management: community involvement. Jimmy goes on to explain that these gardens are meant to satisfy the senses with colorful flowers, aromatic plants, and singing birds, making the Bay Ridge neighborhood in Brooklyn a beautiful destination.  Tune in for a great discussion on the numerous benefits of public horticulture! “We’re the only one in New York that has a cactus garden!” [31:00] “What landscape designer gets the chance to design 4.5 acres of parkland?” [36:00] –Jimmy Johnson on We Dig Plants  

This week on _ We Dig Plants _, hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking green business with Brienne Gluvna Arthur.  By day, a grower and propagator at the Camellia Forest Nursery in North Carolina, Brienne is also dedicated to connecting with horticulturalists around the country with the groups Emergent and Green Women Unite, not to mention her blogging and posting on her own growing of ancient grains.  Tune in to hear how Brienne is changing the space around her through being outdoors with her hands in the dirt. “We are going to be sustaining 9 billion people – horticulture has the opportunity to be a part of it.” –Brienne Gluvna Arthur

Wrapping up the series on botanical beauty, this week on _ We Dig Plants _ Alice and Carmen welcome the team behind Brooklyn Bar and Bath, Joann Montalto and Itala Pelizzoli. Launching their natural skincare business to give a fresh, natural alternative to products that pack a long list of unpronounceable ingredients, the ladies discuss becoming more conscious about knowing exactly what we put on our bodies on a daily basis. After the break, the hosts are on the line with Jenn Segale of Garden Apothecary, an organic bath and beauty company.  Crafting hand-made, small-batch botanical products for the face and body, Jenn shares their best selling products and why Garden Apothecary excels in bringing wholesome organic products into homes all over the world. “I’m not a skin care guru necessarily, I’m a gardener!” [30:00] –Jenn Segale on We Dig Plants  

Continuing with the beauty and botanical series, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito welcome beauty expert Trae Bodge to detail her favorite plant based productions on this week’s _ We Dig Plants _.  Sharing a great detail of fascinating facts about ingredients like blueberries, chocolate, and even coffee for skin care, Trae even comments on the use of cannabis in beauty products.  Which are the best ingredients to look for on beauty labels? If you only use makeup sparingly, which are the integral products? For answers and much more, check out this episode! “You want to look for companies that talk about fair trade, especially with these butters, things like chocolate, coffee, things like that.  You do want to be mindful because it’s like diamonds because you don’t know where it’s coming from and who’s being mistreated.” [13:30] “To be 100% natural or organic, sometimes there’s no preservatives in the product.” [20:00] –Trae Bodge on We Dig Plants  

Continuing the series on the intersection between plants and beauty regimes, solo host Carmen Devito welcomes Mandi Vance from the Dr. Hauschka team to this week’s We Dig Plants. Dr. Hauschka Skin Care preparations and treatment methods are based on the founder’s mission “to support the healing of humanity and the earth,” a mission reflected in everything from the sustainable agriculture behind our ingredients to their holistic approach to business.  Talking the fascinating background of the late Dr. Hauschka, the importance of biodynamic farming to the business, natural skin care, plus what the company has on the horizon. “Skin care is the internal reflection on what is going on in the inside of the body.” [18:00] –Mandi Vance on We Dig Plants  

This week hosts Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are in studio talking about botanical beauty, a first installment of a four part series, previewing plants’ deep roots in beauty regimes.  From the Egyptians and Cleopatra to Ancient Rome to Indian cosmetic practices, plants (and other interesting ingredients!) have been used around the world throughout the ages to dye hair, cover scars, enhance eyebrows, tint skin, and more.  Tune in for a fascinating show and hear what the next few episodes have in store! “When you’re spraying hairspray, you’re spraying insect secretion on your head!” [26:10] –Carmen Devito on We Dig Plants  

Why do some gardens make us feel so wonderful, relaxed and refreshed? Using ideas based on ancient and modern practices, today’s guest on We Dig Plants, landscape designer Jan Johnsen, explains how you can uplift yourself and others in a serene setting designed for “unplugging” and relaxing. Whether you are intending to create a lovely garden or just thinking about a future outdoor haven, her new book “Heaven is a Garden” helps you see your backyard in a whole new light and reawaken an awareness of the wonders of nature. Drawing on her 40 years in the profession, she relays what it was like as a woman coming up in the business throughout the years and also shares why a gate facing East is considered auspicious and suggests which trees you can use to impart a special atmosphere. Tune in for a great show! “Finally, I believe that people are starting to say, the design of our outdoor space is just as important if not more important as our indoor space.” [40:25] –Jan Johnsen on We Dig Plants  

Hosts Alice and Carmen welcome Dr. Michael Graham to this week’s episode of We Dig Plants.  Talking aquatic plants, like seaweed and algae, Dr. Graham is an experimental ecologist whose research program currently focuses on seaweed-based systems (primarily kelps).  He is currently investigating the various physiological, ecological, and genetical processes that regulate kelp population biology, as well as the consequences of such habitat dynamics on the various physical and biological processes that ultimately determine the productivity, structure, and diversity of kelp forest communities. Mr. Graham goes on to explain how plant life like algae is often the first indicator of issues in the resulting food chain.  Tune in for a thought-provoking show! “Anywhere in the world where it’s great to make red wine it’s great for kelp… it’s called upwelling.” [24:00] “You start to change the quality of the water the algae respond.” [29:00] –Dr. Michael Graham on We Dig Plants  

We Dig Plants is back! Kicking off the new fall season with Claudia Mora of the New York Botanical Garden, the ladies are talking in-depth about the “Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life” exhibit that is currently ongoing. Frida Kahlo loved her garden, and Claudia shares how the garden inspired Frida’s art. The artist’s studio in Mexico City overlooked a great deal of plant life, much of which became a part of her paintings. With passionate colors and interesting use of animals, flowers, and other natural imagery makes an eyeful for anyone venturing to the Bronx. Tune in for a behind the scenes look at this popular event! This program was brought to you by International Culinary Center.   “This exhibition is totally bilingual.  It’s the first exhibition that the New York Botanical Garden has done… This exhibit is not only celebrating Friday but also Mexico City.” [25:00] “We’re talking about her through the horticultural lens.” [33:00] –Claudia Mora on We Dig Plants

On this special episode of We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito & Alice Marcus Krieg of Groundworks Inc interview the well known improvisation Italian-style chef, Erica DeMane. Erica is a longstanding member of the Italian-based Slow Food movement, the American Academy of Rome Kitchen Cabinet, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

On this special episode of We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito & Alice Marcus Krieg of Groundworks Inc. talk to Ashley Gamell and Meera Jagroup of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an urban botanic garden that connects people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice does a solo interview with Abbie Zabar and Lenore Rice. Alice first asks how Lenore moved from her original profession, law, to horticulture and producing terracotta pots. She tells us about experiences in Italy and the history of terracotta production. Alice transitions to talking about Abbie’s workmanship and design. Abbie discusses her design process as well as why she loves to work on plant containers. This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market “The container is as important as the plant that goes into it.” [19:00] “Impruneta [Small town in Italy] has great pots, but not great wine.” [10:00] — Abbie Zabar and Lenore Rice on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking cold climate gardening, which is appropriate considering the latest snowstorm in NYC! Kathy Purdy, owner and publisher of Cold Climate Gardening, a specialized blog, joins the hosts talking about how she became interested in gardening and developed a successful green thumb in Upstate NY where temperatures can plummet to 30 degrees below zero! After the break, Kathy shares one of her fondest gardening mistakes and also what she is looking forward to gardening in particular this growing season. Tune in for more! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “I started a blog in 2002 mostly to share what I’d found out the hard way but also, hopefully, to find other people who could give me a hint or two.” [8:17] “I’m always looking for something that will either bloom earlier or bloom later than what I’ve already got… just trying to make the growing season a little bit longer.” [22:20] —Kathy Purdy on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Andrew Keys and Kerry Michaels, the team behind a brand new book called ” Growing the Northeast Garden”. You lust after lush year-round landscapes, but when it comes to garden design beyond summer, you’re at the mercy of our climate. Or are you? Andrew Keys and Kerry Michaels divulge how to grow all-year ornamental gardens specifically suited for the Northeast. Learn the region’s myriad climates, geography, soils, and other distinct influences—and how to work with them. Follow the specially compiled A-Z plant guide to find the Northeast’s best choices, and use stunningly photographed, site-specific design solutions for inspiration. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “I love shooting [photos] when it’s cloudy and moody and rainy… I kind of go in a zone when I’m in a beautiful garden and just dance around it. One of the challenging things to do is get a sense of the overall space.” [11:00] –Kerry Michaels on We Dig Plants “The good thing about a winter like this — when we have winter with lots of snow, spring is beautiful – thing’s flourish.” [14:00] —Andrew Keys on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg interview Nicholas Staddon, the director of the Monrovia Nursery and a Monrovia craftsman for two decades. Carmen, Alice, and Nicholas speak about the very personal aspect of horticulture, some of their most memorable plants, and going into the process of growing plants for the color of the year. The conversation then shifts to how art is used in the garden. “It’s [Northwest Flower & Garden Show] like the disneyland of gardening.” [25:30] –Nicholas Staddon on We Dig Plants

Things get steamy on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants as the Groundworks Inc ladies are joined by author/publisher Sandra Knauf for a conversation about stamens, anthers & pistils — yes… plant sex! Sandra’s latest book, 50 Shades of Green, is a collection of twelve delicious and erotic short stories with gardening themes. What you’ll find in these pages is hotter than the hottest pepper on the Scoville index of heat! And smart, not smutty. Well . . . maybe a little smutty. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “I’ve always thought sex and the garden went together. Everyone should have a place for love making in the garden!” [09:00] –Sandra Knauf on We Dig Plants

On this cold winter day, tune in to a brand new episode of We Dig Plants!. Carmen DeVito is joined by Maria Zampini, founder of UpShoot. In 2012 Maria was named Director of Plant Development for the Agricola Management Group, the exclusive licensee of the HGTV HOME Plant collection. Her work includes sourcing genetics for the various plant collections, working with grower and retail partners as well as networking with garden writers. Maria writes a monthly column in Garden Center Magazine and a regular column forNursery Management. Her work has appeared in numerous other publications, including American Nurseryman, Nursery News, Country Folks Grower, Fine Gardening and the northern issues of State-by-State Gardening Magazine. She is also a sought-after speaker, lecturing on new plant introductions, sustainability, native plants, plant patents and trademarks and other plant-related topics. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA “I look at mother nature as a pitcher, and she will throw something over the base – you just don’t know what it’s going to be. Chances are there will be a curveball somewhere in there.” [27:00] “I look at landscaping in an investment in my home, just like everything that happens inside of it.” [31:00] “There’s no right wrong in the garden – if it makes you happy then it’s all good!” [35:00] –Maria Zampini on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, join Carmen & Alice on a virtual tour of The Royal Botanic Garden Kew’s Illustration Collection which includes prints and drawings that range in date from the great masters of botanical illustration of the 18th century, such as P.J. Redouté and the Bauer brothers, through to George Bond and Walter Hood Fitch in the 19th century. They also reveal one of their favorite parts of Kew: The Marianne North Gallery. They’re joined by Christopher Mills, Head of Library, Art and Archives at Kew Gardens. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

What makes a flower blue? What is true blue? Get your brain working on a colorful episode of We Dig Plants!. For their 150th episode, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by friend and horticulturist Scott Appell, who helps them break down the science behind plant color and what it means for garden design! This program was brought to you by White Oak Pastures.

What do horticulture lovers do in the winter? Well, there are flower shows, trade shows and plenty of other reasons to get out of the house and that’s the topic on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants! Carmen & Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Portland-based garden designer, manager of Plant-O-Rama, owner of the shop Contained Exuberance and friend of the show, Bob Hyland. Bob talks about the various events that happen across the country during this time, including the The Philadelphia Flower Show and more floral fun in 2015. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

What does God have to do with plants? Find out on the season finale of We Dig Plants! Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Shelley Cramm, author of NIV God’s Word for Gardeners Bible: Grow Your Faith While Growing Your Garden . God will meet you personally in your garden . . . and in his. Throughout the Scriptures God has revealed spiritual truth in the language of growing things. This Bible will take you into a deeper relationship with God through the contemplation of soil and soul. The NIV God’s Word for Gardeners Bible will inspire you to seek God in a personal way through informative essays, devotional readings and prayers that explore the nature of the gardener’s work, the rewards of gardening, the influence of seasons and weather, and the joy of the harvest. In this Bible you will also find botanical-themed pages containing horticultural information for the prominent plants noted in Scripture and landscape-themed pages highlighting the main gardens and regions in which the events in the Bible took place. Draw near to the One whose garden is planted with delight—in you! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “The culture of herbs are very forgiving. You don’t need to be particular in your pruning you hardly have to water these guys! Herbs endure.” [12:00] “The anticipation that comes with gardening is wonderful. You look forward and move forward.” [18:00] –Shelley Cramm on We Dig Plants

It’s the holiday show! Tune in to We Dig Plants as Carmen and Alice celebrate being done with gardening season by sharing some of the best things they’ve read and experienced in 2014. Get a great list of book recommendations, gift tips and general plant talk! Later in the show, Fonda Sara, owner of Zuzu’s Petals, joins in on the conversation. This program was brought to you by White Oak Pastures. i get so sad in fall when i have to put my gardens to bed but i realize that this is why i garden – to get ecited about what will happen in spring. its a confirmation of life. 42:0 –Fonda Sara on We Dig Plants

Learn about plants that are extraordinarily useful in cooking, homeopathy, and more on a brand new episode of We Dig Plants. Carmen and Alice are joined by Stephen Orr, author of The New American Herbal . Stephen Orr is a writer and editor who shares his love of food, travel, gardening, and cooking in a wide range of media. He is currently the executive editor at Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Previously, he was an editorial director at Martha Stewart Living and a features editor at House & Garden and Domino magazines. In addition he has written for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. Orr has been a regularly featured expert on “The CBS Early Show,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” and “The Today Show.” In addition he was a segment producer for the PBS television series “Cultivating Life” and edited two cookbooks by British author Sarah Raven for Rizzoli. Because of his books, Orr is a featured speaker across the country for organizations such as The Garden Conservancy, The Garden Club of America, the Garden Writers Association, and a variety of national programs. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “Every new person that comes from a farway country brings plants with them. I found so many plants that way and was able to research them.” [10:00] “If you broadly define a herb, it’s any useful plant. That makes it very broad.” [16:00] –Stephen Orr on We Dig Plants

Tune into another great episode of We Dig Plants as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by horticulture superstar Rochelle Greayer. Author of Cultivating Garden Style, Rochelle Greayer is the founder and editor of Pith + Vigor, a literary newspaper and online magazine for garden enthusiasts. In addition, she is the creator of the popular blog Studio ‘g’, named one of the top ten gardening blogs by the editors of Better Homes and Gardens and BHG.com; co-founder and editor of Leaf Magazine, a digital design magazine for garden makers; and a weekly columnist (The Gardenist) for Apartment Therapy, “one of the most influential interior design sites on the Web” according to Forbes magazine. A graduate of the English Gardening School in London, she has been designing gardens for private residences and hotels around the world since 2002. A lover of fresh homegrown food, she is also one of the founders of the Harvard Farmers Market, the largest weekly farmers market in central Massachusetts. Prior to her garden design and writing career, Rochelle was a physicist rocket scientist (yes, really), riding in the cockpits of F-14s and F-18s and helping launch Russia’s first commercial satellite. Prior to writing her first solo book, Cultivating Garden Style (Timber Press, September 2014), In 2012 she was featured in Luke Dixon’s Keeping Bees in Towns and Cities and in 2004 and 2005 she worked with Rosemary Alexander to co-author The Essential Garden Design Workbook and The Garden Makers Manual. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA “Garden designers are like rockstars!” [12:00] “Garden designers come into peoples homes and take a read on a person – what they’re wearing, what their home looks like. If you cant take that read on somebody you really struggle!” [41:00] “There’s something really beautiful about the tangible nature of a newspaper. It pairs really well with gardening. It’s slower and more tactile.” [48:00] –Rochelle Greayer on We Dig Plants

Get in the Thanksgiving spirit by traveling in time on a brand new episode of We Dig Plants! Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Kirk Ryan Brown, Vice President of the Garden Writers Association, who channels the legendary John Bartram and Frederick Olmsted! Hear about these two horticultural legends join in on a conversation about Thanksgiving, plants, democracy & land use – from the redwood forests to the gulf stream waters! This program was brought to you by Fairway Market “I cannot pass a plant that I haven’t experienced and wish to have the wonder of it to come home and live with me in my garden. My wife suspects me and feels sometimes I overlook her!” [14:00] “I can look back over many seasons and se all those mistakes and how many more we are compounding them with as we pass by.” [12:00] –Kirk Ryan Brown on We Dig Plants

Are some plants aphrodisiacs, or is that just a myth? This week on We Dig Plants, Garden expert and plant detective Helen Yoest takes us on a romp through history, lore and ethnobotany to find out plants got their “hot” reputation – and what modern science has to say about it. Discover which common garden plants and favorite edibles have that “”something extra,”” and why. Her book, Plants With Benefits is filled with lush photography, growing tips, and recipes for preparing teas, potions and tasty treats for your pleasurable use. Can a plant create feelings of arousal, contentment or receptivity? It looks like the answer is yes. This is the first book about selecting garden plants for their sex appeal. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “Certain foods put you in a receptive mode, like cayenne pepper. it’s heating the body and making you receptive.” [14:00] –Helen Yoest on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, solo host Alice Marcus Krieg is talking garden myths with author and radio show host C.L. Fornari who joins on the phone via Poison Ivy Acres on Cape Cod. Talking about her new book “Coffee for Roses,” C.L. elaborates how the book came about and how important it was to have a humorous spin. According to the book, word-of-mouth may be a great way to learn about some products, but word-of-mouth gardening tips can be a very bad idea. The age-old practice of passing along gardening tips and tricks is no guarantee you will get a good result…it might even do the opposite. In her new book, garden expert C. L. Fornari looks at 71 common garden practices and uncovers the truth behind the lore. Do marigolds keep the bugs out of the veggie patch? Will rusty nails turn hydrangeas blue? With humor and affection, she goes back in time to sort out the good, the bad and the just plain silly and tells us why. “Coffee for Roses” combines gardening history and expert advice into one useful, time- and money-saving package. This program was brought to you by Fairway Market. “One of the things we learn from the garden is to never say never.” [11:35] “There are numerous home remedies that didn’t make it into the book either.” [13:38] “People are prone to be a little wacky when it comes to products that are under the kitchen sink and spreading them around the garden.” [13:53] —C.L. Fornari on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Julie McIntosh Shapiro of Harvard University. They discuss everything from seeds to photography to the preservation of our Botanical heritage. Hear about her numerous expeditions, the challenges of photographing seeds and some of her recent findings! This program was brought to you by Rolling Press. “The problem with being a seed photographer is that when plants are in flower they’re usually not in seed. That means I have to make two trips.” [29:00] –Julie Shapiro on We Dig Plants

What it does it take to run the horticulture program at a zoo? Find out on a fascinating episode of We Dig Plants as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Frank Pizzi, Curator of Horticulture at Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. They discuss exhibit design within zoo’s and how horticulture plays a role in that. Learn about the tricks that are used to mimic natural habitats of animals in zoos! This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “We do a lot of smoke and mirrors so it looks like they can get at the plants but they can’t. It’s magic, actually.” [13:00] “Hot dry air and tropical plants is a nightmare waiting to happen.” [21:00] –Frank Pizzi on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking about the ’20 to 30 something’ gardeners of the millennial generation. Speaking first to Dana Frigerio who is based in Italy with the digital magazine, Blossom zine, about targeting the younger generation. Blossom is a digital magazine that is dedicated to anything green, from gardening to design, vegetarian and traditional cooking, fashion, botany, and flowers. After the break, Carmen and Alice chat with Dee Nash from Red Dirt Ramblings, the home and garden blog. Carmen recently wrote the book The 20-30 Something Garden Guide. As it turns out, Dee has millennial aged children and found that many of the generation do not know how to garden or even have a basic understanding of having a green thumb, and this inspired her to try and rectify this. Explaining how important it is to pass on the passion to grow things, Dee also shares her methods for gathering research and some of the highlighted facts she learned in the process. Tune in for a great show focusing on the future of gardening with some insightful advice thrown in there as well! This program was brought to you by Rolling Press. “I wanted to reach all people not just Italians.” [12:20] —Dana Frigerio on We Dig Plants “I wanted to leave a legacy.” [22:10] “Gardeners want to share their knowledge.” [45:55] —Dee Nash on We Dig Plants

Things get fun in the studio this week on We Dig Plants as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by forager, author and horticulturist Ellen Zachos joins the studio to talk about foraging and make delicious cocktails on-air! Zachos is a Harvard graduate and received her certification in Commercial Horticulture and Ethnobotany from the New York Botanical Garden. As the owner of Acme Plant Stuff, Ellen designs, installs, and maintains both interior and exterior gardens in the New York City area. Ellen is an instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, where she teaches for both Continuing Education and The School of Professional Horticulture. She lectures on a wide variety of topics at flower shows, nurseries, and for horticultural organizations around the world. As a professional garden photographer, Ellen illustrates her lectures and workshops with high-quality slides. She is a former Broadway performer, and brings expert presentation skills to every demonstration. Ellen is the author of Down & Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky First-Time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening (Storey Publishing, 2007), Tempting Tropicals: 175 Irresistible Indoor Plants (Timber Press, 2005), Orchid Growing for Wimps (Sterling Publishing, 2002), as well as numerous articles on orchids, interior landscaping, container gardening, xeriscaping, and annual and perennial plants. “No forager feels like they’re a forager until they’ve collected acorns, processed them and made stuff.” [22:00] “When you’re a forager you’re always looking for good root crops – always good starch and good nutrition.” [40:00] –Ellen Zachos on We Dig Plants  

This week on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking Italy! The show opens with a wonderful story about Carmen’s grandmothers, one of which raised Carmen for a short time in Italy and notably saved her from a pig attack! This truly sets the stage for the show to come. Carlo Scissura, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President, joins the program via phone to share details on the Italian Cultural and Community Center in the neighborhood of Bensonhurst as well as the upcoming Italian Restaurant Week. After the break, Carmen and Alice welcome Mary Menniti to the program to talk about The Italian Garden Project. Mary founded The Italian Garden Project as a way to celebrate the wisdom inherent in the traditional Italian American vegetable garden. She goes on to explain how this project preserves the heritage and demonstrates its relevance for reconnecting to our food, families, and Earth. This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center. “We will have people of all cultures wanting to know about Italian culture.” [10:55] —Carlo Scissura on We Dig Plants “[The Italian Garden Project] was founded to shine a light on an amazing lifestyle that is very relevant for today.” [19:38] “It’s really a passion of mine. The more I do it, the more I want to do it, and the more I see there is to do.” [35:25] —Mary Menniti on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by writer, teacher, traveler and researcher Dr. Allan Armitage. Allan is a renowned horticulturist who teaches online courses and has developed a popular app called Armitages Greatest Perennials and Annuals. Tune in as they reflect on the state of horticulture, gardens around the world and the next generation of gardeners! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “Horticulture has never been sexy. It is in fact lower today than it’s been in some time, but having said that I am quite optimistic that we will continue teaching horticultural students for years to come..What has happened in horticulture is that it’s been merged with plant science. Botany and all sorts of other things get thrown in the bag so horticulture is diluted” [14:00] “There are 5 books on gardening for dummies and each one is over 200 pages. What self respecting dummy is gonna read that stuff?! We’ve gotta make it simple.” [18:00] –Dr. Allan Armitage on We Dig Plants

Ever want to forage for your own food? Ever wonder which mushrooms you come across in nature are safe to eat? Interested in mycology? Today’s episode of We Dig Plants is for you! Tune in as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by forager Michael Heim. Michael’s interest in plants began while attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha, when he took a Horticulture class to satisfy a “hard science” requirement. Around the same time he learned how to forage for wild mushrooms. The passion was “planted”! Since then he has been fusing his passion for spirits and culinary creations with his passion for botany, mycology, and wild foods. This program was brought to you by Chefs Collaborative. “It’s healthy to have skepticism about what you eat – it’s just a matter of how you apply that.” [09:00] “If I wanted to be a gourmet mushroom farmer, I would just buy a forrest and say I’m a farmer.” [22:00] “Mushrooms are the gate keeper between life and death. Without mushrooms, we don’t have soil.” [37:00] –Michael Heim on We Dig Plants

We Dig Plants is back! Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are once again on the airwaves to bring the culture to horticulture. To kick off the new fall season they are joined by Susan Poizner, a Toronto based community orchardist & fruit tree care educator. Tune in and get a full education on urban fruit trees. What makes fruit trees different than other plants? How can fruit trees help communities? Find out on a brand new episode of Wed Dig Plants!. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA “What I do now is teach other people how to choose the right trees that will grow successfully in their garden, how to plant them, and more importantly how to care for them.” [09:00] –Susan Poizner on We Dig Plants

On a special summer session of We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg recap the 2014 Garden Writers Association Conference in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. At the event, Carmen and Alice were given three silver awards for this very show! Tune in as they talk about the Garden Writers Association, the charm of Pittsburg, the ideas presented at the conference and their gratitude for the awards! This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “Growing your own food is not just a trend, it’s not going away. It’s going to expand!” [17:00] –Carmen DeVito on We Dig Plants

We Dig Plants is back for a special summer show! Tune in to check back in with your favorite horticultrists, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen DeVito as they chat with Jenks Farmer, Plantsman and author of “Deep-Rooted Wisdom: Skills and Stories from Generations of Gardeners”. Augustus Jenkins Farmer (aka Jenks) started gardening in the third grade in a corner of the family farm filled with rocks, scrap metal, and crinum and spider lilies. He was free to dig, transplant, and design in any way he wanted by making do with what he had. Thirty years later, he continues to garden this way in his own gardens in Columbia and Beech Island, South Carolina. His style of gardening is in stark contrast to the gardening industry’s steady stream of new products, new advertising, and new rules that create unneeded complexities that intimidate future gardeners and obscure the joy of gardening.

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen and Alice talk to Roy Diblik, author of . Roy tells us about his book, and the hosts ask him about some of the garden plans and layouts that he includes. This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Today’s music provided by Shadowbox. Image from Amazon “We all run into people that change our path and direction a little bit…and when I looked at the key to every one of them, it was community involvement.” [39:00] Roy Diblik on We Dig Plants

Carmen Devito is getting wild with Miriam Goldberger, author of Taming Wildflowers, on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Tune into this week’s edition of the program to learn how Miriam became interested in wildflowers, and how she learned that they worked well at cut flowers. Why are wildflowers so important in supporting pollinators? Hear Miriam explain how lawn cultivation is hurting native plant populations, and how the Midwestern prairie is slowly disappearing. How can gardeners grow wildflowers in their backyards? Learn how wildflowers provide shelter for many species of bugs and butterflies! One gardener’s weed is another gardener’s flower; celebrate wildflowers on this week’s installment of We Dig Plants! Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA. Music provided by Pamela Royal. “There are so many parallels between the aesthetics of dance and garden design because you are talking about color, space, movement, and energy.” [10:10] “I wanted to see if wildflowers could make good cut flowers and- contrary to popular belief- they do!” [13:35] — Miriam Goldberger on We Dig Plants

Looking to get something special for that special someone on Valentine’s Day? Skip the roses and try some slow flowers! What’s a slow flower? Well, Debra Prinzing is here today on We Dig Plants to explain! Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito invite Debra onto the program to discuss her infatuation with local, seasonal, American-grown flowers, and why she wrote about the floral industry entitled Slow Flowers. Why is origin labeling not required for flowers? Hear how Debra made a flower arrangement a day using whatever flowers and plants were in season at the time! Are there any special government grants for American flower producers? Find out on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Thanks to our sponsor, Tabard Inn. Music by Idgy Dean. “This artisanal notion allows us to slow down and connect with nature.” [11:30] “There are floral designers that are growing their own flowers out of the desire to have the most unique varieties!” [17:50] — Debra Prinzing on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg discuss hermitages with the author of The Hermit in the Garden, Gordon Campbell. Tune in to learn about the religious and secular connotations of hermits, and the roots of hermitages in Rome. Why were hermitages in vogue during the time of Shakespeare, and why was culture so fascinated by melancholy? Tune in to learn about some of the more outrageous performative aspects of the culture surrounding hermitages, and how some hermits became regarded as mystical fortune tellers. Tune in to hear Gordon describe some of the more famous and regal hermitages in the world! Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA. Music by EULA. “Along with the style of English gardening that was very popular was a thing called ‘associative gardening.’ The garden is the idea that prompts a series of emotions… this idea goes along with the cult of melancholy.” [26:00] — Gordon Campbell on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito talk about the gardening influences of Beatrix Potter with Marta McDowell, author of Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life. You might remember Beatrix Potter from her famous The Tale of Peter the Rabbit, but Beatrix was also a natural scientist and conservationist! Learn about Beatrix’s childhood, and how her summers in Scotland fostered her love for the natural world. How did Beatrix get involved with botany, and what was her involvement with noteworthy gardens like Kew Gardens? How did Beatrix’s fist books get published, and how did she develop her unique painting style? Find out Beatrix was able to brand herself and produce her own spin-off merchandise for Peter Rabbit long before branding became an institution. Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA. Music by Pamela Royal. “Beatrix Potter was very early in making spin-off merchandise. She made, by herself, the first stuffed model of Peter the Rabbit and arranged to have them manufactured… She wanted to make money.” [36:15] — Marta McDowell on We Dig Plants

Learn to create your own miniature garden with Janit Calvo and her book, Gardening in Miniature! This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito chat with Janit about the origin of her company, Two Green Thumbs, and her interest in miniature gardens. Find out how Janit uses some bonsai methods to create her little gardens, and why hearty, small-leaved plants suit the gardening style. Find out why benches and furniture are some of her best sellers, and her reasoning for shying away from the term ‘fairy garden’. Find out about the commonalities between miniature gardens and terrariums, and why mini-gardening is a great activity for a wide range of ages! Thanks to our sponsor, Cain Vineyard & Winery. Today’s music is courtesy of Obey City. “Our biggest seller is miniature furniture. It gives your eye a place to sit!” [22:30] “I can’t grow a terrarium, and I couldn’t if I was paid to!” [26:15] — Janit Calvo on We Dig Plants

Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are celebrating the 18th installment of Plant-O-Rama on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Alice and Carmen check in with Bob Hyland, one of the founders of Plant-O-Rama. Hear about Bob’s history in horticulture, and why he decided to move out to Portland, Oregon. Find out why Plant-O-Rama filled a gap amongst garden enthusiasts in New York City. Find out how the Metro Hort Group helped Alice get her first horticulture job in New York City, and why nursery nerds should consider attending the Plant-O-Rama trade show! Who will be speaking at this year’s event? Why, Dave Culp, author of The Layered Garden, will be talking at Plant-O-Rama, and he joins today’s program to discuss the future of horticulture! Hear how Dave will elaborate on the relationship between plants and politics in his speech. Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market. Music by Idgy Dean. “Few gardens, if any, are made in vacuum. They’re made on the shoulders of another garden, or perhaps another movement.” [29:45] “We get out of our gardens what we demand of them.” [31:10] “One of the reasons I love The Highline is because you always see people in it. Gardens are for people.” [37:00] — Dave Culp on We Dig Plants

What makes quality gardening tools? This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg catch up with Blake Schreck of Garden Tool Co. to talk wood, steel, and weeds! Learn about the history of gardening tools at the top of the show, and later hear Blake dig into the specifics of strong and versatile steel. What garden tools are generally best sellers? Why did Blake decide to host his gardening tool shop online? Learn about European tool-making traditions, and whether or not American toolmakers can shake a stick at their counterparts overseas. Don’t miss this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Thanks to our sponsor, Cain Vineyard & Winery. Music by Four Lincolns. “Carbon steel is a great product, and many manufacturers add boron to their carbon steel to make it even stronger. They’re going the extra mile to make tools that last.” [14:00] “With garden tools, there’s a fine line between too hard and too soft.” [15:10] — Blake Schreck on We Dig Plants

On the final episode of 2013, Carmen Devito recaps We Dig Plants’ favorite gardening books of the past year! Tune in to learn what books are great for novice gardeners and plant enthusiasts, and find out what others are best suited for horticultural experts. Interested in landscape design? Carmen has a few books for that? Tune into this program to hear why coffee table books are waning in popularity, and find out how farming has become the sexiest form of plant cultivation. This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods. Music by The Hollows. “Farming, or least reading about farming, has replaced gardening as the trend du jour.” [8:45] — Carmen Devito on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking gesneriads with artist and Gesneriad Society member Bruce Boyd! Tune into this program to hear Bruce give some tips on growing gesneriads at home. What watering methods work best for plants like African Violets, and what lighting conditions cause gesneriads to thrive? Hear what types of fertilizers Bruce uses for his indoor gesneriad garden. What are some of Bruce’s ideal gesneriads that he finds hard to grow? Hear how you can implement episcias in terrariums, and learn why many gesneriads do not need much soil. Today’s program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Music by Pamela Royal. “Episcias are tricky to grow. I find they do better enclosed. I will grow them inside of deli containers. They thrive on humidity… I recommend them for terrariums.” [30:00] — Bruce Boyd on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are discussing wintry arrangements with Todd Carr of Snug Harbor Farm in Maine! Tune into this episode to hear about Todd’s journey from Brooklyn to Maine, and his experiences working for Alice and Carmen at their old shop in Williamsburg. Learn about different gardening aesthetics, and how Todd’s move to New England has sharpened his eye for Yankee stylings. Find out what types of plants from greenhouses and home gardens make great seasonal arrangements! This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods. Music by Obey City. “My design aesthetic is based on structures, houses, and architecture, but Tony Elliot of Snug Harbor Farm has shown me to look at the land.” [9:30] “Use what’s around you! That’s the most beautiful thing about arrangements. Just go to the grocery store and pick some stuff up.” [14:30] — Todd Carr on We Dig Plants

How was the first Thanksgiving actually celebrated? This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are getting historical with Lorie Danek and Kelly Araujo of the Plimoth Plantation garden! Tune into this episode to learn what types of vegetables were cultivated and introduced to the Pilgrims in the 1600s. Are these plant varieties still available and widely consumed? Learn more about the agricultural techniques that the Pilgrims learned, and why compost was not common in the Old World until after the arrival at Plimoth. Hear what the Plimoth Plantation offers foodies and horticulturalists today, and why visiting Plimoth on Thanksgiving is never a bad idea! This program has been brought to you by Brooklyn Slate. Music by Four Lincolns. “Maize is what the Pilgrims grew the most of that first year. They sowed twenty acres, along with barley and peas.” [27:55] — Lorie Danek on We Dig Plants

Curious about vegetable trivia? Tune into this week’s edition of We Dig Plants to learn some interesting veggie facts from Rebecca Rupp, author of How Carrots Won the Trojan War. Alice Marcus Krieg talks with Rebecca about the namesake for her book; how did the Trojans use carrots to avoid leaving the Trojan Horse for the bathroom? Find out why spinach can diffuse bombs, but still be a great ingredient in firework construction! Tune in to learn how a plate of peas almost changed the course of U.S. history! How are vampire legends related to corn? Find out all of this and more on this week’s installment of We Dig Plants! This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. Music by Obey City. “So many communities are built around their specific, local veggies. Look at garlic out in Gilroy, California!” [9:00] — Rebecca Rupp on We Dig Plants

Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking herbal remedies and alternative medicine with Nicole Weigl and Jacqui Daniels of The Herb Shoppe. Tune into this episode to learn what herbal medicines are most popular at The Herb Shoppe, and what symptoms these herbs treat. Find out how Nicole and Jacqui feel about the government regulation of herbal remedies, and find out if Western doctors are adopting alternative medical treatments. Learn more about Nicole’s medical training, and hear her talk to the problems associated with the lack of herbal treatments in conventional medicine. Why will pharmaceutical companies never support herbal medicine? Find out on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! This program has been brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. Music provided by Idgy Dean. “We don’t want to have herbal medicine taken away from us just because it cannot be patented and produced like drugs.” [15:50] — Nicole Weigl on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by botanical painting collector Isaac M. Sutton. Isaac fell in love with botanical art when he first saw Dr. Shirley Sherwood’s collection during its New York debut. Hear how Isaac became educated in botanical art through the Hunt Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, and how he learned to identify quality botanical paintings. Learn about some of the artists in Isaac’s collection, and hear how his collection was able to travel to the Kew in London! Find out where Isaac likes to eat when visiting the United Kingdom, and listen in to hear Isaac discuss some of his favorite architectural marvels in ‘The City’. Learn more about the Alisa & Isaac M. Sutton Collection on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Thanks to our sponsor, Whole Foods. Music by Obey City. “I like to frame my paintings in a way that compliments the painting or enhances it.” [28:15] — Isaac M. Sutton on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are getting into the spirit of Halloween with Sheryl Humphrey, author of The Haunted Garden: Death and Transfiguration in the Folklore of Plants. Hear how Sheryl’s home herb garden sparked her interest in the legends surrounding plants. Hear about the many mythologies that involve mortals and deities turning into plants or trees. How do stories regarding plants and death differ in Eastern and Western traditions? Hear how certain legends attribute the growth of staple foods to human sacrifice! How do genetically modified foods tie in with these plant transformation myths? Find out all of this and more on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! This program has been sponsored by Regional Access. Music has been provided by Jack Inslee. “The mythologies of plant transformations- they’re so pervasive in all cultures and times- up until contemporary times. This is just a sampling of some of the more notable ones.” [8:40] — Sheryl Humphrey on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito is talking autumn bulbs with Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs! Learn how Brent and Becky select uncommon bulbs from Holland to offer in their catalogue. Should tulips be treated as perennials, or should they be planted every year? Find out what types of bulbs fair well in shade, and which ones flourish in swampy conditions! Find out why so many rooftop gardeners are planting tulips, daffodils, and other bulb varieties. How should bulbs be stored? Learn what rare bulbs Brent and Becky have in stock this season, and learn how to treat bulbs in order to deter bulb-eating critters! Thanks to our sponsor, Consider Bardwell. Music has been provided by Four Lincolns. “Tulips are high-mountain desert plants, and even in Holland, they’re dug every year… During the summer when their subject to mindless irrigation, the bulbs just rot!” [11:15] — Brent Heath on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus-Krieg dig into the world of garden writing and self-publishing with Sandra and Zora Knauf of Greenwoman Magazine! Greenwoman is published and edited by the mother-daughter duo of Sandra and Zora, and features fiction, poetry, and comics pertaining to gardening and nature. Hear how Sandra fell in love with garden writing, and why she decided to self-publish. How has the literary world shifted towards a botique-publishing model? Hear about Sandra’s idol in Victorian plant enthusiast Ruth Stout, and how Zora explains her mother’s first book, Zera and the Green Man. This program has been brought to you by Fairway Market. Thanks to Idgy Dean for today’s musical break. “I think that writing about nature and gardening, and getting these stories out there is going to be the thing that saves our environment and promotes good health.” [10:20] — Sandra Knauf on We Dig Plants

How do plants experience their surroundings? This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with Danny Chamowitz, professor at the Tel Aviv University and the author of What A Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses. Learn how plants’ perceptions of light and color help them to survive. Find out whether or not plants can smell, and how they react to decay or disease around them. What cause fruit to ripen? Later, find out how plants’ awareness of gravity influence their growth patterns. Do plants have any memory capabilities? Find out all of this and more on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants, and take Danny Chamowitz’s class on Coursera! Thanks to our sponsor, S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Music provided by SNOWMINE. “Plants must be able to adapt to a very sensory environment without being able to escape from it.” [8:50] — Danny Chamowitz on We Dig Plants

Fall is the perfect time to plant! This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with innovative nursery owner Tim Kane. Tim’s Prides Corner Farms supply plants for all seasons to gardeners and landscapers alike. Hear how Tim hopes to make gardeners question the common idea that planting should be done only in the springtime. Later, Tim talks about plant branding, and how marketing plants can expose different varieties to horticulture enthusiasts. What annuals are perennials are going to be popular this fall? Find out on this week’s edition of We Dig Plants! Today’s show has been brought to you by Fairway Market. Music has been provided by Obey City. “There’s a little bit of method to our madness… We want to be able to sell throughout the season. What you’re selling in April, you aren’t going to be selling in July or August. So we want to provide for our customers in all seasons.” [12:05]

Culinary horticulturist Scott D. Appell returns to We Dig Plants to talk about the botanical effects of the Crusades! Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito talk with Scott from his home in Puerto Rico about the ornamental and edible plants that were introduced to Europe and beyond after the Crusades. Hear what plants were revered for religious reasons, and what plants from the Middle East were discovered and used for medicinal reasons. How did the fall of the Roman Empire and subsequent geological events change agriculture in Europe? Find out how the Crusades introduced the Mediterranean to many of the foods and herbs that are associated with the area today! Learn how Europeans learned about horticulture from the Arabs, and why the Middle East developed perfumes and cosmetics before the rest of the world. This program has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Music has been provided by The California Honeydrops. “The ancient Romans gardened for fun – horticulture versus agriculture. In the Dark Ages, nobody gardened for fun! They just grew food. But by going to the Middle East, they saw that the Arabs had a far-advanced landscape value. [25:45] — Scott D. Appell on We Dig Plants

Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are back for their fourth season of We Dig Plants! Tune into this episode to learn about some of the new and exciting editions to the weekly program, including raffles and “The Horticultural Honor Roll”! Today’s guest is Dr. Kim Hummer, a USDA researcher and specialty crop curator based in Coravallis, Oregon. Learn what plant genetics Dr. Hummer studies in the Pacific Northwest, and why it’s her duty to study and conserve these varieties. Hear how Dr. Hummer discovered a type of wild strawberry! Find out how some breeders are growing plants for transportation and flavor. Why are some geneticists experimenting with crossing different breeds in order to create unique hybrids? What’s going to be the new trendy fruit? Find out all of this and more on the return of We Dig Plants! Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures. Today’s break music has been brought to you by Pamela Royal. “Plant breeders are trying to figure out ways to pack flavor into a fruit that needs to be transported across the country.” [22:00] — Dr. Kim Hummer on We Dig Plants

What Would You Plant as a Farmer in 1784? On the season finale of We Dig Plants, Celebrate 229 Years of Service to America’s Farmers & Gardeners with Barbara Melera of America’s Oldest Seed House, Landreth’s. The D. Landreth Seed Company has been providing its customers with one of the most extensive selections of fine lawn and garden seeds in the world. Their founders introduced into the United States some of the most beloved flowers and vegetables known today including the Zinnia, the white potato, various tomatoes, and their own Bloomsdale Spinach. Tune in and learn all about the history of the seed house, and get some great historical perspective on how certain plants were brought to life in the US! This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “We’re here because America has kept us here for 229 years. We’re going to do everything we can to help American citizens. Our catalog cost 4 times as much as it would if it was printed in China. It will continue to be printed in America as long as I have anything to say about it.” [16:54] –Barbara Melera of America’s Oldest Seed House, Landreth’s on We Dig Plants

What are the differences between public and private gardening? This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking with Aly Fox, Head Gardener at Groundworks, Inc., and public garden designer, Ronda Brand. Hear about Aly and Ronda’s backgrounds in horticulture, and how their training influenced their careers. Learn about the social impact of public landscape design, and the peculiarities of working for a private client. What elements are important for Ronda take into consideration when designing a public space? Hear about Aly’s gardening pet peeves, and how Japanese gardens taught Aly about sanctuary. Thanks to our sponsor, Hearst Ranch. “Plants are so sensitive. At the same time they can be very durable, but you have to stay on top of it.” [11:20] — Aly Fox on We Dig Plants “In the public sphere, you have to create immediate impact in those spaces. Those spaces are being used all of the time… it needs to look good the day you put it in.” [17:50] — Ronda Brand on We Dig Plants

What plants have shaped civilization and culture? This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito chats with Bill Laws, writer, journalist, and author of the book 50 Plants That Changed the Course of History! Tune in to this episode to hear Carmen and Bill discuss some of the more unlikely heroic plants. Find out about the classification of onions, and how sweet peas helped spawn modern genetic research. How have economies been altered by plants like ginger and ferns? Bill talks about some plants that have proven to be dangers to humanity, and find out how grains helped establish the United States as an international superpower. This episode has been sponsored by Rolling Press. “We can’t go on using our fossil fuels as we have. I think the history of these plants is only half-written. There’s going to be a time when we once again look at how these plants can help us. [20:30] — Bill Laws on We Dig Plants

We Dig Fungus! On today’s episode of We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by Eugenia Bone, author of Mycophilia. Tune into this episode to hear Eugenia talk about the similarities between fungi and animals, and the pervasiveness of fungi in our ecosystem. Learn how plants often depend on fungi for nutrients through symbiosis! How have fungal infections of food supplies caused mass hysteria in the past? Also, did you know that most plants are inhabited by fungi? Learn more about mycology on this week’s installment of We Dig Plants! This program has been brought to you by Fairway Market. “You have more in common with a mushroom than the bacteria in your own gut.” [9:35] “There are no terrestrial plants without fungi. The two have been symbiotic for as far back as archeological study.” [18:15] — Eugenia Bone on We Dig Plants

Learn the delicate art of orchid growing on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito call up orchid expert Dave Horak of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Greater New York Orchid Society. Learn about the origins of the Greater New York Orchid Society, and why public perceptions of the plant have changed over the years. Hear why orchids are able to grow in most climates! How have orchid prices and overexposure popularized different varieties and species of the plant? What are some of Dave’s favorite places to check out and purchase orchids? Find out on today’s We Dig Plants! This episode has been sponsored by Fairway Market. “On average, more than one orchid species is discovered everyday. It’s staggering how many new species keep coming to light out in the wild as new areas are opened up.” [10:50] — Dave Horak on We Dig Plants

Lynden Miller designs gardens for the people! This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are chatting on the phone with public park garden designer, Lynden Miller. Lynden was a painter when she redesigned and restored the Central Park Conservatory Garden. Since then, Lynden has designed gardens in Madison Square Park, Wagner Park, the Central Park Zoo, and more! Listen in to hear Lynden discuss the need for parks and plants in low income neighborhoods. Learn about the importance of park and garden maintenance, and learn why lawns are not ideal for recreational parks in New York City. Hear about the parallels between parks and libraries! How have Lynden’s garden designs bled out into the streets? Tune into We Dig Plants to find out! This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods. “After thirty years, I’m not that interested in creating gardens. I want to do things for the less well-served parts of the city that don’t have great parks.” [8:10] “The two things that add to the quality of life- that don’t require a lot of money- are parks and libraries. And the city just cuts the heck outta em!” [26:10] — Lynden Miller on We Dig Plants

Joe Wolfson brings Southern cuisine to Connecticut at Terrain! This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with Joe about taking the garden into the kitchen! Hear why Joe decided to move up North from South Carolina. Has the North affected Joe’s cooking? Hear about Joe’s farm-to-table mentality, and how his formal training has helped him better understand food and seasonality. Learn about Terrain’s garden center, and find out what herbs Joe prefers in the kitchen. Curious about Joe’s secret grits recipe? Find out on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants! This program has been sponsored by Route 11 Potato Chips. “You’re cooking from the soul, and you’re cooking from the heart. But if you put a fish in hot oil, you need to know why it reacts a certain way.” [6:05] “There are so many parallels between the South and Italy when you really think about it.” [32:15] — Joe Wolfson on We Dig Plants

Andrew Keys is talking about regional climates and gardening with Alice Marcus Krieg on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. Andrew is the author of the new book Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?, which is about alternatives for less versatile, popular plants. Tune into this episode to learn what grows heartily in the Northeast, and some healthy counterparts for exotic plants. Learn what trees and shrubs are suitable for your region! Hear about a few plant varieties that cover most of the continent of North America. Looking for something aromatic in the garden? Check out this week’s episode of We Dig Plants! This program has been brought to you by Hearst Ranch. “Daphne is one of the funny ones because even scientists can’t agree with what’s wrong with it. Everyone knows about the “daphne death” – it just declines, and then it’s gone!” [19:30] — Andrew Keys on We Dig Plants

We travel to Miami, Florida on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants! Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are speaking with garden designer and educator James Jiler. James is known for his past work at Rikers Island with his jail-to-street horticulture program, and is the currently running Urban GreenWorks in Miami. Hear about the benefits of gardening for inmates and at-risk youth. Tune in to hear James talk about the prevalence of organic farming in South Florida. Learn why James finds it important to reintroduce native plants in Miami neighborhoods that are predisposed to drought. Hear about some upcoming sustainable urban design plans that are scheduled for development in downtown Miami! This episode has been sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “In past years, I could count on my hands the number of organic farms in South Florida producing organic produce.” [9:05] — James Jiler on We Dig Plants

Today on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg celebrate the airing of their 100th episode! They begin the show with a list of their favorite things! Here about their favorite plants, fellow gardeners, and memories of their early gardens. These enthusiastic horticulturalists talk about the incredible journey that has taken them from constructing seaweed sculptures to a six story tall garden in New York City. They have a true passion for all things plants and their love is contagious! Tune in as they tell stories about getting their hands dirty and drinking water from the hose! They reflect on some of the inspiring conversations they have had on the show this year and their favorite horticulture organizations and events. Don’t miss out as they talk about their first community gardens, favorite farmer’s markets, and their extraordinary love for plants. This program was sponsored by International Culinary Center. “One of the joys of having a child for me was going to his school every fall and planting bulbs with his entire class.” [06:12] — Carmen Devito & Alice Marcus Krieg on We Dig Plants

Today on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking with Billy Goodnick: gardener, musician, and author of Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space Into the Garden of Your Dreams. Tune into this episode to learn about the correlations between music and gardening! Billy also talks about his blog entitled Crimes Against Horticulture, and why he decided to focus on plant torture. How did bonsai trees peak Billy’s gardening interest. Tune in to find out how Billy differentiates between ‘yards’ and ‘gardens’, and the importance of beauty, usefulness, and sustainability in garden design. This episode has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “Some things that people do in the name of horticulture are bad for the plants, and the fallout is bad for the environment!” [8:10] “Music is about exploration, and variations on themes… And that’s what I find I end up doing with gardening.” [10:25] — Billy Goodnick on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking with Joe Lamp’l, Executive Producer and Host of the television show Growing a Greener World. Tune in to hear Joe talk about his “roots” in gardening, and how he got started hosting and producing garden television. Joe discusses the overlapping worlds of gardening, sustainability, and food, and how he hopes that his show can bring gardening to other like-minded people. Hear about some of Joe’s favorite Growing a Greener World episodes! Other topics include recycling, and the trend of biodegradable pots in the gardening industry. This episode has been brought to you by The Heritage Meat Shop. “What I wanted to do was inspire people who hadn’t gotten their hands dirty yet. Maybe they were possibly interested into the idea of eating local, supporting local business, sustainability, or eco-friendly living.” [9:10] — Joe Lamp’l on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg is once again by herself interviewing Matthew Reich, the Vice President of City Harvest. City Harvest is a food rescue organization that saves surplus food from restaurants, retailers, and farmers and donates them to food pantries and soup kitchens all across the five boroughs. Tune in to learn about the food supply chain, and how much food is often wasted in all steps of the food production process. Hear how City Harvest has built relationships with farmers all across the country! Hear how City Harvest has geared up after Hurricane Sandy, and hear about how the Groundworks, Inc. garden fared in the storm. This episode has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “In addition to food we rescue from restaurants, supermarkets, etc. – we have farmers who deliver food to us from all over the United States… about 50% of the food we ship out is fresh fruit and vegetables.” [5:45] “Surplus food exists in every part of the food supply chain- manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers- they all have surplus food.” [8:45] — Matthew Reich on We Dig Plants

On this week’s episode of We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg is hosting by herself. Alice is talking with Richard Horan, the author of Harvest: An Adventure into the Heart of America’s Family Farms. Tune into this episode to hear why the politics of illegal immigration inspired Richard to become a farm worker. How did Richard’s background in gardening prepare him to become a farmer? What parallels does Richard see in the disciplines of writing and farming? Tune in to hear some of Richard’s farm experiences! Hear about cranberry harvesting, and how he connected with farmers and seasonal workers a like. This program has been brought to you by Whole Foods. “If it weren’t for youth, there would be no farms. You need speed and energy to get that product off the vine quickly and expeditiously. That was a big surprise for me.” [7:10] “It’s everything that we attribute to art and culture- and it’s all out there on the farm!” [13:30] — Richard Horan on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined via the telephone by Michael Marriott, the rosarian at David Austin Roses. David Austin is now 86 years old, and is still an enthusiastic plant breeder! Tune into this episode to learn about the myth of the English Rose, and how roses have developed to over time and through numerous cross-breeding experiments. Learn about the differences between old and modern rose species, and why some rose hybrids seem to lack “charm”. Hear why Michael left his job growing rubber to become a rosarian! Hear how rose fragrances affect our brains. What roses sell best in the United States? Find out on this episode of We Dig Plants! This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “The great problem in the States is the differences in climates… is huge and varieties will cope very well in one climate and do absolutely dreadful in another climate.” [21:40] “A rose that is not fragrant misses the point, really.” [15:45] — Michael Marriott on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking with experienced horticulturist Maria Zampini. Maria is a co-founder of UPSHOOT Horticulture, and writer for American Nurseryman Magazine and Nursery Management. Tune into this episode to hear Carmen, Alice, and Maria talk about the importance of marketing in the gardening industry. Why is gardening behind other industries in terms of branding and promotion? Hear Maria talk about how she hopes that HGTV will push gardening into the forefront of the lifestyle and design businesses. Listen in to learn about the evolving role of women in the business. Listen to Maria speak about her early experiences in the industry and the attitudes towards women in gardening. Maria also shares some of her lobbying experiences in Washington D.C., and how certain legislation affects gardeners. This program has been brought to you by Whole Foods. “The majority of sales for our products are to women. And who knows better what a woman wants than a woman!” [19:25] “For every one dollar spent in horticulture, we give back twelve dollars in other jobs.” [30:55] — Maria Zampini on We Dig Plants

Noel Kingsbury returns on this week’s installment of We Dig Plants! Noel is a horticulturist, garden designer, and contributor to publications such as House & Garden, The Financial Times, and Acta Horticulturae. Tune in to hear Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg talk with Noel about the importance and difficulty of gathering plant knowledge. Noel also talks about his upcoming trip to South America, where he plans to assist a young gardener in using native Uruguayan plants in garden design. Also, Noel expounds upon the importance of community in spreading plant information. Hear about Noel’s upcoming gardening soap opera Dig, Plant and Bitch! Noel also speaks to the prevalence of social class in British comedy, and how that has made its way into his writing. Later, Noel, Alice, and Carmen talk about the role of The Highline in Manhattan in educating the public about different varieties of plants and planting. This episode has been brought to you by Fairway Market. “There’s a number of people who perhaps do a little bit of garden design and are rather good at the spatial sort of things but don’t have a lot of plant knowledge. If you can give people shortcuts to learning how to read the plant, then they’ll be good.” — Noel Kingsbury on We Dig Plants

Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking about the Columbian Exchange on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. But don’t misconstrue this discussion as a celebration! On the phone is culinary horticulturist and historian Scott D. Appell to talk about the history of some our favorite New World plants. Learn about the origins of corn, and how it developed as a human-bred crop. How did European settlers influence Native American cooking techniques? Learn about the history of other fruits, roots, and vegetables such as pineapple, mango, cassava, and taro. Did you know that at one time, pineapples were more valued than jewels? Also, hear about the hundreds of varieties of potatoes that developed in South America, and how potatoes became popular in France! This episode has been brought to Hearst Ranch. “Guatemalans and Mexicans had this down for thousands of years. If you balance beans with corn, you’ll have balanced proteins and amino acids.” [11:40] “It was the slave trade that was the great impetus to bring food plants to the New World from the tropics. After all, how do you feed millions of people over the centuries… so that they could work and harvest sugarcane?” [21:40] — Scott D. Appell on We Dig Plants

Welcome to another episode of We Dig Plants! Today, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Kreig are joined via the phone lines by Rebecca Bull Reed, the Associate Garen Editor of Southern Living Magazine. Rebecca is a horticulturist who entered the world of garden writing and journalism almost by accident! Hear how Rebecca left her job in agricultural chemical sales to design at a small gardening store. Tune in to hear Carmen and Alice talk with Rebecca about her GWA award-winning article, “Lush Life”. Rebecca discusses what details make a garden eligible for inclusion in Southern Living. Learn about some gardening trends that are taking root in the South, and how growing food has come in vogue. Learn about some of Rebecca’s other stories, and the amazing gardens she has had the opportunity to profile. This episode has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “The most rewarding thing is when you make gardening infectious and you get people excited about trying things in their own garden.” 18:50 “Regardless of where you are in the South, one of the biggest trends that is very exciting to me is edibles. It’s all coming full circle; the South used to be all about agriculture!” 21:40 — Rebecca Bull Reed on We Dig Plants

Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are back with all new episodes of We Dig Plants! This week, Carmen and Alice discuss one of their recent garden projects with Tom Pearson and Jennine Willett Millman of Third Rail Projects. Carmen and Alice designed a site-specific garden for Then She Fell, a Victorian Alice in Wonderland interpretation that takes place inside of the old Greenpoint Hospital building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Hear about how the tension is created by the contrasting setting and story, and how this duality furthers conflict in the production. Learn why this project was particularly liberating for Carmen and Alice in terms of creating a garden to suit the Victorian theme. Tune in to hear Tom and Jennine discuss their respective character roles, and how the site-specific nature of the play influences their understanding of the characters’ personalities. Welcome back, We Dig Plants! This episode has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “Even the taste experiences are partnered with the actual performance components.” — Tom Pearson of Then She Fell on We Dig Plants “The Victorians couldn’t get loose in other ways, but they could go into the glasshouse or orangery and be exotic and be free.” — Carmen Devito on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito is re-joined by Mark “Coach” Smallwood, Executive Director of Rodale Institute and Green Mission specialist for Whole Foods. Carmen and Mark talk about everything from soil management courses to beekeeping. Learn why backyard beekeepers are much better suited for honeybees and why colony collapse disorder is commonly misunderstood. Learn more about composting and hear some practical growing tips from “Coach”. This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “There are very few wild hives left. Bees need beekeepers!” “We think the answer to the health of the honey bee is not the commercial beekeeper, it’s the backyard beekeeper. They tend to manage their hives in a much healthier way.” “I like to plant what grows high with what grows low and what grows fast with what grows slow.” –Mark “Coach” Smallwood on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito talks with Blake Schreck, founder of Garden Tool Company. Carmen and Blake talk about the importance of using and purchasing high quality garden tools. Tune in to learn what makes strong, long-lasting tools- whether it be steel quality, the firing process, or the type of wood used in the handles. What is Blake’s list of essential gardening tools? Listen to find out! This show was sponsored by Cain Winery. “[The manufacturers of ‘lifetime’ tools] have been making these tools for over a hundred years! They’ve been perfecting them for so long, that you get a well-balanced tool that feels good in your hand.” — Blake Schreck on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito sits down and chats with Margaret Roach, former editorial director of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia turned organic gardener. Listen in and hear how she left her successful live in NYC behind to find peace in the garden. Learn more about Margaret’s inspiring story and hear how plants taught her to let go and why there’s no such thing as “enough”. This program was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. “With things that you treasure, whether it’s a person, a thing or plant, somethings you can hold it a little too close and and suffocate it. Plants taught me a good lesson about too close, too tight behavior.” “I had the illusion for many years that the concept of “enough” was a tangible thing.” –Margaret Roach on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants tune in for a transatlantic conversation with renown garden historian Andrea Wulf. Calling from across the pond Ms. Wulfe gives us an in-depth history lesson of the plants of the revolutionary times based upon her recent book, The Founding Gardeners. From the seeds that Benjamin Franklin sent over from England right before the Declaration of Independence to the gardens at Monticello, learn about the fascinating way in which America came into its own true horticultural identity and even how the choice of gardens at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, with it’s all native plants, mirrors the revolution itself. This episode is sponsored by White Oak Pastures “Jefferson and Adams went on a garden tour in 1786 [in England] . . and they go into several gardens and what they see, what was very fashionable in England at that time, they see so-called ‘ornamental farms’. So these are gardens that combine elements of working land with elements of a pleasure grant. . . and it was this combination of beautiful and useful that appeal to them . . so when they returned to America later they incorporated these elements because it very much chimed with their vision of America as a country of vast lands that would feed the nation but also of sublime beauty.” “And on the brink of the war Washington writes a letter to his estate manager in Mount Vernon and advises him to on plant native American species,so he’s telling him go to my forest and pick up these plants and shrubs and plant them in my garden. It is almost as if this is his horticultural declaration of independence.” “Until then American gardeners tried to recreate the Old World in their gardens and there [Washington] is ripping them out [at Mount Vernon] and replacing them with native species. He is creating what I would call the very first truly American garden. He uses his garden almost like a canvas to make this political statement.” “Washington’s idea behind a national university is that we have these 13 states together now but we really have to mature from being a war alliance to being a truly united nation. . and he believed if you would bring these young men together at a young age, studying together, learning together, they would become one and they would believe in America’s destiny as a united country. And the national botanical garden should belong to the university because if they would see all these trees from all 13 states growing together in horticultural union again that would give them the sense of ‘we are one country’.” –Andrea Wulf on We Dig Plants

It’s all about herbs this week on We Dig Plants. Hosts Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus-Krieg welcome writer, author, and all around herb-lover Ellen Spector Platt to talk about the uses and ease of use, even in small urban environments, of planting herbs. Her favorite herb right now? Lavender. She’s even written a book about it! Learn all about this fragrant herb and others on this episode of We Dig Plants. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market. “It’s a lot of bang for your buck with herbs.” “In Provence lavender is used in a lot of savory things like stews and chicken.” –Ellen Spector Platt on We Dig Plants

This week We Dig Plants prepares you to deal with your inevitable Super Bowl hangover with special guest Jason Colucci, host of HRN’s own The Morning After. But not to worry! This trio has gathered to let you in on some of the best herbal headache and hangover cures. Learn about some of the stranger cures from ancient times (goat dung!) to some more modern ones such as Hovenia dulcis. This episode is sponsored by White Oak Pastures. “My cure to get me through three hours of a shift is a pack and a half of Excedrin, a Sunkist soda in a can, and a small order of pork spare ribs” –Jason Colucci on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants we move away from Brooklyn and take a look at another borough: Queens. Susan Lacerte, executive director of the Queens Botanical Garden, joins hosts Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito to shed light on the great cultural and technical history behind the garden— from its green architecture and design (it is a LEED Certified building and has a sustainable rose garden!) to the many different community and cultural activities that the garden hosts year round. This episode is sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “The building and the landscapes have become our biggest teaching tool . . we have over 20,000 school children come from Queens and around the city a year to learn about photosynthesis, to learn about how plants help our environment.” –Susan Lacerte on the We Dig Plants

This week the ladies of We Dig Plants are fresh back from MANTS. What is MANTS you ask? Tune in to find out more about the history and goings on of the Mid-Atlantic Nusrsery Trade Show from hosts Alice and Carmen including the perennial plant of the year, the dangers of an advancing Boxwood blight, and how an industry concerned with greenery is trying to go green with rice hulls and other innovative products and techniques. This episode is sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “The perennial plant of the year for 2012 is: “Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ . ” “Boxwood is a very commonly cultivated plant, it’s important to the industry, it’s in every garden . . and it’s under attack.” –Carmen Devito on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen & Alice explore the history of parks in New York City with John Krawchuk, Director of Historic Preservation of New York Parks & Recreation. Learn about the story of Fort Greene Park (then known as Washington Park), Brooklyn’s first park! Find out what renovation plans are in store for this beautiful historic park. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market. “So many of the great landscape architects worked on Fort Greene Park. It was Brooklyn’s first park.” –John Krawchuk, Director of Historic Preservation of New York Parks & Recreation on We Dig Plants

Ever wonder what makes horticulture unique “down under” in Australia? On the final installment of We Dig Plants in 2011, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg talk with Rodger Elliot, author of “Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation”, recipient of the Australian Institute of Horticulture’s Award for Excellence, the Australian Natural History Medallion, and the Royal Horticultural Society (London) Gold Veitch Memorial Medal. Tune in to hear what drove him to create this encyclopedia and find out why there’s an indigenous plant movement happening in Australia right now. This episode was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “There is a strong indigenous plant movement going on in Australia right now” –Rodger Elliot on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Kreig delve into ethno-botany with Dr. Ina Vandebroek, Ethnomedical Research Specialist at the Institute of Economic Botany at New York Botanical Garden. They discuss the role plants play in medicine and how in other cultures herbal remedies and traditional healing methods are trusted more than conventional health care. Learn more more about ethnobotany, immigrant health and more on a very informative episode of We Dig Plants. This episode was sponsored by Barterhouse Wines. “In a 2005 study on Dominican ethnomedicine that was financed by the National Institute of Health we discovered that 80% of the people tested believed that there were health conditions that a medical doctor does not understand and cannot cure and that’s why they are using herbal remedies.” “The majority of the population in the Dominican Republic believes that The Evil Eye exists.” — Dr. Ina Vandebroek on Ethnomedical Research Specialist at the Institute of Economic Botany at New York Botanical Garden on We Dig Plants

This week on We Dig Plants gets down and dirty with the Gowanus Canal. Joined by Jeff Hutchinson and Erikof the Gowanus Canal Conservancy hosts Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen DeVito talk about what the Conservancy is doing to follow their mission to be a “steward for the preservation, restoration and green development of the Gowanus Canal and its environs for the greater good of the community”, from their compost project to volunteerism. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice are joined by Bruce Bailey, owner of Heavy Petal Nursery in Moses Lake, WA. Bruce explains what makes him a rock and roll gardener and how horticultural life is so unique in Moses Lake. Tune in to learn about the West Coast gardening mentality and hear about everything from antique roses to growing risky crops in the name of love! This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market

This week We Dig Plants welcomes esteemed guest Mark Smallwood, who is the Executive Director of the prestigious Rodale Institute. Tune in for an extremely important and pertinent episode on issues from genetics to the 2012 Farm Bill. Did you know that according to the Farming Systems Trial, the longest-running side-by-side U.S. study comparing conventional chemical agriculture with organic methods, organic yields match conventional and outperform them in years of drought and environmental distress? Rodale has helped prove that and it gets better! Learn about Rodale Institute’s collaboration with the Farmer-Veterans Coalition that, through the GI Bill, is helping unemployed veterans learn new skills and position them for jobs in agriculture as well as Mark’s vision for an agriculture-supported-community. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice are joined by Susan Cohan & Rochelle Greayer of the brand new horticulture publication “Leaf”. Tune in to learn more about how gardening, landscape design and farming are all related and well represented in this forward thinking magazine. Find out how Susan & Rochelle founded “Leaf” and what it takes to run a successful publication in today’s digital age. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Get read to get mossy with ladies of We Dig Plants and guest David Spain of Moss and Stone Gardens. Did you know that moss is a bryophyte and thus has no vasculature? Learn about this primal plant, how it grows, how to cultivate it, as well some of the more interesting uses for moss (think malt smoking) on this episode about nature’s natural carpeting. This episode is sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons

We Dig Plants is back!! Tune in for a special Halloween themed edition of HRN’s gardening show as Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen DeVito speak with Susan Warren, author of “Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever”. Listen in as Susan explains how pumpkins are grown and what challenges are faced with in the quest to provide American’s with their favorite fall holiday accompaniment. Learn about prize growing and why people are obsessed with size when it comes to these popular orange gourds. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch

This week’s episode of We Dig Plants focuses on the tomato. Learn about its origins, applications and more as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by gastronomic historian Sarah Lohman who adds some great history while serving up a delicious and unique Bloody Mary on-air. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market>.

This week on We Dig Plants, the ladies of Groundworks Inc explore the properties and history of one of summer’s best fruits – the Peach. Tune in to learn about everything from ancient peach pits to growing tips for peach trees. Later in the show, Chef Erica Wides calls in to share some preparation tips and insight on the delicious fruit. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Download MP3

This week’s episode of We Dig Plants sees Camen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg sitting down with Paul Harwood of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to discuss the purpose and history of herbariums and explore the roots of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and other educational Brooklyn institutions. Later in the show, Steve Glenn explains what’s behind the NY Metropolitan Flora Project and what the future holds for botanical research. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Richard Mabey visits We Dig Plants this week to discuss his new book titled “Weeds”. Richard explores the vast history of these “undesirables” found in almost every garden and farm by planters around the world. From archeological seeds to ground elder to bindweed, Richard explains the amazing intelligence of these plants and their evolution over time, including their existence before humans. This episode is sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

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Tune into this week’s episode of We Dig Plants as Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by friend and head of Loomis Creek Nursery, Bob Hyland. Bob & the girls discuss what it takes to make a real garden entrepreneur. This show is a must-listen for anybody considering opening their own nursery one day! This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice chat with Patty Craft, the Managing Editor of Horticulture Magazine. They discuss the current state of print media and how times are changing for those in the world of publication. Tune in to learn about the future of horticulture and how garden enthusiasts share their passion through social media, the internet, and old fashioned print media. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

What do ancient Egyptian pharisees and irrigation have in common? Find out on this weeks episode of We Dig Plants where Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Stephen Potenzano of Potenzano Irrigation. From the history of irrigation to the advanced and efficient systems of today the group covers it all.

Spring is in the air and flowers are beginning to bloom so why not add some to your food for the perfect spring diet? This week Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg guide us in our search for that perfect and unusual addition to any spring dish. From the peony roots to stuffed squash blossoms, learn tips about how to identify, prepare, and cook your edible flowers. This episode is sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg continue their linguistic exploration of botanical Latin with the help of friend and culinary horticulturist Scott D. Appell. Learn what the different Latin endings from -icus to -ens mean in term of location, color, discoverer and how Carl Linneaus developed and compiled the taxonomic classification for botanists. Later on, learn how the use of DNA testing is remapping classical botanical taxonomy as we know it.

Friend of the show Scott Appel joins Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. Scott is on the show to discuss botanical latin and why it means so much to horticulture. Learn why plants are related not by their appearance but by their reproductive properties and find out more about how the Latin language is second to none when it comes to classification and taxonomy. This episode was sponsored by The Barterhouse.

This week on We Dig Plants we’re taken head first into a big sack of rice-related readings as Carmen and Alice break down the most delicious of all tall grasses. Learn how rice got here, how we first grew it abroad and at home, and what varieties grow well where. Rice to meet you!

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice are joined by friend Al Terry of Al Terry Design & Construction, one of New York’s premiere builders of roof decks and garden environments. They discuss fences and how privacy options are not always so easy to handle. Tune in to learn more about fencing regulations, building materials and design and find out how you can re-imagine your backyard privacy! This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods market celebrates Earth Month with the “Do Something Reel” Film Festival, a collection of six provocative, character-driven films focused on food, environmental issues and everyday people with a greater vision. Come see one of the six features at City Cinemas Village East from Saturday, April 16th through Thursday April 21st, every night at 6pm. Learn more about the films and special events at www.DoSomethingReel.com

This week’s focus on We Dig Plants is the indigo plant. Learn more about the plant (and color) and what an important role it’s played in our horticultural history. Find out how a young English girl became responsible for the cultivation of indigo and learn what’s entailed in the plants trip from field to factory. This episode was sponsored by Tabard Inn.

Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by Doug Hall, Senior Editor @ Organic Gardening Magazine. Doug talks about the best varieties of vegetables and flowers to grow this year, from “Bean-anza” to “Dakota Tears”. Tune in to find out which plants make the most sense for your home garden in 2011 and learn more about Doug’s experience with test gardening. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market

This week’s episode of We Dig Plants explores one of the most important and misunderstood crops in the history of America – tobacco. Tune in and learn about the history of the nicotiana plant and how it affected our economy, health and politics. Find out about the origins of cigarette production and why the big tobacco companies are able to influence so many other organizations around us. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information visit www.SurryFarms.com.

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice are joined by Pamela Ito, Director of Children’s Education at The Horticultural Society of New York’s Apple Seed program & exhibition: YOU ART WHAT YOU EAT. Tune in to hear how Pamela uses botany and food as tools as an educational tool for children, and how edibles can be used as inspiration for art and good health alike. This episode was sponsored by The Museum of Food & Drink

Cotton is the sole focus of this week’s particularly fun and educational episode of We Dig Plants. Tune in to hear the good, bad and ugly about the history of cotton production in the world. Learn more about how the cotton gin revolutionized the world and why this crop really IS the “fabric of our lives”. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Learn more about their country ham and Virginia Tradition at www.SurryFarms.com

On a Valentine’s Day themed episode of We Dig Plants learn the language behind all the pretty flowers you give your loved ones. Carmen & Alice explore the history behind floriography, or the language of flowers. Learn how during past generations, a flower could be sent as an insult or a declaration of “true love”. Also, learn about the mythology behind roses and carnations. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. For more information visit WholeFoodsMarket.com

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen DeVito explore the history and context behind the Old Stone House in Brooklyn. Learn more about the most historic house in Brooklyn and how times have changed since New York City’s Dutch origins. Learn more about this historic landmark and how what might have been in terms of horticulture in New York. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef.

This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen & Alice are joined by Sharon Lovejoy, author of “Trowel and Error: Over 700 Tips, Remedies and Shortcuts for the Gardener”. Together they discuss why gardening and horticulture can be so magical and why it’s not as difficult as you think to start your own garden! Tune in for tips on how to turn a small space into a fertile wonderland, and learn why it’s so important to give your kids the bug of raising buds. This episode was sponsored by Tabard Inn. For more information visit www.tabardinn.com

This week on We Dig Plants, Alice & Carmen are joined by garden writer, designer, blogger & revered plantsman Noel Kingsbury. Noel and the girls discuss what separates the good from the great in terms of garden design and what influences lie behind some of today’s horticultural masterpieces. Tune in and learn why Germany has, and is, leading the way into great new design! This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef. For more information visit www.hearstranch.com

This week on We Dig Plants, join Alice Marcus Kreig and Carmen DeVito as they learn more about some “Bizarre Botanicals”, from author and plant expert Paula Gross. Tune in to learn some fun facts about plats like the Chinese Finger Trap plant, Lithops and Trigger Orchards. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch, the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef.

With holiday cheer comes holiday spice, and Carmen DeVito & Alice Marcus Krieg are here to help you learn more about two essential spices in American culture; Cinnamon & cloves. The girls are joined by historical gastronomic Sarah Lohman of Four Pounds Flour who gives food related context to the interesting and often misunderstood story of these two precious spices. Tune in and learn how Cinnamon once masked the flavor of bad meat and why cloves are so directly related to alcohol. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch; the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef. For more information visit www.hearstranch.com.

Moving right along in their Fruit of the Month series, Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined by friend and guest Scott Appel to discuss the misunderstood and often forgotten history of citrus. Tune in to learn about the many stories and travels surrounding the citrus plant family, and find out which of your favorite fruits are man made hybrids. Also listen in for a special candied citrus recipe from Scott Appel! This episode was brought to you by Hearst Ranch; the largest single-source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef.

It’s almost officially winter, and Alice & Carmen are here to tell you exactly how you can pass time and still contribute positively to the health of your garden! Tune in and learn some important tips from the girls, including when and how to prune plants, what to do when snow covers your trees, and how to treat a fig tree. This episode was kindly sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery – promoters of sustainably green living.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen sit down with Margot Berwin to talk about the plants most consistently linked with desire, passion, love, and lust. Margot is the author of “Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire”, a semi-autobiographical fiction about a woman in NYC who, to her surprise, falls in love with tropical plants, ends up in the rainforest, and finds true love amidst the palms and poisonous frogs. Learn the inspiration for Margot’s book, her relationship with plants and the city, and who she’d like to play her in the (potentially upcoming) movie version of the novel.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen continue their Fruit Series with Pears! Joining them is guest Sarah Lohman of http://www.fourpoundsflour.com/, a sort of culinary time-traveler who collects old recipes, classic ingredients, and combines them just as they would have been cooked long, long ago. Learn the history of the pear, its biological cousins, how it was served traditionally, and how they’re grown on this pear-shaped episode of We Dig Plants. This episode was sponsored by Cabot Cheese of Vermont, Dairy Farm Family owned since 1919

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice get nutty and speak to Duke Lane, president of the Georgia Pecan Commission. Learn about the healthful properties of the pecan (antioxidants!) Learn how a slave named Antoine over a hundred years ago grafted the genetic strain of pecan that is now grown by every industrial operation in the world, and learn why China is becoming a major player in the pecan market. This episode was sponsored by Acme Smoked Fish.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice talk about the dark side of plants and the brave and/or evil gardeners with hearts cold or souls dark enough to use them. In this episode they cover plants that can kill or injure, plants used for dark magic or love potions, and plants that induce dreams, visions, or terrifying hallucinations. Tune in to learn about plants that were used to make (accidentally) deadly rosary beads, plants with beautiful toxic berries, and even a plant whose roots will kill your dog! AhhH!! This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of grass-fed beef from the California coast.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen talk about Chestnuts: the botany and beauty of peasant food. They talk to Sandra L. Anagnostakis, an expert on chestnut blight disease since 1968 and a world-renowned plant pathologist. Together they discuss disease-resistant hybrids and their pros and cons, why you need two trees to get fruit, how China became the biggest producer of chestnuts, and why the chestnut is the only nut to offer Vitamin C. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of fine grass-fed beef from the California coast.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen tackle the drama of the tulip bulb. Take a look back as far as Greek mythology for a glance at the role tulips have played in the human experience (including reputed healing powers). Find out why you have to plan ahead to plant them, and learn why they can be such a cash crop in Holland and yet so simultaneously unreliable. This episode was sponsored by Acme Smoked Fish: a mainstay in the NYC culinary market for over 55 years.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen hosts the monthly fruit episode on apples. Steven Hoying of Cornell University calls in to explain how apple growers have kept their trees disease and pest free, why apple trees are genetically promiscuous, and why those bright red apples from the cafeteria taste so absurd. Tune in for an episode on orchards, hard cider, and apple pie from The Big Apple. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of fine grass-fed beef from the California coast.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen speak to a mail-order “plantsman” and a fauna seeking adventurer on the level of Indiana Jones: Tony Avent of Plant Delights. Tony recounts some plant seeking adventures including being at the business end of a shotgun and hurtling through canyons at breakneck speed. Tony also shares some important practical info, such as gardens DON’T need ANY inorganic anything (“let nature work for you!”, and even the most untamed looking garden is the result of constant work. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of fine grass-fed beef from the California coast.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen discuss “The Three Sisters”: corn, beans, and squash. These crops actually produce the highest yield when planted and grown together, and have been planted as such by Native Americans who passed knowledge of the sisters on to early American settlers. This trio also provides a very complete nutritional picture, with the corn providing carbs, the beans protein, and the squash fats an vitamins. Learn about the rich history of these sister veggies with tales of beans-as-currency, and peer at their potential hybridized future. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen talk West Coast plants after a journey Carmen made to Venice Beach and The Getty Museum. Who better to tackle the subject on-air than The Getty’s Central Garden coordinator Jim Duggan, calling live from the warm sultry climate that allows just about anything to grow year round? The gals ask about his process for creating the Getty’s remarkable gardens–planting plans that rival any museum on either coast. Tune in to hear how he made it all happen, and the few plants he longs to plant that we temperate climate folk can. This episode was sponsored by Roberta’s Bushwick Block Party. Photo: The Central Garden at The Getty Center

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This week on We Dig Plants join Carmen and Alice as they speak to Scott Apell, horticultural taxonomist, about some of the stranger and more exotic vegetables available this summer. Learn about snow peas with extra serrated wings, why eggplants are never guys, and the best way to make gooseberry pie! This episode was sponsored by White Oak Pastures. Photos: Unusual Veggies!

This week on a very special We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen sit down with Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz. The gang discussed designing, maintaining, and adding green spaces in Brooklyn; the over 300 community gardens in Brooklyn; roof gardens; waterfront parks; and of course the newly renovated Coney Island! Tune in for a look at how Brooklyn has blazed trails for community green spaces in the past, present, and future. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of grass-fed beef from the California coast.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice sit down with architect and fellow HRN host Curtis B. Wayne to discuss the process of building a green roof–a process that, as green as it may be, is a bit more complex and work-intensive than some may think. The trio touches on everything you need to know whether its leakage prevention or plant and soil choice.

We Dig Plants is all about fertilizer this week: the good, the bad and the ugly. Carmen & Alice discuss the history of fertilizer and highlight the differences between organic and synthetic fertilizers. Tune in to hear about the The Haber-Bosch process, learn where a drip line is and why roses should be fed regularly. This episode was sponsored by Acme Smoked Fish. For more information visit www.acmesmokedfish.com.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice explore the world of INVADERS: very small plants or animal species that can be very large headaches, and can be the cause of everything from a minor nuisance to a major catastrophe. Tune in to hear Alan Green, Brooklyn-born director of PPQ Plant Health Programs (within the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service), discuss his work fighting pests: APHIS are guys that check everything from people to plants to parcels to prevent the spread of exotic pests and diseases. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen spoke to Kerry Meyer, a former plant breeder and now project manager at Proven Winners, one of the biggest forces in plant marketing and naming. Proven Winners plants are found almost everywhere annuals are sold, and are a major force in the world of all things growing. Tune in to hear Kerry speak about how Proven Winners works, why educating their growers is a top priority (including through their annual “road show”), and the behind-the-scenes action of how plants get their names.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen sit down with Lorraine Brooks of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension. They discuss the history of the land grant college going all the way back to Abraham Lincoln, and discuss what the Cornell Co-op is doing to educate folks in Central Park and beyond through hands-on, informal research and education, and via organizations like the Central Park Conservancy and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Making sure we have enough trees throughout the country and educating folks on why we need them in the first place is a big part of what Lorraine does, and she recounts some stories of success and frustration as she tries to spread arboreal joy. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of grass-fed beef grazing on the beautiful coast of San Simeon, CA.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice discuss that omnipresent, brown, sturdy friend: wood. Kevin Yardley of Diamond Tropical Hardwoods stops by the studio to talk about the history and inherent mystique of one of the most utilitarian, versatile, and downright majestic plants on Earth.

Alice and Carmen spoke to Dennis Schrader of Landcraft Environments, a wholesale plant and garden source with distributors all over the Northeast. Schrader spoke about the striking tropical plants with which he made a name for himself and Landcraft.

This week on We Dig Plants Carmen and Alice spoke with Amy Gavaris of NYRP. Amy spoke about Bette Midler’s effort to restore parks and gardens throughout the city, and what NYRP is doing to help beautify the land and educate the community.

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen speak to their good friend Scott Appell, a gardening master on the sunny island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Scott, a horticultural mentor to the Gardenworks gals, talks about some of the indigenous flora and fauna

This week on We Dig Plants Alice and Carmen speak to Donna Dorian about Russel Wright’s incredible Manitoga estate and garden, the designer’s only non-industrial project and a masterpiece of mid-century modernism.

Carmen & Alice talk with Barbara Pierson of White Flower Garden about plant branding and the new wave of young gardeners with bigger gardens and smaller houses.

The subject of this week’s show is the business of local horticulture. Greg Keil talks about his wholesale flower business–a family-owned business growing plants and selling them less than 50 miles from Manhattan.

This week on We Dig Plants, Pearl Fryar, master of topiary and gardener of a three-acre garden in Bishopville, South Carolina.

Alice & Carmen talk about the historical and modern role of women in horticulture.

This week’s theme is Green Roofs.

Carmen & Alice talk about an important, yet overlooked, element of the garden that can reshape everything: containers!

World famous arborist and author Bill Logan comes on the show to talk oaks.

Carmen & Alice discuss the difference between annuals and perennials.

Bob Hyland of Loomis Creek talks about the current state of affairs in horticulture in and around New York. For more information go to www.loomiscreek.com

This week WDP discusses the various professionals in the garden design industry, what they do, and what YOU need to know to get the most out of their work.

Alice & Carmen talk about what to do in your garden during these March days, and Max gives a very special video game review.

This week is all about roses. Tune in and find out where the rose comes from, what it means, and how many varieties exist.

The girls discuss gardening as a profession, its waning place in society, and the growing need for horticultural education.

This week Alice & Carmen share stories of adapting gardens with pets in mind.

Author Amy Stewart is the guest on a special Valentine’s Day themed episode of We Dig Plants

Katherine Powis of The Horticultural Society Of New York gives some great garden book suggestions.

This week’s episode of We Dig Plants expands on last week’s topic of indoor plants by teaching you how to take the best care of them.

Feeling down? Listen to this week’s episode of We Dig Plants to discover how indoor plants can change your mood during the dreary months of winter.

This week, the theme on We Dig Plants is plant hunters and seed banks.

On the debut episode of We Dig Plats, Carmen Devito & Alice Marcus Krieg introduce themselves and give brief histories of the thistle & the fig.