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In today's show we bring in "The Plant Hunter" Tim Wood!  Tim is the Product Development and Marketing Manager for Proven Winners Spring Meadow Nursery.  Tim travels the world searching for new plants that will perform as well in your landscape as they do where they were first discovered.  And Tim's work includes discovering some of the most popular plants in the US!

Today's episode begins with Len and Julio singing the praises of the Vegepod, a fantastic raised gardening system that makes gardening unbelievably easy.  This self-watering, raised garden bed was introduced to the world on the Australian version of Shark Tank and Bloomers Home & Garden Center has been carrying them since they entered the US market. Want to make your own soil amendment and give your plants a rich source of nutrients?  Allow us to introduce you to Vermicomposting, or Worm Farming!  We'll explain how earthworms are Mother Nature's natural recyclers and can turn your waste into valuable fertilizer. Wrapping up the show, we'll teach you how to create a rain barrel and direct rain water to somewhere more useful.  And then we'll answer questions from listeners including a husband looking for houseplant guidance and a Hibiscus that was attacked by a Spotted Lantern Fly!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow so leading off today's show we have some helpful tips to help make those rose bouquets last longer to keep your Valentine happy!  In our second segment we talk about Early Spring Cover Crops - when you should begin planting them and why they are useful in your garden. And wrapping up today's episode, we've been getting such great questions from our listeners that we want to bring them to you!  We'll answer questions about a wilting houseplant, if adding eggshells to your garden really works, and tips on what to do with Aloe and Poinsettias. 

If you live in the Mid-Atlantic region you know that we just got clobbered with our first major snowstorm in a couple years and are bracing for more snow this weekend!  Len and Julio break down how snow impacts your garden and landscape and what you need to know. In our second segment, we'll review some care and feed tips for the birds that still seem to be lingering around the back yard.  Later in the episode, we help you break cabin fever by growing microgreens inside your home. And wrapping up the show we'll talk about cool weather crops and how simple it is to care for orchids!

We're keeping it indoors with this week's episode and focusing on houseplant care!  We're going to devote today's entire show towards insects, pests and diseases that you should be paying attention to.  Topics include Mealy Bugs, Powdery Mildew, Scale, and the Soil Fungus Gnat. Wrapping up the show we take a question from a caller about caring for Carnivorous plants in the home.

Just when you thought Christmas was over and we were looking forward to the Spring, today's episode looks ahead to next Christmas season already.  Len is fresh from the Winter Market, an annual trade show in Atlanta (with COVID safety precautions) that previews all the trends and merchandise coming for Christmas 2021 and he's back to tell you all about it! In our last two segments, we take two great questions from a caller about starting herb seeds this time of year and care tips for her air plant.

In today's episode, Len and Julio preview all-new plants and varieties you can expect to see in garden centers this Spring.  We'll spend the first two segments previewing new, exciting varieties of Hydrangeas from the macrophylla and paniculata families. And later in the episode we'll discuss the latest in landscape roses coming from Proven Winners.  Wrapping up the show, we take a question from a caller about which plants are best for purifying the air around your home!

Now that you've taken the Christmas tree out after the holidays, you may be missing a little greenery in your home!  So, Len and Julio thought they should dedicate today's episode to houseplants.  They cover everything you need to know, including the psychological benefits of surrounding yourself with plants, the best places to put them in your home, proper care tips, and of course recommendations on which type of plant you should pick!

Today's episode all started with a call on the Bloomers in the Garden Hotline from our listener Chris about African Violets.  So, we bring onto the show Vice President of the Garden State African Violet Club, April Van Hess.  April is here to tell us all about these popular potted houseplants as well as the number of African Violet Clubs that exist throughout the region and the country!

In today's episode, Len and Julio look on the brighter side of 2020 to recap what this year has meant for them personally and professionally.  The COVID-19 pandemic has actually had a positive effect for Bloomers Home & Garden Center and the entire gardening industry as a whole.  We'll recap how this year created a boom for houseplants, how people began taking a good look at where their food comes from and deciding to even grow their own and how homeowners spent their increased time at home reimagining their landscapes.

Merry Christmas everybody!  We're less than a week away from the big day!  If you still have some holiday shopping to do, Len and Julio have you covered with some excellent gift ideas for the gardener in your life. We got some significant snow here in the Mid-Atlantic region earlier this week.  In our second segment we'll give you some tips on how to protect your plants from the snowfall.  Later in the episode we talk all about the Amaryllis, a stunning Christmas flower when grown correctly.  And wrapping up the show we take questions from listeners of the show on how to care for ornamental grass over the winter and what to do with a houseplant rooted in water.

In today's episode we welcome back special guest Dr. Allan Armitage, renowned author and Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at the University of Georgia.  Affectionately known as Dr. A, his books on horticulture serve as classroom texts, reference books for the industry and gardeners' companions.  The latest 4th edition of his Herbaceous Perennial Plants, known as the Perennial Bible, is now available through his website allanarmitage.net (use promo code Bloomers for a discount!). We talk about a variety of fun topics including how plants sometimes get their names and how their names have changed, keeping pests like deer and rabbits out of your garden, and what inspired him to write.

When you think of flowers over the Christmas holiday, it's impossible not to think of the Poinsettia!  But did you know, there's a fascinating story behind the discovery of this plant and the many benefits its founders took advantage of.  We'll also give some great tips on how to care for your Poinsettia in the house. Wrapping up today's show, we give some useful tips for keeping your Christmas tree healthy, fresh and how to "Prolong" its life!

In today's episode, Len and Julio help you get ready for the Holiday season!  In today's COVID-era, there's never been a better time to celebrate an old fashioned Christmas with fresh evergreens in every room.  We dedicate the entire episode to helping you get into the Christmas spirit with a guide to fresh cut evergreen trees, wreaths, garlands, roping and more! 

In today's show, Len and Julio continue to help you prep for the upcoming Winter season by recommending an Anti-Transpirant spray for your shrubs.  We call it the Chapstick for your plants and we discuss how a product like WILT STOP helps preserve moisture against the dry, cold air. In our second segment, we talk about Southern Magnolias and how their seed heads are dropping right now and what to do about them.  Then we review what types of feed you can give to wild birds. Later in the episode, we reveal what our favorite houseplants are and what makes them so special.  And wrapping up the show we have some ideas on what to bring to Thanksgiving as a hostess gift.*   *This episode was recorded prior to the CDC's most recent guidelines regarding holiday gatherings and travel.  For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html 

In today's show, Len and Julio kick it off with some tips on what to do with your lawnmower before you put it away one last time before winter.  We'll talk about that last good cut of the year, the importance of getting rid of leaves, and prepping your mower for the winter. In our next segment, we remind you to stay vigilant in the fight against the dreaded Spotted Lantern Fly.  We'll explain how they are laying eggs for next Spring already and what to look for and how to get rid of their egg casings. Later in the show, we talk about one of our favorite Fall flowering plants, the Camelia, and how to protect your fig tree over the winter.  And wrapping up the show we take a question from one of our most loyal listeners about transplanting a Crepe Myrtle.

The big news out of our home state of New Jersey this week is that New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana in the Garden State.  But don't plan on planting your own homegrown crops just yet!  Len and Julio discuss what the ballot measure means, where it stands on getting passed through legislature and what the future of legalized marijuana in NJ could look like. In our next two segments, we dive into lawn care issues you may be experiencing with the fluctuating weather we've been receiving.  If you noticed your lawn turning different colors practically overnight, you probably have a crabgrass issue that we explain how to avoid.  We then cover Fall feeding and why it's so important to set your lawn up for success next Spring! And wrapping up the show, we take a question from a caller about a Lily she received as a gift, and a text from a listener about why mushrooms are appearing in his yard!

In today's show, Len and Julio discuss how dividing perennials is a great strategy to expand your garden.  We explain step- by-step how to do so including the right tools to use, how to use them, which plants are best for splitting and which you should leave alone. In our second segment, we explain why Fall is also the best time to move those trees or shrubs you always wanted to relocate.  Sticking with the Fall theme, now is also the time to bring your houseplants inside if you haven't done so already.  And in our third segment, we'll give some tips to lengthen the lifespan of those houseplants that keep you filled with joy. Wrapping up this week's show, we take calls from our loyal listeners on why their tulips only brought leaves this season and how to keep squirrels out of your garden!

Have you ever wondered why the color of leaves change in Fall?  Len and Julio explain the phenomenon of why Autumn leaves become so beautiful!  In our second segment, the guys tell you what you should do with your summer flowering bulbs before we get our first frost.  Later we talk about planting cover crops to improve your soil now and planting bulbs that will begin flowering in the Spring. And wrapping up the show, we sit down with Maria, Bloomers' Social Media Manager and a proud houseplant parent, to talk about the recent houseplant boom!

While garlic and onions can be grown in both the Spring and the Fall, we explain how and why Fall planted bulbs bring bigger and better harvests!  Len and Julio give you all the tips to produce sweeter and juicier crops. In our next segment, we channel our inner bird-enthusiast and explain why Suet is a great option to feed wild birds.  We explain why this food source is critical for birds at this time of year and how to distribute it to different species. Then, it's back in the garden to discuss Ornamental Kale and Cabbage, the longest lasting Fall plant!  And wrapping up the show we take calls from listeners on how to prune a Butterfly Bush and dealing with pests eating your garden!