Coleus is a gorgeous type of ornamental plant with a very complicated naming history! In 1763, coleus was part of the Ocimum genus. Later, it was recognized as its own genus of plants. Part of the Lamiaceae family, the genus name Coleus was eventually retired and these plants were incorporated as part of the Plectranthus genus. They’ve also been classified as Solenostemon genus, which complicates things even more. But what is coleus? Sometimes called painted nettle, they are multi-hued, stunning plants grown for their leaves rather than flowers. Excellent for either container gardening or for adoring garden beds, they offer amazing color in partial shaded areas. Learn More: Coleus: How To Grow And Care For Plectranthus Scutellarioides Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter  

Most stationary and tumbler-style composters handle plant materials, paper and cardboard, some manures, and the occasional eggshell. Vermicomposters can handle all of those as well as occasional rice or pasta that can gum up a tumbler composter or draw pests if added too frequently. But only one method of composting can handle all of the above as well as dairy products and meats, and that is bokashi composting! Learn More: Bokashi From Scratch: How To Build And Use Bokashi Composters Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter  

Leeks are an often overlooked veggie in the garden, which is a shame because they're low-maintenance, easy to grow, and damn delicious! Learn More: Leeks: Everything You Need To Know To Grow And Harvest Them Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter  

Kale is a wonderful, cold-hardy green that is a "cut and come again" crop. That means you can make successive harvests of kale for a LONG time. But when do you harvest, and how much should you harvest to avoid harming the plant? We answer that in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter  

Drip irrigation is supposed to save time, but it can be a hassle if you don't know how long you should leave it running for. I recently installed drip in my front yard raised beds, so I had to figure this problem out for myself. Listen in and learn! Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter  

Epic Gardening listener Isaac wrote in and asked for a basic overview of worm composting, so here we go! It's pretty simple and VERY effective, so you should definitely be worm composting at home. Learn More: Best Worm Composters: Indoor, Tray, and Flow-Through Keep Growing, Kevin Follow Epic Gardening Everywhere: YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter

After a week of dropping juicy gardening knowledge on all of us, Jared shares his story: how did he end up making a fertilizer with spent beer grains, human waste, and algae? And what does it mean for your garden? More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

There is plenty of fertility available to you for FREE in your surrounding community. In today's episode we talk about making use of free waste streams to boost the productivity of your garden. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

Ever struggled with a tumble composter? If so, you're not alone. Jared from Upcycle talks about a few of his favorite composting techniques in today's episode that AREN'T compost tumblers. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

What does it mean for your garden if you use a water soluble fertilizer vs. water insoluble? We're back with Jared of Upcycle to talk about which you should use in your garden to get the results you want. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

There's more to fertilizer than meets the eye. And it's fascinating stuff! Jared from Upcycle is back to share his wealth of knowledge when it comes to fertilizing your plants. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

Everyone automatically assumes organic produce is better...but is it true? The real answer is more complex than you might think. Jared from Upcycle is back to share his perspective on OMRI and organic certifications. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

The title says it all...is it possible (or safe) to grow with human waste? I bring on my friend Jared, the owner of a fertilizer company here in San Diego to drop some knowledge about using our own waste as fertilizer. More About Upcycle Native Soil Fertilizer: Upcycle & Company Buy Native Soil Fertilizer Keep Growing, Kevin

If you're like me, you love supporting local, organic producers at the market. But what if I told you that you're not always buying produce from the people that are growing it? As a farmer's market vendor, Steven Cornett comes in to share some questions you can ask to be sure the people selling produce to you are the ones growing it. We also go over some tips that you can use if you're a farmer's market vendor to gain an edge over your competition. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

I get more questions about watering than I do anything else. How to tell if you're overwatering, underwatering, what to do if your plants are stressed, the list goes on. Steven Cornett drops in to the podcast to give you some knowledge so you'll never have to ask these questions again. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

Whether you're growing in raised beds or preparing new ground for in-ground beds, you might not have the best soil quality. Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms talks about how you can drastically improve your soil with little effort. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

There is one plant that market gardeners, permaculture enthusiasts, and composters all love. Find out what it is and why it's so special, with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

What if you wanted to grow everything you eat for your Thanksgiving next year? Is it even possible? Here's how I'd approach it, with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

If you've ever had trouble with carrots (like me), here 3 tips to make sure you get an epic harvest. This is an episode with Steven Cornett of Nature's Always Right Farms here in San Diego, CA. More About Steven: Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Channel Keep Growing, Kevin

Today kicks off a week with Steven Cornett, the founder of Nature's Always Right Farm. We'll be talking about a bunch of awesome gardening info, but this episode introduces Steven and how he made the leap from a full-time English teacher to a full-time small scale market gardener. Subscribe to Steven's YouTube Keep Growing, Kevin

Peace lilies are incredibly beautiful houseplants the produce gorgeous white blossoms. However, they're also notoriously hard to take care of indoors. I've killed a few myself! In today's episode learn the conditions they love so you never kill one again. Learn More: Peace Lily Care – How to Grow Spathiphyllum Keep Growing, Kevin

If you're growing indoors, you might forget about ventilation, which is a shame because it's super important to the performance of your grow. In today's episode we get into an overview of ventilation. Learn More: Grow Room Ventilation 101 Keep Growing, Kevin

LED lighting companies love coming up with "creative" ways to sell their lights, so in today's episode I bust two marketing myths that they'll use to try and sell you lights, while giving you a deeper understanding of how plants use light along the way! Learn More: Indoor Grow Lights on Epic Gardening Keep Growing, Kevin

In today's episode I clear up a detail about soil aeration that I missed in a previous episode and go into organic ways to control oxalis in the garden. Keep Growing, Kevin

Digging forks are wonderful garden tools, but can be confusing to buy - should you get a garden fork, spading fork, broadfork...you get the picture. Learn how to choose the correct fork for your garden in today's episode. Learn More: Digging Fork Decisions: Which One And What’s Best For Your Wallet Keep Growing, Kevin

Did you know that Mexican bean beetles are in the same family as ladybugs? However, these are an annoying pest, so let's figure out how to get rid of them. Learn More: Mexican Bean Beetle: How To Eliminate Epilachna Varivestis Keep Growing, Kevin

My friend and Epic Gardener Delia asked me how I got into gardening, so I figured I'd go into my history and why I do what I do!

Most of us grow in raised beds - wood, metal, brick, etc. But what about beds with no support structure? This is the type of bed that most market gardeners use and in today's episode I outline how to build one of your own. Keep Growing, Kevin

One of the most popular ferns out there, the boston fern can be a bit difficult to keep alive. Especially if you have trouble with ferns in general! Learn how to keep it green and growing in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin

Today's episode is an add-on to a YouTube video I released last week. In it, I outline exactly how to grow a never-ending supply of basil off of a single plant. Watch the Video Keep Growing, Kevin

Cucumber beetles can decimate your garden quickly and are hard to get rid of...until you listen to this episode! I know it's not cucumber season right now, but I couldn't resist recording this one for you all because I HATE these bugs!

You've probably heard the term "green manure" thrown around. What does it mean? Is it the same as a cover crop? I go into this and more in today's episode. Keep Growing, Kevin

I've got a spare raised bed that I'm dedicating to pollinators and beneficial insects. I talk about them a lot on the podcast, so I figured it's time to put my money where my mouth is and develop a dedicated bed!

In today's episode I go over a technique I'm using to grow microgreens in a raised bed. It's a cool idea that I'm trying to get a quick, plentiful harvest and also to add some organic matter into the soil.

Soil aeration is a topic most gardeners don't fully understand...me included! But here are some basics to expand your soil-building knowledge. Keep Growing, Kevin

This flower is a classic in the garden and EASY to grow. Learn how in today's episode. Learn More: Black Eyed Susan: How To Grow And Care For Rudbeckia Plants Keep Growing, Kevin

Dianthus is a huge plant family with hundreds of species, but fear not! This episode will teach you everything you need to know about growing and caring for them. Learn More: Dianthus Dreams: Caring For Carnations, Sweet Williams, and Pinks Keep Growing, Kevin

Leafhoppers are a super annoying garden pest and there are over 20,000+ types of them! Learn how to prevent, control, and kill them in this episode. Learn More: Leafhopper Pests: How To Kill Off Lurking Cicadellidae Keep Growing, Kevin

One common question I get is, "How do you know what nutrients your plants are using in a hydroponic system?" I tackle this and provide some recommendations in this episode. Keep Growing, Kevin

Today's episode is a profile of my friend Steven Cornett, who is farming on a quarter acre in his backyard and making a living from it. Keep Growing, Kevin

Today's question comes from Hanna, who wonders how to start a kitchen herb garden successfully. It's a quick and simple episode with practical tips to start your 1st kitchen herb garden, so tune in! Keep Growing, Kevin

The mighty rubber tree has been a favorite houseplant since the Victorian era. It’s hardy, easy to care for, and actually removes toxins from the air in your home! In this guide, we’ll take a look at exactly how to care for your own rubber tree plant. Learn More: Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica) Care And Growing Tips Keep Growing, Kevin

If you’re a garlic-lover and garlic grower like me, you’ve probably got a bunch of it either in your garden or in your home right this very moment. These beautiful and delicious plants have so much versatility in the kitchen that I like to grow a big patch of them every season and store them for use throughout the year. But storing garlic can be a challenge if you don’t know what you’re doing. There are a lot of different methods for storing garlic, some better than the others. Let’s take a look at exactly how to preserve your garlic the right way so you can enjoy these flavorful bulbs for months to come. Learn More: 6 Different Methods for Storing Garlic Keep Growing, Kevin

I like a good shortcut. Something that can save me time and energy is guaranteed to make me smile. Take for example the white ghost pumpkin. White pumpkins can be made into a jack o'lantern with a ghostly twist using a few strokes of a knife or paintbrush, then turned into a creepy snowman after Halloween is over, and then baked into a pie just in time for the next holiday. Ghost pumpkins can add a splash of brightness to your pumpkin patch. The artists in your neighborhood will itch to paint those blank canvases, so plant a lot of these white orbs if you enjoy driving those neighbors nuts, er, I mean, giving these pumpkins as gifts. Read on for how to make these little ghosts thrive.​ Learn More: White (Ghost) Pumpkins: Care, Types, and Growing Tips Keep Growing, Kevin

Prayer plants are some of the most beautiful houseplants you can find. They're great in hanging baskets as they spread low and wide. Whether you're just starting out with houseplants or an an expert grower, the prayer plant is an excellent choice. Learn More: Prayer Plant Care – Growing The Maranta Plant Keep Growing, Kevin

There are many types of soil amendments that you may not be familiar with: peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, builder's sand, etc. In this episode I shine a light on what these are and how to use them in the garden. More Resources Perlite: What It Is And How To Use It In Your Garden Perlite vs Vermiculite: What’s the Difference? Hydroton (Expanded Clay Pebbles) Growing Guide Coconut Coir: What It Is, How To Use It, And The Best Brands To Buy Peat Moss in the Garden – Sphagnum Peat Moss Uses Keep growing, Kevin

You probably see it whenever you go into a garden center and wonder what it's made of...the mysterious garden soil. In this episode, we demystify it and learn how to use it in the garden. Keep Growing, Kevin

I get this question so often that I decided it was time to answer it on the podcast! After this short episode, you'll know exactly where your net pots should be in your hydroponic system.