Want to start a garden, but don’t have time to read books or do all of the research on your own? Then these great gardening podcasts for beginners are perfect for you.
For the last couple of years, podcasts have been my primary source for taking in new information. It’s amazing how much knowledge you can absorb by listening to other people talk about a subject they’re passionate about. I’ve learned so much about gardening and I’m sure you will too.
Within the last couple of years, I’ve listened to A LOT of different podcasts about gardening. Here I’ve narrowed down my favorites (as in: almost listened to every episode) gardening podcasts for you.
Now, all of these podcasts talk about ORGANIC gardening, of course! And I wanted them to be clear to understand, filled with actionable useful advice, and spiked with a good dose of inspiration and encouragement.
So, without further ado let’s dive in:
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you will I earn a commission if you decide to click through and make a purchase.
1. The Joe Gardener Show with Joe Lamp'l
Joe has been obsessed with gardening ever since he was a kid. As the story goes he accidentally broke a branch off of his parent’s favorite shrub. In a panic, he stuck it into the ground and several weeks later it had taken root. He was hooked. Later he went on to earn a college degree in horticulture and business.
He was the host of two national TV shows Fresh from the Garden on DIY Network and GardenSMART on PBS before becoming the producer of his own show Growing a Greener World on PBS and founding joegardener.com with an extensive collection of how-to articles and videos, an online learning academy and of course this podcast.
If you only have time to listen to one podcast listen to this one. You're going to get the most bang for your buck. It’s jam-packed with valuable actionable information and it’s always such a pleasure to listen to Joe. He’s very knowledgeable, funny, and a great interviewer.
The first time I heard about Straw Bale Gardening was on Joe's show and I'm glad I did 😉
2. The Beginner’s Garden with Jill McSheeshy
Jill started her gardening journey in 2013 when she became a stay at home mom and needed to find a way to cut down on her family’s grocery bill. With no prior experience and no good resources she forged ahead, learning as she went.
Today she’s determined to help new gardeners grow their best gardens and to provide help and information along the way. She has an online gardening course for beginners and this podcast.
This podcast - as the name suggests - is geared toward beginner gardeners. Jill always has great advice and shares what she has learned along the way, her successes as well as her struggles. Having been a beginner not too long ago herself, I find her very relatable.
3. A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach
Margaret Roach is a well known author, gardener and educator. In 2007 she left a successful career as Martha Stewart’s garden editor in NYC to live and work full time in her country estate in Upstate New York.
She has written four books on gardening, has a weekly radio show (which is available as a podcast) and regularly holds lectures, webinars and in person workshops. Her garden is also open for public viewing on select days.
Margaret has a way with words (not only written words) and it shines through in her podcast. It’s a true delight to listen to her despite or maybe because of her heavy use of botanical Latin.
No, this is not your typical Beginner’s podcast but a very important one nonetheless. Why? Because of Margaret’s strong focus on wildlife conservation, native plants and pollinator gardening.
Often as beginner gardeners we are all so focused on “our” tomatoes, “our” apples or “our” roses that we forget the bigger picture, which is really the smaller picture: the beneficial insects, the birds, the frogs, toads and bats that can find a home in our yards.
4. Let's Argue About Plants
This podcast is produced by the editors of Fine Gardening Magazine. Every other week they present different plants around a specific topic (e.g. shrubs for shade, focal point plants, best foundation plants, etc.). The focus of this podcast is more on ornamental plants and design with the occasional episode on edibles.
This podcast used to really crack me up due to the banter between the two cohosts Danielle Sherry and Steve Aitken. Sadly, Steve has since left the show and his replacement Carol Collins is a lot more mildly mannered, but just as knowledgeable.
I never miss an episode of this show and it has taught me a new way to think about plants. Things like four-season interest, layering, texture, and color combinations weren't things I used to give much thought to.
Conclusion
There you have it. My absolute favorite gardening podcasts for beginners. You really can't go wrong with these four.
Until next time. Happy Tinkering!
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