Rephonic
Artwork for Growing Greener

Growing Greener

Tom Christopher
Native Plants
Biodiversity
Ecological Gardening
Gardening
Climate Change
Horticulture
Sustainable Gardening
Pollinators
Ecological Landscaping
Perfect Earth Project
Soil Health
Invasive Species
Garden Design
Invasive Plants
Berkshire Botanical Garden
High Line
Less Lawn, More Life Challenge
Sustainable Landscaping
Ecology
Native Plants Movement

Your weekly half-hour program about environmentally informed gardening. Each week we bring you a different expert, a leading voice on gardening in partnership with Nature. Our goal is to make your landscape healthier, more beautiful, more sustainable, and more fun.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes356Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Home & GardenEarth SciencesScienceLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Growing Greener

Latest Episodes

James Hitchmough, an eminent British garden designer and former professor of horticultural ecology asserted on a previous episode that research confirms that gardens rich in alien plants support a greater diversity of insects. Today, Matthew Shepherd... more

Dr. Jason Downing of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden turns rare orchid propagation into an educational adventure for Miami area students, beautifies the cityscape, and rescues native Floridian species from the brink of extinction.

In this week's Growing Greener Heather McCargo, founder of the Wild Seed Project, describes its programs to encourage gardeners to grow native plants from wild-collected seeds to preserve genetic diversity in the garden and beyond, and how McCargo ha... more

One of the ways that invasive plants displace indigenous floras is "allelopathy." In a conversation first broadcast in February 2024, Dr. Susan Kalisz of the University of Tennessee Knoxville describes how many introduced plants actually poison the s... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Matthew Shepherd
Director of Outreach and Education at the Xerces Society
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Episode: Are Alien Plants Superior at Supporting Insect Diversity in the Garden?
Jason Downing
Orchid biologist, Director of Research at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Episode: The Million Orchid Project Turns Urban Areas into Sanctuaries for Critically Endangered Native Species
Heather McCargo
Founder of the Wild Seed Project
Wild Seed Project
Episode: Maine's Wild Seed Project Offers Education and an Example of Nationwide Significance
Susan Kalisz
Professor, University of Tennessee Knoxville
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Episode: Chemical Warfare from Invasive Plants
Nicole Gauthier
Plant pathologist
University of Kentucky Extension Service
Episode: Using Genetics to Avoid Spraying in the Vegetable Garden
Dan Jaffe Wilder
Director of Applied Ecology at North Cross Wildlife Foundation
North Cross Wildlife Foundation
Episode: Make Your Lawn a Low-Maintenance Contributor to Biodiversity and Landscape Beauty
Gabriela D'Elia
Mycologist and board member of Fundus
Fundus (Fungal Diversity Survey)
Episode: A Gardener's Introduction to Fungi and Their Essential Support for Plants
James Lord
Landscape architect
Surface Design, Inc.
Episode: A Brazilian Genius of the last Century Created Invaluable Lessons for Today's Ecological Gardeners
James Hitchmough
British garden designer and professor of horticultural ecology
University of Sheffield (or related UK institutions)
Episode: A British Horticultural Ecologist Challenges the U.S. Consensus

Host

Tom Christopher
Host of discussions focused on environmentally informed gardening practices, sharing in-depth knowledge and expert insights.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 148 ratings
  • Montana natives for lawns

    Wonderful information! What native plants can I introduce to my lawn in NW MT.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    loonladymt
    United Statesa month ago
  • Making us ALL better gardeners!

    Growing Greener is a fantastic resource for both professional and amateur gardeners alike, bringing new ideas, techniques and garden news to us all, informative and on point!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dashford25
    Australiaa year ago
  • Top of my list

    Growing Greener is consistently engaging. I appreciate the deep knowledge of the host, Tom Christopher. He asks excellent questions. I look forward to listening every week. This radio broadcast/podcast always leaves me feel satisfied but wishing there was more time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rosemary’s Herbs
    United States2 years ago
  • Top quality content, well researched

    Excellent podcast. Host Tom Christopher and guests are well informed. This host really adds depth to the discussion AND allows his guests to deliver great information.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    F Helvet
    United States2 years ago
  • One of my top garden podcasts!

    I started listening to Growing Greener a few months ago and now I never miss an episode. Tom Christopher is so knowledgeable about all things gardens. Aside from gardening he also imparts his true love of the natural world and it shows in the type of guests he has on the show. A+

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kitzi from Kansas City
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback highlights the host's ability to ask excellent questions that drive meaningful conversations.
The podcast is described as informative and engaging, often leaving listeners wanting more.
Listeners appreciate the focus on practical, sustainable gardening techniques.
Many value the expert insights shared by the host and guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Million Orchid Project Turns Urban Areas into Sanctuaries for Critically Endangered Native Species
Q: What are the signs that the program is succeeding in the urban environment?
Success is shown by pollinators visiting, seed capsules forming, and the emergence of self-sustaining populations as fungi and host trees support ongoing growth.
The Million Orchid Project Turns Urban Areas into Sanctuaries for Critically Endangered Native Species
Q: How scalable is the propagation process, and can it be taught to non-specialists?
Propagation from seed is scalable and can be taught to broad audiences, which is why we extended labs into 100+ schools and even built a mobile lab to bring the process into communities.
The Million Orchid Project Turns Urban Areas into Sanctuaries for Critically Endangered Native Species
Q: Jason, how did you decide which species to focus on for urban deployment?
We selected drought-hardy, salt-tolerant species that can handle heat islands, then verified that local genetics would be represented by using seeds from multiple mother plants to preserve genetic diversity.
Are Alien Plants Superior at Supporting Insect Diversity in the Garden?
Q: How should gardeners balance aesthetics and ecological value when designing a small garden?
Gardeners should prioritize plant diversity and structure that provide nectar, pollen, and caterpillar food while incorporating water features like ponds when possible; even small changes, such as adding a border of native nectar plants or creating microhabitats, can substantially boost biodiversity without sacrificing beauty.
Are Alien Plants Superior at Supporting Insect Diversity in the Garden?
Q: What does the evidence suggest about native plants versus non-native plants in supporting native invertebrates?
Evidence indicates native plants generally support higher diversity and abundance of native invertebrates, particularly caterpillars, which in turn supports birds and other wildlife; however, some studies show that mixed gardens with non-native plants can still contribute value, though not at the same level as native-dominated plantings.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Greener

What is Growing Greener about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on environmentally informed gardening, this podcast features conversations with experts who aim to promote sustainability in landscaping and gardening practices. Topics range from innovative techniques such as landrace gardening and sustainable landscaping with native plants, to understanding ecological relationships and garden biodiversity. The discussions often highlight practical tips and education on integrating ecology with gardening, making it a valuable resource for both novice and experienced gardeners interested in nature-friendly practices. The host's deep knowledge and the variety of guests ensure that listeners gain insights that not only enhance the appeal of their gardens but also contribute positively to the environme... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Growing Greener?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Growing Greener. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Growing Greener and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Growing Greener get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Growing Greener, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Growing Greener?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Growing Greener, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Growing Greener have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Growing Greener has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Growing Greener are there?

Growing Greener launched 7 years ago and published 356 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Growing Greener?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Growing Greener?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Growing Greener from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Growing Greener?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Growing Greener. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Growing Greener?

Recent guests on Growing Greener include:

1. Matthew Shepherd
2. Jason Downing
3. Heather McCargo
4. Susan Kalisz
5. Nicole Gauthier
6. Dan Jaffe Wilder
7. Gabriela D'Elia
8. James Lord

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days