Backyard Ecology Podcast
1) How to Be Successful with Your Habitat Goals
Summary When it comes to creating habitat, having a written set of goals can be extremely helpful in moving a task from the "I'll get to it someday" category to the "I'm actually going to get this don...Show More
2) Short's aster: A beautiful late season extravaganza for pollinators
Summary Late blooming native plants are crucial sources of pollen and nectar for pollinators. One of my favorite species that blooms in October, and often into early November, is Short's aster (Symphy...Show More
3) The Science Behind "Leave the Leaves"
Summary “Leave the leaves” has become an increasingly common mantra each fall. However, until recently little to no scientific research had been done to quantify impacts of leaving your leaves in a ty...Show More
4) Black-eyed Susan: A must-have for the pollinator garden
Summary Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a beautiful native plant that can be found throughout most of the eastern U.S. and makes a great addition to pollinator and native plant gardens. It can g...Show More
5) A Bad Naturalist’s Journey to Restore a Mountaintop Meadow
Summary Paula Whyman shares her journey of trying to restore and manage a remnant prairie located on a Virginia mountaintop. Our conversation touches upon some of the challenges she faced, lessons she...Show More
6) Native Plants That Attract Hummingbirds to Eastern U.S. Gardens
Summary Hummingbirds are probably one of the most beloved groups of birds that people want to attract to their yards. In this episode, I share 10 of my favorite native plants for attracting hummingbir...Show More
7) Gardening for Moths: Why It’s Important for Backyard Conservation
Summary In this episode, we focus on the fascinating world of moths and why gardening for moths is so im-portant for any backyard ecologist. We also talk about specific native plants grow to attract m...Show More
8) 9 Native Blueberries You Can Grow in the Home Landscape
Summary Our native Vacciniums, what we commonly call the blueberries, are keystone plants which support tons of pollinators and wildlife. They also produce yummy berries which we can eat. In this epis...Show More
9) Choose the Best Native Milkweed for Your Eastern U.S. Garden
Summary Milkweeds are a common component of butterfly and pollinator gardens. Not only are they important for monarch caterpillars, but they are also used by a wide variety of pollinators. There are l...Show More
10) Laurel Wilt: How Tiny Beetles Can Kill Huge Trees
Summary In this episode, we dive deep into Laurel Wilt Disease which is a vascular wilt disease affecting trees in the Lauraceae family, such as sassafras, spicebush, and redbay. We discuss its histor...Show More