Recent Volunteer Gardener Clips

Residential Composting System on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Residential Composting System

May 23, 2024

Compost is one of the best things to add to the garden. Marty DeHart shows off a simple design for a backyard cool weather composting system that features 3 connected bins with wood slats. Garden waste and vegetable scraps are the important elements that get transformed within this type of composting system.

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Pollinator Pathway on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Pollinator Pathway

May 23, 2024

There's a beautiful native plant experience on the plaza adjacent to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. Several garden beds highlight this large space, and each is brimming with native perennials, shrubs, and vines. Each plant was selected for what in can offer particular pollinators.

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Planting for Pollinators on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Planting for Pollinators

May 16, 2024

What a treat to visit the home garden of a horticulture power couple! Rita Venable is amazed by all the great plants that support pollinators in a very long border bed. Also on the property is a utility right-of-way that they are transitioning into a beneficial plant palette. In the 4 years of garden transitions,, the goal is to continue to shovel out plants of an invasive growth habit, and replace with environmentally beneficial trees, shrubs and perennials. Plus, we'll be introduced to a new and unique spot in the garden they call the 'loggery'.

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Mid-summer blooming perennials on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Mid-summer blooming perennials

May 16, 2024

The mercury climbs in mid-summer, but so can the beauty in your garden. April Moore profiles some of her favorite perennials that have colorful blooms to admire, and attract hummingbirds and pollinators. Among these great plants are salvias, lobelias, rudbeckia and phlox.

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Amaryllis: Culture and Care on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Amaryllis: Culture and Care

May 02, 2024

Hippeastrum, commonly referred to as amaryllis, is in the grass family and is native to South America. Bulbs can remain viable for many years with the correct care. When dormant, they only need watering once a week. When the bulb starts producing a shoot, watering should be more frequent.

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Plantings for a public space on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Plantings for a public space

May 02, 2024

There's a new use for the 185 acres campus where Lakeshore Mental Health Institute once operated. The picturesque setting overlooking the Tennessee River is now a recreational public park welcoming 1 million visitors annually. We learn from the landscape architect about the plant choices for the park, and see how they are used.

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Greenhouse Operations on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Greenhouse Operations

April 25, 2024

April Moore visits the greenhouse at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage to learn about their propagation efforts. In the fall, most of the propagation is from cuttings. Then in January they begin propagating from seed. The new plants are used both in the landscape beds onsite, and also for the annual plant sales.

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The plan

The plan, the infrastructure, then the plants

April 25, 2024

This home garden features a variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees that flow nicely through multiple beds. But this wasn't by happenstance. This garden took a lot of planning and prep work before the first plant went in. First the hardscape was laid, then the electrical support went in along with drainage and irrigation elements. This garden is pretty during the day, and beautiful at night.

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Peppers and Eggplants on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Peppers and Eggplants

April 25, 2024

Organic market gardener Jeff Poppen discusses this year's crops of peppers and eggplant.

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Fig Tree: Ornamental and Edible on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Fig Tree: Ornamental and Edible

April 18, 2024

Two fig tree fans enumerate the attributes of this notable tree. We learn the optimum growing conditions, and they share their favorite variety.

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Propagating native plants on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Propagating native plants

April 18, 2024

Columbine, Virginia bluebell, Major Wheeler honeysuckle, and dwarf crested iris are a few of the native plants discussed. Highlighted is how each plant contributes to wildlife sustainability, and how they are propagated. Several methods are demonstrated.

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Vegetable garden for body and soul on NPT's Volunteer Gardener

Vegetable garden for body and soul

April 18, 2024

Host Tammy Algood visits with an enthusiastic gardener who has her whole family involved in a new vegetable garden at their house. While she is learning what's all involved in getting the best yield, she has found that gardening is rewarding on a personal level, She has found it gives her a sense of accomplishment, it connects her to nature, and it provides inspiration for her career as a songwriter.

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