This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are discussing wintry arrangements with Todd Carr of Snug Harbor Farm in Maine! Tune into this episode to hear about Todd’s journey from Brooklyn to Maine, and his experiences working for Alice and Carmen at their old shop in Williamsburg. Learn about different gardening aesthetics, and how Todd’s move to New England has sharpened his eye for Yankee stylings. Find out what types of plants from greenhouses and home gardens make grea...
Dec 02, 2013•43 min•Ep. 121
How was the first Thanksgiving actually celebrated? This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are getting historical with Lorie Danek and Kelly Araujo of the Plimoth Plantation garden! Tune into this episode to learn what types of vegetables were cultivated and introduced to the Pilgrims in the 1600s. Are these plant varieties still available and widely consumed? Learn more about the agricultural techniques that the Pilgrims learned, and why compost was not common in the O...
Nov 25, 2013•45 min•Ep. 120
Curious about vegetable trivia? Tune into this week’s edition of We Dig Plants to learn some interesting veggie facts from Rebecca Rupp, author of How Carrots Won the Trojan War . Alice Marcus Krieg talks with Rebecca about the namesake for her book; how did the Trojans use carrots to avoid leaving the Trojan Horse for the bathroom? Find out why spinach can diffuse bombs, but still be a great ingredient in firework construction! Tune in to learn how a plate of peas almost changed the course of U...
Nov 18, 2013•33 min•Ep. 119
Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking herbal remedies and alternative medicine with Nicole Weigl and Jacqui Daniels of The Herb Shoppe. Tune into this episode to learn what herbal medicines are most popular at The Herb Shoppe, and what symptoms these herbs treat. Find out how Nicole and Jacqui feel about the government regulation of herbal remedies, and find out if Western doctors are adopting alternative medical treatments. Learn more about Nicole’s medical training, and hear her tal...
Nov 11, 2013•36 min•Ep. 118
This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by botanical painting collector Isaac M. Sutton. Isaac fell in love with botanical art when he first saw Dr. Shirley Sherwood’s collection during its New York debut. Hear how Isaac became educated in botanical art through the Hunt Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, and how he learned to identify quality botanical paintings. Learn about some of the artists in Isaac’s collection, and hear how his collection was able ...
Nov 04, 2013•37 min•Ep. 117
This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are getting into the spirit of Halloween with Sheryl Humphrey, author of The Haunted Garden: Death and Transfiguration in the Folklore of Plants . Hear how Sheryl’s home herb garden sparked her interest in the legends surrounding plants. Hear about the many mythologies that involve mortals and deities turning into plants or trees. How do stories regarding plants and death differ in Eastern and Western traditions? Hear how certain l...
Oct 28, 2013•29 min•Ep. 116
This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito is talking autumn bulbs with Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs! Learn how Brent and Becky select uncommon bulbs from Holland to offer in their catalogue. Should tulips be treated as perennials, or should they be planted every year? Find out what types of bulbs fair well in shade, and which ones flourish in swampy conditions! Find out why so many rooftop gardeners are planting tulips, daffodils, and other bulb varieties. How should bulbs be stored? L...
Oct 14, 2013•34 min•Ep. 115
This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus-Krieg dig into the world of garden writing and self-publishing with Sandra and Zora Knauf of Greenwoman Magazine ! Greenwoman is published and edited by the mother-daughter duo of Sandra and Zora, and features fiction, poetry, and comics pertaining to gardening and nature. Hear how Sandra fell in love with garden writing, and why she decided to self-publish. How has the literary world shifted towards a botique-publishing model? Hear abou...
Oct 07, 2013•30 min•Ep. 114
How do plants experience their surroundings? This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with Danny Chamowitz, professor at the Tel Aviv University and the author of What A Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses . Learn how plants’ perceptions of light and color help them to survive. Find out whether or not plants can smell, and how they react to decay or disease around them. What cause fruit to ripen? Later, find out how plants’ awareness of gravity influence...
Sep 30, 2013•32 min•Ep. 113
Fall is the perfect time to plant! This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with innovative nursery owner Tim Kane. Tim’s Prides Corner Farms supply plants for all seasons to gardeners and landscapers alike. Hear how Tim hopes to make gardeners question the common idea that planting should be done only in the springtime. Later, Tim talks about plant branding, and how marketing plants can expose different varieties to horticulture enthusiasts. What annuals are...
Sep 23, 2013•32 min•Ep. 112
Culinary horticulturist Scott D. Appell returns to We Dig Plants to talk about the botanical effects of the Crusades! Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito talk with Scott from his home in Puerto Rico about the ornamental and edible plants that were introduced to Europe and beyond after the Crusades. Hear what plants were revered for religious reasons, and what plants from the Middle East were discovered and used for medicinal reasons. How did the fall of the Roman Empire and subsequent geologica...
Sep 16, 2013•33 min•Ep. 111
Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are back for their fourth season of We Dig Plants! Tune into this episode to learn about some of the new and exciting editions to the weekly program, including raffles and “The Horticultural Honor Roll”! Today’s guest is Dr. Kim Hummer, a USDA researcher and specialty crop curator based in Coravallis, Oregon. Learn what plant genetics Dr. Hummer studies in the Pacific Northwest, and why it’s her duty to study and conserve these varieties. Hear how Dr. Hummer ...
Sep 09, 2013•36 min•Ep. 110
What Would You Plant as a Farmer in 1784? On the season finale of We Dig Plants, Celebrate 229 Years of Service to America’s Farmers & Gardeners with Barbara Melera of America’s Oldest Seed House, Landreth’s. The D. Landreth Seed Company has been providing its customers with one of the most extensive selections of fine lawn and garden seeds in the world. Their founders introduced into the United States some of the most beloved flowers and vegetables known today including the Zinnia, the whit...
Mar 11, 2013•43 min•Ep. 109
What are the differences between public and private gardening? This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking with Aly Fox, Head Gardener at Groundworks, Inc., and public garden designer, Ronda Brand. Hear about Aly and Ronda’s backgrounds in horticulture, and how their training influenced their careers. Learn about the social impact of public landscape design, and the peculiarities of working for a private client. What elements are important for Ronda take into con...
Mar 04, 2013•31 min•Ep. 108
What plants have shaped civilization and culture? This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito chats with Bill Laws, writer, journalist, and author of the book 50 Plants That Changed the Course of History ! Tune in to this episode to hear Carmen and Bill discuss some of the more unlikely heroic plants. Find out about the classification of onions, and how sweet peas helped spawn modern genetic research. How have economies been altered by plants like ginger and ferns? Bill talks about some plants tha...
Feb 18, 2013•31 min•Ep. 107
We Dig Fungus! On today’s episode of We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are joined by Eugenia Bone, author of Mycophilia . Tune into this episode to hear Eugenia talk about the similarities between fungi and animals, and the pervasiveness of fungi in our ecosystem. Learn how plants often depend on fungi for nutrients through symbiosis! How have fungal infections of food supplies caused mass hysteria in the past? Also, did you know that most plants are inhabited by fungi? Learn m...
Feb 11, 2013•33 min•Ep. 106
Learn the delicate art of orchid growing on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito call up orchid expert Dave Horak of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Greater New York Orchid Society. Learn about the origins of the Greater New York Orchid Society, and why public perceptions of the plant have changed over the years. Hear why orchids are able to grow in most climates! How have orchid prices and overexposure popularized different varieties and species of the ...
Feb 04, 2013•37 min•Ep. 105
Lynden Miller designs gardens for the people! This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are chatting on the phone with public park garden designer, Lynden Miller. Lynden was a painter when she redesigned and restored the Central Park Conservatory Garden. Since then, Lynden has designed gardens in Madison Square Park, Wagner Park, the Central Park Zoo, and more! Listen in to hear Lynden discuss the need for parks and plants in low income neighborhoods. Learn about the impor...
Jan 28, 2013•35 min•Ep. 104
Joe Wolfson brings Southern cuisine to Connecticut at Terrain! This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are chatting with Joe about taking the garden into the kitchen! Hear why Joe decided to move up North from South Carolina. Has the North affected Joe’s cooking? Hear about Joe’s farm-to-table mentality, and how his formal training has helped him better understand food and seasonality. Learn about Terrain’s garden center, and find out what herbs Joe prefers in the kitche...
Jan 21, 2013•35 min•Ep. 103
Andrew Keys is talking about regional climates and gardening with Alice Marcus Krieg on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. Andrew is the author of the new book Why Grow That When You Can Grow This? , which is about alternatives for less versatile, popular plants. Tune into this episode to learn what grows heartily in the Northeast, and some healthy counterparts for exotic plants. Learn what trees and shrubs are suitable for your region! Hear about a few plant varieties that cover most of the ...
Jan 14, 2013•37 min•Ep. 102
We travel to Miami, Florida on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants! Alice Marcus-Krieg and Carmen Devito are speaking with garden designer and educator James Jiler. James is known for his past work at Rikers Island with his jail-to-street horticulture program, and is the currently running Urban GreenWorks in Miami. Hear about the benefits of gardening for inmates and at-risk youth. Tune in to hear James talk about the prevalence of organic farming in South Florida. Learn why James finds it impo...
Jan 07, 2013•37 min•Ep. 101
Today on We Dig Plants, hosts Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg celebrate the airing of their 100th episode! They begin the show with a list of their favorite things! Here about their favorite plants, fellow gardeners, and memories of their early gardens. These enthusiastic horticulturalists talk about the incredible journey that has taken them from constructing seaweed sculptures to a six story tall garden in New York City. They have a true passion for all things plants and their love is con...
Dec 17, 2012•42 min•Ep. 100
Today on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking with Billy Goodnick: gardener, musician, and author of Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space Into the Garden of Your Dreams . Tune into this episode to learn about the correlations between music and gardening! Billy also talks about his blog entitled Crimes Against Horticulture , and why he decided to focus on plant torture. How did bonsai trees peak Billy’s gardening interest. Tune in to find out how Billy differentiates between ‘...
Dec 10, 2012•37 min•Ep. 99
This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg and Carmen Devito are talking with Joe Lamp’l, Executive Producer and Host of the television show Growing a Greener World . Tune in to hear Joe talk about his “roots” in gardening, and how he got started hosting and producing garden television. Joe discusses the overlapping worlds of gardening, sustainability, and food, and how he hopes that his show can bring gardening to other like-minded people. Hear about some of Joe’s favorite Growing a Greener...
Dec 03, 2012•28 min•Ep. 98
This week on We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg is once again by herself interviewing Matthew Reich, the Vice President of City Harvest. City Harvest is a food rescue organization that saves surplus food from restaurants, retailers, and farmers and donates them to food pantries and soup kitchens all across the five boroughs. Tune in to learn about the food supply chain, and how much food is often wasted in all steps of the food production process. Hear how City Harvest has built relationships wit...
Nov 26, 2012•30 min•Ep. 97
On this week’s episode of We Dig Plants, Alice Marcus Krieg is hosting by herself. Alice is talking with Richard Horan, the author of Harvest: An Adventure into the Heart of America’s Family Farms . Tune into this episode to hear why the politics of illegal immigration inspired Richard to become a farm worker. How did Richard’s background in gardening prepare him to become a farmer? What parallels does Richard see in the disciplines of writing and farming? Tune in to hear some of Richard’s farm ...
Nov 19, 2012•35 min•Ep. 96
This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are joined via the telephone by Michael Marriott, the rosarian at David Austin Roses. David Austin is now 86 years old, and is still an enthusiastic plant breeder! Tune into this episode to learn about the myth of the English Rose, and how roses have developed to over time and through numerous cross-breeding experiments. Learn about the differences between old and modern rose species, and why some rose hybrids seem to lack “charm”....
Nov 12, 2012•38 min•Ep. 95
This week on We Dig Plants, Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking with experienced horticulturist Maria Zampini. Maria is a co-founder of UPSHOOT Horticulture, and writer for American Nurseryman Magazine and Nursery Management. Tune into this episode to hear Carmen, Alice, and Maria talk about the importance of marketing in the gardening industry. Why is gardening behind other industries in terms of branding and promotion? Hear Maria talk about how she hopes that HGTV will push garden...
Oct 22, 2012•34 min•Ep. 94
Noel Kingsbury returns on this week’s installment of We Dig Plants! Noel is a horticulturist, garden designer, and contributor to publications such as House & Garden, The Financial Times, and Acta Horticulturae. Tune in to hear Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg talk with Noel about the importance and difficulty of gathering plant knowledge. Noel also talks about his upcoming trip to South America, where he plans to assist a young gardener in using native Uruguayan plants in garden design....
Oct 15, 2012•31 min•Ep. 93
Carmen Devito and Alice Marcus Krieg are talking about the Columbian Exchange on this week’s episode of We Dig Plants. But don’t misconstrue this discussion as a celebration! On the phone is culinary horticulturist and historian Scott D. Appell to talk about the history of some our favorite New World plants. Learn about the origins of corn, and how it developed as a human-bred crop. How did European settlers influence Native American cooking techniques? Learn about the history of other fruits, r...
Oct 08, 2012•34 min•Ep. 92
