The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy
Welcome to the Beginner's Garden Podcast! This is the podcast with easy-to-understand resources, tips, and information to help beginning gardeners get the most out of their gardening adventure -- big or small. When I began gardening in 2013, I scoured books and Internet resources to find all the information I could. Although good information was abundant, I had trouble understanding all the gardening lingo and sifting through the information to figure out what would work for me. In this podcast, my aim is to provide helpful information while explaining the gardening lingo as we go. I want to equip YOU to have the best start ever this gardening season!
Episodes
May 6, 2025 • 42 mins
Are you ready to take your herb gardening and foraging skills to the next level? In today’s episode, author Bevin Cohen joins me to share practical, beginner-friendly advice on growing, harvesting, and using herbs throughout the seasons. We explore common herbs like calendula, dill, chickweed, plantain, dandelion, and parsley—and even touch on wild foraging and preserving herbs for year-round use. Whether you’re growin...
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April 29, 2025 • 38 mins
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April 22, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode, we explore how backyard gardeners can apply market farming techniques to grow healthier, more productive gardens with Pam Dawling author of Sustainable Market Farming. From disease and pest control to crop rotation and weeding, our guest shares practical, sustainable strategies drawn from real-world farming experience.
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Have you ever wondered how gardeners knew when to plant before weather apps, frost charts, or ChatGPT? Today we’re talking phenology—the art (and science) of reading nature’s cues to time your planting.
🌼 Forsythia blooms, dandelion sightings, and dogwood flowers...
...
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April 8, 2025 • 29 mins
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April 1, 2025 • 35 mins
April is here, and garden season is in full swing! But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks ahead, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m breaking it all down so you can focus on what’s most important and skip the stress. We’ll cover:
🌱 Essential garden tasks to tackle this month
🌿 What to plant based on your last ...
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March 25, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode, I sit down with Chad Cargill to dive deep into one of his favorite fruits to grow—blackberries! Whether you're a beginner or have been growing blackberries for years, this conversation is packed with insights. Chad shares his passion for blackberries, the best varieties to grow, tips for pruning and trellising, and how to get the sweetest harvest possible. We also discuss the impo...
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March 18, 2025 • 39 mins
Want to grow sweet, homegrown blueberries? In this episode, we’re diving into everything you need to know about planting, caring for, and harvesting blueberries. Whether you’re growing them for the first time or looking to boost your current harvest, I’ll cover:
🌱 How to pick the perfect variety for your region
🌍 Why plantin...
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March 11, 2025 • 29 mins
March 4, 2025 • 50 mins
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February 28, 2025 • 22 mins
March is one of the busiest planting months! In this episode, I’ll share exactly what I’m planting in the weeks leading up to my last frost date. Whether your climate matches mine or not, you can adjust the timing based on your own frost date.
What You’ll Learn:
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Key crops to plant in early, mid, and late March
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How to adjust for your last frost date
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Tips for direct sowing, tran...
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February 25, 2025 • 30 mins
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February 21, 2025 • 28 mins
Remember all that extra time you had for gardening in 2020? Fast forward five years, and life feels busier than ever. But you’re still gardening—which means you’re finding ways to make it work. The biggest challenge? Time.
In this special episode of The Beginner’s Garden Podcast, we’re exploring how AI, specifically ChatGPT, can help streamline your garden planning so you can spend more time growing and less time on tedious researc...
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February 18, 2025 • 27 mins
When you hear "companion planting," do you feel excited, skeptical, or just plain confused? In this episode, we're cutting through the myths and giving you a practical, science-backed approach to pairing plants in your garden.
What You'll Learn:
🌿 Myth 1: Do certain plants really boost each other’s growth?
🐞 Myth 2: Can companion planting truly prevent all pests?
🌱 Myth 3: Will plants always thrive together if paired correctly?
...
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February 14, 2025 • 23 mins
Welcome to our first Friday bonus episode of the season! As you gear up for gardening this year, we're diving into a topic that has been the biggest game-changer for my garden’s productivity: understanding the differences between cool-season and warm-season crops.
We’ll explore:
🌱 Why some crops thrive in cool weather while others prefer heat
🌡️ The science behind plant temperature preferences and how enzymes react to different c...
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February 11, 2025 • 32 mins
Gardening success often comes down to avoiding a few common mistakes. In today's episode, Jill dives into 5 overlooked mistakes to think about. If you think about them now, it will help you down the road in the season.
Don't forget to sign up for the Masterclass here: https://journeywithjill.net/masterclass
Show Notes:
Thank you to our sponsors: Organic REV
Organic ...
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February 4, 2025 • 26 mins
February is a complex month for gardeners in the U.S. Some of us are weeks away from planting, while others are already in the garden. In this episode, Jill shares 7 essential garden tasks to tackle in February, ensuring you're prepared for a productive gardening season, no matter where you are in your journey. With practical tips and resources, you'll feel confident and ready to hit the ground running!
Links Mentioned:
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January 28, 2025 • 46 mins
This week I am speaking with Dr. Alicia Wasula, a forensic meteoroloist to discuss what she does in relation to the weather and how that can affect your garden.
Links Mentioned:
Before You Sow Mini Course (free for 1 week): https://journeywithjill.net/beforeyousow
Connect with Dr. Wasula here: https://www.stmweather.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/@stmweather_gardens
Show Notes:
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January 21, 2025 • 34 mins
If you're like me, you're itching to get started on this year’s garden season. But here’s the deal—starting seeds indoors too early is one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make this time of year. In today’s episode, I’ll share the seeds I’m starting indoors in January and February and how you can adjust your timing depending on your climate. Stick around until the end, because I’ll explain what can go wrong if you start too early ...
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January 14, 2025 • 33 mins
Is it possible to grow protein-packed vegetables in your garden? In this episode, we break it down for you! Building on last week’s conversation with Dr. Vickie Petz Kasper about the importance of plant-based proteins, I’m sharing which crops are worth your time, space, and effort.
We’ll cover:
- Dry beans like pinto, kidney, and black beans
- Shelling beans such as black-eyed peas and lima beans
- Chickpeas, lentils, edamame, and m...
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