The Helpful Gardeners

We’re diving deep into the world of the Zygocactus—the ultimate "holiday" houseplant. If you’ve ever wondered why your "Christmas" cactus is blooming in October, what a 200 year old Christmas cactus looks like, or how the heck to tell them all apart, we’re sharing everything you need to keep these festive favorites thriving. Thanks to listener Jane for this week's question!

CONNECT WITH US

Golden Acre Home...

The holiday season is all about spreading joy. Forget boring gift tags and plain cards; we’re talking about creating beautiful, plantable paper masterpieces using recycled materials, festive cookie cutters, and a sprinkle of nature's magic - seeds!

CONNECT WITH US

Golden Acre Home & Garden is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and open 362 a year for all your home and garden needs!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

People are thinking outside the box when it comes to gardening and biodiversity. We recently heard about a smart idea out of Norway: they're actually combining snow with wildflower seeds and spreading it over hillsides. Imagine, literally planting flowers with snow! We're buzzing about how this cool concept could transform dormant ski hills into vibrant pollinator highways in the summer, and why you might not want to turn y...

This week's listener question is a timely one from Karen who is growing an iconic seasonal beauty - the Poinsettia! We totally get it—these plants are the quintessential holiday vibe, but they can be a little dramatic especially if you want to have one until next Christmas. We’re sharing all the secrets to Poinsettia success, from watering tips to the timely process of getting them to re-bloom.
CONNECT WITH US

Thank you for supportin...

 Ever walked into a space—like an office or a cozy community center—and just felt instantly better? Sure, the colour of the walls and orientation of the furniture influences the overall vibe, but chances are, plants are a big component too! We're on the road this week seeing how The Core in downtown Calgary to explore how plants inspire the holiday season in our shared spaces like malls, community centres, and more.

CONNECT WIT...

If your home is filled with trailing Hoya vines? Well, researchers have just announced the discovery of an entirely new Hoya species—Hoya dawodiensis—hidden away in the remote corners of India. It’s a powerful reminder that our planet still holds incredible secrets, and that every houseplant favourite has a wild origin story.

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place...

It's Wednesday. That means we turn things over to you and this week, we received a beautiful question on the podcast this week from a listener whose daughter is getting married next summer (congrats!) and is planning on making 12 floral centrepieces for the event! What should she do?

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a rating or r...

Ever feel like you're fighting for your patch of green? Imagine your city is doing an amazing thing by planting half a million trees but your already bountiful yard is chosen for one of these trees?! Should you have a say? We're digging into a wild story from Montreal where a resident is battling the city over their grand tree-planting plans. Is it green ambition or overreach?

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for support...

It's Diabetes Awareness Month and you may be asking, "Why are the Helpful Gardeners talking about this?" Sure, this might seem like a heavy topic, but there’s a fascinating connection! A new study came out proving how a desert berry may hold secrets to improving metabolic health.

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a ratin...

What if we could grow tomatoes in Death Valley? Your garden wilts in a heatwave, but this tiny plant thrives! We’re diving into a desert survivor that actually grows faster when temperatures soar above 49°C. Could this plants genes unlock potential for previously harsh growing conditions?

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a rating or ...

Did you know that goats are great weeders? If you've been to Calgary, AB, you may have seen Nose Hill Park host a herd of fluffy, four-legged lawnmowers tackle the weeds here annually. Plus, their digestive systems are champions at limiting the spread of harmful weeds in our natural areas! Let's dive in on today's episode....

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more ...

Ever watched one of those viral gardening videos and thought, "Huh, that's interesting... but also a little confusing?" We did too after seeing a popular video online of someone propagating basil in water. It developed beautiful roots, but then came the head-scratcher: why, oh why, do we then take those water-loving roots and plant them in soil that's designed to drain water away? Why do plants not like their root...

So, you know how things go when you're tidying up the garden in the fall? Brandi's husband got really into his cleanup this year and ended up building something totally awesome: a bug hotel! It got us thinking about these cool little shelters and how they're basically VIP lounges for all the helpful insects that keep our gardens thriving. As the weather gets chilly, these tiny neighbors need a safe spot to crash, so let...

Have you ever stood in the nursery aisle feeling totally overwhelmed by choices? Do you have a Pinterest board full of inspiration but not sure how to narrow it down? Well, the National Garden Bureau (NGB) just gave us the ultimate planting list for a little inspiration. They recently announced their official "Year Of" selections for 2026, and it’s a super helpful list covering everything from shade lovers to spicy edible...

It's one of the greatest feelings: walking out of the nursery with a new houseplant baby. But, if you’ve ever had a plant instantly start dropping leaves or, worse, introduce an unwelcome pest to your collection, you know that the journey from the store shelf to your living room is the most crucial part of its life! We got a great question from Nicole this week that we're answering on the podcast.

----------------------

C...

If you’ve been following the news about Monarch Butterflies, you know that life for these delicate travelers has been looking pretty rough. However, there's a ray of hope we need to talk about in this episode.

----------------------

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a rating or review and listen in for new gardening discussions every w...

Has your backyard (and pretty much every park path) been turned into an obstacle course of crunchy, rolling acorns lately? This week, we dive into "mast years"—nature's boom-and-bust cycle that oak trees go through with nut production. Learn why your local squirrels are having the feast of their lives, where the word "acorn" actually comes from, and a childhood favourite, and not so favourite, of Colin's...

Learning how to save the seeds is the ultimate trick to scoring a guaranteed bumper crop of all your favorite garden goodies. Plus, Colin brings another treasure from his garden to try and it's cuca-amazing!

----------------------

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a rating or review and listen in for new gardening discussions every wee...