

The Beet: A Podcast For Plant Lovers
Epic Gardening
The Beet started its existence as the Epic Gardening Podcast but has grown into a one-stop shop for plant lovers. Each week, we explore topics ranging from beginner gardening tips to in-depth discussions with industry and science experts. Here, we’ll open up new gardening horizons, inspire you to greater heights, share new and exciting discoveries in agriculture, and fill your mind with freshly harvested information you can apply to your own gardening journey.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 31, 2023 • 13min
Meg’s Favorite Tomato Varieties
Meg is growing 15 different varieties of tomatoes! She covers the different types in her garden and highlights a couple of interesting and exotic varieties. Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3EfeMMY Book Collection Page: https://growepic.co/3qPGMDH EG Homesteading Book: https://growepic.co/3YPA2lT Connect With Meagan Lloyd: Meg Lloyd currently grows, preserves, and cooks her own food in a small backyard garden in North Carolina. She started gardening three years ago, and it has given her a new appreciation for food. She has learned so much about how to prepare the fresh garden produce that she harvests. And now, she’s sharing her love for gardening and garden-to-table meals with the world! Instagram TikTok YouTube Blog Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and Jacques)
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Aug 30, 2023 • 14min
Beginner Chicken Keeping
Meg is starting her very first chicken coop! Here she discusses her choices regarding life stages, breeds, and coops Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3PdxSJs Book Collection Page: https://growepic.co/44yaWZP EG Homesteading Book: https://growepic.co/45FZ5Kc Connect With Meagan Lloyd: Meg Lloyd currently grows, preserves, and cooks her own food in a small backyard garden in North Carolina. She started gardening three years ago, and it has given her a new appreciation for food. She has learned so much about how to prepare the fresh garden produce that she harvests. And now, she’s sharing her love for gardening and garden-to-table meals with the world! Instagram TikTok YouTube Blog Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and Jacques)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 29, 2023 • 14min
Toxic Squash Syndrome
What is toxic squash syndrome? Listen to Meg talk about how to determine whether or not a squash is toxic, and what to do with it. She also talks about squash vine borer, and how to do surgery on squash when the borer larva is present. Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/44tvPp2 Book Collection Page: https://growepic.co/45onfth EG Homesteading Book: https://growepic.co/45OtMNF Connect With Meagan Lloyd: Meg Lloyd currently grows, preserves, and cooks her own food in a small backyard garden in North Carolina. She started gardening three years ago, and it has given her a new appreciation for food. She has learned so much about how to prepare the fresh garden produce that she harvests. And now, she’s sharing her love for gardening and garden-to-table meals with the world! Instagram TikTok YouTube Blog Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 28, 2023 • 16min
She Started a Thriving Garden in 3 Years
Meg Lloyd, creator of @meggrowsplants, shares her journey of starting a garden from scratch, expanding it over three seasons. She discusses setting up a garden on a new property, installing drip irrigation, and different watering techniques for plant health.

Aug 25, 2023 • 18min
How Tomato Color Impacts Flavor
The podcast explores the connection between tomato flavor, nostalgia, and personal preferences. It discusses how the visual appearance of tomatoes can influence flavor perception and delves into the versatility of tomatoes in cooking. The episode also highlights the uniqueness of tomato varieties and their distinct flavors categorized into tart, sweet, and intense. Additionally, it discusses the role of sugar in determining tomato taste and offers information on canning tomatoes.

Aug 24, 2023 • 16min
Do THIS to Grow EPIC Tomatoes
Believe it or not, Epic Tomatoes is a book written by Craig LeHoullier! Here he outlines all the basic tenets of great tomato-growing. Having a bountiful harvest of these fruits involves building in quality at every step, from seed-selection to ripening. Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3OYV1zo Book Collection Page: https://growepic.co/3KKjNRc EG Homesteading Book: https://growepic.co/3YEVqtT Learn More: 38 Types Of Tomatoes For Glorious Garden Success Connect With Craig LeHoullier: Craig LeHoullier, PhD (chemistry), advisor for tomatoes to the Seed Savers Exchange, co-leader of the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, author of Epic Tomatoes and Growing Vegetables in Strawbales (Storey publishing), approaching his 40th year of gardening. Instagram Website YouTube Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and Jacques)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2023 • 23min
Growing in Straw Bales Containers
When Craig started gardening tomatoes, he learned to maximize his space by growing them in containers, and straw bales. In this episode, he reveals his secrets for successful bale and container tomatoes, and turns to the old adage “what you put in, you get out.” Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3snsaM7 Book collection page: https://growepic.co/3OIiyDc EG homesteading book: https://growepic.co/3quiYFs Learn More: 38 Types Of Tomatoes For Glorious Garden Success Connect With Craig LeHoullier: Craig LeHoullier, PhD (chemistry), advisor for tomatoes to the Seed Savers Exchange, co-leader of the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, author of Epic Tomatoes and Growing Vegetables in Strawbales (Storey publishing), approaching his 40th year of gardening. Instagram Website YouTube Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and Jacques)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22, 2023 • 13min
The Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project
Craig’s Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project has been going strong for the last 18 years. Fervor about this project spread largely through word of mouth. He and other gardeners involved in the project have developed some of the coolest dwarf cultivars out there in conjunction with the Open Source Seed Initiative. Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3s8Sxp2 Book collection page: https://growepic.co/3qusUPh EG homesteading book: https://growepic.co/44f57Ar Learn More: 38 Types Of Tomatoes For Glorious Garden Success Connect With Craig LeHoullier: Craig LeHoullier, PhD (chemistry), advisor for tomatoes to the Seed Savers Exchange, co-leader of the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, author of Epic Tomatoes and Growing Vegetables in Strawbales (Storey publishing), approaching his 40th year of gardening. Instagram Website YouTube Shop the Store As an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Shop now and get 5% off your first order. Get Our Books Looking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin’s book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live! He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots. Preorder Kevin’s newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin’s books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store. More Resources Looking for more information? Follow us: Our Blog
YouTube (Including our Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden channels)
Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, and
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 21, 2023 • 14min
The Godfather of Tomato Growing
Craig LeHoullier, experienced tomato gardener for over 40 years, discusses his current tomato projects, fascinating tomato flavors and nuances, preserving heirloom varieties, flavorful peppers, hybridization, and the impact of unusual weather on tomato growing.

Aug 18, 2023 • 12min
Looking forward to fall: What do you both have planned for the garden this fall
Kevin and Jacques discuss their fall garden plans, including greenhouse improvements and growing various plants before year-end. They talk about the benefits of starting seeds in a greenhouse, growing onions in small spaces, and share tips for successful fall gardening.