Episodes
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And that's a wrap!
The Growing Season closes the book on 2024 in their typical fashion.
Focusing on how horticulture and spirits intersect, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the herbals and aromatics that infuse your favourite seasonal drinks.
New Years Resolutions are highlighted. The McFarlands outline what they'd like to see for the upcoming year.
The differences between seasoning and spices? What are said differences?
Infusion and maceration are discussed. Soaking of herbals in alcohol to infuse flavours. Sounds heavenly. Lets explain how its done.
What are hops and why are they used in beer? How did this come to be?
Gin is a prominent topic of discourse. In fact, a live tasting of gin is undertaken on the show. Jack and Lynne try a gin and tonic for the first time.
Aromatic bitters and their usage in cocktails is explained.
Matt gushes about gin. And gushes and gushes...
Wine, Champagne, whiskey, vodka are just some of the spirits that are chatted about.
New school vs. old school wine making is highlighted.
Tune in.
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The penultimate episode of The Growing Season for 2024 is a festive offering of wonder...
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland steer their sights on the visitors that accompany the Christmas Season into your home.
Matt tees the show off by highlighting the career of a member of the cast of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
How do you pet proof your house during the Christmas Season? Are there ways of keeping your cat from drinking from the Christmas Tree reservoir?
How do you properly prep your tree to accept water?
Amaryllis, Christmas Trees, Candy Canes, bowls of golf balls and many more holiday favourites are discussed.
Santa and Coca Cola are linked in history. The McFarlands explain how.
Poinsettias and their presence as part of the holiday season is a topic of interest. Lumps of coal and road apples... Yup, you read that right.
Jack tells a story about a Christmas Tree heist.
Hans Gruber's great, great, great Grandfather was a famous composer. Matt tells a Die Hard story...
Pet rocks!? WHAT?
Christmas gifts from the past are discussed.
Tune in.
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Missing episodes?
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Its the most wonderful time of the year.
The holidays are in full swing on The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland get into the heavy hitters of the Christmas Season.
Poinsettia's kick off the proceedings. Do they flower? Where do they grow naturally? How do you initiate the colour change?
Matt details his adventures in witnessing the change in colour on Christmas's most popular potted plant. Can you initiate the colour change at home?
Choosing a poinsettia at the store comes into focus.
Christmas cacti are a prominent topic. Their care and watering needs are highlighted by The McFarland trio.
Why is mistletoe associated with Christmas and kissing? This parasitic plant is really interesting.
Real Christmas Trees and their shedding tendencies fill the second half of the show.
The pros and cons of artificial trees vs. real trees comes into focus.
How to set yourself up for success with your real Christmas Tree is discussed.
Christmas flocking. Yeah...lets do some of that!
Tune in.
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Baby, it's cold outside...
Matt has packed up the job site tools for the season and is set to kick off the holiday fare for 2024.
"How would we, as humanity, survive during an ice age?"
It's the question that The McFarlands ask to tee off this week's episode of The Growing Season.
What would you be willing to give up in an effort to preserve what's left of our climate? Hard questions abound...
How are people overcoming extreme cold to participate in horticultural adventures? Matt, Jack and Lynne discuss.
The odds of an ice age occurring soonish is slim. The McFarlands take a geographical adventure to discuss what areas of the world would fare best in the event of an ice age.
The world produces 150% more food than we need on a daily basis. Why?
"Human emissions" as a fuel source? Would it work? Matt details how.
The size of vegetable garden for a family of 4 is discussed. You'd be surprised to learn how big the garden needs to be to supply a family with produce for the season.
Terra cotta pots as a heat source.
What plants can grow is insanely cold climates. You'll find out.
Tune in.
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How do horticultural organisms handle the extreme’s of nature?
The Growing Season pulls the curtains back on the amazing abilities of the plants in your gardens.
Lightning kicks the show off. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the ins and outs of lightning and how it’s managed on your property.
How many people die per year as a result of interactions with lightning?
You’ve seen a tree growing through a chain link fence. How does the tree survive? The McFarland’s explain.
Salt. Uh oh.
Not salt on your food but salt on your plants. How do plants deal with a salty environment?
Are there plants available that are salt tolerant. The McFarlands bring a list with them.
Wind can be problematic for plants. The Growing Season trio explain the ins and outs of something called “reaction wood” and how it ties into wind.
Which large trees handle high wind environments the best? You’ll be surprised to learn.
Forest fires and controlled burns are discussed. The Coastal Redwood comes into focus.
Tune in.
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Do skunks hibernate? What about doves?
The McFarland's discuss the winter survival tactics employed by many a creature on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt kick the show off by chatting about how to insulate your home for the winter months. Are you prepared for winter? The trio tell you how to get there.
What are goosebumps? Why do they occur?
Jack plays "Imagine If You Will..."
What do deer eat in the winter? Where do they over winter? Do they have a den?
Rabbits eat their WHAT.... You'll be surprised to know.
Why do some birds fly south and some don't? It's a "follow the food" procedure and you'll find out why.
Coyotes, wolves and other canids are discussed. Snails overwinter. Its disgusting how they do it. Strap in! Bees, bees and more bees.
Tune in.
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Its time for a visit from The Sandman...
The McFarland's steer The Growing Season into the final days of outdoor horticultural adventures for 2024.
Its time to put your flower beds to...bed.
Is this time of year the best time to get involved in Landscape Design? Yes. Jack and Matt tell you why.
Matt tells a Seinfeld story.
How do you store your fall flowering bulbs for the winter? The McFarlands tell you how. Should you be cutting your perennials back in the fall? If so, which ones and why?
Hydrangeas come into focus by way of The Clematis. Group 1, 2 and three clematis are discussed.
Fall fertilizing is discussed. Planting at this time of year is discussed. The pros and cons of undertaking such an endeavour are discussed.
Staking/burlapping your sensitive shrubs is discussed.
The McFarlands discuss the steps necessary to put your water feature to bed.
Tune in.
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Feeling sleepy?
Well, its that time of year.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss putting your gardens to bed on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
As they do every year, The McFarlands highlight some innovative ways to prep your horticultural spaces for the long sleep.
Jack and Lynne have dealt with mouse issues recently. Matt discusses the ways he helps clients to safe guard against mouse invasion. The least you need to know? Your AC and Furnace might be the cause of all the mice you're finding in your home.
Installing Christmas lights comes into focus. Why do this now? The trio explain.
Should you fertilize at this time of year. Jack outlines what fertilizers should be used during the month of November.
Leaves falling from trees and the trees that fall late and early becomes a discussion. What to do with leaves that have blight or fungal infections...
Can't you just leave your leaves on the lawn and refrain from raking them up? What does that do to the lawn?
"Heeling up is discussed."
Tune in.
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Inspired by a recent job, The Growing Season dives into the ins and outs of "Courtyard Gardens."
What exactly is a Courtyard Garden? What is the difference between a courtyard and a patio? Are there similarities?
The history of the courtyard its highlighted and Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into their experiences with such spaces.
What plants are appropriate OR on-style for courtyard locations. With sun and shade being considerations the trio dive into recommendations.
With the garden being surrounded by walls how do you deal with the heat emanating from vertical barriers?
Hardsape materials come into focus. Are there drawbacks to specific paving materials. Matt talks about paving design.
The impact of a small amount of grass becomes a topic of conversation.
Accent plants and unique trees creates moments of gush in The McFarlands.
Espaliers and courtyards have become synonymous. Haven't heard of an espalier? Lets change that.
Vines, vines and more vines... Walls = vines!
Courtyard furniture selection and patio size are highlights.
Tune in.
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Its the spookiest time of the year!
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the horticultural aspects of Halloween.
The history of the holiday, where it originated and why its still celebrated today kick the show off.
Pumpkins, beets and turnips have been used a jack-o-lanterns throughout the course of history. A character named "Stingy Jack" is discussed.
Can livestock eat the pumpkins after they are used on Halloween?
Sugar cane is a prominent plant material in Halloween's events. The trio discuss.
Peanuts and how they grow are chatted about. The query system is used to clarify the biology of the peanut plant.
Matt goes OFF THE RAILS when the discussion of artificial vanilla surfaces. Its absolutely hilarious to hear how far he takes this episode of "Imagine If You Will."
Gum and its environmental impact are discussed.
The heavy hitters in poisonous plants are highlighted. Belladonna, mushrooms, yews, fall bulbs and many more topics of conversation.
Tune in.
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Stay frosty…
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the cold, hard facts about frost and it’s relation to the plants in your garden.
The Growing Season gets chilly.
What exactly is frost? The trio explain.
Does frost affect leaf drop on your deciduous plants?
High frost vs. low frost - the battle rages on.
Thickly leaved plants seem to tolerate frost. Ligularia, sedums and various hostas are known to be frost tolerant.
A simple sprinkler system might be the thing to delay frost damage. Mowing your lawn and frost. Is there a danger to your lawn if you’re mowing a frosty lawn?
Sheets and blankets are also used to protect against frost.
Bark thickness and cold temperatures is discussed. Specifically fruit trees.
Does frost affect plants that are blooming? Does frost affect blooms in similar ways to leaves?
Matt outlines how deciduous trees drop leaves.
Fall bulbs, garlic and winter wheat become a focus with relation to frost.
Tune in.
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Its a tough time of year to be a turkey! BUT, its a wonderful time of year to be a tree!
Thanksgiving in Canada features prominently on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the history of Thanksgiving and why it is celebrated at different times in the Great White North.
Matt talks about the challenges of dressing his kids this time of year. Jack reminisces about this time last year.
Turkey families...How are the chicks parented?
Cranberries - why is the bog harvesting procedure necessary?
As they do on an annual basis, The McFarlands describe the processes involved with the trees leaves changing colour. Why is it that the fall colour appears at the top of the tree first and then proceeds downwards?
Fog and grass seed are linked.
The FALL-stars as far as fall leaf colour are discussed.
Poplar, Linden, Red Maple, Burning Bush, Downey Serviceberry, Blueberries, Mountainash and many more horticultural organisms are a focus.
Birds eating fermented berries and becoming intoxicated! Yup, you heard that right!
Tune in.
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This episode of The Growing Season is brought to you from the bottom of a hole filled with fall bulbs.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland guide this week's show into a colourful cornucopia of mums and bulbs.
Chrysanthemums - the all-stars of this time of year but Matt argues that Asters are Asterlutely better. Listen in to find out why.
Are the planting of bulbs and mums in fashion these days? The McFarlands debate.
How do you choose a mum at the store? How are mums and poinsettias similar?
Mums and asters... From the same family?
The challenges of keeping your fall planted bulbs safe from squirrels and rodents are discussed. Matt chats about Ghostbusters.
Are bulbs more an annoyance when installing a landscape? Matt yells. The proper way to plant a fall planted bulb is discussed.
The types of tulips are discussed as is the required chill period necessary to make bulbs grow.
Bulb blindness is an issue. The McFarland's explain what and why.
Wear gloves when planting bulbs... We'll tell you why.
Swiss Chalet... Its a topic.
Tune in.
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It’s that time of year again.
The Growing Season celebrates 5 years on the airwaves by highlighting what they’ve learned over the last year in horticulture.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the weather.
Rain, rain, rain and more rain kick off the show. The GTA set records for precipitation this past summer so it’s fitting that precipitation is where we start.
Pasta. Matt talks about pasta. What?
Are cedars easy to transplant? Not so much. Matt explains his thoughts on the subject.
What measures have those in control of flood mitigation taken to prevent catastrophe with regards to excessive water events?
Pavement doesn’t absorb water…
With all this rain, will grub infestations be on the rise? The trio talk about nematodes and how to use them to fight grubs.
Ants, worms, mosquitoes and cockroaches come into focus.
Will it be a green Christmas this year? The McFarlands use history to assess the chances.
Sustainable design comes up and Matt rants.
Colorado Blue Spruce and Austrian Pine are aging all over the GTA.
Tune in.
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Cottage season is drawing to a close, with many of us lamenting it’s exit.
BUT, that doesn’t mean we can’t squeeze the few final drops of cottaging into this week’s episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland do an about face from last week’s affairs and dove into the colourful chaos of Country Cottage Gardens on this week’s episode of The Growing Season.
What is the difference between Japanese Gardens and Country Cottage Gardens?
Are there tie-ins between English Gardens and Country Cottage Gardens? Yup and we explore those connections.
Feel free to use a plethora of perennials in your Country Cottage Garden. The more stems the better as it lends to the chaos.
Can you use roses in a Country Cottage Garden and still be “on theme?”
Matt talks about an interesting technique he uses for rock that he’s applied to shrubs.
Native/pollinator plants are discussed.
Mind your neighbours - they might have a part to play in your landscape design choices.
Tune in.
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What in the Foo Dog is going on?
Things get serene on this week’s episode of The Growing Season when The McFarland’s focus on Japanese Gardens.
Jack, Lynne and Matt compare and contrast Japanese Gardens with Modern Gardens. You’d be surprised how much they have in common.
What are the elements that make up a Japanese Garden?
Statuary, evergreens, maples, rockery stone and wooden structures have all become popular links to the items you’d normally see in a Japanese garden.
Matt gets Miyagi.
Are Japanese Gardens maintenance heavy? You’d think they’d be light on the maintenance with the sparseness of their design and yet…
Gravel, a prominent feature in Japanese Gardens, becomes a subject of discussion.
Paving materials and shapes of pavers are discussed.
Tune in.
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Are you sneezing with bloodshot eyes and a swollen mess?
Yup. It’s that time of year. Seasonal allergies running rampant ruining your routine regularly.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss all things pollen on this week’s episode of The Growing Season.
Jack and Lynne discuss the absolute monster of a bald faced hornets nest that has appeared in one of their trees.
What are the different methods of pollination? How are tropical plants pollinated?
The most heavy duty pollinating plants are explored and the timeframes when they seek to procreate are highlighted.
What’s pollinating right now?
Matt recounts a lilac story that resulted in some hard feelings between his client and a neighbour.
Will climate change effect pollination? What are the heavy hitters of pollination?
Pine pollination is highlighted. It’s an interesting activity.
Tune in.
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We’ll that’s a laborious undertaking.
Horticultural construction can be a tiring but rewarding endeavour.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland celebrate Labour Day by discussing some of the ways they make professional horticulture easier.
Jack discusses the differences between how a jobsite was run in the 1970’s compared to now.
Matt dives deep into how he makes pruning easier for his clientele after they’ve had their property upgraded by The Growing Season.
“Tuning their pruning…”
Can you use animals feces as fertilizer?
Matt talks about why he’s implemented using a toolbelt on-site.
Is there any way to make mulching flower beds easier? There is and Matt outlines how he does it.
How to reduce your cleanup after cutting your lawn quicker comes into focus. Matt tells a story about a rock and a Mercedes.
Interlock patio hacks. Yup we have those as well!
How do you get stains off of landscape pavers? The trio discuss.
Tune in.
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The days are getting shorter. The nights are getting cooler.
Its August, but that doesn't mean that the growing season is over.
Speaking of The Growing Season, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland touch on the all stars of August on this week's show.
BUT FIRST: We have officially survived the rainiest summer on record in the GTA. Yeah. It’s been that rainy. We’ve over doubled our average rainfall for the months of June to August, pummelling the old record into oblivion.
Biologically, how does all this rain effect your plant materials? It’s surprising what they do to deal with all this water.
Speaking of plants, Rozanne perennial geranium, phlox, coneflower, black eyed Susie and many more are chatted about.
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower for the win!
Matt chastises Jack about his antiquated attitude regarding Russian Sage.
If you’ve never used Sedum you may want to join the fan club after this show.
Tune in.
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We’re seeing red!
The TGS Colour Series continues its colourful journey on this week’s episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight all things red and horticultural.
Roses feature prominently to the surprise of no one. Matt discusses some of the rules he’s set up for himself with regards to roses.
There are supposedly “indestructible” roses. Is that true? We highlight it.
Do the pollinators see red? How about hummingbirds? The McFarland’s suggest plant materials that will attract your polliniferous pals.
Japanese quince, honeysuckle, and DOGWOOD.
Many dogwood have the most glorious red bark that look glorious in the winter months.
With the topic being “red” the trio discuss tomatoes and the blossom end rot affecting many of the tomatoes growing across the GTA.
How do you battle blossom end rot? Lynne discusses.
Tune in.
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