The Dirt on Gardening

❓Question of the Day: How do you keep your garden thriving in the summer heat?

In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we tackle the challenges of gardening during the hot summer months. We, Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and Derek the Chocolate Botanist, share our experiences and tips for managing heat-sensitive crops and maintaining a productive garden. From using shade cloth to watering strategies, we discuss the best practices to ensure your plants stay healthy and fruitful. We also reminisce about our weekends, share some fun gardening anecdotes, and answer listener questions ab...

❓Question of the Day:
How have you made your garden more accessible? What tools, techniques, or adaptations have made gardening easier for you or someone you know?
Your garden should be a place of peace—not pain. In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we discuss practical ways to make gardening more accessible for gardeners of all abilities. Whether you're dealing with bad knees, mobility challenges, chronic pain, or simply want to garden more comfortably, we share ideas that can help you continue growing what you love.
From raised beds and ergonomic tools to container gard...

Is chocolate really being grown in a lab? Is Dr. Sebi's nutritional philosophy supported by science? Are pesticides, GMOs, and "electric foods" being misunderstood online?
In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist dive headfirst into some of the biggest myths and conspiracy theories circulating in the gardening and plant world. 
From lab-grown foods and GMO misconceptions to black seed oil, sea moss, decoctions, and the claims often made in alternative health spaces, the conversation separates evidence from internet folklore. Along the way, the hosts d...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we—Urban Gardening with Gray, Andre the Farmer, and The Chocolate Botanist—dig into one of the hottest and most controversial topics online right now: AI-generated gardening content, fake plant videos, and the future of artificial intelligence in agriculture.
From viral “instant harvest” videos and impossible blue flowers to AI-generated gardening advice and fake plant hacks, we break down how to spot AI slop and separate entertainment from real growing knowledge. We discuss why misleading gardening content can hurt beginners, spread misinformation, and drown out real educators trying to teach pe...

In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we—Andre the Farmer and Urban Gardening with Gray—dive into one of the most debated topics in gardening: why pests attack certain plants and how healthy soil impacts plant resilience. Along the way, we mix in gardening science, practical pest control strategies, gardening myths, and plenty of laughs.
We explore a fascinating discussion around the Brix index, plant sugars, and the theory that insects are more attracted to stressed or unhealthy plants. Are pests really targeting weak plants first? And can healthier soil biology actually reduce pest pressure naturally? We b...

In this spring-focused episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we—Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist—kick off the growing season with a lively gardening Q&A packed with practical tips, laughs, and real-world garden updates. 
We dive into everything gardeners are dealing with right now, from spring planting prep and recovering from winter damage to pest control, strawberries, compost, hydroponics, and choosing the right native plants for your region. 
This episode covers: 
 Spring garden planning and seasonal planting tips  Recovering mango trees and tropical plants after freezes  Favorite native plants for pollinat...

In this lively, Q&A-driven episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we—Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist—answer your best gardening questions and share real-world advice you can actually use.

We cover everything from where to source sugarcane in bulk (and how to network with juicers and local farmers) to building the right soil mix for containers and grow bags—with the honest truth: it always depends on your plant, climate, and drainage setup. 


We also break down: 
Bamboo vs. native river cane for garden structuresWatering strategies that go...

In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, we—Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist—dig into one of the most frustrating gardening problems: flowers that never turn into fruit.
We break down the real reasons behind poor fruit set and blossom drop, especially for tropical crops like mango, dragon fruit, and cacao, and share practical solutions you can actually use in your garden. From pollination problems to heat stress and nutrient imbalances, we explain what’s going wrong—and how to fix it.
We also explore the often-overlooked world of pollinators. It’s not...

In this vibrant episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast, hosts Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist are joined by special guest Malakai of Edible Earth Solutions, tuning in from The Gambia to share real-world insights on tropical gardening, food forests, and climate-smart growing.
We kick things off celebrating a 500-download milestone before diving into practical, experience-driven gardening talk—from spring growth explosions to summer slowdowns, and how factors like day length, soil temperature, and watering habits directly impact plant performance.
Malakai breaks down how he’s building a thriving tropical food forest in W...

What does it really take to live off-grid in Hawaii? In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening, we’re joined by special guest Jah (Mr. OffGrider), who shares his real-world experience building a self-sufficient lifestyle on the Big Island.


Since 2019, Jah has been developing raw land into a functional off-grid homestead—starting with tents and machetes, and eventually building a shipping container home powered by solar energy and rainwater harvesting systems. He breaks down the challenges of managing moisture, preventing mold, and adapting to Hawaii’s unique climate conditions.


We dive deep into f...

This throwback episode of The Dirt on Gardening Podcast (Season 1, Episode 32) brings us together—Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist—for a fun, wide-ranging conversation that blends real-life gardening with deep dives into soil fungi, mycorrhizae, and garden biology. 
We kick things off with weekend updates—building new metal raised beds, discovering surprise pineapples, and even saving eggshells in Talenti containers—before diving into the fascinating science of mycorrhizal fungi. We break down what mycorrhizae are, how they help plant roots access water and nutrients, and why adding inoculants can be inconsistent outdoors but more effe...

In this lively episode, we kick things off welcoming our special guest, Chai Ming of Coastal Homestead. We trade weekend garden wins and woes—from satsuma scores and mystery Temu avocado reveals to white sapote experiments and recovering orchards—then dive into foodscaping: how to swap ornamentals for edibles, design small-space gardens, and choose durable, drought-tolerant plants for tricky strips like the curbside hellstrip. Chai Ming breaks down edible ground covers (creeping thymes, perennial peanut, sweet potato), comfrey for chop-and-drop, and why thoughtful design (and a square base!) matters when building greenhouses. We also unpack asparagus realities (it’s a long...

In this episode of The Dirt on Garden Podcast, we dive into plants in pop culture—from Little Shop of Horrors’ iconic Audrey II and Wizard of Oz’s soporific pop

We swap personal gardening updates (false spring chills in Dallas, seed-starting in the Carolinas), recent plant finds and losses, and listener call-outs from YouTube and Instagram, weaving in references to anime roses, Dr. Seuss’s Truffula trees in The Lorax, Popeye’s spinach myth, and sentient trees from Lord of the Rings and Ender’s Game. We also field a quick fig question for cold climates, share first...

In this lively episode of The Dirt on Gardening, I’m joined by Andre, Gray, and our special guest Rashad of Afya Farms for a deep dive into modern homesteading—what it really takes, how to start small, and why planning matters. We chat weekend adventures, community shout-outs, and Rashad’s path from houseplants to a thriving, animal-powered homestead in Atlanta. Rashad breaks down efficient meat sources (rabbits vs. chickens), predator pressures, low-maintenance crops, storing food for the off-season, and practical first steps for aspiring homesteaders—from container gardening and tomatoes for canning to soap-making and sourdough. We also tackle s...

In this lively episode of the Dirt on Gardening, we're joined by special guest Nate from Classy Rabbit to continue our deep-dive into plant nutrition—especially the often-overlooked micronutrients. We swap weekend updates (RIP to a towering mango, congrats on Gray’s upcoming Home Depot miniseries, and Derek’s studio reset), then dive into practical, myth-busting guidance on NPK vs. micros, fertilizer antagonism, diagnosing leaf symptoms (like purpleing from potassium/magnesium issues), and why soil biology and structure must come first. Nate explains why rabbit manure is a standout “cold” amendment, how to use and even grind it for faster ava...

In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening, we’re joined by Tiffany Davis, creator of Thryve Roots, for a lively deep-dive into soil health. We unpack the basics of NPK (nitrogen for leafy growth, phosphorus for roots/flowers, potassium for overall vigor), why nutrient mobility matters after heavy rains, and how soil amendments and microbes improve nutrient uptake and water retention without encouraging overwatering. We also touch on pollinator-friendly practices, terpene profiles, and practical propagation tips using moss and amendments. Beyond the science, we swap weekend stories—from unexpected wildlife on the golf course to campus talks at NC Stat...

In this episode of The Dirt on Gardening, join us for a lively, wide-ranging conversation on weird and wonderful plant facts—and real-world garden recovery after Florida’s rare deep freeze. We share firsthand observations of mangoes, bananas, lychees, and avocados taking a hard hit, what to expect from bananas rebounding next season, and why this year might be a lighter workload in my orchard. From there, we dive into myths and truths about GMOs (papaya history in Hawaii, “Roundup Ready” context, and separating tools from companies), the psychology and history of tobacco and smoking culture, and fun clarifications like why...

We’re live with Andre the Farmer, Gray (Urban Gardening with Gray), and Derek (The Chocolate Botanist) talking winter-damaged gardens, small‑space wins, and a big announcement: Gray’s new YouTube series “Q&A with Gray” debuts on the Botanical Interests channel. We swap freeze‑recovery strategies for fruit trees (wait to prune until you’re safely past frost), what to do with flopped annuals, and seed‑starting tips for herbs like rosemary. We also field live questions on mangos after frost and which herbs are truly “easy” depending on your watering style and climate. Indoors and off‑grid, we dive into homestead...

A major cold snap is pushing freezing temperatures deep into warm climates—bringing serious frost and freeze risk for gardens, fruit trees, and container plants. In this episode of the Dirt on Gardening Podcast, Andre the Farmer, Urban Gardening with Gray, and The Chocolate Botanist (Derek) share practical cold weather gardening tips to help you protect plants from frost damage, hard freezes, and sustained cold.

You’ll learn why tropical and subtropical plants (like mango trees and banana plants) are more vulnerable than cold-hardy trees, what freezing does to plant cells, and the best DIY methods for free...

We’re back! In our Season 2 premiere, the three of us shake off some live-stream rust, catch up on travel, family news, and what’s sprouting in our lives and gardens. Then we dive into practical, no‑stress seed starting: start something you love, use your planting calendar, mind your media, keep lights close, and don’t fear a little failure. We talk germination triggers, damping off, fans for sturdier seedlings, when to pull domes and heat mats, how much daily light to give (often 14–16 hours), and making that tricky handoff from tray to garden. We also share what we’re grow...