Point That Algorithm to Gardening!

Season 4, Episode 49, October 12, 2022

(As promised, Iceland poppies in the English Oak Meadow at the Chicago Botanic Garden in late May 2009.)

On this week's episode, we talked about poppies, Asian greens, and the usual wide assortment of other gardening topics.

Before we get to all the links, I thought you might enjoy a dialog about what I think happens with algorithms when Dee or I sign on to the internet. It might happen when you sign on too!

Internet: Hey, Algorithm, wake up! Carol just signed on to her computer and pulled up YouTube, again.

Algorithm: Again? Okay, let me check my notes. (Ruffling of papers). Found her. It looks like she and her friend, Dee, like to watch gardening videos. Let me see if I can find one she hasn’t watched.

Internet: Hurry up. She’s starting to click on a video we didn’t authorize for her. It might mess up our whole profile of her if she watches it.

Algorithm: We can’t have that! Okay. Got one right here that I think she hasn’t watched yet.

Internet: Oh, that’s a good one. and I bet she’ll share it with Dee too. Thank you!

Algorithm: No problem. Happy to be of service. Let me know if she starts to drift again and I’ll bring up some videos about figs!

And that’s how I imagine it happened when I went down my rabbit hole. But before you scroll down to see what was in my rabbit hole, you should check out my YouTube video about my figs, then check out The Millennial Gardener's more helpful Youtube videos about growing figs.

Also, click on this link to read Dee’s post on ten ways to enjoy your garden more.

For our flower topic, we talked about poppies. Dee bought Shirley 'Mother of Pearl' poppy seeds from Select Seeds to sow this fall. I have several packets of poppy seeds to sow in early spring. Our friends at Botanical Interests also have lots of poppy seeds. (Affiliate link)

For our vegetable topic, we discussed Asian greens after seeing an article about them from Hudson Valley Seed. Neither one of us knew you could grow Double Garland Chrysanthemum greens. We probably won’t grow them, but if you do, let us know.

For our book, I’m reading To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard  by Tamar Haspel (Amazon link). I’m enjoying it. The author’s humor reminds me of Cassandra Danz, Mrs. Greenthumb, who sadly passed away several years ago. Her books are still fun to re-read years later. I think Haspel’s book will also be a good book to re-read.

For our dirt, every fall, at least once, we talk about one of several fall foliage maps which help you track where the leaves are turning colors.

Finally, down the rabbit holes we went. Dee’s rabbit hole was all about asters and other flowers that bloom later in the year and attract pollinators. She shared a link: Asters of Autumn by Dr. Jared Barnes. She’s also looking for Golden Crownbeard seeds, Verbesina encelloides. And here’s a link to her Instagram post about her favorite ‘Bluebird’ asters.

In my rabbit hole, I refreshed my memory on Buckner Hollingsworth and decided she’d be my next Lost Lady of Garden Writing.

Then I discovered some Art of Gardening Hornby Island videos on YouTube. Dee asked me how I found them. I imagine it was an algorithm summoned by the internet that brought them to me. (See dialogue above!)

And that’s this week’s episode. If you like it, share it, and share this newsletter too!

And now, the usual stuff…

Affiliate link to Botanical Interest Seeds. (If you buy something from them after using this link, we earn a small commission at no cost to you. This helps us continue to bring this podcast to you ad-free!)  Book links are also affiliate links.

Email us anytime at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com 

For more info on Carol and her books, visit her website.  Visit her blog May Dreams Gardens.
For more info on Dee and her book, visit her website.  Visit her blog Red Dirt Ramblings.

Don't forget to sign up for our newsletters, via our websites!

(PS. Yes, I know there was no mention of violas or pansies in this week’s episode. Don’t worry, I’m fine… my pansies are fine. Dee’s pansies are fine, too, as far as I know. I’ll try to sneak them into the conversation next week.)