In this special gratitude-themed episode of PlantNebraska, we hand the microphone over to you—our members, arboretum partners, volunteers, and community growers. We asked for stories about what you’re thankful for when it comes to trees, native plants, and the landscapes you steward. Join us as we highlight the shared work that makes our Nebraska communities stronger and more resilient.

For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraska

Send us your questions at arboretum@unl.edu or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Welcome to the Plant Nebraska Podcast! (formerly known as Bloom Box: Growing Deeper) In this first official episode under our new name, hosts Hanna and Sarah are talking about plants they love—but whose common names make it hard to convince others to plant them. From “swamp milkweed” to “sneezeweed,” we’re rethinking names that don’t do justice to beautiful, beneficial native plants. Tune in for stories about language, plant history, and a few of our not-so-successful renaming attempts (looking at you, “purple puff plant”).

For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraska

Send us your questions at arboretum@unl.edu or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

We’re thrilled to share some big news with you: the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum is now PlantNebraska!

This new name reflects who we are today—rooted in Nebraska and growing for generations to come—and makes our mission clearer, more welcoming and easier for new people to discover.

What’s staying the same:

• Your favorite programs, resources and events
• Our statewide network of arboretums and public gardens
• Our mission: we plant Nebraska for healthy people, vibrant communities and a resilient environment

What’s new:

• A name and look that better reflect who we are today
• Stronger visibility to grow our impact across the state
• A name that inspires the next generation of tree planters, gardeners and environmental stewards

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraska

Send us your questions at arboretum@unl.edu or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Don’t forget your dragon hide gloves! Sarah and Hanna are heading to Hogwarts for a special herbology-themed episode featuring magical plants from the Harry Potter universe — and their real-life counterparts you can actually grow in your own garden. From calming hellebores to, they dig into the folklore, horticulture, and just a little bit of magic behind these spellbinding species. Whether you’re a wizarding world fan or just love a weird plant story, this episode is full of enchanting garden inspiration (and a few poison warnings).

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

For the annual fall cleanup episode, Sarah and Hanna are joined by David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, to talk about one of the simplest and most impactful garden actions: leaving the leaves. David shares the science behind this seasonal practice, the wildlife it supports, and how “messy” gardens are essential for biodiversity and climate health.



We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

In this fall-themed episode, Sarah and Hanna are joined by Community Forester Sarah Browning to talk about the insects (and a few not-quite-insects) that become more noticeable this time of year. From spiders in the basement to mosquitoes that won’t quit, the conversation covers who these critters are, what they’re doing in the fall, and how to live with—or without—them.

Learn why wolf spiders seem extra big in autumn, what oak itch mites are really up to in your red oaks, and why minute pirate bugs have such a misleadingly cute name. The team also shares practical advice for dealing with fruit flies, fungus gnats, whiteflies on houseplants, and nuisance insects like Asian lady beetles and boxelder bugs. And of course, they wrap up with their Plants of the Week.

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

In this Q&A episode, Hanna and Sarah tackle common questions about pollinators—what counts as one, why their populations are declining, which crops depend on them, and how gardeners can support them with the right plants and practices. They also discuss the crime of beehivery and whether or not you need to worry about someone stealing your beehive.

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

As summer winds down, Sarah and Hanna take a breather to reflect on the wild weather, what’s thriving (and what’s struggling) in their gardens, and projects big and small. We're talking soggy lawns, giant sunflowers, raspberries, raised beds, and storm cleanup—this episode covers the full range of gardening successes and struggles.

They also answer a listener question about what to do with a shady yard (spoiler: mulch is your friend) and share what’s blooming right now in Nebraska gardens.

We've updated our show notes template! Check it out at https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org