• 124. Garden Plot Twists & the Science of Surprise
    Aug 4 2025

    It's summer and the garden surprises & experiments keep coming—and we love (most of) them! Edith finds a black grasshopper and a mysterious scarlet beetle. Christy's cauliflower turns purple and she finds her reading glasses... in the compost pile.

    We share what’s blooming in our gardens, how our zucchinis are doing, and updates on tomatoes, cabbage (Christy's pride and joy!), basil, arugula, tarragon, and more. Edith’s rosemary lives. Christy’s… not so much.

    We’re also replanting for fall harvest—peas, beets, and maybe revenge. Plus: • Edith’s leeks are now perennials • Christy has a pumpkin situation • Peas that grow in a bush?! Yes, please. • Results from our romaine showdown • Armenian (or is it Albanian?) cucumber updates • Luffa dreams and pruning tips for tomatoes and cukes • New tomato varieties we're trying out: Early Girl+, Champion 2, and Oxheart

    Don’t miss a hilarious Mail Bag letter from Mexico about car zucchinis, a new gardener's stand-up set in You Might Be a Gardener, and a beetle with a PR problem in The Benefits of Japanese Beetles.

    We wrap with an inspiration to make peace with rainy days—and yes, there's a little Easter egg if you listen past the credits!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    52 mins
  • 123. Breaking New Ground: Everything Fun & New for Your Spring Garden
    Apr 17 2025

    Spring has officially sprung, and the garden is bursting with life! Flowers are blooming, veggies are growing, and—surprise!—some plants are totally taking over. Edith’s garden is overrun with greens, Christy’s garden is a dandelion jungle, and yes… some plants didn’t make it. (insert moment of silence here) Ah well! Onward we go.

    This week, we dig into:

    🌿 What’s New in the Garden?

    • Lessons learned:

      • Don’t plant orach (you’ll see why!)

      • Tomatoes remain a mystery

      • Ground cherries = delightful

      • Reminder: Seeds don’t last forever!

    • New varieties: cosmos, poppies, foxglove, lupines, romaine, and (of course) more tomatoes

    • Hot garden trends:

      • Shaggy lawns

      • Turf wars (aka turf lawns)

      • Moon gardening

      • Plant parenthood

      • Fire-resistant gardening

    • A delightful letter from the mailbag with thoughts on tomatoes, hydrangeas, and raspberries

    • Plus: new tips, new tools, and new ways to listen to your garden

    🔥 Burning Questions We Explore:

    • What seed has the longest shelf life?

    • What’s the 2025 garden color of the year?

    • How many times does Edith say “moist”?

    • What moon phase is best for cutting your hair?

    🌱 Bonus fun: Our sincere apologies for the pea puns. 🐣 And psst... there's a hidden Easter egg at the end of the episode—don't miss it!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    58 mins
  • 122. Can You Dig It? 8 Reasons Why Gardens Matter
    Jan 15 2025
    Edith’s potatoes may have gone to the dark side, but we are forging ahead with the small and enjoyable garden tasks of winter and dreaming of our 2025 garden. So, let us inspire your next garden with all the many benefits and joys of gardening! We have gathered our top reasons why we garden: From health to wealth. From making friends to murdering carrots. From learning to lunging. And filled with little tips and tricks and laughs along the way. It’s seed catalog season so, we have stuffed this episode with THREE funny pod plays about our favorite reason to go to the mailbox. Speaking of mail: We got a letter from Lindsey delivered to our mailbag (Ring! Ring!) about her garden trials and dreams – an inspiring letter of resilience and renewal. Need even more inspiration? Christy has some! Bonus: Leonardo DiCatrio makes an appearance. Can you find him? So, grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine or clean those garden tools - while you join us!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    55 mins
  • 121. Autumn Garden 2024 - What Grew, What Died & What Chewed
    Oct 23 2024

    Fallelujah! A pretty darn good year in the garden. No hail, no frost, no covering – yet.

    Edith grew ground cherries. Christy grew zinnias. We both grew a lot of tomatoes. Edith might have killed her peach tree. Christy mysteriously killed her cabbage. We both killed our rosemary. Aphids chewed, Japanese beetle chewed, mildew took up residence.

    So, it all resulted in a lot of learning, we hope you can learn, too!

    • Why you should keep your compost a little drunk.
    • Why it’s never too late to plant. Or too early.
    • What seeds need to be fresh as a carrot
    • What plant can benefit from calcium tablets
    • Should you get a Japanese Beetle Trap?
    • How much work do you really have to do this fall?

    And some humor with all this education! We’ve got two NEW pod plays to keep you and all the lilac bushes in good humor. And some inspiration to last the upcoming Persphone Period. So, pick up a rake, do a little harvesting or put your weary feet up with a cup of cider and enjoy this season’s fun and informative episode!

    Oh – and stick around past the end credits for a little easter egg.

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    55 mins
  • 120. Summer Garden Potpourri: We're Hot and Killin' It!
    Jul 17 2024

    Our gardens are doing great! So far. If you don’t count the heat, the Japanese beetles… and the murders!

    Life is growing fast and furious in our gardens and we are applying water like we are applying for a job. Edith loves her loveage. Christy is at peace with her peace rose. Edith is plum crazy about her plum tree. Christy is thinks Edith’s peach tree harvest is going to be… peachy keen. :)

    Our summer gardens are a potpourri of marvels, questions and fun tips.

    • To shell or not to shell peas?
    • Is it possible for gardeners to be psychopaths?
    • When should you trim back your tomatoes?
    • Where does the term potpourri come from?
    • How can Windex be a tool in your garden?
    • How to get the most blooms from your geraniums?
    • Why is July 27 an important gardening date?
    • Which mite might help you control bindweed?
    • Why you shouldn’t name plants after people you know.

    If you want some fun Brand New pod plays, we got ‘em. If you want some inspiration, we got it. If you want some moist soil – it’s there. We sure had fun recording this episode – and hope you can join in the laughter, while learning a thing or two. So put on your headphones, head out into your garden and enjoy!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    58 mins
  • 119. To All The Plants We've Killed This Spring
    Apr 2 2024

    Spring is back! We are back! Edith is back! Our sore backs are back! And we have lots to share!

    • Find out what is growing in our gardens and what we have killed this Spring
    • What is the safest non-organic vegetables to buy in the grocery store? Edith has all the deets and beets.
    • We spill the beans on our favorite mistakes from last year: Which plant only produced one solitary veggie? And which plant produced WAY too much?
    • Discover what new plants we are growing this year and why one new seed packet will make bath time lots of fun.
    • Learn a bunch of our favorite and easy Spring garden tips.
    • Enjoy TWO NEW POD PLAYS

    Plus: Letters from the Mail Bag (Ring! Ring!), a beautiful inspiration, and a shout out to “moist”. A “humorfull” and informative episode for sure!

    Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards!

    How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Last and First Frost Date

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    49 mins
  • BONUS: The Little Seed Pot
    Mar 16 2024

    It's almost Spring! And don't worry, Upside Down Tulips will be back soon with an all new episode that celebrates our favorite mistakes of last year and our dreams for this year's garden. PLUS: Christy and Edith are gathering their best tips and tricks for your Spring Garden.

    Until then, here is a little something for all you gardeners out there: A little Pod Play about the adventures of the LIttle Seed Pot. Enjoy!

    Thanks so much to the Garden Party - we couldn't do Upside Down Tulips without you! Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards!

    How is your garden doing? - click here to write to us!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

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    4 mins
  • BONUS: Gardening Ghosts of Christmas Past
    Dec 17 2023

    We have put down our hoes and, like our garden, are settling down for long winter’s nap.

    BUT! Before we are carried off to a deep hibernation filled with dreams of next year’s garden, we wanted to spread some holiday cheer and share with you our favorite holiday pod plays just for the gardener, the wanna-be gardener and anyone who considers well-aged manure a thoughtful gift.

    • An inspiring “Night Before Christmas”
    • The kookiest “Gift of the Magi”
    • A funny solution to all your holiday cooking
    • A Gardener's Christmas Carol
    • The perfect rom-com movie
    • 12 Days of craziness
    • A New Year’s parade of wine!

    Happy Holidays and see you in 2024!

    Support UDT by joining our Garden Party and get fun rewards!

    Get a UDT Coffee Mug or other cool Merch!

    Visit our website for pix, good info and Upside Down Dictionary

    Click here to write to us!

    Learn How to Winter Sow!

    Don't Know Your Zone? Find it HERE

    Find Your Persephone Period

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    22 mins