• 40 minutes 49 seconds
    131. New Starts, Tips for Being Human, and Advice from the Internet

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    Todays' good news:

    Scientists left this farm field alone. Thousands of orchids appeared

    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    11 September 2026, 5:00 am
  • 54 minutes 23 seconds
    130. Garden Magic, Animal Friends, and Back to School w/ Deserae Lindsley

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    What's up, Plant People?? Ya'll, I'm so excited about today's episode, because I got to chat with me good friend Deserae Lindsley, of GardeningWithDez fame. She's such a bright hopeful spot in a dark world and you're going to love thi. Whether we were chatting about the need for better nature education or garden spiders, I promise Dez's enthusiasm for life and the world her is absoslutely infectious. Check out this convesation for lots of yapping about:


    • Dez’s origin story in her grandparents’ garden and the tomato memories that stick 
    • A winding career path from cosmetology to horticulture content creation 
    • Posting gardening online during the pandemic and growing a community fast 
    • Becoming a Texas Master Gardener and enrolling in an online horticulture degree 
    • Plant physiology lessons that add nuance to everyday gardening decisions 
    • Fighting plant blindness by teaching people to notice what plants do for us 
    • Building relationships with “garden critters” like spiders, lizards, frogs, and butterflies 
    • Why naming a bug can reduce fear and increase curiosity 
    • Insect education, host plants, and choosing learning over pesticides 
    • What to grow, especially in hot dry climates, and why “grow what you’ll use” matters 
    • Composting choices, mulching strategies, and dense planting for soil health and moisture 

    You can find Dez as @GardeningWithDez basically anywhere you like to consume content online!


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    13 August 2026, 5:00 am
  • 25 minutes 48 seconds
    Deep Roots Podcast- The Future of Ag Education w/ Lance Nicholas

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    What's up, Plant People? Today's a bonus episode, and I'm coming at you with a special crossover from our new Davis College podcast, Deep Roots, featuring recent Texas Tech graduate Lance Nicholas. Lance and I talked about his undergraduate research on ag teacher turnover, the real-world friction between administrators and educators, and the mindset that pushed him toward grad school. We cover a lot of great topics in this chat, including: 

    • Lance’s background in agricultural education and student teaching 
    • leadership roles in collegiate FFA and student engagement mentoring 
    • what sparked his undergraduate research and how the grant worked 
    • qualitative interviews with administrators on chronic ag teacher turnover 
    • quantitative research on Texas voucher law and rural education 
    • why communication and collaboration matter for retention 
    • challenges of recruiting collaborators and finding the right tone 
    • grad school plans focused on teacher recruitment, retention and curiosity 
    • core takeaway “Be curious, not judgmental” and choosing motivation over fear 

    Go subscribe to the TTU Davis College's Deep Roots podcast anywhere you get your shows, and let me know if you have any comments, thoughts, suggestions, or if you'd like to know more about anything we've talked about!


    Subscribe to Deep Roots anywhere, or check it out on the website. If you'd like to learn more about the Davis College, visit https://www.depts.ttu.edu/agriculturalsciences/!


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    30 July 2026, 5:00 am
  • 46 minutes 57 seconds
    129. Terracotta Pots, Plant Poop, and Immortal Trees- Summer 2026 Q&A

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    What's up, Plant People?? It'  time again to answer your burnign plant questions that jump from backyard pruning to big-picture ecology, keeping the science clear and usable. We sort out plant naming, native planting nuance, and a few garden myths, then close with research that changes how we think about trees and carbon storage.


    • late winter gooseberry pruning for fruiting wood age and open center structure 
    • variety versus cultivar and why common language bends the rules 
    • how to attract nighttime pollinators with pale fragrant night-blooming natives 
    • when native plant cultivars can help and when true local genetics matter 
    • why terracotta pots breathe, why drainage holes matter, and why gravel layers backfire 
    • how plants handle waste through leaf drop and guttation 
    • feeding carnivorous plants safely with fish food or dried insects 
    • invasive species control through prevention, smart plant choices, and local ecosystem fixes 
    • tree longevity, clonal forests, and what “immortal” can mean in biology 
    • new findings on late-season carbon sequestration and what it implies for watering practices 

    If you'd like to support the show, the best thing you can do is to tell a friend about it! Leave us a rating review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Podchase or anywhere else you can.


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    24 July 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    128. Botanizing, Complex Answers, and Being Part of Nature w/ Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa

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    What's up, Plant People! I'm back today with an episode that's been a LONG time coming! I chatted with Dr. Ben Goulet-Scott and Dr. Jacob Suissa back at the beginning of the year to talk about their social media outlet/non-profit/incredible new book, all called Let's Botanize! They met in graduate school, and built a strong friendship that grew into what Let's Botanize is today. Tune in to today's episode as we discuss:

    • botanizing as a natural history hobby rooted in observation and note-taking 
    • how Jacob and Ben’s paths through grad school shape their approach to teaching plants 
    • using curiosity about plants to support climate and biodiversity awareness 
    • building Let’s Botanize as a nonprofit with a board, interns, and shared skills 
    • why their book uses 101 prompts to help anyone connect with plants 
    • balancing social media reach with real-world learning and community “third spaces” 
    • how scientific uncertainty can be communicated without dumbing it down 
    • memorable plant mysteries like marcescence and why some trees keep dead leaves

    This is a fun and insightful conversation, and I know y'all are going to love it!

    Learn more about and connect with Let's Botanize at the links below!

    Instagram

    TikTok

    YouTube

    Website



    Timestamps:

    00:00 Welcome and Guest Tease

    02:55 Meet Jacob Souissa

    04:09 Meet Ben Goulet Scott

    09:16 Why Start Lets Botanize

    11:58 COVID Growth and Mission

    16:16 Plants and Human Connection

    20:23 Public Feedback and Aha Moments

    24:16 Midroll and Support

    26:31 Nonprofit Team and Board

    30:30 Interns Community and Next Steps

    33:33 Book Mission And Prompts

    36:43 Three Sections Parts Patterns Perspectives

    39:42 Paper Book And Unplugging

    42:53 Botanizing As Community

    45:10 Instagram Process And Philosophy

    48:44 Marcescence Mystery Explained

    52:11 Embracing Scientific Complexity

    54:35 Take Home Messages

    57:48 Where To Find Lets Botanize

    58:54 Final Reflections And Outro




    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    16 July 2026, 5:00 am
  • 21 minutes 58 seconds
    127. 40 by 40, the Future, and Some Good News

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    What's up Plant People?? Planthropology is finally back! It may look a little different over the next year, but ride along with me today and let's chat about the plans I have and the cool stuff that's coming up. Thanks for sticking with me, and if you know of some good news you'd like to hear on my new segment, let me know. If you'd like EVEN MORE good news and hope about our world, go check out Alaina Wood and Katharine Hayhoe!

    Listen to Deep Roots!


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    10 July 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    126. Science Illustration, AI Cardinals, and Frozen Asters w/ J. Spahr

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    What's up, Plant People?? On today's episode, I chatted with scientific illustrator, J Spahr of @Science_Visuals to unpack how art turns complex research into clear, accurate stories that spark curiosity. From watercolor botanicals to layered digital paintings and ecosystems in one frame, we explore process, ethics, and impact.

    • the path from a found textbook to a science illustration career
    • Europe’s legacy of artists working with scientists
    • art as storytelling and science communication
    • choosing mediums and building layered digital workflows
    • designing infographics that condense seasons, species, and behavior
    • client collaboration, revisions, and scientific accuracy
    • social media’s trade-offs and unexpected reach
    • why AI images miss context, accuracy, and trust
    • the joy of learning fast through research illustration
    • practical plant science: why asters shrug off frost

    Make sure to follow J on Instagram and check out her website at scivisuals.com!

    If you'd like to support the show, leave a rating and review, email [email protected], find me all over the place on social media, snag merch at planthropologypodcast.com, or buymeacoffee.com/planthropology

    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    4 December 2025, 6:00 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    125. Spooky Mushrooms, Modern Folklore, and Mycelial Mind Control w/ Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifni

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    A perfect circle of mushrooms in the grass can feel like a message. We follow that feeling into the heart of fungi and folklore with Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini of Spirits, exploring why mushrooms unsettle us, how they anchor myth, and what they can teach us about living with limits and wonder. From fairy rings and house spirits to cordyceps and body horror, we trace the line between ecology and story: a mycelial network expands and fruits at the edge, myth calls it a threshold, and we decide whether to cross.

    We dig into the science that fuels the myths—external digestion, predatory oyster mushrooms hunting nematodes, and the eerie intelligence of networks that appear overnight. Then we connect those facts to the rules of folklore: hospitality laws, shared flood stories, and warnings against greed that echo modern forager ethics. We also examine the complicated modern history of psychedelics, sacred ritual, and the mid‑century rush that stripped context in favor of spectacle, reminding ourselves that power without reciprocity becomes a curse in every tradition.

    Finally, we turn to fungi as caretakers: recyclers of forests, soil makers, and even potential allies against plastic pollution. Along the way, Amanda and Julia share why house spirits matter, how rituals make homes feel alive, and why returning to stories of reciprocity might be the most practical climate strategy of all. Press play for a smart, spooky tour of mushrooms, myth, and the moral math of sharing a planet. If this conversation re‑enchanted your sense of the woods, subscribe, share with a curious friend, and leave a review telling us the mushroom story you’ll never forget.

    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    30 October 2025, 5:00 am
  • 49 minutes 34 seconds
    124. Thunderstorms, Hidden Nature, and the Cryptonaturalist w/ Jarod K. Anderson

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    We talk with writer and poet Jarod K. Anderson, aka the Cryptonaturalist, about mental health, ADHD, and rediscovering wonder through woods, poems, and honest work. From “brain weather” to dandelion myths, we explore how stories shape healing and how nature keeps us present.

    • origin of a lifelong nature connection and early poetry in a “land lab”
    • leaving academia, starting therapy, and naming depression as “brain weather”
    • enthusiasm over expertise as a path back to the woods
    • the Cryptonaturalist: blending natural history, humor, and gentle horror
    • balancing sincerity online with a creative career
    • separating dandelion facts from internet folklore
    • ADHD frameworks: “more than nothing” and consistency over intensity
    • sitting still versus covering ground as different forms of success in nature
    • poem “Woodland You” and the idea that self-worth is innate
    • book recommendations and where to find Jarod’s work

    Pre-order the new novel, Strange Animals, anywhere you buy books. We’re fans of ordering from your favorite local bookstore. Find more at jarodkanderson.com and follow the Cryptonaturalist on social media

    If you want to connect with the show, go to planthropologypodcast.com or follow along on social media, either Planthropology Pod or The Plant Prof. Send me an email at [email protected]


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    17 October 2025, 5:00 am
  • 58 minutes 5 seconds
    123. Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life w/ Gabrielle Cerberville

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    Gabrielle Cerberville, known as the Chaotic Forager, returns to discuss her new book "Gathered on Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life" and shares insights on building relationships with wild spaces beyond mere resource collection.

    • Moved to Virginia at the base of Shenandoah National Park to pursue a PhD in Composition and Computer Technologies
    • Uses biodata from fungi and plants to create music as a form of science communication
    • Created a community-based approach to foraging through workshops and classes in her converted basement classroom
    • Wrote "Gathered" as a combination of memoir, cookbook, and field guide to share both technical knowledge and the deeper meaning of foraging
    • Collaborated with experts including culinary specialists, plant and mushroom identifiers, and indigenous food practitioners to ensure accuracy
    • Challenges individualistic "self-sufficiency" narratives in foraging communities, emphasizing that these skills developed in community contexts
    • Recommends beginning foragers start by finding local clubs and experienced guides rather than relying solely on books
    • Suggests approaching foraging with curiosity rather than conquest, focusing on building relationships with plants before harvesting
    • Emphasizes observation and spending time with individual species to develop deeper understanding and connection

    Pre-order "Gathered on Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life" now at your local indie bookstore or wherever books are sold. You can find Gabrielle as Chaotic Forager across all social media platforms and at chaoticforager.com for workshop information.


    Also, be sure to check out the Blue Life Podcast! You can support them by donating to their funding campaign at givebutter.com/BlueLife, following them on social media, and listening to their show on your favorite podcast app!


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    26 September 2025, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    122. Green Communities, Urban Conservation, and Just Showing Up w/ Gary Cocke and Carole Fergusson

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    Gary Cocke and Carole Fergusson share their journeys in sustainability and community conservation, revealing how partnerships between universities, cities, and local organizations create meaningful environmental impact in Waco and beyond.

    • Gary's background in biology and ecology led him to sustainability work, first in water conservation during drought conditions
    • Carole entered sustainability through nonprofit marketing and event planning, combining her personal passion for gardening with professional skills
    • The Baylor "Bearly Used" program diverted 13 large pods of student move-out items to community partners instead of landfills
    • Keep Waco Beautiful volunteers generate approximately $200,000 in economic impact annually through their service hours
    • The Green Communities Conference brings together academia, government, nonprofits, and citizens to address local sustainability challenges
    • Both leaders emphasize that sustainability is fundamentally about people and building community resilience
    • Climate impacts are increasingly visible in Texas through longer heat spells, winter storms, and worsening allergy seasons
    • Small personal actions like composting and planting native species create "pockets of joy" while contributing to larger solutions

    Join us at the Green Communities Conference on September 17-18 in Waco, Texas to connect with sustainability leaders and learn practical approaches to building greener communities.


    Support the show

    As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!

    Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.


    4 September 2025, 5:00 am
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