Seeds & Weeds Podcast

As the gardening season winds down here at Small House Farm, we’re reflecting on the successes, surprises, and lessons from this year’s garden and looking ahead to next spring. In this episode, we share our end-of-season garden chores and the practical steps we’re taking to prepare our gardens for winter.
In this episode, we discuss these late-fall garden chores:
Cleaning up garden beds and removing old plants, trellises, and supports
Planting cover crops to protect and improve the soil
Bringing frost-sensitive plants indoors
Harvesting the last fruits, vegetables, and herbs before the frost
Propagating plants through division and stem cuttings
Saving seeds from the remaining garden crops and flowers
Planting garlic, shallots, flower bulbs, and winter grains
Spreading finished compost and mulching garden beds
Cleaning and storing garden tools and irrigation equipment
Extending the growing season with low tunnels and other protective structures
Cleaning gutters to keep water flowing properly
Recording garden notes, reflecting on the season, and planning for next year
We’ll also share some of our own garden highlights, including an incredible tomato harvest, a bounty of holy basil, a clever new way to support our borage plants, and a few lessons learned about planting schedules and giving seed crops enough time to mature.
Try our tasty Enchant Tea: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/enchant/
Join us for a conversation about wrapping up the growing season, setting ourselves up for success next year, and making time to slow down, reflect, and appreciate all that the garden has given us.
~~> Watch a behind the scenes tour of our seed and herb processing rack on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ni_EPc0H7OE?si=USGlOER96x_E_9gb
~~> Read about plant propagation in our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm/posts/simple-plant-140187250
Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.
Support the show

Echinacea - one of our favorite perennial native flowers!
In this episode:
the different species we grow
how to propagate echinacea through root division
the challenges of growing from seed
when to harvest the flowers, leaves, and roots
We’ll take echinacea from the garden into the apothecary and talk about teas, tinctures, decoctions, topical preparations, and even a few creative ways to bring this beautiful plant into the kitchen.
We also explore the fascinating differences between harvesting the aerial parts of the plant and its roots, including why late fall and early spring are the ideal times to dig roots. 
Along the way, we share some traditional uses for echinacea, ideas for combining it with other herbs, and why this beautiful native plant deserves a place in the garden - not only for its herbal potential, but for the pollinators and birds it supports.
Then, we are joined by author and artist Susan Ottaviano to talk about her beautiful new book, Plants That Heal: Plant-Based Wisdom for Body, Mind, and Soul. 
We talk about the many ways plants can support our well-being, the role mindfulness plays in our relationship with plants, and how creating art, cooking, gardening, and even simple everyday rituals can help us slow down and reconnect.
It’s an episode about echinacea, herbal wisdom, creativity, mindfulness, and the many ways plants can become part of our everyday lives.
Shop Echinacea seeds at Baker Creek: https://www.rareseeds.com/store/plants-seeds/herbs/echinacea-seeds
Buy your copy of Plants that Heal: https://link.amazon/B0hPPogTK
Follow Small House on FB and IG for more seed saving information:
www.facebook.com/SmallHouseFarm
www.instagram.com/small_house_farm
Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and Seasonal Herb Boxes: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.
Support the show

We are digging into one of our favorite gardening skills: saving your own seeds!
We’re talking about why seed saving matters—from saving money and preserving favorite varieties to growing plants that become increasingly adapted to your own garden and local environment.
Easy crops for beginner seed savers
When seeds are ready to harvest
The difference between wet and dry seeds
How to harvest, process, and properly store your garden seeds
We also get into some of the trickier aspects of seed saving, including cross-pollination, biennial crops, and why a little planning in the spring can make a big difference come harvest time.
Whether you’ve never saved a seed before or you’ve been doing it for years, I hope this episode inspires you to start small, save a few seeds, and discover just how simple—and rewarding—this practice can be.
Your best place to store seeds? In the soil. Keep planting, keep saving, and keep growing! 🌻
Our Seed Saving Videos on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVVVf8KSrdNY&si=HEIqbd8E9Ea05-cs
Saving Our Seeds: The Practice and Philosophy by Bevin Cohen
https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/saving-our-seeds/
Tomato Tasting 2026 Video:
https://youtu.be/zFfdVLRsVSg?si=zGjrdj9BypqTOzLS
Follow Small House on FB and IG for more seed saving information:
www.facebook.com/SmallHouseFarm
www.instagram.com/small_house_farm
Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and Seasonal Herb Boxes: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.
Support the show

In this episode, we're joined by Peggy Cornett, curator of plants at historic Monticello, to discuss her new book, Thomas Jefferson's Flowers. 
This richly illustrated book examines Jefferson’s gardening friendships in the United States and abroad, his many botanical and horticultural influences, and includes a comprehensive annotated list of the flowers documented by Jefferson throughout his lifetime.
Throughout our conversation, Peggy and I explore the history of Monticello’s flower gardens, the research required to maintain historically accurate gardens, her work as the Senior Curator of Plants, the beautiful photography and paintings included in the book and so much more.
Peggy Cornett has worked at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello since 1983, beginning as the associate director of gardens and grounds. She earned degrees in English and Botany from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master's from the University of Delaware's Longwood Graduate Program.
Visit Monticello website https://www.monticello.org/ and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TJMonticello
Monticello Farm and Garden FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/356131388234344/
Get your own copy of Thomas Jefferson's Flowers: Historic Gardens at Monticello by Peggy Cornett https://amzn.to/3RfSa9k
Follow Small House Farm on FB and IG for more fun!
www.facebook.com/SmallHouseFarm
www.instagram.com/small_house_farm
Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and Seasonal Herb Boxes: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.
Support the show

Roses are far more than a symbol of love—they’re one of the most versatile plants you can grow. In this episode of the Seeds & Weeds Podcast, we explore the fascinating history of roses, how to successfully grow them, and the many ways every part of the plant can be used throughout the year. From fragrant petals and vitamin-rich rose hips to edible leaves, you’ll discover practical tips for harvesting, preserving, and using roses in the kitchen, apothecary, and around the home.
Special guest Janice Cox, author of Beautiful Roses, joins the conversation to share expert growing advice, the symbolism behind different rose colors, and dozens of creative recipes and botanical crafts—from rose water and herbal skincare to syrups, bath salts, natural dyes, wreaths, and more. Whether you’re a gardener, herbalist, or simply captivated by the beauty of roses, this episode is filled with inspiration to help you appreciate one of the world’s most beloved flowers in an entirely new way.
Purchase Beautiful Roses by Janice Cox: https://store.motherearthnews.com/products/beautiful-roses
Rose Identification Database: https://www.helpmefind.com/
Liz Fulcher’s interview about Herbal Hydrosols https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/herbal-hydrosols-liz-fulcher-mint-kitchen-apothecary/
Get a Summer Herb Box with a Rose Trading Card: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/seasonal-herb-gift-box/
Shop Small House, Rose Face Mask: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/terre-de-rose-claymask/
Follow Small House Farm on FB and IG for more fun!
www.facebook.com/SmallHouseFarm
www.instagram.com/small_house_farm
Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and Seasonal Herb Boxes: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.
Support the show