Iowa PBS gardening specials grow into a series

Gardening enthusiasts dreaming of spring and getting their hands in the dirt can dig into inspiration with the launch of Iowa PBS’s Gardening With Steil as a limited series. Beginning January 22, the four-part series will air on Saturdays at 4 p.m. 

In each episode, host Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture extension specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, and co-host Cindy Haynes, associate professor and consumer horticulture extension specialist at Iowa State University, plant ideas for a wide variety of projects. From succulents and cutting gardens to fairy gardens and hostas, the series is full of gardening goodness.

Bringin' the Outdoors In — Saturday, January 22 at  4 p.m.

• Learn about succulents and air plants from industry expert Josh Spece. Plus, create your own indoor planting, discover how to promote pollinators in your backyard and meet a volunteer from the Iowa Butterfly Survey Network.

Cutting & Vegetable Garden Tips — Saturday, January 29 at 4 p.m.

• Join Cindy Haynes as she designs a cutting garden and makes flower arrangements, follow volunteers from Plant a Row for the Hungry, learn why containers can be a good option for growing vegetables and meet a young vegetable gardening aficionado.

Mushrooms, Fairies & Frogs, Oh My! — Saturday, February 5 at 4 p.m.

• Venture into the woods to learn best practices on a morel mushroom hunt. Learn about fairy gardens and how to create one of your own. And, tour an art display of larger-than-life frogs.

Shady Characters — Saturday, February 12 at 4 p.m.

• Many shade gardens consist primarily of hostas, but not all! Visit two very different styles of shade gardens and learn how to make a mixed container that is the perfect companion to your shade garden display.

Gardening With Steil first appeared on Iowa PBS as two 90-minute specials that aired in March 2020 and February 2021. A new 90-minute Gardening With Steil special will debut on February 19 at 4 p.m. as part of Iowa PBS’s Festival 2022. Tune in for tips on growing tomatoes, planning for perennial success and caring for tiny houseplants. 

In addition to its statewide broadcast, Iowa PBS .1 is available to livestream on iowapbs.org/watch, pbs.org/livestream, the PBS Video App and YouTube TV. Iowa PBS programs, behind-the-scenes extras and more can be enjoyed on iowapbs.org, Facebook and YouTube. Viewers can also stream their favorite shows on demand using the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android and many streaming devices.