do you have any good plont blogs or online resources recommendations ? i'm trying to educate myself but i'm too broke to buy new books and the bookstores in my city are really, really tired of me reading inside.
This is In Defense of Plants, an AMAZING botany podcast hosted by a botany grad student in Illinois named Matt!!!
every episode, Matt Candeias brings on new plant people and interviews them about their job/research in the world of botany. they literally just talk about plants for 30-60 minutes, and it covers a wide range of super cool topics and professions in botany and isn’t terribly technical; things are explained in layman’s terms for the everyday listener, which makes it an easy listen.
People are ask me a lot how to get into Botany/good resources to use to learn a little more, and this is an AMAZING place to start; it gives a diverse set of viewpoints and topics so you can find something you’re most interested in, while learning about plants on a general spectrum. there are also discussions on research, science, and how to build a career in botany, and each professional is asked what path they took to get into their research and job. some have been doing this their whole lives, others changed directions multiple times before settling. again, amazing. HIGHLY recommend.
There are around 120 episodes to choose from so far, and all of them are free to listen and available through several different podcast sites (including itunes!).
my faves so far (in no particular order):
Ep. 68 - From Seed to Orchid: A Behind the Scenes Look at Orchid Conservation
Growing orchids from seed is no simple task. It’s not a matter of throwing seeds in soil and waiting for nature to take its course. That is where people like Matt Richards come in. Using specific laboratory techniques, Matt has made a career out of propagating rare and endangered orchids from all over the world…
Ep. 71 - Nepenthes and Other Botanical Treasures with Stewart McPherson
Getting bit by the carnivorous plant bug can lead to a lifelong obsession with these botanical wonders. That is exactly what has happened to Stewart McPherson. He has dedicated his life to finding, photographing, and naming these amazing organisms. He is especially fond of the tropical pitcher plants in the genus Nepenthes. Over the last decade Stewart has explored some of the most remote corners of the globe in search of these plants…
Ep. 76 - Broomrapes: A Celebration of an Interesting Family of Parasitic Plants
Parasites have earned themselves a bad reputation in our society. We often see them as nauseating freeloaders. This could not be farther from the truth. More and more we are starting to realize just how important parasites are in any given ecosystem. Not only do they promote and maintain biodiversity, they also serve as vital indicators of ecosystem health…
Ep. 79 - A Lifetime With Orchids
Today we are joined by Tom Mirenda. Tom has the unique position of Orchid Collections Specialist for the Smithsonian Institute. At somewhere around 8,000 plants, this is no small task. He has spent his life loving and caring for orchids and when he is not doing that, he is busy lecturing and writing about them. This is a wonderful case in which a passionate hobby has turned into an illustrious career centered around these incredible organisms…
Ep. 86 - Plant Propagation at Kew
Personally, I think plant propagation is one of the most important skills anyone can have. That is why I was so excited to talk with my guest this week. Rebecca Hilgenhof is a Botanical Horticulturist at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. She has the charmed position of propagation a bewildering variety of plants both for conservation and education…
Ep. 96 - Guam’s Changing Forests
Guam is a sort of poster child for invasive species. Following the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake, this tiny Pacific Island lost nearly all of its bird populations. With them went all of the ecosystem services they performed. Joining us today is Dr. Haldre Rogers of Iowa State University to talk about some of the ramifications of this ecological upheaval. As you will soon find out, the loss of birds is felt throughout the entire forest ecosystem…
Ep. 104 - Rock gardens, alpines, and aquatics, oh my!
I don’t think I have to say that my favorite people are plant people. Joining us today is Tom Freeth, the man in charge of the rock, alpine, and aquatic gardens at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Tom has devoted his life to growing and understanding plants and has had an amazing journey to get to where he is at today. He passion and interests come through in every word…
Matt also hosts a youtube version where he goes on various plant adventures and wrote a short article about IDOP for Plant Science Today!!!
If you would like to donate to help him out on his plant education mission, IDOP also has a Patreon, and you can buy stickers here!!
