Know Your Land

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with ecologist Michael Gaige (https://www.knowyourland.com/)  about his work in Historical Ecology. The plant profile is on Foxglove and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Starting Seeds in Egg Cartons from Christy Page of Green Prints (https://greenprints.com/) . BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support. If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to: ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 204: Natural Tree Care https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-204-natural.html (about:invalid#zCSafez) ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 180: Stoneleigh: A Natural https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-180-stoneleigh.html (https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-180-stoneleigh.html⁠) ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 87: Winter Tree Care https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-87-winter-tree.html (about:invalid#zCSafez) Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse our new online store! Show Notes: 01:16 Introducing ecologist Michael Gaige 01:45: Was Michael Gaige born with a green thumb and chlorophyll in his veins? 03:46: Michael talks about exploring his career options as a student and learning through field work in nature 05:01: Approaching ecology from a lens of history 07:10: Michael talks about his park project internship in Louisville 08:47: “Do you garden and if so what is the climate like and where are you located and what do you grow?” Kathy asks Michael 08:57: Michael: The world needs to be understood through its glacial history 12:00: Michael defines Historic Ecology, why it’s important to “know your land” 14:18: Michael explains providing foundational knowledge of land’s potential to clients 14:55: Michael’s advice and services for private landowners 17:37: Michael talks about the importance of and the lack of large old trees 18:14: Has Michael encountered any large carnivores in his jobs? 20:20: Michael talks about working with Oak Spring Garden Foundation - Bunny Mellon estate 23:05: East coast plant diversity is underappreciated 27:36: Kathy asks Michael for fun facts about Oak the Spring report 34:03: The records of enslaved people on Oak Spring properties 35:40: Kathy asks Michael about his discovery of an ancient forest in Baltimore + Microtopography 42:04: Michael Gage’s three “claims to fame” : Red Buds, Red Oaks and Turkish Hazelnuts 43:40: How land and/or homeowners can contract Michael + fee and land ranges 47:05: “All properties bear the imprint of an infinite number of human decisions land owners are authors writing a tomb in trees, grasses, rocks and past” 48:24: How to contact Michael Gage (knowyourland.com) 49:40: Last notes: Michael implores the audience to “pay attention to the trees” 50:56: “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Terry Spate 52:06: Fox Glove plant profile 53:50: What's new in the garden this week? + Upcoming events (January and February) 56:06: Christy Page’s 10 Tips for Starting Seeds in Egg Cartons 58:12: How to support the GardenDC Podcast We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode. And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too! Episode Credits: Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany Recorded on 1-25-2025.