Managing lawns with ecology in mind with Chris Enroth

Managing lawns with ecology in mind with Chris Enroth

Author: Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, Erin Garrett August 27, 2026 Duration: 59:14

Today we chat with Chris Enroth, horticulture educator for Illinois Extension, about how we can approach our lawn care with fewer inputs. We chat about why we even have lawns, top tips for a healthy lawn with fewer inputs, demystifying seed mixes, and how to shrink your lawn to support pollinators and other wildlife. We get in the weeds this episode and have a fun discussion with lots of examples from our own yards.

Check out Chris on the Good Growing podcast and blog!

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Was there something about this topic we didn’t cover? See something cool in nature? Let us know! Send us your question or share your everyday nature observation with us at go.illinois.edu/EEconnect, and we may share it in a future blog or podcast.


Questions? We'd love to hear from you!
Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois.edu, Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu, Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu 

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Hosted by Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, and Erin Garrett, Everyday Environment Podcast is a conversation about the natural systems that shape daily life in Illinois. It’s not just about distant wilderness; it’s about the water from your tap, the trees on your street, the birds at your feeder, and the energy powering your home. Each episode pulls on a single thread-be it soil health, local wildlife, or sustainable practices-to reveal the whole intricate web we’re a part of. You’ll hear clear explanations and practical insights that make the science of our surroundings accessible and immediately relevant. The goal is to move beyond abstract concepts and foster a tangible, deeper understanding of how these environmental connections work right outside our doors. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that equip you with knowledge about the air, land, and water in your own community, making the complexities of our shared ecosystem feel a little more familiar and a lot more connected to the choices we make every day. This podcast is one part of a broader educational effort, designed to engage curious residents who want to look a bit closer at the world around them.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Everyday Environment Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Before the birds nest: Getting your yard ready for spring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Many of us invite birds to our landscapes - sometimes there is joy and sometimes there is frustration when birds begin to nest near our homes in the spring. Join us during this episode as we talk to Illinois Extension ho…
Energy efficiency is trending on our landscapes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:46
Before central heating and cooling became a standard feature of many homes, there was a greater emphasis on designing homes and their yards to provide natural climate control. This was accomplished by taking advantage of…
Friend or foe? Insects in your landscape with Dr. Ken Johnson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:21
EO Wilson famously called insects the "little things that run the world." Dr. Ken Johnson, Illinois Extension horticulture educator, joins us this week to solve our insect challenges. Insects perform numerous services wi…
What's wrong with my tree? with Sarah Vogel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:30
When we talk nature-based solutions, trees can be the answer to many problems! Trees planted in our landscapes can deal with a lot of problems though. This week we chat with Horticulture Educator Sarah Vogel about the co…
Working hand in hand with nature in your garden with Amy Powers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:43
We're kicking off our nature-based solution season with guest Amy Powers, who is a garden coach and social media influencer in the Chicago region. We had a blast chatting with Amy about how we can work with nature rather…
Practicing Curiosity: the Season 5 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:11
Join the Everyday Environment team for our fifth season chatting with experts, researchers, and professionals in the environmental field. Erin, Amy, and Abigail go over the theme for season five and the very exciting gue…
Answering your invasive species questions: a Q&A with Chris Evans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:40
For our final episode of our invasive species season we have something a little different: we're sharing the recording of an invasive species livestream we hosted on Facebook with Chris Evans, answering your invasive spe…
Carrying a shield against invasive carp with Steven Butler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:16
Join Steve Butler, Biologist at the Kaskaskia Biological Field Station, as he discusses invasive carp (silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, and black carp) and their reproducing populations throughout much of the Missi…