In this episode of The Palmcast, we sit down with Dr. David Creech of SFA Gardens for an in-depth conversation on a lifetime spent in horticulture.

Dr. Creech shares stories from his nearly 40+ years at Stephen F. Austin State University, including the history and evolution of SFA Gardens, his work in the fruit industry, and his experience owning and operating a peach orchard.

We also dive into growing in East Texas, native plants vs. nativars, and practical knowledge that only comes from decades of real-world experience. This conversation went nearly two hours and will likely become a multi-part series.

If you enjoy this episode, we encourage you to visit and support SFA Gardens. The gardens are funded entirely through private donations, and your support helps continue their mission.

👉 Visit & Support:
https://www.sfasu.edu/gardens

🌿 Topics include:
• History of SFA Gardens
• 40+ years in horticulture
• Peach orchards & fruit growing
• Native plants vs. nativars
• Growing in East Texas
• Lessons from decades of plant trials

👉 Check out our shops:
Sabal King of Texas (Etsy)
https://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.com

Teddy’s Nursery (eBay)
https://ebay.us/m/DLYoQL

If you enjoy the show, make sure to follow and stay tuned as we continue to explore cold-hardy palms, nursery life, and the realities of growing plants at scale.

Let’s keep growing 🌴🚀

In Episode 8, Tom and Teddy dive into essential spring tasks for palm growers and collectors. As the growing season kicks off, timing and preparation are everything.We cover when to buy your palms, what to look for when selecting healthy specimens, and how to design the perfect planting locations. We also get into proper watering techniques, site preparation, and how to set your palms up for success through the warmer months.Whether you're new to palms or a seasoned grower, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply right now.We even announce our first sponsor - Nelson Plant Foods! Make sure you support them by picking up some of their fine fertilizers and feed your palms!https://nelsonplantfood.com/🌱 Topics include:When to purchase palms in springWhat to look for when buyingDesigning your planting layoutSite prep and soil considerationsWatering best practicesAnd much more👉 Be sure to check out our shops:Sabal King of Texas on Etsyhttps://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.comTeddy’s Nursery on eBayhttps://ebay.us/m/DLYoQLIf you enjoy the show, make sure to subscribe and follow along as we continue to explore cold‑hardy palms, nursery life, and the realities of growing plants at scale.Let’s keep growing 🌴🚀

🌴 The Palmcast – Episode with Joe LeVert 🌴

In this episode, we sit down with longtime palm grower Joe LeVert to talk about his decades of experience in the palm world and the incredible work he’s done at Aquinas High School in Augusta.

Joe shares the story behind the school’s growing Sabal and tropical garden—an evolving project where students get hands-on experience with planting, pruning, fertilizing, and maintaining a living landscape. It’s more than just a garden—it’s a real-world classroom shaping the next generation of horticulturists.

We also dive into:

• Joe’s journey into palms

• The evolution of the Aquinas garden

• Student involvement and impact

• The Southeastern Palm Society meeting hosted at the school

• Sabal discussions and growing insights

🌱 Support the Program
If you’d like to support the Aquinas High School horticulture program and help provide students with valuable life skills:

📧 Email Joe directly: jlevert@aquinashigh.org
📩 Or reach out to Tom or Teddy

Your support helps continue this meaningful work and invest in future growers.

🎧 Thanks for listening to The Palmcast!

In this episode of The Palmcast, we dig into one of the most important (and often overlooked) parts of growing palms — starting from seed.We cover everything from how and where to source quality seeds, to proven methods for germination, and what to do next when it’s time to pot up your seedlings for success. Along the way, we share practical tips, lessons learned, and a few tricks that can make all the difference in your growing journey.🌱 Topics include:Seed sourcing — what to look for and what to avoidGermination techniques that actually workTiming and methods for potting up seedlingsCommon mistakes and how to avoid them🎁 Special Giveaway!As a thank you to our listeners, we’re doing a giveaway tied to this episode — tune in to find out how to enter!Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your process, this episode is packed with actionable insight to help you grow better palms from the ground up.👉 Be sure to check out our shops:Sabal King of Texas on Etsyhttps://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.comTeddy’s Nursery on eBayhttps://ebay.us/m/DLYoQLIf you enjoy the show, make sure to subscribe and follow along as we continue to explore cold‑hardy palms, nursery life, and the realities of growing plants at scale.Let’s keep growing 🌴🚀

In Episode 5, we sit down with nursery industry veteran Mike Fiore of Smith's Gardentown, a well‑known garden center and production nursery in North Texas.

Mike shares the story of growing up in a third‑generation nursery family, eventually purchasing the business himself, and helping guide Smith’s Gardentown into the future. We talk about everything from rebuilding after the devastating Wichita Falls tornado to the behind‑the‑scenes work that goes into running a true seed‑to‑retail nursery operation.

We also dive into the massive poinsettia production that fills their greenhouses every fall, the famous Plant‑A‑Palooza event, and what it takes to operate a full‑scale garden center that grows much of what it sells.

If you love plants, nurseries, or the stories behind great businesses in horticulture, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🌿 Learn More About Smith’s GardentownWebsite: https://smithsgardentown.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithsgardentownInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithsgardentown

👉 Be sure to check out our shops:

Sabal King of Texas on Etsy

https://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.com

Teddy’s Nursery on eBay

https://ebay.us/m/DLYoQL

If you enjoy the show, make sure to subscribe and follow along as we continue to explore cold‑hardy palms, nursery life, and the realities of growing plants at scale.

Let’s keep growing 🌴🚀

In Episode 4 of Palmcast, Teddy and I sit down to talk about the transition into Spring 2026 and reflect on everything we learned from the past winter.

From greenhouse management to in‑ground plantings, winter always teaches growers something — sometimes the easy way and sometimes the hard way. In this episode we discuss what worked, what didn’t, and the lessons we’re carrying forward into the new growing season.

We cover:

🌴 How our palms performed through winter
🌱 Greenhouse management and winter growing strategies
❄️ Protection methods and cold weather lessons
🌿 What surprised us the most this season
🚜 What we're planning differently going into Spring 2026

Whether you're growing palms in colder climates, running a nursery, or just trying to push the limits in your own yard, winter always brings valuable lessons — and we're sharing ours.

👉 Be sure to check out our shops:

Sabal King of Texas on Etsy
https://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.com

Teddy’s Nursery on eBay
https://ebay.us/m/DLYoQL

If you enjoy the show, make sure to subscribe and follow along as we continue to explore cold‑hardy palms, nursery life, and the realities of growing plants at scale.

Let’s keep growing 🌴🚀

In Episode 3 of Palmcast, we sit down with Tom McClendon — President of the Southeastern Palm Society and one of the most respected voices in palm growing across the Southeast.

With decades of hands‑on experience, Tom shares deep insight into:

• Growing cold hardy palms in challenging climates
• Long‑term landscape planning and plant selection
• Lessons from large‑scale public plantings across Georgia
• Cold hardy citrus and companion plants
• What truly separates successful growers from frustrated ones

From botanical garden projects to private landscapes, Tom has helped shape the palm-growing landscape throughout Georgia — and in this episode, we do our best to extract as much knowledge as possible.

This conversation is packed with practical advice, real-world experience, and behind-the-scenes stories from a lifetime in horticulture. There’s so much depth here that this may turn into a multi-part series.

Whether you’re a hobby grower, zone pusher, or nursery professional, this episode delivers serious value.

🎥 Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/_HfMquz4YEE

👉 Be sure to check out:

Sabal King of Texas on Etsy
https://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.com

Teddy’s Nursery on eBay
https://ebay.us/m/DLYoQL

Tom's Tropicals

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TomTropicals

Grow smarter. Plant bolder. Push the zone. 🌴

In Part 2 of our journey on Palmcast, we dive deeper into the transition from passionate hobby growers to full‑fledged business owners.This episode focuses on what it really took to turn a love for palms into a legitimate operation — from navigating legal requirements and business compliance to building infrastructure, managing inventory, and learning lessons the hard way. We talk about the permits, the paperwork, the risks, and the realities that most people never see behind the scenes.It wasn’t overnight. It wasn’t easy. And it definitely wasn’t cheap.From blood, sweat, and tears… to greenhouses full of Sabals — this is the unfiltered story of what it takes to build a nursery from the ground up.If you’ve ever thought about turning your plant hobby into a business, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.👉 Be sure to check out:Sabal King of Texas on Etsy - https://sabalkingoftexas.etsy.comTeddy’s Nursery on eBay - https://ebay.us/m/DLYoQL🌴 Subscribe, follow, and join us as we continue building the Palmcast journey — one episode at a time.