Shows
SPILLED.Shrooms, Rome, and Reddit: 10 Christmas Tradition OriginsCome with us on a holly jolly holiday episode on debunking 10 Christmas traditions and their origins. This episode is a little different, though -- you'll be in charge of guessing if each of the 20 traditions is "Real or Reddit." That's right, Kendyl did her trademark Reddit deep-dive to find 10 family traditions that'll keep you guessing if the origin is Pagan, Nordic, Victorian, or some plain and simple family creativity. We break down the origins of the Christmas Tree, Santa's appearance, why reindeer fly, Christmas cards, and more! Sources: Chastagner, Gary A...
2025-12-2351 min
Cascade of HistoryBONUS EPISODE: 80 Minutes with the Evergreen State's "Doctor Christmas Tree"Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS “O Tannenbaum” EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Gary Chastagner, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at Washington State University. He’s an award-winning and much honored academic scientist with the enviable nickname of "Dr. Christmas Tree."
We spent almost an hour and a half on December 19, 2025 talking with Dr. Christmas Tree – aka Gary Chastagner - about his research, and about how you can take better care of your Christmas tree this year and every year, to keep it from drying out, and to keep the needles from falling off.
For more information about Gary “Dr. Christ...
2025-12-201h 20
Washington State Magazine webisodesThe Christmas tree doctor is in.When Gary Chastagner was a kid in the 1950s, his parents typically displayed their Christmas tree for about a week. The tree went up on December 24—often after he went to bed—and came down after New Year’s Day.Now, consumers want fresh-cut trees that can be displayed for weeks without losing their needles. Chastagner, a professor emeritus of plant pathology at Washington State University, has spent more than 40 years helping Northwest Christmas tree growers improve their product. For his work, Chastagner earned the nickname “Dr. Christmas Tree.” In this episode, Chastagner talks about working on...
2025-12-0527 min
PlantopiaThe Science Behind Healthy Christmas TreesIn this episode, Gary Chastagner, a professor of plant pathology and an extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology at Washington State University, joins host Jim Bradeen for a timely conversation about the science behind Christmas trees. The two chat about his initial interests in plant pathology, his research specific to Christmas trees and diseases impacting them, genetically modified Christmas trees, and the interactions between root rotting Phythophthora, Abies Christmas trees and the environment.
Show notes
The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3EUC4cc
McKeever...
2022-11-2251 min