Flower Power Garden Hour

Dieffenbachia, 'pothos', Monstera… a great majority of houseplants are in the Araceae family which most people shorten to just say Aroids. I discuss this broad family with UC Davis   Botanical Conservatory   volunteer extraordinaire Bruce Ritter. He has revamped our collection and he shares all his tips and tricks with us. Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributin...

Believe it or not, spring is around the corner.   Here in NorCal, it is still wet with periods of cold, so one does have to be careful with working soil and protecting from potentially freezes.   LOTS of prep to do for the upcoming season.   It is time to plant: ·        Broccoli ·        Cabbage ·        Carrots ·        Cauliflower ·        Collards, swiss chard ·        Kale ·        Leeks ·   ...

It's here – the last To Do list of the year.   So far it has been a mild winter, with regards to both temperature and moisture.   It is the time to plant another round of winter vegetables, work on pest management, and start planning for your spring garden.   We are at the apex of short days, so time to work is limited.   Episode includes Listener Q&A, with topics listed below.   It is time to pla...

How do we ensure the next generations become stewards of the land? Of course exposing them to nature and getting them outdoors but also having conversations and reading with them. I talk with author, Collin Pine, about his children's book 'The Garden Next Door' and how its message is more important than ever. Collin's latest book is called " The Garden Next Door' "   Collin can be found at: ·     ...

Gardening can be murder... that is what a lot of people who claim to have a brown thumb think. But in this case, I'm discussing murder mystery books and their links to gardening. Author, Marta McDowell, joins me to discuss her new book "Gardening Can Be Murder: How poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers'. We discuss historical detectives who a passion fo...

Trees -- we all know how important they are. But what are the best trees for zone 9? How exactly do you properly plant, stake and water a new tree? Pamela Sanchez -- Certified Arborist and Education Programs Manager for the Sacramento Tree Foundation -- joins me to discuss these topics and more.   Pamela and the Sacramento Tree can be found at: ·        Website:   sactree.org ·        Instagram:  ...

It is the October To Do List, and that means it is a very busy time in the garden.   Clean up from summer vegetables and prepping for fall and winter. The days are cooler, but shorter – which means you have to work efficiently and hard. Episode includes Listener Q&A, with topics listed below.     It is time to plant: ·        Fava beans ·        Beets ·        Bok choy ·        Carrots ·        Ce...

Seeds. As gardeners we sow them, order them, harvest them, and sometime try to prevent them. Author and gardener Jennifer Jewell delves even deeper into the science and importance of seeds in her new book 'What We Sow'. We discuss her inspiration for the book and talk about why seeds are so important in our ecosystem, cultures and overall survival as humans.   Jennifer Jewell, Cultivating Place an...

As a plant person with minimal design skills, I'm in awe of people with both skill sets. In this episode I talk to Soleil Tranquilli about how she combines her artistic design ability with her wealth of plant knowledge to create firesafe, water wise and tranquil gardens. She is the owner of Tranquill Gardens as well as being a Certified watershed Wise Landscape Pro and the president of the Sacrame...

It is the September To Do List – believe it or not, we are in full Fall prep time.   Lots of cool weather vegetables to start planting, and tons of clean up and pruning.   Summer may have been easy in the garden, but it's time to get the gloves on and get to work.   Episode includes Listener Q&A and a discussion around current published articles in the horticulture world.   It is time to plant:  ...

You can say that my guest, Justin Hancock, is passionate about passion vines! But he is also passionate about anything that grows. As a horticulturalist for one of the top nurseries, Costa Farms, he gets to surround himself with all types of plants. We discuss, of course, passion vines as well as houseplant care. Justin and Costa Farms can be found at: ·        Instagram:   justinwhancock ·       ...

It is the August To Do List, and we are having a gorgeous summer that is offering up IDEAL garden conditions.   Vegetable and fruit harvests are bountiful, but there is prep work for fall piling up.   It is time to:   Plant seeds in ground, including:   beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes Prep garden beds for Fall planting in September:   Weed, compost Chores include:         Dead-head flow...

Want to replace your lawn with a cacti/succulent garden? Here's how. My coworker and succulent grower extraordinaire, Gianluca Bacci, joins me to discuss succulent growing tips. We talk about major do's and don'ts of succulent care plus why the saguaro cacti of Arizona are dying.   Gianluca can be found at: ·          Instagram:   marinsect_gianluca   To ask questions for future shows, submit them...

Many of us walk around with ideas/inventions in our head but don't follow through with them for numerous reasons. In this episode, I talk with inventor/founder of PlantTraps, Deborah Holtschlag, about how she came up with an idea and ran with it. We discuss her products that turn balconies into amazing gardens as well as her journey from idea to market.   Links below can be found to Deborah and Pl...

It is the July To Do List, and we are in the HEAT of summer.   Garden work is relegated to morning and (maybe) late afternoon given the blistering temperatures.   Luckily, it is not the busiest time of the year garden wise – hopefully most of your time is spent harvesting vegetables.   Plenty to do still from a maintenance perspective, and believe it or not….some early prep for Fall/Winter. It is...

It is the June To Do List, and here in Zone 9 it seems that summer has arrived.   Hot weather is becoming the daily norm, and everything is quickly drying up from a very wet winter.   At this point in the garden a lot of the hard prep work has been done and we now begin summer maintenance mode.     It is time to plant: ·        Perennials, roses, herbs, veggies… beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, w...

For centuries people have been harvesting and obtaining oils from plants. From lavender to Frankincense, researchers know that oils are important compounds in plants for many reasons. In this episode I talk to aromatherapy expert, Amy Anthony of NYC Aromatica, all about essential oils and how you can utilize them in your life. We touch upon distilling flowers, which ones you can grow in your garde...

It is the May To Do List, and the here in Zone 9 the winter weather seems to have finally broken.   Warm days have been persistent, but there is still some cool and wet weather.   Lots to do in the garden as we catch up from a long winter and prepare for spring/summer.   It is time to plant: ·        Vegetables:   Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, swiss chard, corn, cucumbers, okra, melons, squa...

April is Kid's Gardening Month! Joining me to talk about resources to help teachers and parents with activities, grants and lesson plants is Em Shipman, Executive Director of KidsGardening.org . And FYI-   a lot of these lessons are great for grownups!   If folks want to contribute to our work, donations are 100% tax deductible. We are able to reach 8 more kids with every dollar donated!   Here is...

It is the April To Do List, and the persistent wet and cold weather is still here in the west.   Nevertheless, we are getting warmer, longer days and spring will soon be in full effect.   We also spend some time reviewing asparagus growing tips, as it is a popular question amongst listeners.   It is time to plant:         Vegetables:   Eggplant, squash, corn, cucumbers, swiss chard, jicama, okra,...

Begonias are like potato chips, you can't stop at one. In this episode I'm talking with Glenn Dickerson, Begonia collections curator at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, about all his tips and tricks to keep their massive collection healthy and thriving. We discuss soil, fertilizer, types of Begonias, problematic Rex varieties and more.   Glenn and some fantastic begonia resources can be found below:...

Peach leaf curl, fire blight, citrus issues, and more.   Don Shor, owner of Redwood Barn Nursery and horticulturist extraordinaire, joins me to discuss issues that may arise on your fruit trees this spring and summer.     Don and Redwood Barn Nursery can be found at: Website:   redwoodbarn.com Instagram: redwoodbarnnursery & don.shor Facebook: Redwood Barn Nursery Podcasts:   Davis Garden Show on...

It is the March To Do List, and we are still in the heart of winter with lots of cold and wet days.   Not just cold and wet – we have had very low elevation snow throughout California…crazy.   Spring looms though, and preparation is paramount.     It is time to plant: ·        Vegetables:   Broccoli, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, chive, collards, swiss chard, kale, lettuce, potatoes, radish ·      ...

It is the February To Do List, and we are still in the heart of winter with plenty of cold days.   Spring is around the corner though, and preparation has to get started. It is time to plant: ·        Vegetables:   Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, swiss chard, collards, kale, lettuce, peas, radish ·        Plant bare-root roses, fruit trees   Chores include: ·        Prune roses, fruit trees ·     ...