Garden Basics with Farmer Fred

Teaming with bacteria. Now there’s a title sure to send the casual gardener to another podcast. But bear with me, please. What if I told you that the future of plant fertilizer was not fertilizer? It will be… bacteria. That’s according to Jeff Lowenfels, author of the book, Teaming with Bacteria. Today, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture professor, Debbie Flower, geeks out on garden s...

Last Spring ( Episode 193 ), Debbie Flower and I discussed the viability of bagged worm castings. According to one study published in a peer review journal, bagged worm castings start losing their effectiveness after 60 days. There are those who disagree with that study, calling it invalid. Today, we revisit our chat about bagged worm castings with Debbie Flower, and add in an opposing viewpoint,...

Many areas of the country suffered through prolonged heat waves in September. And now, your fruit tree orchard may have problems. We have ideas on how to help your fruit trees get through next year’s heatwaves. You’ve seen the bags and boxes of fertilizers and soil amendments that say, “Now, containing mycorrhizae!” Is that a good buy? America’s Favorite College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flow...

If you have horses, or access to horse manure, you might want to use that manure to fertilize your plants. What are the precautions you need to take? America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower,  has those warnings. Wildfires are a fact of life throughout rural and not so rural areas of many states. 1 in 6 Americans lives in an area that could face a wildfire. How can...

Besides making the autumn garden prettier, Debbie Flower mentions some early cleanup fall chores that can help reduce next year’s insect and disease problems in your garden. Organic advocate Steve Zien talks about one of the easiest ways to improve your garden soil this winter: mulching with leaves. Berry plants arrive at many  garden centers in mid to late fall. So, here's how to grow Raspbe...

What does your soil need for a thriving garden? Today, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, tackles your questions about what you should add - or not add - to your soil.  And it’s winter tomato time! What? You can grow tomatoes in the winter? What do you need to grow tomatoes in the winter? The right environment - a greenhouse with a heater is ideal - and the r...

I’m big on making the garden a multi sensory treat. Something for the eyes, the tastebuds, the fingertips and especially the nose. Today’s show for the nose specialty is citrus. Lance Walheim, long time garden book author and rare citrus grower, talks about using bergamot oranges for infusing in gin. Plus, other citrus varieties that will offer something for your nose as well as taste buds in what...

We have a wide ranging discussion with nationally famous TV gardener, Joe Lamp’l, about his new book, the Vegetable Gardening Book.  But we also venture into the warm season garden when he talks about his tomato cages, which are built to look good and last a lifetime. In the question and answer segment, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, has warnings worth he...

Autumn begins this week, and fall is definitely for planting. The air is cooler, but the soil is still warm, perfect for establishing new plants. We revisit a couple of segments to get you into the garden during the next couple of months.  Are you thinking of getting some low water-use or drought tolerant plants for your landscape? America's Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, De...

Fall is just around the corner, in just a few days, September 22. Still, in the West and elsewhere, more heat waves are in the forecast. How can you protect your backyard vegetables and grapes from more onslaughts of temperatures in the 90’s and above? Plus, new (or old) disease-resistant grape varieties. We have some tips. The black widow spider - is it a friend or foe in your garden? Debbie Flow...

Why is gardening so healthy for you? We explore that today with Dr. Laura Varich of FreshPhysician.com , who explains the health benefits of gardening, and the healthier benefits of eating what you grow. And that includes some health benefits you may not be aware of, including breathing in and touching the soil itself.  We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungl...

Some very irritated gardeners, trying to figure out drip irrigation. So, today’s entire show is on drip irrigation basics: how to install it, how to run it, how to maintain it. We revisit a chat with garden author Robert Kourik, who wrote, “Drip Irrigation for Every Landscape and All Climates.” He’ll tell us that not only will drip irrigation save you money by using less water, drip irrigation can...

It seems that on every edition of Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, a nugget of very helpful garden information gets tossed into it, that may or may not have anything to do with the subject being discussed. Today, we present the top listened-to quick tips, along with a couple of new ones. You’re going to get short pieces of advice on growing tomatoes, cilantro, battling hornworms, the best time to h...

September is here, and many of you are still enjoying your summer vegetable garden. But get ready…the days will be getting shorter and cooler this month and those plants may start to go into decline. Now is time to be planning and planting your second garden of 2022, the fall and winter vegetable garden, wherever you might live here in the Northern Hemisphere. Nursery Owner Don Shor has the cool s...

What are those mushrooms doing in my garden? How do I get rid of them? What are the best roses that thrive in hotter climates? We answer those questions on today’s podcast. Also, we have tips for improving your garden soil during the upcoming fall season.  It’s probably the most important part of having a successful garden next year. It's all about the soil! We’re podcasting from Barking Dog...

A question from a listener is one you may be thinking about while you’re in the garden: why are my tomato leaves turning brown? Possibilities include shaded older leaves; tomato russet mites; whiteflies; aphids; root knot nematodes; fusarium wilt; verticillium wilt; late blight; powdery mildew. But in most of those instances, the tomatoes themselves will show abnormalities. In this case, the tomat...

Summer time is insect time, especially in the garden, both the good guys as well as the ones that you didn’t invite. Today, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, tells us about the insect traps that work, and don’t work, when it comes to controlling flies, mosquitoes, yellow jackets, fleas, ants and others. We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the b...

Whiteflies. They can overwhelm a garden full of vegetables and flowers, as well as certain trees and shrubs, especially during warm weather. Whiteflies excrete sticky honeydew and cause yellowing or death of the leaves. The good news is: there are a lot of beneficial insects  that can help you do battle against whiteflies. In some areas of the country,  Bermudagrass is a desirable turf type for a...

Wherever you live, wherever you garden, at some point in the year, your plants will get aphids. This sucking insect enjoys the sap from many of your favorite plants, including vegetables, fruits, flowers, shrubs and trees. Aphids can also spread plant diseases. Oh, and they do attract ants, who covet the sweet excretions of aphids. We have tips for controlling this widespread garden pest, aphids. ...

Yes, it’s August, and it’s hot out, but the garden is a busy place:  harvesting, watering, deadheading, weeding. Wise gardeners  have added another chore that will help guarantee future garden success: summer pruning of deciduous fruit trees. We’ll tell you why now nipping back your peach, plum, apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine and other fruit trees  will lead to better production next year. Have...

If you have a sprinkler system, a drip irrigation system or a series of soaker hoses, how are you turning those systems on and off?  For many gardeners who live in dry summer climates, automatic irrigation control systems are the way to go. And if you have one of those older irrigation control systems, you might be amazed at how the newer, smartphone-controlled systems can ease your watering chore...

GB 217 More Jumping Worms! What to Do with Your Extra Fruits, Vegetables Jumping worms! Unlike red wigglers or earthworms, jumping worms are not garden good guys. They’ll  consume a lot of your mulch, leaving behind pellets that are not good for your plants or your soil. And jumping worms are spreading. America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, has updated informati...

As we are fond of saying on this program every summer, “You grew it. Now, eat it!” Not all at once, of course. What are the best ways to preserve all the fruits and vegetables you grow? One of the easiest is drying them. Sun drying or using a dehydrator is a great way to preserve nutrients while enjoying the literal fruits of your labor throughout the year. But where do you begin? Today, we talk w...

A mature, healthy landscape tree can add thousands of dollars of value to your home. And that road to a healthy tree begins as soon as you get the tree home from the nursery. And that’s where many homeowners start making what could be fatal mistakes. Today, Master Gardener and tree expert Pam Bone has the vital tips on how to stake a newly planted tree. We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios he...

Garden Basics # 214 Soldier Flies, Improving Slow Compost If you have a compost pile, or especially a worm bin, you may have seen a scary looking critter: an inch-long wasp-like creature. That’s the soldier fly. But are they good for your compost pile or worm bin? Some gardeners swear by them. Some swear at them. Today, we talk with a big proponent of soldier flies about them, and we delve deep in...