The Dirt Doctor Podcast Audio

The October 3, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses how to plant solid sod, time to plant garlic (and how), removing vines from trees, and shares a video of a recent SpaceX rocket launch viewed from South Padre Island.  Podcast highlights: - SPCA  - SpaceX 14 S. Padre Island - Vines on tree trunks - Garlic fertilizer - Bulb Plus product - Planting garlic - Dwarf ginkgo - Organic...

The September 26, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses changes to the updated website to make searches easier, and discussed several trees including the recommended Mexican mountain maple, holly trees, Mexican plum, and ginkgo trees, and illustrates how to make your own soil probe to take a true reading of your soil moisture levels.  Podcast highlights: - SPCA  - Tour of updated...

Dirt Doctor this week with Howard Garrett - Comfrey-Garlic-Tree-colors The September 19, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses how to make your own medicinal mix of comfrey from your garden, how to prepare garlic for planting (and what parts to plant when), and tree care tips including treating emerald ash borer and how to plant trees. Podcast highlights: - SPCA  - Comfrey juice...

Dirt Doctor this week with Howard Garrett - Fertilzation, Mulch, and Shredded tree trimmings  The September 12, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses activities on the organic gardening calendar such as fall fertilization and planting fall crops, followed by an in-depth discussion of types and uses of several popular forms of mulch and compost.  Podcast highlights: - Monthly gard...

The September 5, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answering listener questions that came in via "Ask Howard" about transplanting trees in the heat, about treating brown patch in turf, about armadillos, and described the 2006 trip he and his family made to Machu Picchu in Peru.  Podcast highlights:   Cicada killers Crapemyrtles dying back Prepare garlic to plant Armadillos Coles Liquid...

Dirt Doctor this week with Howard Garrett - Bamboo, Fertlizer, and Golf The August 29, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answering listener questions regarding good forms of bamboo (that can grow in semi-shade), about how to get lavasand, about when to use fertilizers and what kinds to use, and some golf stories.    Podcast Highlights Bamboo, Vinegar, Bad and Good Fertilizers, Lava san...

Dirt Doctor This Week - Cicada Killers Beetles and Fertilizer  The August 22, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answering listener questions regarding insects, weeds, the condition of plants in the extreme heat of summer, and fertilizing.  Podcast highlights:   Cicada Killer wasp Soap damage to tree foliage Black beetles  Flea beetle Harlequin beetle Black spotted cucumber beetle Texas...

The August 15, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answering listener questions and discussing photos sent in to illustrate the problems they asked about. The site is being adjusted so photos can be added to the Ask Howard page. A big question - how to successfully transplant trees and shrubs in high summer plus a look at sucking insect pests such as aphids and scale. After a few teasers...

Dirt Doctor This Week - cactus compost, button bush, fasciation, and molasses The August 8, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses why cactus pads are a great form of compost (and how to do it) and more about cactus pests (cochineal) and aberations (cristate forms). Also a discussion of what goes into Garrett Juice, what plants are good in wet or shaded areas, and how to deal with...

The August 1, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses a small Brazilian pepper he discovered in a restaurant that he now grows to eat and as an ornamental plant. Biquinho peppers are also called "Little Beak" and "Sweetie Drops." Also answered questions that came in through the "Ask Howard" page on the Dirt Doctor website.    Podcast highlights:   Lemonbalm Biquinho Peppers Cheat s...

The July 25, 2026, Dirt Doctor this week Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses how slime mold appears (lots of ways) and behaves in the yard and garden. He also reviewed a few of the common plant diseases and discussed a few products and listener questions and tips. Podcast highlights:   Slime molds Plant diseases Sick Tree Treatment  Dog pee damage in grass (Tully) Hoja Santa  Privacy hedge prive...

The July 18, 2026, Dirt Doctor this week Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses his work on the National Champion Pecan tree in Weatherford, Texas, and he answers a number of viewer's questions.  National Champion Pecan Tree Proper tree limb pruning Velcro ties for garden plants - Uline Potting soil Johnson Grass control Sick Tree Treatment Garden tour (repeat from June 2025)  Advertisers: Crazy Wa...

The July 11, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses a number of organic products he uses all of the time as well as a new sprayer being tested. He answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. This week they include queries about mice and rat repellents, treating lacebugs, fire ants, and scale on crapemyrtle as...

The July 4, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett offers his top ten (plus one) favorite ornamental trees for North Texas. He also answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. How to prune and treat tree wounds, spidermites, his Houston gardening book, compost, DE wormer, and Johnson grass are just a few topics he touch...

The June 27, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. Repelling mosquitoes, how to use the fruit and pecan tree program, and Howard's list of top 10 shade trees for North Texas are in this program. And stay tuned at the end, there is a video of Howard rescuing his dog Elvis from...

The June 20, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. Everything from how to kill algae in ponds to planting Mexican Buckeye seeds, tomato pollination to repelling mosquitoes is in there this week. And stay tuned at the end, there is a short tour of Howard's garden.  Show Notes:...

The June13, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. Queries this week on many subjects including what to do about caterpillars and worms, is wood mulch safe, fireblight, grass burs, photinia diseases, and how to use corn meal.  Show Notes: SPCA dogs EFI Newsletter  Cheat Sheet...

The June 6, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answers questions sent in by podcast listeners and web site readers to the Dirt Doctor site's "Ask Howard" feature. Lots of questions that came in that way this week, including photos from a listener. He also discusses the Dirt Doctor "Guides" and the reason for several formulas for his Tree Trunk Goop to restore injured trees. Finally, the...

The May 30, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett answers a few questions sent in by listeners and readers to the Dirt Doctor web site's "Ask Howard" feature. The bulk of the podcast is a discussion of the books he has written to do with landscape design and organic gardening. He updated the current status of the "Cheat Sheet" list of tips he used when he was on the radio show and has cont...

The May 23, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett continues with answering questions sent in by listeners and readers to the Dirt Doctor web site's "Ask Howard" feature.  Guest on Interview from EarthX: Michelle - Rebel with a Rake (https://www.instagram.com/rebelwitharake/) Advertisers: Douglass King Seed https://www.dkseeds.com/ Summit Chemical mosquito solutions.  https://summitchemical...

The May 16, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett continues with answering questions sent in by listeners and readers to the Dirt Doctor web site's "Ask Howard" feature. This week covers his continuing sale of art from the former office and gallery space and a discussion of the evolution of the "cheat sheet" of helpful answers that was an appendix of a new (yet unpublished) book. He also d...

A wide-ranging set of questions came in last week for the Question and Answer portion of the May 9, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett. He spoke his "cheat sheet" of helpful answers, about the benefits of using mosquito dunks and bits, and of various types of pest control. There are paint color recommendations for hiding features in the landscape (fences, utility boxes, even garden furn...

The two main parts of the May 2, 2026, podcast are a tour of Howard's Garden and one of several interviews Howard Garrett conducted in April at the EarthX conference. This week's interview is a discussion with Rainmaker. Earth representative Kevin Hauschel, their VP of Sales and Business Development in North America. The Canadian company offers "transformative water technology that restructures ir...

The biggest part of this week's podcast is a discussion of the Dirt Doctor's "cheat sheet," a multi-page list of the items he was asked about most often on the radio show. The list was there for quick lookup in case he forgot some detail, and it has grown over the years, old things removed, new techniques and products added. Howard also touched on his visit to this year's EarthX conference in down...

The biggest part of this week's podcast is a tour of Howard's art gallery, in preparation for an April 25, 2026 show and sale. The Dirt Doctor non-profit TORC (Texas Organic Research Center) has been supported for many years by the sale of Howard's art. Howard also answers questions about his research into the best formula to duplicate the weedkiller mix in Agralawn Crabgrass Killer, how and when...