PODCAST

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast

Farmer Fred

Picking up where the Garden Basics podcast left off. gardenbasics.substack.com

leisure home & garden

All Episodes

28:24

Potato Planting Tips

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/09/29

In today’s newsletter podcast, retired college horticulture professor Debbie Flower and Master Gardener Gail Pothour offer tips for growing potatoes. We also talk about the best months of the year to plant potatoes. That answer? It depends where you are. Give it a listen (above).More Potato Planting TipsFrom the garden e-mail bag, Alan asks: “What varieties of potatoes are best to grow here in California?”There are dozens of varieties a potato gardener in California can choose. Among the favorites

11:12

The "Fast Food" Garden: Microgreens & Baby Greens

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/09/22

I’ve often heard from dietitians and health food aficionados that consuming microgreens and baby greens provide more nutrition than their full grown counterparts. Is that true? In a 2021 published study of two greens - spinach and roselle - researchers discovered that these plants - when harvested within 20 days of sowing - have some critical nutritional benefits greater than the full grown plant, according to the National Library of Medicine:“Compared to field grown mature foliage, greenhouse-grown

11:44

Fall Worm Bin Care and Feeding

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/09/15

One of the best soil amendments to add for happy plants are worm castings, also known as worm poop. However, the price of a bag of worm castings approaches twenty dollars, so you may want to tack on a new “to-do” item for the soil in your garden: vermicomposting, which is raising worms, usually in a worm bin. Those worms will feast on many of your kitchen scraps, giving you back a soil amendment teeming with microbial activity, perfect for plant roots to enjoy. And you don’t have to worry about the

23:56

What is Organic Gardening?

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/09/08

If I was to ask you, “What is organic gardening?” You might squint a little, and say something along the lines of, “Well, organic gardeners don’t use chemicals in the garden”. That wouldn't be correct. After all, water is a chemical, and all gardeners probably use water. And, there are chemicals used in organic gardening, including manufactured fertilizers that are OMRI certified as organic. OMRI - the Organic Materials Review Institute - is a nonprofit organization that provides an independent

11:01

What's Stressing Your Dogwood Tree? It Could Be You.

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/09/01

A dogwood tree is easy to love: flowers in the spring, beautiful orange/pink/red fall leaf color; a small to medium height tree, perfect for a patio area.The University of Florida lists the dogwood tree’s strengths and weaknesses:“The state tree of Virginia, the flowering dogwood grows 20 to 30 feet tall and spreads 25 to 30 feet. It can be trained with one central trunk or as a picturesque multi-trunked tree. The flowers consist of four bracts which subtend the small head of yellow flowers. The

16:29

Tomatoes Not Ripening? Blame the Heat.

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/08/25

Back in July, we discussed “Six Common Tomato Problems.” Among those maladies were abiotic disorders (problems that are caused by factors such as weather, soils, chemicals, mechanical injuries, or cultural practices; and, not caused by insects or disease). Tomato abiotic disorders include blossom end rot, fruit cracking, leaf rolling, solar yellowing, sunburn, and tomato flower drop…all related to weather or watering issues. In that column, I mentioned we would tackle an annual tomato-related issue,

6:08

Japanese Maples vs. the Heat of Summer

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/08/18

If you own a Japanese maple tree, or pass by one on your daily strolls, check the leaves. Are they getting a little brown around the edges? Are the leaves beginning to fall off? Welcome to late August and early September, where the quadruple whammy of triple digit temperatures, hot dry winds, reflected heat from a nearby wall/concrete surface, or irregular watering can make many Japanese maples start to suffer. Note the location of those Japanese maple trees. Are they in full sun more than six or

11:31

More Hot Weather Garden Tips

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/08/11

In today’s Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter podcast (above), Debbie Flower and I tackle a question from Liz, who asks: “I just purchased from the local nursery, a lavender plant and also a sage. I'm sorry, I don't know the exact name. But they're common. The plants were in pots. Each plant is about one foot tall. I already planted them in the yard early yesterday morning. They were fine all day yesterday. Everything was moist, the soil was prepped. Today is 100 degree weather. They are not

22:08

Late Summer is the Time to Start the Fall Vegetable...

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/08/04

In today’s newsletter podcast (above), Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis explains why now is the best time to be planting your vegetables for autumn and winter (in milder areas of the country). For those of you who live in the West, the South, parts of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic states, (USDA Zones 7, 8, and 9) we get down to specifics in this audio episode on the best varieties of vegetables to grow during the cooler months of fall and winter: lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage,

12:26

Jalapenogate

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/07/28

In today’s newsletter podcast, Debbie Arrington of the publication, “Sacramento Digs Gardening”, discusses why jalapeño pepper as well as other pepper seeds and plants may have been mismarked this year. Read her original story on the topic here.Did you ever grow a plant that wasn’t what you thought it would be, due to a mismarked tag or a seed packet that was incorrectly packed? It happens every year, with varieties of annual or perennial ornamentals that do not produce the exact color flower that

11:14

Drooping Leaves vs Heatwaves

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/07/21

Record-breaking heat waves have pummeled the world, especially during the last two years. What’s a gardener to do?In today’s newsletter podcast (above), Master Gardener Quentyn Young walks us through the fruit tree orchard at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, discussing how a record heat wave adversely effected the trees and the fruit. Plus, he has tips for dealing with extended heat waves in the home orchard.Heatwaves vs. Drooping LeavesHere we go again. Another multi-day bout of triple digit

21:09

Is Your Fertilizer Radioactive?

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/07/14

Phosphorus, in the world of plant fertilizers, is considered a macronutrient, an important element used by plants. Phosphorus is used to promote root and tuber growth, as well as the production of flowers and seeds. But, do you really need to add it every time you fertilize? And why have 13 states - as well as several municipalities - placed restrictions on the use of phosphorus?Phosphorus is the “P” in “N-P-K”, the percentage of macronutrients found listed on the front of a container of fertilizer

17:48

Six Common Tomato Problems

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/07/10

For those of you who did not receive last Friday’s Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter, here it is. My apologies. I will send the gremlins to bed without dinner.In today’s newsletter podcast (above), we chat with Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, CA. Don is a big fan of growing tomatoes, and it helps that his nursery is located in a county that just so happens to be one of the top tomato producing regions in the entire world. In this conversation about tomato troubles (originally aired in

6:16

Selecting and Caring For Garden Hand Tools

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/06/30

Trying to decipher the basics on how to sharp garden hand tools can be a bit daunting to understand in an audio format. Here’s Sacramento County Master Gardener Bill Black, with his YouTube video about garden tool sharpening. Every picture tells a story, don’t it?How to Care and Store Your Garden Hand ToolsAs the weather heats up, don’t ignore your garden tools after a hard day in the yard. A good habit to get into is to clean and store your garden tools correctly before you go indoors for the

6:51

Summer Cucumber Issues

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/06/23

Today’s newsletter podcast (above) features Master Gardener/Vegetable Expert Gail Pothour, discussing her favorite cucumber varieties, as well as tips and tricks for their success. Originally featured in Episode 263 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, in which we talked about the Top 5 favorite homegrown vegetables, according to the National Gardening Association. According to the NGA, cucumbers are the second most popular crop for home gardeners. Number One? Tomatoes, of course. A

6:37

Where's the Zucchini?

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/06/16

Where is the zucchini? That question is a popular one in the garden e-mail bag lately. Gardeners are fretting over a total lack of summer squash flowers. Other problems include zucchini flowers that drop off, or young fruit that dies back.A lot of it has to do with timing. Many gardeners tend to plant zucchini seeds at the same time as tomato and pepper plants, usually in April. That’s a bit too early. The heat-loving summer squash varieties get off to a better start when planted in May or

35:45

Growing Healthy Greens Year Round

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/06/09

If you listened to this week’s Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast (Ep. 269: “Growing Your Brain Food Garden”), you heard Dr. Laura Varich of FreshPhysician.com tout the cholesterol-fighting qualities of many home grown vegetables. Lowering cholesterol levels is widely known as a key factor in reducing heart disease. According to Varich, you’re not only doing your heart a favor, but also your brain. High cholesterol levels can also lead to blockages in the brain which can lead to a stroke. And

49:49

11 Garden Tips for Success

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/06/02

Recorded last week in front of a live audience at a meeting of the Sun City/Lincoln Hills (CA) garden club. Included a Power Point presentation, which I mistakenly referred to as “slides”. And yes, I still have a slide projector in a closet somewhere, along with a box of slides of my cross-country bicycle trip in 1988. It’s probably next to the Betamax VCR and the Sony 630-D reel-to-reel stereo recorder (sweet!). But, at least I know what a “podcast” is!1. ALL GARDENING IS LOCAL. In your own yard,

3:35

Thin Your Fruits and Vegs, Now!

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/05/26

Thinning Crowded Fruit on Fruit Trees, Shrubs and VinesA prolifically producing peach tree next to an often-used walkway in our narrow side yard serves as a not so-subtle reminder this time of year: thin the fruit before trouble begins. And if a glance up into the canopy of your peach, pear, nectarine, apple, kiwifruit, persimmon, apricot, or other deciduous fruit trees and vines (including table grapes) shows crowded young fruit, take action. Rubbing or tightly packed little fruit in a tree now can

43:02

The Best Roses For Cut Flowers

Beyond the Garden Basics Podcast ·

2023/05/19

(From a 2022 interview with Master Rosarian Debbie Arrington. Originally aired on May 20, 2022, Garden Basics podcast)Farmer FredWhat is America's favorite flower? Well, of course, it's the rose. Something like 85% of all Americans say their favorite flower is the rose. How do you grow them? Well, we've talked about that on this show. You can go back and look for various episodes of the Garden Basics podcast where we talked about planting roses and pruning roses. We've even talked about fragrant

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