Beyond the Garden Basics

23:23

Tips for Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse in Fall,...

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/10/06

In today’s podcast, we talk with Mark Seibert of Sturdi-Built greenhouses in Oregon. The interview covers key considerations for first-time greenhouse buyers, including choosing the right site, with emphasis on sunlight, southern exposure when possible, and local hazards such as trees or lawn equipment. It also discusses heat control and utilities, recommending ventilation, shade cloth, fans, water access, and electrical service with safety protections.Seibert also explains that lean-to greenhouses

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9:53

Pumpkins with Less Sprawl? Choose Mini-Pumpkins.

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/10/02

The discussion in today’s podcast focuses on pumpkins. Warren Roberts, Superintendent Emeritus of the UC Davis Arboretum, explains that the pumpkin is botanically a fruit, though it is usually eaten as a vegetable. He says the plant belongs to the genus Cucurbita, which is native to the Americas, especially Mexico and the Andes.He describes pumpkin types and notes that many large pumpkins are hybrids, often involving Cucurbita maxima. He contrasts these with the smaller typical pumpkin species,

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58:05

Wildfire Smoke vs. You and Your Garden

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/29

You know trouble awaits if there is a really orange sunrise on an otherwise clear morning. That usually indicates there’s lots of smoke in the air. In today's newsletter, we talk about the effects of wildfire smoke on you and your garden.In today’s podcast (above), University of California Wildfire specialist Kevin Marini discusses the wildland-urban interface areas and why they matter for wildfire risk. He explains that many homes in California and other states are built close to wild vegetation,

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33:01

Growing Cool Season Vegetables

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/25

In today’s podcast, we talk with two nurserypeople who know their cool season veggies: Don Shor, owner of Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, CA; and professional horticultural consultant and Master Gardener Quentyn Young. They offer tips for both the usual and the unusual food crops to grow during the cooler weather. Among their advice:• Start now. In the mild-winter parts of the country (zones 8 and 9, much of the West Coast, the Southwest and the South), September through November is prime planting

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15:09

Getting the Soil Ready for Cool Season Plants

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/18

In today’s podcast, Sacramento County Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour explains how to transition garden beds and raised beds from warm-season crops to cool-season plantings. We talk about clearing out tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, and melons at the end of summer: should you pull out the plant or cut it off at the soil line? It depends. Gail will explain, emphasizing the importance of checking the roots of summer garden plants if they were victims of pests or disease. Gail

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17:01

Cool Season Garden PLANNING Time is Here

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/15

In today’s podcast, Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour talks about cool season greens to grow in your backyard garden during the fall and winter. There’s a human-corrected transcript at the bottom of this newsletter. Among the main points in our conversation:* Cool season vegetable gardening works especially well in USDA zones 7, 8, 9, and 10; but in colder areas you can grow food nearly year round if you plan for it.* Late summer into early fall is the time to pull tired summer

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22:38

Pruning Blackberries

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/11

In today’s podcast, we talk with Sacramento County Master Gardener Michael Stinson about the when, how and why of pruning blackberry vines. Don’t want to listen? Here’s a summary. A complete transcript is at the bottom of this newsletter.Pruning Blackberries: Key PointsFrom a conversation with Sacramento County Master Gardener Michael Stinson• Blackberry plants are perennials that can live 15 to 20 years, but each individual cane only last around two seasons, with a notable exception.• First year

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18:01

Controlling Puncturevine Weed and Liquidambar Tree Seeds

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/08

We tackle two prickly topics: the spiky, caltrop-like seed balls of puncturevine weed and the “sputniks” of liquidambar (sweet gum) trees. Yes, those sharply pointed spheres that fly in the autumn breeze do resemble Eisenhower-era, low-earth orbiting Russian weapons of no destruction. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

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25:52

Saving Homegrown Tomato Seeds...and more about Tomatoes!

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/09/04

Collecting, Storing and Using Home-Saved Tomato SeedsIf you want to save seeds of a particular tomato variety, remember that many varieties are hybrids; they may not necessarily come back with the same traits as the tomato you enjoyed last season. According to Penn State Extension, the result of these crosses usually only lasts one generation, so the seeds harvested from hybrids may produce disappointing results.Or, may not be a disappointment. Tomato flowers are primarily wind-pollinated. So, those

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9:12

Heat-Tolerant Roses

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/28

“Of all flowers, methinks rose is best”. Shakespeare said that. He lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, about halfway between London and Birmingham, England. However, the roses he saw 600 years ago never endured 100 degree heat…until recently.Although roses were found originally in Central Asia, they spread quickly throughout the Northern Hemisphere between the 12th and 18th centuries.Those old roses wouldn’t stand a chance in the heatwaves of the 21st century, succumbing to scorched flowers, leaves, and

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14:39

Dealing with Tomato Blossom End Rot

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/25

Blossom end rot is generally considered the most common tomato problem for backyard gardeners in the US. It causes a dark, sunken, leathery spot on the bottom of the fruit, and it’s usually caused by inconsistent watering (not actually a soil calcium deficiency in most cases) that disrupts calcium uptake in the plant.For those of you at home keeping score, close runners-up are early blight and septoria leaf spot, both fungal diseases that cause yellowing and spotted leaves, especially in humid

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14:46

What To Do When a Wildfire Approaches Your Home

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/21

Today’s podcast and newsletter of Beyond the Garden Basics is something a bit different, but very important: what to do around your home, both inside and outside, if a wildfire is in the area, and you have a few hours before an evacuation becomes mandatory.That was the topic in a Youtube video presented by Todd Lando, a battalion chief and wildfire mitigation specialist for the Central Marin Fire District. Marin County is in northern california, just north of San Francisco, a bucolic area with

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19:22

Zinnias vs Powdery Mildew

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/18

Before we attempt to rid our zinnias of powdery mildew disease, let’s first hear from Debbie Flower, who has plenty of zinnia growing tips for us in today’s podcast. Here’s the quick summary of our chat, which included how to cut outdoor flowers for indoor use. A complete transcript can be found at the bottom of today’s newletter.* Plant zinnias in full sun. They’re heat and drought tolerant, and bloom most prolifically when days are under 12 hours (expect peak blooms in fall). Planting zinnias

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18:45

Growing a Cool Season Garden

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/14

In today’s podcast, Master Gardener Gail Pothour and myself discuss some of the most popular cool season vegetables to grow in the cooler months here in USDA Zone 9 and elsewhere: carrots, lettuce, peas, and beets.Now’s the time to start the cool season vegetable garden!Do you want your family to eat healthy year-round? The healthiest, freshest foods are the fruits and vegetables you grow yourself. And in many areas of the West and South, the 365-day vegetable garden is easy to achieve. And now,

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42:44

Tomato Troubleshooting Tips

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/11

Paid subscribers to the Beyond The Garden Basics get exclusive newsletters and podcasts each Monday!In today’s podcast (above), Don Shor from Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, CA and I discuss common tomato problems and how changing weather is affecting them, especially in hotter summers. We focus first on blossom end rot, which usually appears on the first fruit and is linked to cool temperatures during fruit development and soil that stays too wet. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss

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45:10

Plants for Dry Shade

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/07

Beyond The Garden Basics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.In today’s podcast, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, shows us around her yard and garden. But it’s more than talking about the plants. Debbie also shares her planting and irrigation tips for a thriving garden of natives, perennials, trees and shrubs…most of which have been trained to do well on less water! There’s a

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26:44

Alternative Summer Greens

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/08/04

Every Monday, paid subscribers get exclusive, first looks about various garden topics, such as today’s. Just one of the benefits for paid subscribers. Thank you for your support!When you live in a hot area of USDA Zone 9, where it gets over 100 degrees in the summer, and you want a fresh salad… you can forget about growing lettuce and spinach, at least most of them, because at some point they’re going to bolt. Usually it might be July or August, but eventually most of the cool season greens in USDA

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6:03

Summer Heat vs. Japanese Maple Trees

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/07/31

In today’s podcast, nurseryman and Japanese maple expert Chris Aycock of El Dorado Nursery provides the basics for Japanese maple care, especially in the summer months.Chris focuses on growing Japanese maples in different climates, explaining that the main factor is matching varieties to local conditions and caring for them appropriately.For hot valley areas, he says mulch is very important to keep roots cool, and morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. He also notes that some varieties can

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20:26

Can You Grow a Peach Tree from Seed?

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/07/28

Thanks for being a paid subscriber to Beyond the Garden Basics!No time to listen to today’s podcast (above) with Ed Laivo? Here’s a summary. And below that, the actual transcript, with pictures, links, and music!* Don’t expect a seed-grown peach to match the parent. Genetics are unpredictable. There’s a 70–90% chance the fruit will be disappointing or the tree won’t produce at all.* Check whether your seedling tree even has a rootstock by looking at the base for a graft bump. A true seedling grows

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15:21

Too Many Peppers? Try This Popular Sweet Pepper...

Beyond the Garden Basics ·

2026/07/24

In today’s podcast (above), we talk with renowned pepperhead Dave DeWitt, author of several hot pepper books. We talk hot pepper basics, and Dave adds advice on how to overwinter your hot pepper plants for a second year of growth (and heat!). We have a complete, human-corrected transcript of the podcast towards the bottom of today’s newsletter. Short of time? Here are the main points from today’s podcast:* Start from seed for variety, or order early from pepper catalogs. Super-hot varieties like

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