Flower Power Garden Hour

The dog days of summer are upon us, and heat and smoke from wildfires is everyday life.  In this episode, I discuss this as well as all August to-do tasks, which compared to other months are not as daunting.  These include your fall vegetable planning/prep, summer fruit tree pruning, and some beginning thoughts on water issues.     To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Doing a bit of summer fruit tree care can go a long way for a plentiful, healthy crop the following year.  I talk to Don Shor, owner of Redwood Barn nursery, about the benefits of summer pruning, what you should be fertilizing with, summer pests, how to tell if you watering enough and many more helpful tips. Don and Redwood Barn can be found at: Website:  redwoodbarn.com Instagram:  redwoodbarnnursery & don.shor Facebook:  Redwood Barn Nursery   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Grab bag listener Q&A episode – tree issues and recommendations, vegetables, pests….  Jade – why is it turning red Thrips – how to mitigate Cucumbers – why very pale in color Limbs dropping on a tree that seems healthy Maple tree – roots are starting to show at the base….should they be covered with soil To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Sonya Harris is a lifetime educator. Working with kids with special needs she became aware of the importance of alternative learning and began her journey creating a school garden. Sonya’s energy and dedication quickly morphed into a bigger mission -- eventually leading to the nonprofit Bullock Garden Project. The mission of the organization is stated below: We are dedicated to empowering individuals, groups, and organizations, focusing on people within marginalized communities, in creating sustainable agriculture and incorporating garden education through building community sustainability awareness; partnering with community and green industry organizations; strengthening social/emotional development and well-being and nurturing independence through experiential learning and garden-based education; and inspiring future leaders to support green initiatives.   Sonya and the Bullock Garden Project can be found at the following: Website: Bullockgardenproject.org Facebook: BullockGardenProject Instagram: bullock

Summer is in full swing, and oppressive heat is dominating the western US.  Even with that, believe it or not this is the time of year I start thinking about my plan for winter vegetables.  In this episode, I discuss this as well as all other July garden to-do tasks including…vegetables to plant, summer fruit tree pruning, pruning hydrangeas, and lavender and blueberry care.    To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Grab bag listener Q&A episode – vegetables, flowers, trees, pests….  Butternut squash identification  Japanese Maple – what are the white spots on leaves? Hydrangea -- flowers dying prematurely Lavender – why are leaves turning yellow? Tomatoes – what are the small, red insects and webbing? Magnolia tree – limbs have been dying for a few years.  Anything that can be done?   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Soils are key to a healthy garden, but it can be a bit confusing when knowing what to buy or add.  Jim McKinley of EB Stone Organics joins me to discuss ways to improve your soil health. Is compost always a good thing? What is a soilless media? What is better… chicken or steer manure and many more questions/topics are discussed. Website: org Facebook: EBStoneOrganics Instagram: ebstone_organics YouTube: EB Stone Organics   To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

The summer heat is here – or it’s at least starting.  With that, vegetables are in full swing – as are an assortment of pests.  I discuss these as well as all other June garden to-do tasks To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

What started out as a passing interest for Natasha McCrary’s son has turned into a full fledged farm with the primary mission of promoting and saving baby doll sheep. As the years progressed, the farm has now become a source of cut flowers, essential oil products, farm events and more. I talk to Natasha about how she goes about growing cut flowers in her home state of Alabama. For anyone wanting to venture into the business of cut flowers or if you want to grow your own, she is a wealth of knowledge… from must have varieties, when to plant, when to harvest and more. And of course we learn what baby doll sheep are! You can find 1818 Farms at the locations below: Facebook Instagram YouTube Website   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Gardening is a continuous journey of learning, experimenting and cultivating. It doesn’t matter how long you have been gardening or how big your garden is, we can all learn from anyone who has put a trowel in the ground. In this episode I talk to photographer David Art about his journey into gardening. As a youth he watched his grandma garden and grow grapes in a small plot in New Jersey. Today he has taken what he soaked in by watching her as well as the experience of his southern heritage to create his own urban garden. Instagram:  A Quarter Acre & No Mule Facebook:  A Quarter Acre & No Mule Website:  Realdavidart   To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

While growing in raised garden beds is not necessary, it can make gardening easier and be a solution to certain issues (can you say gophers!) Joe and I go over how we built my new ones and ones I’ve used in the past. We cover: What materials work the best Type of soil to fill them with What sizes work best How to barricade against gophers and more   To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Many of us have memories of shucking corn on a warm summer evening, but it's even better if that corn is grown in your own garden. I talk to Farmer Fred Hoffman of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast -- he discusses everything you need to know to grow your own sweet corn and popcorn. As a former popcorn farmer, Fred dives into the primary pests and diseases, how to tell when corn is ripe and the best varieties. Find Farmer Fred at the locations below: Facebook Instagram Podcast: Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Podcast: Green Acres Garden Podcast with Farmer Fred Website: farmerfred.com   To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Spring is a time of growth in the garden ... but that can also mean proliferation of pests and diseases. In this mini-episode, I address a few of the most common problems and how to counteract them... peach leaf curl, powdery mildew, aphids and more.  To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Spring is in full swing. In Zone 9 all summer veggies can be planted, perennials should go in the ground before the heat comes and summer bulbs should be planted. I discuss these as well as all other May garden to-do tasks To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

May 5th  is World Carnivorous Plant Day! I’m joined by carnivorous plant experts Kenny Coogan and Carson Drexler to discuss the online events people can take part in, including talks led by carnivorous plant experts from around the world. And of course -- Carson and Kenny discuss all the tips for growing carnivorous plants. Check out the links below, including ones to Carson’s online Sarracenia nursery and Kenny’s upcoming book. Carson Trexler: Instagram: Americanpitcherplant Facebook: American Pitcher Plant Website: Americanpitcherplant.com Kenny Coogan: Facebook: Critter Companions Website: Kennycoogan.com World Carnivorous Plant Day: Website: International Carnivorous Plant Society Merchandise: World Carnivorous Plant Day merch Facebook: International Carnivorous Plant Society Instagram: International Carnivorous Plant Society   To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Permaculture. It is a word that most gardeners have heard but what is it really? I talk to Greg Peterson, host of the very popular Urban Farm Podcast, who has been practicing permaculture for over 30 years. Whether you are growing vegetables or ornamentals, permaculture is a philosophy of gardening that encompasses the entire system of nature around you. Greg details the steps to implement permaculture best practices in your garden to create a much more balanced and healthier garden (ie less work for you!).  Greg can be found at: Website: urbanfarm.org Instagram: urbanfarmu Facebook: TheUrbanFarm Twitter: TheUrbanFarm   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Spring is in full swing and there is a lot to do in the garden. I’ll address which veggies you can plant now and which ones you should hold off on for a bit longer. I’ll also discuss peach leaf curl, weeds, perennial planting and discuss my annoyance with finding a perfect weed eater. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Located along the bluffs of Mendocino is a botanical gem…the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. I speak to horticulturalists Jim and Jaime about a few of the stand-out plants the garden is known for -- Rhododendrons and Camellias. Jaime discusses the history of the gardens and the overall growing techniques of the plants. Former Rhododendron nursery owner Jim shares his years of growing expertise propagating and growing Rhododendrons. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens can be found on social media at: Instagram: @mendocinocoastbotanicalgardens Facebook: Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Website: gardenbythesea.org   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Award winning landscape designer Jan Johnsen has been creating magical landscapes for years. She has taken her vast knowledge/eye for design and has written an educational book entitled ‘Floratopia’. I talk to Jan about which flowers are fail-proof in containers, how to use texture/color and her years of designing all around the world. Check out her new book as well as others she has written -- ‘Floratopia’, ‘Gardentopia’, ‘The Spirit of Stone’, and ‘Heaven is a Garden’. She can be found on social media at the following places:   Website: Johnsenlandscapes.com Instagram: @johnsendesign Facebook:  serenityinthegardenblog Facebook: heavenisagarden Jan’s newest book, ‘Floratopia’, can be found here.  To find Marlene on social media or ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram YouTube email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com

Spring has sprung…well at least in zone 9 of California. Here is my garden list of tasks to be done or continued in March -- including planting potatoes, summer blooming bulbs and sunflower seeds (along with other annuals). I discus which veggies can be planted and which ones to hold off for a bit. Additionally some pruning tips are provided…which plants must be pruned this time of year and a discussion if it’s ok to still prune your blooming stone fruits. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: Facebook Instagram email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook