If this newsletter podcast sounds familiar, it should. It is also the current (Ep. 341) Garden Basics podcast where myself and America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, take a late May stroll through my garden, discussing the plants, as well as gardening techniques. But wouldn’t it be nice to see those plants and garden accoutrements? Well, here you go.

But first, a recap of what you may have missed on this week’s two Garden Basics podcasts:

Tuesday, June 4:

Ep. 340 -Q&A Cross Pollination Concerns. What is the Best City or State for Gardening?

• Understanding cross-pollination and its implications for seed saving and plant breeding.

• The importance of local conditions and location-specific knowledge in gardening.

• The impact of climate and weather on gardening success.

• Different perspectives on the best US cities for gardening, highlighting the influence of location on gardening success.

Thank you, AI, for your dry summary. Debbie Flower and I are more warm and endearing than that.

Friday, June 7: Ep. 341 - Fred’s Yard Tour with Debbie.

Or, listen above and scroll below. But we are definitely more entertaining and informative than AI would have you believe:

Takeaways

• The importance of selecting heat-resistant greens for summer gardening

• Strategies for dealing with garden pests like tomato hornworms and cabbage worms

• Tips for growing determinate tomatoes and managing peach trees

• Insights on using raised beds and root cellars for gardening

• The benefits of using vermiculite for seed planting and the use of worm bins for fertilizer

• The significance of providing shade for certain plants and the value of using row covers for protection. SmartPot compost sacks are a convenient and effective way to create rich compost for gardening (golly, AI, thanks for plugging the sponsor!)

• Clover is resistant to dog urine and can be used as a ground cover in areas frequented by pets.

• Fruit trees can be grown in containers, and it's important to control the width and height of the tree to manage root growth.

• Different soil types, such as raised bed soil planter mix and pumice, can be used for gardening in containers.

• Citrus, blueberries, and potatoes can be successfully grown in containers, providing a versatile option for home gardeners.

Again, just punch play above, and begin scrolling here:

Thanks for reading Beyond Basics: The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

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