It is the December To Do List, and we are in the middle of winter garden season. Weather is COLD, and so far it has been relatively wet.

It is time to plant:

• Asparagus
• Fava beans
• Bok choy
• Broccoli rabe
• Garlic
• Kale
• Loose leaf lettuce
• Mustard
• Onion sets
• Radish

Do not plant yet:

• Bareroot trees
• Roses
• Berries

Chores include:

• Protect succulents from water
• Frost protection
• Clean up – but leave some debris remaining
• Spray dormant trees (peach leaf curl)
• Plant bulbs

We finish up with a Listener Q&A section. Topics covered include:

• What are your thoughts on using a moisture meter to determine if plants need water?
• How often should a yard be watered during the winter?
• Banana tree – should it be inside or outside during the winter?
• Putting asparagus plants down for the winter
• Christmas cactus best practices

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

What is it like to work in the oldest greenhouse conservatory in the US? I talk to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers Kristen Natoli (Collections Manager) and Sarah Sawtelle (Engagement Manager) about the ins and outs of this historic collection and building. With such an amazing collection of plants – where do they source them from? How do they decide what is kept and what to get rid of? And of course, we talk about the Giant water lilies, corpse plant and bat flower.

The SF Conservatory of Flowers can be found at:

• Website: org
• Instagram: @conservatoryofflowers
• Twitter: @SFConservatory
• Facebook: @ConservatoryofFlowers
• YouTube: @SanFranciscoConservatoryofFlowers

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Compost…this is music to most gardener's ears. FREE compost is even better. Many people think that expensive compost makers, tons of space, and ample time is required – this is NOT the case. In this episode I welcome back master composter Kevin Marini to discuss everything compost. Do you know the difference between hot and cold compost, the optimal size and temperature of a pile, and what unusual items can be placed in your compost? Trust me…..Kevin has heard it all through his composting Rot Line!

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Every gardener – no matter how long you have been gardening – gets excited for the first shoots of spring emerging bulbs. Bulbs are incredibly easy to grow, and for many they naturalize and multiply year after year, creating a no-fuss flower show. I talk to bulb expert Peggy Anne Montgomery about growing bulbs and how to incorporate them into your lawn…..yes, your lawn. She has tips on how to dig holes, what to incorporate when planting, how to implement the lasagna method, and which bulbs rodents will avoid.

Peggy Anne and additional information about bulbs can be found at:

• Website: flowerbulbs.com
• Instagram: @flowerbulbsdotcom
• Facebook: @Flowerbulbs.com
• Pinterest: @Flowerbulbs.com
• Twitter: @FlowerbulbsCom
• YouTube: @Flowerbulbs

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

It is the November To Do List, and we are in the throes of winter garden prep. Weather is starting to cool rapidly, and (hopefully) out west we start seeing moisture soon.

It is time to plant:

• Fava beans
• Bok choy
• Celery
• Swiss chard
• Garlic
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Mustard
• Onions
• Peas
• Radish
• Shallots
• Spinach
• Perennials (except frost sensitive)
• Spring blooming bulbs
• Cover crops: Fava beans, Crimson clover
• Spring blooming annual seeds: Natives, sweet peas

Chores include:

• Clean up summer garden
• Dig up/divide perennials such as: Cannas, agapanthus, grasses
• Avoid transplanting succulents
• Order seeds for next year
• Weed control

We finish up with a Listener Q&A section. Topics covered include:

• Is it too late to plant sweet pea seeds?
• Iris bulbs – okay to plant now, or store for next year?
• How to divide and plant Elephant Ear, Bird of Paradise, and Banana Tree?
• Brussel sprouts and Romanesco being predated – what is doing it, and how to prevent?
• Dieffenbachia – how to transplant?
• Purple Pony Plum infested with caterpillars – how to get rid of?

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Watching birds go about their lives in your garden is one of the many benefits of gardening. Besides the joy of watching them, they are also busy eating pests and helping to keep a balanced ecosystem. I talk to bird expert Tammy Poppie about ways to create a healthy, safe and inviting environment for birds.

Tammy and additional information about birding and their interaction with plants can be found at:

• onthefeeder.com
• allaboutbirds.org
• audubon.org/native-plants

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Fall is THE time to prep for a wonderful spring/summer garden. I talk to Andrew Bunting -- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Vice President of Horticulture -- all about planting bulbs, soil prep, what to plant, what to watch out for and how to create habitats for beneficial insects, bees and birds.

Andrew and resources from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society can be found at:

• Website: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
• Facebook: @PHSgardening
• Twitter: @PHSgardening
• Instagram: @phsgardening
• YouTube: @PHSgardening
• LinkedIn: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

As California and the west continue to suffer the effects of drought, it is more important than ever to be water-wise in the garden. I talk to Greg Bundesen – Sacramento Water Conservation Supervisor – about what you can do as a homeowner and gardener to use less water but still maintain a green space. We discuss grey water, mulch, converting sprinklers to drip, and where you find ample water saving information.

Further information can be found at:

• Sacramento Suburban Water District
• Be Water Smart

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Joe Lamp'l – from "Joe Gardener" fame – is America's gardener. Given that his public television show Growing a Greener World is shown in 38 countries, Joe is more appropriately the WORLD's gardener. He has an illustrious, long career spanning television, print, podcasting, and video content. Above all, Joe is an educator – his gardening passion is infectious, and his communication ability to make challenging concepts simple is a strength. He has taken this to the masses in his Online Gardening Academy, offering a growing (pun intended) curriculum of classes available to the public at affordable prices.

In this episode, we cover a range of topics, but our focus is on raised beds – from the "why" to the "how".

Joe's content can be found at:

• Podcast: joegardener.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
• Videos: joegardener.com/videos, YouTube
• Blog: joegardener.com/blog
• Growing a Greener World PBS show: growingagreenerworld.com
• Lastest Book: The Vegetable Gardening Book

Joe's Online Gardening Academy (online classes) can be found at:

• organicgardeningacademy.com

Joe's social media can be found at:

• Facebook: @joegardener
• Twitter: @joegardener
• Instagram: @joegardener
• Pinterest: @joegardener

To ask questions for future FPGH shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Water-wise gardening is more important than ever in the west, and part of this includes irrigating properly. Don Smith, Water Management Coordinator for the City of Folsom, joins me to discuss everything irrigation. He covers which sprinklers are best if you do have a lawn, how to lay out your drip irrigation for optimal coverage, and are "smart" controllers worth it? Plus, he reviews how to convert a PVC system to a drip system, and how to know how long to run your irrigation.

More water conservation information can be found at:

• Website: ca.us/government/environmental-water-resources/water/water-conservation

To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• email Marlene at [email protected]

Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook