Garden Guys

You all are in for a special treat: We have a phone interview with Author Jo Robinson, an investigative journalist specializing in science and health. Her book “Eating on the Wild Side” is a New York Times best seller and it details methods to find the most nutritious varieties of fruits and vegetables. Along with her book on grass-fed animals (Pasture Perfect) , she has a wealth of science-based information on her website www.eatwild.com where you can find ways to improve your own food choices.

Season still feels like we are 4-6 ahead of schedule: check.

Deer still love Darrin's yard: check.

Weeds still grow fine without water: check. Except mallow.

David Attenborough could be God: check.

Yep, that sounds like a full show.

Growing seedlings inside under lights can be an affordable - albeit sometimes frustrating - endeavor. But this won't stop the intrepid Garden Guys! Tom and Darrin debate the pros and cons of using plastic cels and soil blocks, with greater discussion on Tom's first attempt at the Seed Snail.

Despite the upside of Darrin giving Tom "birthday presents", we have to talk about the early season challenges - from constant drought concerns, to cold temps and early flowering trees, to wet (and cold) soils... well, thank goodness for birthday presents! But there will hopefully be some tidbits for our listeners on the potentially detrimental effects of planting seeds in wet soils followed by cold temperatures. Joy.

Start serious, end light. Start serious, end light... mantra for the week. Yup, we are talking about the Strait of Hormuz. Why on earth would the Garden Guys do that? You wonder…well, sometimes world events intrude on food production, and this is one of those times. So, we discuss it like adults. Ish. But then we end it critiquing the top 10 veggies according to the latest poll, like we're kids!

Just when you thought it was safe to change the channel…
The Garden Guys are back talking plants, the never-winter, and how to garden smart with less water. Plus, a bold move into the public eye at the Durango Botanic Gardens' speaker series on Wednesday. Same voices, same faces for radio—don’t miss it.

The Garden Guys are digging into a topic that’s growing faster than mistletoe takes over a tree: artificial intelligence. We’ll explore what AI actually is, what it isn’t (no, it can’t weed your garden… yet), and how it might show up in the gardening world. We’ll also talk about the limits of AI, why it still can’t replace dirt-under-the-fingernails experience, and how gardeners can use technology as a helpful tool rather than letting it run the whole garden bed. If the robots start coming for your tomatoes, turn your computer off. Immediately. Then go outside.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you gardeners, farmers, and food geeks out there! Yes, the Garden Guys are still alive! Darrin and Tom are on another site visit this week with Jude Schuenemeyer, co-founder of MORP (Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project), and we were lucky enough to catch an earful of wonderment on all things' apples. So much so, that we have a special 1-hour episode for the holiday season. If you appreciate apples and history in the southwest, join us on a journey through time with Jude on MORP and orchards in Montezuma County.

This is a special one. Tom and Darrin love site visits (think: field trips without the sack lunch) and we go visit a special gem just outside of Durango. But as you will hear, it's not just about the garden; we feel the family, the history, the generational romance of what growing your own food can mean. Who knows, after listening you may feel the Italian sun on your face!

After waxing poetically about the present environmental state of affairs, we get deeper into the multiple layers of growing alliums. That magical, healthy family of plants that support our cooking and immune systems. We go over some details on several plants from the allium group, including bulbing onions, bunching onions, leeks, garlic, chives, and shallots. They all grow well in the four corners, and you should try to grow at least two varieties. Let's go allium!