The April 4, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses the benefits of growing and using comfrey, dwarf white clover as an excellent part of a lawn, lacewings (green and brown), and the Texas Bug Book. He gives detail on proper organic bed preparation with any soil type, using fireplace ashes in the garden, woody vines in trees, and organic non-selective herbicides. Find these subjects and more in this week's audio of the podcast.

Advertisers:

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

Summit Chemical mosquito solutions. 
https://summitchemical.com/mosquito-solutions/

Dramm Corporation Consumer Products https://www.dramm.com/html/main.isx

https://www.dirtdoctor.com

Show Notes:

Introduction
SPCA report

Slide show
Comfrey
Clover (dwarf white)
beneficial pest control
Lacewings (green and brown)
Texas Bug Book 

Lemon grass
Bed preparation in all soils
Fireplace ash in beds
Woody vines in trees
non-selective herbicides (vinegar)
Garrett Juice as fertilizer
Grasses
Corn gluten meal products
Rose rosette treatments
Locust tree with vines
Hackberry

The March 28, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses how to manage nutgrass (a sedge), hibiscus, a book recommendation (Bargyla Rateaver's Organic Method Primer), recommended tomato varieties, stink bugs in the house, why you can't grow grass under shade trees, bamboo management, cockroaches, selective organic herbicides, koi pond management, and hydrogen peroxide.
 
Advertisers:

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

https://www.dirtdoctor.com

Show Notes:

Crazy Water
SPCA dog
Nutgrass / sedge
Hibiscus
Book - Bargyla Rateaver's Organic Method Primer
Organic Program materials to use
Soft rock phosphate and substitutions for it
Tomatoes
Stink bugs in the house (flea beetles)
Growing grass in shade
Nutrients lacking in North Texas soil
Bamboo management
Cockroaches
Selective herbicides (organic)
Koi pond algae management
Hydrogen Peroxide, salt
HOCl dermatologist
Best Product recommendations found on Dirt Doctor Website

The March 21, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett discusses damage from the recent freeze, how to control grass burs, grassy weeds (rescue grass), dicondra (love it or hate it), Agralawn and the Agralawn recipe, how to germinate tough shelled seeds, and the use of trichogramma wasps, beneficial nematodes, and cornmeal products.

Advertisers:
Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Freeze Miser® prevents your outside water pipes from freezing, wherever you are located. No power needed Freeze Miser prevents frozen pipes with smart flow control. https://www.freezemiser.com/

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

Show Notes:

Howard's Tea
SPCA report
Cold spell damage
Controlling grass burs
Rescue Grass weeds
Dicondra
Agralawn Crabgrass Killer
Formula to make your own
Germinating tough seeds
Beneficial nematodes (Nature's Control)
Trichogramma wasps (Kunafin)
Mulches
Flea beetles
soft pest control
Grafting/air layering
Cornmeal

The March 14, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett offers answers posted by listeners using the "Ask Howard" button on the Dirt Doctor website. Topics include eating flowers grown organically, planting potatoes and asparagus, weed blocking plastics,  tree root flares, arborists, lava sand and gravel, beneficial nematodes, dog run design, rose rosette, and much more.

Show Notes March 14, 2026 

Eating Flowers
Asparagus
Planting asparagus
Potatoes
Weed blocking plastics
tree root flare
arborists
lava sand and gravel
Beneficial nematodes
Horseherb
Dog run design
BioWash
Live Oak leaf blisters 

Advertisers:
Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Freeze Miser® prevents your outside water pipes from freezing, wherever you are located. No power needed Freeze Miser prevents frozen pipes with smart flow control. https://www.freezemiser.com/

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

Douglass King Seeds  https://www.dkseeds.com/
Seed Specialist Since 1912

https://www.dirtdoctor.com

The March 7, 2026, Dirt Doctor Podcast with Howard Garrett offers answers posted by listeners using the "Ask Howard" button on the Dirt Doctor website. Questions include topics such as spring pest control, planting gardens in raised beds, tree pruning, and what products are safe (or not) to use in an organic garden. #OrganicGardening #SoilAmendments #Pruning #PlantSeed #Trees #StumpRemoval #BeneficialNematodes #HowardGarrettBooks 

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Freeze Miser® prevents your outside water pipes from freezing, wherever you are located. No power needed Freeze Miser prevents frozen pipes with smart flow control. https://www.freezemiser.com/

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

Douglass King Seeds  https://www.dkseeds.com/
Seed Specialist Since 1912

https://www.dirtdoctor.com

Show Notes March 7, 2026 
Herb Book - Howard Garrett  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2142388.Herbs_for_Texas
Comfrey
orchids
stump removal
tree pruning and sick tree treatment
Raised beds
Fire ants
Beneficial nematodes (Nature's Control)
Trichogramma wasps (Kunafin - https://www.kunafin.com)
Fungus gnats
Milorganite
aphids
Buy Herbs of Texas book
Fabulous Trees slide show
Spring planting
Organic fertilizing
Horseherb

Show Notes:

Howard's Tea - Juniper
SPCA dog for adoption

Q&A

Asparagus roots, tree roots, next to houses
Dry Molasses
Fire Ants
Orange Oil
Beneficial Nematodes
Corn Gluten Meal
Henbit
Book - Herbs for Texas by Howard Garrett
Avoid broadleaf herbicides
Don't mulch against trees
Calendars
What to plant
Pruning
Freeze Miser
Giant Bark Aphid
Garlic Pepper Tea
Tools
Compost
Sick Tree Treatment 

Advertisers

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Douglass King Seeds, Seed Specialist Since 1912, developer of Habiturf Native Lawn Mix, https://www.dkseeds.com/

Freeze Miser® prevents your outside water pipes from freezing, wherever you are located. No power needed Freeze Miser prevents frozen pipes with smart flow control. https://www.freezemiser.com/

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. 
https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

This week's Dirt Doctor podcast with Howard Garrett has more answers to questions sent in by listeners and readers of the website. We are into spring planting and Howard Garrett offers tips about planting from seed, varieties to try, and organic products to use - and avoid. And much more! 

Show Notes:
Fences - metal, wood, cedar posts
Book - Lawn Care (by Howard Garrett)
Coffee - mushroom variety

Q&A:
Watch plants for pests (get them early)
Plumeria - move out in stages
Percentages of soil amendments in beds (rates by square feet)
Maples native vs hybrid
Shantung maple, Japanese maple
Alfalfa pellets as organic fertilizer (look at percentage in mix)
Turf treatment
Agralawn crabgrass killer
Compost as fertilizer
Avoid contaminated compost (picloram, chlopyralid)
Leaf management
Making own Garrett Juice - recipes 
General weed control, rescue grass

Three of the advertisers on the Dirt Doctor site and podcast are Crazy Water, Douglass King Seed, and Doctor Ohhira's probiotics. 

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Douglass King Seeds, Seed Specialist Since 1912, developer of Habiturf Native Lawn Mix, https://www.dkseeds.com/

Dr. Ohhira probiotics have been part of the Garrett family health regimen for years. https://drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/

Howard Garrett's weekly video podcast touches on many subjects and is supported by the library and content on his Dirt Doctor website and in his many gardening and landscaping books. This week signs of spring are all around (in the questions listeners sent in) and his art will be on display on Valentine's Day in a Deep Ellum art gallery. 
https://www.dirtdoctor.com

Tea - may help with cedar fever
SPCA dog
Book Recommendation: The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka 
https://bit.ly/4aBSq85
Ants on trees 
When to mulch leaves in compost
Shredded tree trimmings 
When to move citrus trees outside in spring
Hoja santa from seed
Crape myrtle
Ginkgo  
Palms
Shade cloth
In Howard's Garden (pruning)
Podomatic - former podcasts

This is a short audio version of the video podcast that demonstrates the exercise routine that Howard Garrett does regularly. There are clues to his exercises in the discussion, but this is a podcast you'll appreciate more if you view it. 

Go to the Dirt Doctor home page and click on the YouTube button for this and all of the video podcasts. The direct link to the video of this podcast is at https://youtu.be/3_uCIbW_z8s. 

Two of the advertisers on the Dirt Doctor site and podcast are Crazy Water and Freeze Miser.

Crazy Water is the only mineral water bottled in Texas. Rich with Mother Nature-infused minerals, which are more readily absorbed by your body. https://drinkcrazywater.com/ 

Freeze Miser® prevents your outside water pipes from freezing, wherever you are located. No power needed Freeze Miser prevents frozen pipes with smart flow control. https://www.freezemiser.com/

https://www.dirtdoctor.com

Show Notes: 

Howard's Tea
SPCA dogs
Dirt Doctor Online Class  https://bit.ly/4qbi0Xh

Howard Q and A 

Hori Hori knife
Ice treatment products
Basalt sand
Cat litter - zeolite
Video topic discussion - Big Box stores with prominent displays of hazardous products
Roundup (no longer with glyphosate, but still dangerous)
Pets in ice and snow
Italian Stone Pine
Dirt Doctor Destinations https://bit.ly/4tiqrmz (add your business)
Howard's tree climbing dogs
Fabulous Trees Slideshow
Mahonia in bloom
Dirt Doctor site search features work now
Bird of Paradise
What to plant in the spring?
How to start plants indoors
Discussion of new Dirt Doctor website  https://www.dirtdoctor.com
Planting
Humate, soft rock phosphate, epsom salts, Garrett Juice (Compost tea)
Lighting for plant growing
Howard Garrett books