You Bet Your Garden

By WHYY

Sports & Recreation

What's You Bet Your Garden about?

Mike McGrath hosts this call-in public radio program and offers light-hearted, organic gardening guidance.

4.7

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You Bet Your Garden episodes:

09.28.2018
Live at Meadowbrook Farm
Mike McGrath loves radio, but he’s always down to show off in front of a crowd. This week’s You Bet Your Garden is a very special treat: excerpts from Mike’s talk at Meadowbrook Farm in Abington, PA earlier this summer....
09.21.2018
What’s Eating my Garden? And are the ‘Leftovers’ Safe?
Your tomatoes and peppers are under attack; big chunks are missing! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath identifies the most likely suspects and reveals if the leftovers are safe to eat. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question...
09.14.2018
Tomato Sauce 101: From Vine to Jar
Got lots of ripe tomatoes coming in? More than you can eat? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath walks you through the cooking and processing of superior tomato sauce, with an emphasis on using the fewest...
09.07.2018
September is THE Time for Lawn Care and Repair
In fall, a young man’s fancy turns to…killing greasy grubs! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath lays out your organic grub control options and explains why this is the time of year to strike. Plus, your fabulous...
08.31.2018
Hey Joe, What’s in That Mosquito Spray in Your Hand?
If you’ve been to a home show, you’ve seen the rival franchises selling mosquito spray packages to homeowners. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath responds to a listener concerned about her neighbor’s use of such a...
08.24.2018
In the Garden and on the Lawn, Cheaters Always Win
Nobody wants to work hard outside. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals that cheaters always win—especially when they perfect the lawn care and pruning practices that minimize hard work in the summertime. Also, Jenny Rose...
08.17.2018
Getting the Most Out of Your Garlic
Your garlic harvest is in…now what? Use it fresh before it sprouts? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will expose the secret to getting a season of good seasoning from your harvest—or from the great garlic...
08.10.2018
Got Skeeters Bad? Call in the Dragonflies!
Mosquito prevention time is over; now is the time to switch tactics to protection. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals how to attract dragonflies and explains why white is the color to wear this mosquito season....
08.03.2018
Beneficial Bugs? Or Filthy Flies?
A listener wants to attract beneficial insects, but instead is beset by flies! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses how this might not be the worst thing to happen to an urban gardener. Plus, your fabulous...
07.27.2018
Using Grass Clippings for Mulch
Is it ever right to use your grass clippings as a garden mulch?? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, we’ll bend–but not break–the rules as Mike McGrath looks at the pros and cons of collecting those clips. Plus, your...
07.20.2018
You Bet Your Garden Summer Special #2
Plants under glass, mushroom hunting, permaculture, and copper plugs. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath talks terrariums, ‘shrooming, piling stuff up on top of old wood and much more in a series of our favorite interviews. Question...
07.13.2018
Crossing The Pond with the Intent to Commit Horticulture
It’s often a bad idea to take plants across state lines with the intent to commit horticulture. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses what’s at stake if you’re thinking of crossing The Pond with your plants!...
07.06.2018
You Bet Your Garden Summer Special
Radioactive roses; peerless pollinators; the famed “Banana of the North;” and puckering persimmons. On the next You Bet Your Garden, we gather some of our favorite interviews to cool down your summer with a wilder blend of topics than the...
06.29.2018
Keep Your Credit Cards Out of the Compost!
A British gardening magazine recommends pouring grass clippings on top of shredded paper to make “quick compost.” On You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals what’s wrong with this picture and re-iterates the rules of non-bogus black gold brewing. Plus,...
06.22.2018
The Many Foes of Roses
What’s eating your roses? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath dons his detective’s cap to pinpoint the perpetrator chewing on them now…and details how to stop Japanese beetles from finishing the job later. Plus, your fabulous phone...
06.15.2018
Gardening Without Sight
Gardening for the disabled includes plantings for those with little to no sight. On the next You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses gardens that appeal to the other four senses. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the week: I’d...
06.08.2018
Gardening Against the Odds: High Altitude, Short Season, and No Water
How can you grow tomatoes in a short season…at high altitude…and with no water? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals just how they do it in Southwest Colorado! Plus, the wild and wonderful world of succulents...
06.01.2018
Do Trees NEED Mulch? & Can a Tree Survive Severed Roots?
Do trees really NEED mulch? And can their roots be safely severed during construction? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals some surprising truths about trees. Plus: Square Foot Gardening legend Mel Bartholomew, and your...
05.25.2018
Special Report: Moderating Menacing Mosquitoes
On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath speaks with Dr. Dina Fonseca, professor of entomology in the school of public health at Rutgers University, about ways to prevent mosquito’s from thriving in your landscape and ways to...
05.18.2018
You Say Potato, I Say Tomato
You say tomato, I say tomahto…but the soil sprouts potatoes! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses what you can do when Yukon Golds emerge right next to your Cherokee Purples. Plus: helping HOAs become more sustainable,...
05.11.2018
What’s Not to Love About the Linden Tree?
The linden tree is slow-growing, has great fall color and produces beautiful, scented flowers in the Summer. On the latest You Bet Your Garden¸ Mike McGrath discusses the linden and why it isn’t used more often in the American landscape....
05.04.2018
None Like it Hot: Even Sun-Lovers May Need Some Shade
Summer sun is good for our plants–up to a point. On the next You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath gives the lowdown on where and when your tomatoes might like you to throw them some shade. Plus: your fabulous phone...
04.27.2018
Spring Bulbs: The Rules for Rebloom are the Same Around the World
This is the time of year you can ensure that your Spring bulbs return…or get nothing but leaves next season. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reviews the rules of Spring bulb rebloom. Plus: your fabulous phone...
04.20.2018
Soil Solarization: What It Can and Can’t Do
Soil solarization is a powerful tool in the organic arsenal—but can you solarize a bed that has a tree in the middle?! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses how you can—and can’t—use the rays of the...
04.13.2018
Tomato Season Update: Pruning Suckers and Poor Production
Tomato season will soon be here! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses ‘pruning suckers’ from your plants, and considers the curious case of the suddenly unproductive bed. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’m...
04.06.2018
Can you transform a tree stump into a perennial show place?
What can you do with the stump that’s left behind after a dead tree is cut down? On this week’s You Bet Your Garden we’ll discuss whether the best answer involves Hügelkultur—or oysters! Plus your fabulous phone calls. Question of the...
03.30.2018
Live from the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show
What can you grow in a sopping wet spot? Are non-native plants ever OK? In a very special edition of You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath answers those questions and many more—recorded live on the floor of the famed Philadelphia...
03.23.2018
Best Practices for Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses make for great privacy screens. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses which big grasses work best, and how and when to safely prune them. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I checked...
03.16.2018
How Much Ash Should a Gardener Use If a Gardener Could Use Ash?
Do you burn wood for heat and thus have lots of wood ash that you want to use on your landscape? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses the best and worst ways to use your ash....
03.09.2018
Composting Kitchen Waste Can Be Tricky!
Recycling your kitchen waste into compost is the responsible thing to do, right? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals the surprising problems you can encounter when you make garbage to go. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question...
03.02.2018
What to Do When Your Lawn is a Lake
Removing plugs of sod and soil can work wonders for a struggling turf–if you do it at the right time of year. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses what to do when compacted soil needs to...
02.23.2018
Growing Blueberries Low and High, South and North
Lowbush blueberries may be the tastiest little fruits—but are you cold enough to grow them? On the next You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath lays out your options in growing these low-to-the-ground native fruits. Plus, the meaning of “chilling hours.” Question...
02.16.2018
The Rules of Raised Beds
Pitchers and catchers report is here! That means it must be time to think about tomatoes! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reviews the rules of raised beds and takes bets on perlite versus vermiculite. Plus, your...
02.09.2018
Tick Prevention-On Both Sides of the World
A listener wants to know how to stay safe from ticks–in her native Australia! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses tick control strategies that are common to both Australia and North America. Plus, your fabulous phone...
02.02.2018
The Right Mix for Starting Seeds
Thinking of starting your own plants from seed this season? Success begins with a soil-free mix! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals what to include in a seed-starting mix and what to leave out. Plus, your...
01.26.2018
Potash: How to Get the K in Your N-P-K
What is ‘muriate of potash’—and is it safe? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses the many ways you can add the ‘K’ in ‘N-P-K’ to your landscape! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of...
01.19.2018
“Seeing Spots? Call for Help”
What’s grey and black and red and black and yellow with black stripes? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals the disturbing answer when he takes a close look at the newest pest in town–the Spotted...
01.12.2018
Winter Got You Down? Curl Up In a French Hot Bed!
Who’s eating homegrown greens right now–in places where winter really means winter? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses how to extend your season with a French hot bed! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the...
01.05.2018
Worms in Your Berries? There’s a New Pest in Town
There’s a new pest in town—and it wants to ruin your raspberries! On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will teach you how to protect your precious plants from the dreaded Spotted Wing Drosophila. Plus,...
12.29.2017
Ringing in the New Year with some of our best interviews
Are you imperiled by poison ivy? Sucked dry by mosquitoes? On this very special edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will help negate these nasty nuisances—and reveal the best small fruits to grow, build a rain garden...
12.22.2017
You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular!
You are cordially invited to the You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular! Host Mike McGrath will be unwrapping fascinating facts about poinsettia, Christmas cactus, and mistletoe. Plus: holiday tunes from Kenn Kweder and Nalani and Sarina! Question of the Week: “You once...
12.15.2017
OK—Maybe You CAN Eat Black Walnuts
There’s been a lot of discussion about collecting black walnuts on the show lately, but so far, it’s been all talk. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath gets into the nitty gritty details on...
12.08.2017
Deer: A Threat to Cars, Trees, and People
They’re causing mayhem in the roads, eating our azaleas, and attacking the arborvitae. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath tries to deal with what seems to be a deluge of dangerous deer. Plus,...
12.01.2017
Grass Wars: Bermuda vs. Fescue
Are warm-weather grasses taking over our turf? On the latest edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will help you decide: Favor the fescue or succumb to the charms of Bermuda? Plus: turning abandoned lots into drive-by flower...
11.24.2017
Moving? Don’t Pack Your Landscape!
You’re moving; can you take your priceless plants with you? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath helps you hold on to your heirlooms and get a good price for your old house. Plus: a...
11.17.2017
How Far South Can You Grow Raspberries?
Raspberries are delicious, super-nutritious and incredibly easy to grow. There are only TWO things you must supply in order to bag buckets of berries. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals just what those two things...
11.10.2017
Prepping Raised Beds for the Winter
It’s time to put your raised beds TO bed for the winter. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath explains how to renew their vigor, protect their nutrients and avoid turning them into a sea...
11.03.2017
Protecting Plants from Winter, Deer & Wabbits
What’s the best way to protect your plants from deer, rabbits, mice and voles–and what’s so bad about ‘cleaning things up’ for winter? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath covers the best ways to...
10.27.2017
Cold clime? Bury your figs ALIVE!
What’s the best way to protect figs in climes where winter gets too cold? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reviews your options—from building a little house to burying them alive! Plus, your fabulous...
10.20.2017
Resist the Urge to Clean Up Your Landscape
This is the time of year many people feel compelled to “clean up the landscape.” On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath counts the many reasons you should NOT be cutting back roses, figs, or...

What's You Bet Your Garden about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

You Bet Your Garden episodes:

Live at Meadowbrook Farm

What’s Eating my Garden? And are the ‘Leftovers’ Safe?

Tomato Sauce 101: From Vine to Jar

September is THE Time for Lawn Care and Repair

Hey Joe, What’s in That Mosquito Spray in Your Hand?

In the Garden and on the Lawn, Cheaters Always Win

Getting the Most Out of Your Garlic

Got Skeeters Bad? Call in the Dragonflies!

Beneficial Bugs? Or Filthy Flies?

Using Grass Clippings for Mulch

You Bet Your Garden Summer Special #2

Crossing The Pond with the Intent to Commit Horticulture

You Bet Your Garden Summer Special

Keep Your Credit Cards Out of the Compost!

The Many Foes of Roses

Gardening Without Sight

Gardening Against the Odds: High Altitude, Short Season, and No Water

Do Trees NEED Mulch? & Can a Tree Survive Severed Roots?

Special Report: Moderating Menacing Mosquitoes

You Say Potato, I Say Tomato

What’s Not to Love About the Linden Tree?

None Like it Hot: Even Sun-Lovers May Need Some Shade

Spring Bulbs: The Rules for Rebloom are the Same Around the World

Soil Solarization: What It Can and Can’t Do

Tomato Season Update: Pruning Suckers and Poor Production

Can you transform a tree stump into a perennial show place?

Live from the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show

Best Practices for Ornamental Grasses

How Much Ash Should a Gardener Use If a Gardener Could Use Ash?

Composting Kitchen Waste Can Be Tricky!

What to Do When Your Lawn is a Lake

Growing Blueberries Low and High, South and North

The Rules of Raised Beds

Tick Prevention-On Both Sides of the World

The Right Mix for Starting Seeds

Potash: How to Get the K in Your N-P-K

“Seeing Spots? Call for Help”

Winter Got You Down? Curl Up In a French Hot Bed!

Worms in Your Berries? There’s a New Pest in Town

Ringing in the New Year with some of our best interviews

You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular!

OK—Maybe You CAN Eat Black Walnuts

Deer: A Threat to Cars, Trees, and People

Grass Wars: Bermuda vs. Fescue

Moving? Don’t Pack Your Landscape!

How Far South Can You Grow Raspberries?

Prepping Raised Beds for the Winter

Protecting Plants from Winter, Deer & Wabbits

Cold clime? Bury your figs ALIVE!

Resist the Urge to Clean Up Your Landscape