Flower Power Garden Hour

In this episode, I have a great conversation with the Chocolate Botanist, Derek Haynes. Hear about his journey becoming a plant biologist as well about his mission to debunk misinformation on the internet. We discuss his “favorite” myths and how he handles the backlash he receives on social media.  Derek is a plethora of educational and entertaining information -- links below can be found to his variety of media. Instagram:  @thechocolatebotanist Website:  thecrazybotanist.com Facebook:  @thecrazybotanist YouTube:  @TheChocolateBotanist Twitter:  @crazybotanist   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:          Facebook          Instagram          email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Soil science can be a bit confusing. How long does it take for materials to be broken down, is it good practice to add microbes and what exactly are microbes? Robert Pavlis addresses these questions and more. Check out his new podcast Garden Fundamentals plus his impressive list of books including Soil Science for Gardeners and Compost Science for Gardeners. Check out more at his links below.  Links below can be found to Robert’s vast expanse of media. ·       Podcast: Garden Fundamentals (available on Apple & Spotify) ·       Website:  gardenmyths.com ·       Facebook:  @GardenFundamentals ·       YouTube:  @Gardenfundamentals1 ·       Books: o   Soil Science for Gardeners o   Plant Science for Gardeners o   Compost Science for Gardeners o   Microbe Science for Gardeners Book o   Garden Myths – Book 1 and Book 2   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Insta

If I was picked up and dropped into a gardening zone relatively different than mine, it would be a huge steep learning curve. I love talking to gardeners from zones different than my zone 9b and it doesn’t get much different than zone 3. I have a fun and educational chat with Theri Vasina LHirondelle who grows amazing flowers and veggies in Montana.   Theri can be found on Instagram at @backyard.impressions   Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributing at Flower Power Garden Hour Patreon.   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Dieffenbachia, ‘pothos’, Monstera… a great majority of houseplants are in the Araceae family which most people shorten to just say Aroids. I discuss this broad family with UC Davis  Botanical Conservatory  volunteer extraordinaire Bruce Ritter. He has revamped our collection and he shares all his tips and tricks with us. Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributing at Flower Power Garden Hour Patreon.   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Believe it or not, spring is around the corner.  Here in NorCal, it is still wet with periods of cold, so one does have to be careful with working soil and protecting from potentially freezes.  LOTS of prep to do for the upcoming season.   It is time to plant: ·       Broccoli ·       Cabbage ·       Carrots ·       Cauliflower ·       Collards, swiss chard ·       Kale ·       Leeks ·       Loose leaf lettuce ·       Peas ·       Potatoes….late in the month   Chores include: ·       Sow tomatoes inside ·       Start flowers (sunflowers, strawflower, zinnias, etc) ·       Direct sow sweet peas ·       Plant bare-root (roses, fruit trees, asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, berries) ·       Spray fruit trees ·       Fertilize ·       Compost ·       Clean up, cut back ·       Prune roses, fruit trees   Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributing at Flower Power Garden Hour Patreon.   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·      

It’s here – the last To Do list of the year.  So far it has been a mild winter, with regards to both temperature and moisture.  It is the time to plant another round of winter vegetables, work on pest management, and start planning for your spring garden.  We are at the apex of short days, so time to work is limited.  Episode includes Listener Q&A, with topics listed below.  It is time to plant: ·       Asparagus ·       Bok choy ·       Kale ·       Onion sets ·       Radish   Chores include: ·       Cut back garden, clean up ·       Watch for cabbage aphids, loopers ·       Spray for peach leaf curl, dormant sprays ·       Order seeds for spring   Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include: ·       Waterless amaryllis – can it be planted in a pot? ·       Banana plant – do they need to be brought inside for winter?  If not, should be wrapped for protection from cold weather?  At what age will they duplicate and produce fruit? ·       Can fallen leaves in the garden be used to cover garden beds

How do we ensure the next generations become stewards of the land? Of course exposing them to nature and getting them outdoors but also having conversations and reading with them. I talk with author, Collin Pine, about his children’s book ‘The Garden Next Door’ and how its message is more important than ever. Collin’s latest book is called “The Garden Next Door’”   Collin can be found at: ·       Instagram:  @collin.pine ·       River Horse Books   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Gardening can be murder... that is what a lot of people who claim to have a brown thumb think. But in this case, I’m discussing murder mystery books and their links to gardening. Author, Marta McDowell, joins me to discuss her new book “Gardening Can Be Murder: How poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers’. We discuss historical detectives who a passion for plants, methods of murder as well as my favorite topic… poisonous plants! Marta’s latest book extensively covers the topic discussed today.  It is called “Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers”  Marta can be found at: ·       Website:  martamcdowell.com ·       Facebook:  @marta.mcdowell.5   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Trees -- we all know how important they are. But what are the best trees for zone 9? How exactly do you properly plant, stake and water a new tree? Pamela Sanchez -- Certified Arborist and Education Programs Manager for the Sacramento Tree Foundation -- joins me to discuss these topics and more.   Pamela and the Sacramento Tree can be found at: ·       Website:  sactree.org ·       Instagram:  @sactree ·       Facebook:  @Sacramento Tree Foundation   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

It is the October To Do List, and that means it is a very busy time in the garden.  Clean up from summer vegetables and prepping for fall and winter. The days are cooler, but shorter – which means you have to work efficiently and hard. Episode includes Listener Q&A, with topics listed below.    It is time to plant: ·       Fava beans ·       Beets ·       Bok choy ·       Carrots ·       Celery ·       Swiss chard ·       Collards ·       Garlic ·       Kale ·       Kohlrabi ·       Leeks ·       Lettuce ·       Onions ·       Peas ·       Radish ·       Spinach ·       Turnips ·       All perennials, bulbs   Chores include: ·       Clean up vegetable beds (prevent diseases), mess from fruit trees ·       Collect seeds ·       Divide plants such as grasses, iris ·       Compost   Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include: ·       What to do about aphid infestation on large trees ·       Lemon tree – producing fruit, but leaves are very pale ·       Succulents – fertilizer?

Seeds. As gardeners we sow them, order them, harvest them, and sometime try to prevent them. Author and gardener Jennifer Jewell delves even deeper into the science and importance of seeds in her new book ‘What We Sow’. We discuss her inspiration for the book and talk about why seeds are so important in our ecosystem, cultures and overall survival as humans.  Jennifer Jewell, Cultivating Place and her new book ‘What We Sow’ can be found at: ·       Book:  What We Sow ·       Website:  Cultivating Place ·       Instagram:  @cultivating_place ·       Facebook:  @cultivatingplace ·       Pinterest:    @cultivate_place   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

As a plant person with minimal design skills, I’m in awe of people with both skill sets. In this episode I talk to Soleil Tranquilli about how she combines her artistic design ability with her wealth of plant knowledge to create firesafe, water wise and tranquil gardens. She is the owner of Tranquill Gardens as well as being a Certified watershed Wise Landscape Pro and the president of the Sacramento Association of Professional Landscape Designers.  Soleil and Tranquill Gardens can be found at: ·       Website:  Tranquill Gardens ·       Website: Association of Professional Landscape Designers ·       Facebook:  Tranquill Gardens   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

It is the September To Do List – believe it or not, we are in full Fall prep time.  Lots of cool weather vegetables to start planting, and tons of clean up and pruning.  Summer may have been easy in the garden, but it’s time to get the gloves on and get to work.  Episode includes Listener Q&A and a discussion around current published articles in the horticulture world.   It is time to plant:         Beets         Carrots         Broccoli         Brussel sprouts         Cauliflower         Cabbage         Celery         Swiss chard         Collards         Garlic         Leek         Lettuce         Peas         Radish         Spinach         Perennials – towards the end of September when it cools down Chores include:         Clean up – pull out vegetables which are done, fallen fruit         Prune lavender, hydrangeas         Pests – whiteflies may be setting in…..keep an eye on   Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include:         What are the galls attached to oaks

You can say that my guest, Justin Hancock, is passionate about passion vines! But he is also passionate about anything that grows. As a horticulturalist for one of the top nurseries, Costa Farms, he gets to surround himself with all types of plants. We discuss, of course, passion vines as well as houseplant care. Justin and Costa Farms can be found at: ·       Instagram:  justinwhancock ·       Website: costafarms.com ·       Instagram: costafarms ·       Facebook:  Costa Farms ·       Twitter:  @CostaFarms ·       YouTube:  @CostaFarms ·       TikTok: costa.farms   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

It is the August To Do List, and we are having a gorgeous summer that is offering up IDEAL garden conditions.  Vegetable and fruit harvests are bountiful, but there is prep work for fall piling up.  It is time to:  Plant seeds in ground, including:  beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes Prep garden beds for Fall planting in September:  Weed, compost Chores include:        Dead-head flowers        Pick up fallen fruit        Cut off suckers        Prevent weeds from going to seed        Collect seeds        Harvest melons        Order fall bulbs (daffodils, tulips, etc)        Deep water trees   We finish up with a Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include:        Are pill bugs good for the soil?         Do I need to keep “braiding” my plant?        Habanero not blooming – why?        Fig tree only produce dry, inedible figs.  Why?   Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributing at Flower Power Garden Hour Patreon.     To ask questions f

Want to replace your lawn with a cacti/succulent garden? Here’s how. My coworker and succulent grower extraordinaire, Gianluca Bacci, joins me to discuss succulent growing tips. We talk about major do’s and don’ts of succulent care plus why the saguaro cacti of Arizona are dying.  Gianluca can be found at: ·         Instagram:  marinsect_gianluca   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·         Facebook ·         Instagram ·         email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

Many of us walk around with ideas/inventions in our head but don’t follow through with them for numerous reasons. In this episode, I talk with inventor/founder of PlantTraps, Deborah Holtschlag, about how she came up with an idea and ran with it. We discuss her products that turn balconies into amazing gardens as well as her journey from idea to market.   Links below can be found to Deborah and PlantTraps.  ·       Website:  planttraps.com ·       Instagram:  planttraps ·       Facebook:  planttraps ·       YouTube:  @planttraps   To ask questions for future shows, submit them at: ·       Facebook ·       Instagram ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com   Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

It is the July To Do List, and we are in the HEAT of summer.  Garden work is relegated to morning and (maybe) late afternoon given the blistering temperatures.  Luckily, it is not the busiest time of the year garden wise – hopefully most of your time is spent harvesting vegetables.  Plenty to do still from a maintenance perspective, and believe it or not….some early prep for Fall/Winter. It is time to: ·       Sow seeds indoors for brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli   Chores include: ·       Deep water trees ·       Deep water in-ground plants ·       Mulch ·       Weed ·       HARVEST ·       Snip off flowers of basil, other herbs ·       Keep an eye out for insects – spray, squish ·       Dead-head flowers   We finish up with a Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include: ·       What is a good way to get rid of ants indoors? ·       What are the best cut flower options? ·       Pumpkins turning yellow and rotting before they turn orange – why? ·       Fastest growing shrubs that do well in full

It is the June To Do List, and here in Zone 9 it seems that summer has arrived.  Hot weather is becoming the daily norm, and everything is quickly drying up from a very wet winter.  At this point in the garden a lot of the hard prep work has been done and we now begin summer maintenance mode.    It is time to plant: ·       Perennials, roses, herbs, veggies… beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, melons, okra, chard, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, squash, watermelon, cucamelons Chores include: ·       Mulch ·       Deadhead roses ·       Rootstock suckers ·       Look for pests ·       Plant flowers   We finish up with a Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include: ·       Fertilizer for dragon fruit? ·       Anything that can be done to help tomato flowers set fruit? ·       Preparation for removing lawn for a water wise landscape. ·       Large, very old female mulberry tree(s) are being removed by the city of Stockton.  What will the impact be on the remaining male mulberry tre