Beyond the Garden Basics

Today’s newsletter is all about starthistle, and all the ways you can control this summer weed…organically. If you want to read about chemical controls for starthistle, check out this University of California Ag and Natural Resources publication, “Yellow Starthistle”.In today’s podcast (above), America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor and I talk about the chemical side of weed...

We tackle how to help your garden cope with the late spring and all-summer heat waves coming our way in today’s podcast and newsletter. In the first part of the podcast (above), America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, and I, concentrate on helping your plants in containers stay cooler in the summer.The second part of today’s podcast features a September 2022 chat...

Today’s podcast features Sacramento County Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour, extolling the virtues of growing okra in the summer. Gail’s encyclopedic knowledge of this warm weather crop will amaze you. Perhaps it’s her South Carolina heritage that adds to her love of okra. Sometimes disdained for its mucilanginous flavor (aka “slimy”), okra is a plant of many uses, including its...

Garden book author and citrus expert Lance Walheim, is a big proponent of growing citrus trees in containers. We discuss his techniques in today’s podcast, along with shameless plugs for his new book, “Citrus: A Gardeners’ & Fruit Lovers’ Guide.”For those of you in a hurry, here are some of the important points we touch on in the podcast:Choose compact citrus varieties for containers — Meyer...

The Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter and podcast has been around awhile, with over 450 editions since August of 2022. That’s a lot of gardening info!Checking out nearly four years of newsletters and podcasts to learn more about gardening can be a daunting task. So, to help ease the process a bit, here are the seven most clicked-on (and time spent with) editions. This is a public episode. If...

In case you need a refresher course, here are some points about the benefits of using compost in your garden, according to the UC Master Gardeners of Alameda County:• Improves Soil Structure (Tilth): Lightens heavy clay soils and adds structure to sandy soils.• Saves Water: Increases the water-holding capacity, reducing runoff and water usage.• Feeds Plants & Soil Life: Adds slow-release...

Is there a better-looking, longer lasting, cut flower than the alstroemeria? Is there a more invasive, underground spreading plant than the alstroemeria?Sometimes, to get to heaven, you have to go through a little hell.Also known as the Peruvian Lily, Lily of the Incas, Parrot Lily, Princess Lily, and “How the Heck Did You Get Over to the Other Side of the Garden?”, alstroemerias can easily last...

If you’re looking for a superfood to grow, it’s hard to beat blackberries. They can be grown in just about every state in the United States. They’re highly adaptable, and they thrive in USDA zones from 4 all the way up through 10. Here in California, in USDA zone 9, they do quite well. They grow nearly anywhere that has enough sun.Today, we talk with Master Gardener and berry expert Jeff Smoker,...

In this episode, we discuss the essentials of basil cultivation, highlighting the basil basics for home gardens. We cover basil soil preparation, planting, timing, and a few of the various flavorful basil varieties such as Sweet, Thai, and cinnamon basil. We include basil care tips such as watering, fertilization, and pest management.Special guest Rose Loveall-Sale from Morningsun Herb Farm...

Sweet potatoes are one of the most under-appreciated crops you can grow. But it will reward those gardeners who give sweet potatoes what they really need: heat.As you will hear in the podcast with Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour, sweet potatoes have some very particular needs. A San Joaquin County (CA) listener wrote in asking how to alleviate the frustration of trying to sprout...