Nursery pro Don Shor has been gardening and selling plants in Davis for more than three decades. Join Don and co-host Lois Richter as they discuss and answer your questions on all things for the garden. Submit a question (or a brag!) to DavisGardenShow@gmail.com.
Podcast
Davis Garden Show, July 29, 2021: Water 50% for ornamentals, 100% for food producersThu, 07/29/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorNEW, EASY WAY to figure out your drought watering! Don shared the research from the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources -- Center for Landscape & Urban Horticulture, showing how little water different plants can survive on. Not be happy, but survive. Lots of info about watering -- trees, shrubs, food plants, and beneficial insects. (Lois asked about making an insect watering hole with wet sand.) One listener writes about her "spider mite apacalypse" and wonders how to keep her melons alive until harvest. Why do plants look stressed the third year in the ground when "they did fine last year"? How much water a plant needs depends upon how big it is! So as a young plant grows bigger, you need to give it more water (either water longer or add another sprinkler head). "Grad Students Help with Soil" is the Davis Enterprise headline; "providing soil diagnosis [texture and pH test] and advice to gardeners" is the service; Saturdays (9:30-11:30) at Davis Farmers Market is the when/where. The service will continue every Saturday thru August 21. |
Davis Garden Show, July 22, 2021: Tree roots, watering, and redwoodsThu, 07/22/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorWatering in a drought. Reducing lawn water while keeping your trees alive. Root distribution of trees, "circle watering" strategy. Coast redwoods in interior California. Many redwoods were planted in Davis years ago; should we add new ones now? What might we substitute for them? What's wrong with these struggling tomato plants? Compacting soils can cause problems. "Mulch is for on top, not underground." And more answers to listeners' questions. Submit yours for inclusion in a future show by emailing Don Shor and Lois Richter at DavisGardenShow@gmail.com |
Davis Garden Show July 15 2021, Summer PruningThu, 07/15/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorDon Shor and Lois Richter talk about July pests -- what 's around now and how to handle things -- and lots about fruit trees -- including broken branches, thinning possibilties, reduced size method, and summer pruning. From that Facebook @ re feeding squirrels -- just don't! And, of course, we talk about the GLORIOUSLY WONDERFUL WEATHER this week. |
Davis Garden Show, July 8, 2021: Heat wave prepThu, 07/08/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorToo many questions to get to all of them! Come back next week and hear the rest. Mid-June topics: La Niña and rainfall patterns. How to water -- and how not. What plants want you to do when there's a heat wave. Or, better still, BEFORE one! Privacy plants -- including avoiding undesired co-habitants (like raccoons and rats)! Figuring out how/when to plant seeds. Some tips and tricks for certain seeds! and more ... |
Davis Garden Show, July 1, 2021 -- What's a hybrid?Thu, 07/01/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorWhat's a cultivar? What's a hybrid? What's a selection? What's a variety? We get a long answer to a short question about Ceanothus "Concha" and Ceanothus "Ray Hartmann." Also today we have a discussion of soil pH (probably not the problem in the situation described); the challenges of planting in compost instead of soil; raised planter woes; and details on local water issues and Davis' good situation. |
Davis Garden Show, June 24, 2021 -- perennials or reseeders?Thu, 06/24/2021 - 12:00pm | Don Shor"See you again next year!" Today we discuss Don's list of Favorite Summer Perennials, and then we start going through his list of plants that "reseed freely." Both strategies mean we will see the same species in our garden year after year -- with perennials the plant stays in the same place, with re-seeding the species moves around (and sometimes changes color). We also discuss common name confusion, weed cloth over plum tree roots, the city's "Tree Watering" flyer, fruit set on tomatoes and zucchini and their expected yields, and (as usual) the weather and how it is affecting our plants. Don Shor and Lois Richter are your hosts each week on the Davis Garden Show. To submit a question, email them at DavisGardenShow@gmail.com |
Davis Garden Show, June 17, 2021 -- Leave It To BeaverThu, 06/17/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorDid your tree-removal company leave you with a bunch of chips? Stump grinding can lead to problems with your replacement bushes. How, you ask? Listen up! Don Shor and Lois Richter answer garden questions -- including dealing with drought, lawns, ant farming, ant management, mistaken culprits, and more. Ask your questions by emailing us at DavisGardenShow@gmail.com. |
Davis Garden Show, June 10, 2021 -- Herbaceous Fall FlowersThu, 06/10/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorCool week ahead! But we still have watering challenges. A few questions (about new plantings and fungus gnats) lead to several important discussions about:
A large portion of the show is a discussion of each of Don Shor's 20 Favorite Summer Herbaceous Perennials. An "herbaceous perennial" is a plant that blooms every year but dies down every winter (different from a shrub, bush, or tree). These twenty bloom from the late summer into the fall. (We only got part way thru before running out of time, so listen to the 24 June show for the rest of the story.) |
Davis Garden Show June 03 2021 -- Weather-related Troubles, Easy Vines, RaccoonsThu, 06/03/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorWeather-related troubles: Can X veggie take full sun? Should we "shade" our tomato plants? Don says "no". There's a difference between hot sun on the foliage and the sun-scald of ripening fruit. Can we keep our trees alive in this year's bone-dry ground? Signs of stress to look for, and what to do to help while watering most effectively. Easy vines to cover a fence, wall, trellis ... including "Cup and saucer vine" (Cobaea scandens) pictured here. "What's digging up my plants at night? Not eating them; just digging down underneath and pushing them out." Raccoons might be digging up the blood meal fertilizer. What? They're smelling the blood meal that's UNDERGROUND!!?! Yep. On a brighter note, Don is growing tomatoes in a gopher-infested plot -- successfully! |
Davis Garden Show, May 27, 2021 -- Questions AnsweredThu, 05/27/2021 - 12:00pm | Don ShorWater, water, everywhere! "How much? How often? What happens if I get it wrong?" A large part of today's show is devoted to "basic watering knowledge" and also specific differences for watering in this drought year. In all, another fact-filled Davis Garden Show with Don Shor and Lois Richter. |
Comments
Hi! Thank you for answering my last question. I found your answers very helpful and useful. I am currently relistening to the podcast where Eric called in. Hopefully one day I will do that too and then you can hear my voice. As far my question, i would like to know more about the 'Princess Maxine' rose. Eric bought it for me, but I can not find any information about it. What catagory of rose is it. Anything else you can tell me would also be helpful and useful. Roses are my specialty, but this has me stumped. It has lovely tiny light pink blooms. I have a picture of it, however it is not very clear. By the way, i am now working with Eric. He has hired me and i so enjoy working with him. Something else you might find interesting to know, Eric taps my mind for plant and gardening information, but I can not answer everything. So your answers are beneficial to the both of us. i am so excited that you answered my last question, that i look forward to your answer to my new question. your garden radio show is the best gardening radio show out there!
Robin, Southern California
Hi! This is my first time writing to you, but I have been listening to your podcasts for a few months. I have a question about Irises for you, however I should mention that Eric in Southern California who has been e-mailing you is someone I know very closely.In fact he is the person who introduced me to your podcasts. I love it that you bring his questions onto your show. I feel such pride. As for my question, how do you get Irises (gladiolus too) to bloom again? I have a large pot where I have most of my bulbs planted. They all grow lovely leaves, but haven't flowered in several years. Thefreesias bloom year after year, but not the irises or gladiolus. I have them planted in a mix of potting soil and I now use Spray and Grow to fertilize.
Sincerely,
Robin Winderman
rkicker@rocketmail.com
Hi Robin,
We discussed your iris/gladiolus question on today's show (9/30). We always enjoy Eric's questions; he gives us lots of ideas for seasonal topics.
Thanks for the note,
Don
Hi, I work at a Garden Center and recently our company has begun to carry an Imidicloprid product (Bayer) for use on fruit trees and vegetables. My knee jerk reaction is horror. I know you'll be able to give me the real skinny, am I over reacting or is this a really bad idea? LOVE your show, "Hi Lois!: Greatly appreciated. Lori, San Luis Obispo County, CA
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