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. To submit a question (or a brag!) send to gmail.com for DavisGardenShow.
Podcast
Davis Garden Show, March 16, 2023Thu, 03/16/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: A quick overview of weed management, fixing a thin lawn, Oklahoma redbuds and other small trees, and more. |
Davis Garden Show, March 9, 2023Thu, 03/09/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: Weather issues. cherry fruit fly, apricots, bulbs, getting rid of stumps, and front-yard food gardens. |
Davis Garden Show, March 2, 2023Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorToday: More about avocado pruning, bacterial gummosis of stone fruits, talking to plants, small space gardening, cottony cushion scale, and more (avocado photo courtesy of Marta Matvienko). |
Davis Garden Show, Feb. 23, 2023Thu, 02/23/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: Flowers for cutting, some old-fashioned annuals to grow from seed, sequence of seed starting for summer veggies, rats injuring citrus tree, and tomatoes for drying. |
Davis Garden Show, Feb. 16, 2023Thu, 02/16/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorToday: Gummosis on fruit trees, starting veggies from seed, Sarcococca in bloom, fig trees in front yards and in containers, moisture meters, and more. |
Davis Garden Show, Feb. 9, 2023Thu, 02/09/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorToday: Basic fruit tree training techniques, reviewing raised planter issues, talking about persimmons, figs, and jujubes, and more. |
Davis Garden Show, Feb. 2, 2023Thu, 02/02/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: Subtropical and tropical plants, more about South African bulbs, heirloom vegetable varieties, winter weeds, rose diseases, and more. |
Davis Garden Show, Jan. 26, 2023Thu, 01/26/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorToday we talk about planting bareroot trees, citrus planting issues, tree damage from recent windstorms, summer bulbs, and more. |
Davis Garden Show, Jan. 19, 2023Thu, 01/19/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: Citrus problems and drainage, early blooms for bees, why plant names change, and training a young fruit tree. |
Davis Garden Show, Jan. 12, 2023Thu, 01/12/2023 - 12:00pm | Don ShorOn today's program: January calendar of flowers, plus conversation about roses, weather and garden centers and house plants, and more. |
Comments
I think it depends upon the species. Some of our California native shrubs (like Ceanothus and Redbud) should NOT be pruned when the cut might get wet. (That's whether in the winter OR in the summer just before the sprinklers come on.) But lots of fruit trees are regularly pruned in winter and then get rained on. I'll ask Don to explain more on our show next week. -- Lois
Lois,
Hi! Thank you for responding to my question. I look forward to listening to what Don has to add to your response. The listener in Sacramento was right, you and Don are very interesting to listen to and very helpful even to us in Southern California. I would also like to add that my young daughter has become an even more enthusiastic gardener now that we have a backyard. Her potted garden has grown and is thriving (as are mine and Eric's plants. A great microclimate here.) She has also helped me plant seeds in the yard includeing some of her own seeds. She has some very unusual plants for a young child. Two types of sages, Swiss Chard in multi colors which she grew from seeds, a Californis native wildflower (also from seed), columbine, etc. My young daughter picked all of these plants and seeds herself. I thought you might find this interesting to know.
Robin in Southern California
Don and Lois,
Hi! This is to add to what Eric said about New Zealand Flax and pruneing. I keep seeing the tips to the top quarter of New Zealand Flax pruned off. I swear people (and some gardeners) must not have enough to do if they keep doing this unnecessary pruneing. These poor plants look horrible. This unnecessary pruneing (and other unnecssarily pruned plants) is a pet peeve of mine too.
Robin in Southern California
Don and Lois,
Hi! What is the best type of pot to plant an African Violet in? Sorry that this is so short.
-Robin in Southern California
Don and Lois,
Hi! Thank you for answering my question about my father's blackberry plant. I thought your answer about feeding the plant a great suggestion. I also want to clarify a few things. The blackberry plant is very thorny. I have been pricked by it's branches and leaves so many times, yet the sting from each of those times would hurt for many minutes afterward. This does not happen to me with roses. As for our new backyard, I have been busy choosing plants for it (still have more room to add) and some of those plants are for our neighbor's cat who I noticed eats our spider plants. This leads to a question. Do spider plants cause problems for the cats who eat them?
-Robin in Southern California
I thought miniature fruit trees were compact plants, smaller than dwarf, that I can grow in my small backyard, but all I can find in local nurseries are dwarf varieties. What are miniature trees and where can I find them?
Thanks!
Nitin
San Ramon, CA
Don, thank you so much for answering my question, and thanks for the link to Bay Laurel.
I have tried to order plants online in the past from out of state nurseries but most won't ship to California. Any idea why this is so?
Thanks again.
Nitin
Don and Lois,
Hi! Thank you Don for answering my fish water question. That brought up more questions about fish water. If the medication is the all natural type such as Betta Fix and Betta Remedy, could these harm plants? Betta Remedy is blue and stains things it comes in contact with blue, which sometimes does not come off of what it stained. Could this turn plants blue and would that be harmful or like those science fair experiments with plants and food dyes, cause the plants to look really interesting? By the way, we are moving to a new home with an actual backyard. This yard has a need of spruceing up. Eric and I are looking forward to this challenge. My current plants will be a real help in doing this. We are happy to have two balconies with our current home, but really look forward to having a backyard. My young daughter will enjoy playing in it. She has been wanting a backyard and now we will have one. Here's to new gardening challenges in a new year!
-Robin
Don and Lois,
Hi! I hope you have both managed to stay healthy what with these colds going around. I know that you have not heard from me in awhile, however I have a follow up question to the one I asked about fish water. Is fish water (old aquarium water) with fish medications in it harmful for plants? I decided not to save any of the medicated water for Eric to use on plants until I heard from you first. I hope you both had a good Thanksgiving. We celebrated a day early for reasons I will not go into unless you ask me. Have a Merry Christmas! And if I do not get to say it, a Happy New Year too. By the way, my young daughter's garden has expanded with two new and very different sages that she chose by herself. Her garden is also thriving.
-Robin
in Southern California
Hi Don and Lois, thanks so much for the ever timely and informative show!
I have a question for Lois. Lois I'm hoping you could spend a couple of
minutes and highlight for me the Best birds to have in your vegetable garden
and the Worst birds to have in your vegetable garden and why. Maybe you could
help define Gleaners and Salliers too, and wheather all of the birds in these
groups are beneficial?
Thanks ever so much,
Your Faithful Listener in Central Calif., (San Luis Obispo)
Lori
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