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Davis Garden Show

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 

DJ(s): 
Lois Richter, Don Shor
Replays Thursday 12-1pm, Saturday 9-10am
Homepage URL: 
Davis Garden Show on the Web
Podcast
Music programs are only online for two weeks after they are broadcast.

Davis Garden Show, Oct. 14, 2021 -- Leafy greens, lawns to meadows, weed management

Thu, 10/14/2021 - 12:00pm | Don Shor

This is the time to plant those leafy greens to eat all winter long. Other winter vegetables include brassicas and root crops like carrots. You can plant in the ground, or in a barrel by the back door, but not INSIDE -- veggies are not grown as houseplants because they need more light. Could you build a greenhouse inside? Well, yes, but it requires grow lights and structures and ...  It's just so much easier if you can grow them outside instead.

Lois asks "Suppose I fill that barrel out back with leafy greens. Do squirrels and rats like salad?"  Well, yes; but it's not hard to make a cover to keep them out.

Davis Garden Show, Sept. 30, 2021 -- Winter flowers and bulbs

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00pm | Don Shor

Things to plant in October, November ...

  • Leafy greens -- lettuce, kale, NOT basil -- continue to plant all winter.
  • Brassicas (where we eat the buds or heads) get planted earlier than  leafy greens (where we trim the leaves but the plant continues to grow).
  • Bulbs -- plant most bulbs now, some later. "Full sun" in winter can be under a deciduous tree, which shades that spot in the summer. PERFECT for many bulbs.
  • Winter flowers -- cheery annual flowers to plant now.
  • Perennials with winter blooms -- plant anytime, they last for years!  -- Camellias, Euryops, Gazania, Hellebore, Hardenbergia, etcetera.

Davis Garden Show, Sept. 23, 2021 -- Leucadendrons

Thu, 09/23/2021 - 12:00pm | Don Shor

Do native bees, pollinators, and other beneficials NEED to have only NATIVE plants? No, for most. But yes for a few. The "Pipevine Swallowtail" butterfly needs the California pipevine for its larva to feed on (other pipevine species won't do). Monarch butterfly larva feed only on milkweed plants. But most local insects will be happy with many garden plants. Having a diversity of plant species is a good way to attract and help beneficial insects.

What is "planting with natives?" If "native" means "originally existing in the local plant community," then we are extremely limited in Davis. If "native" means "native somewhere" (that is, it's not a hybrid), then anything goes! If "native" means "naturally occuring in some political region" such as California, then native-ness has no relationship to how well something will grow in my yard -- because California contains so many different climate zones. Perhaps it would be better to look for "locally adapted" plants -- species which originated in climates like ours (such as the Mediterranean, coastal Chile, parts of Australia, southern Africa, etc.), and so will grow well in OUR climate.

Today's questions include: Should we be "pinching" broccoli? (Don doesn't.) That's bacterial Citrus Blast -- exacerbated by a few days of humid weather in August. Why Don's 32-year-old orchard is being taken out (lifespan of the trees vs. changing economics vs. climate expectations).  How farmers decide what to plant where. And what some people expect to happen to our local climate in the next 20-50 years.

Davis Garden Show, Sept. 16, 2021, Brassicas -- a one-plant wonder

Thu, 09/16/2021 - 12:00pm | Don Shor

'Tis a time of CHANGE!  Weather is cooler, season is later ... For some folks, it's time to cut down the cucumber vines and plant some brassicas. For others (like Don), there are still tomatoes ripening to harvest into October. What's your plan for a winter garden? Now is a good time to plant peas, lettuce, brassicas, and other cool seaon vegetablees.  You can also plan to put "cover crops" on the portion of your summer garden that you don't plan to plant for the winter -- to keep down weeds and improve your soil.
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Comments

Don and Lois,

Hi! I have some suggestions for last minute gifts that your listeners may be interested in. CafePress.com has beautiful as well as humorous t-shirts. This includes t-shirts for gardeners includeing special ones for Master Gardeners. They start at $9. These are both in mens' and womens' styles and sizes. Eric just reminded me that our local botanic garden, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, has great holiday gifts too in their gift shop. He suggested I mention that public gardens in your area likely do the same thing. He also suggested that I mention the possibility of classes for the public to attend at your local public gardens. RSABG has these. Just something you might find of interest, I am a volunteer at RSABG, though I have not volunteered as much recently as I used to. You learn a lot volunteering. Thank you again for answering my questions. You both are great.

-Robin of Southern California

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 8:21pm

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

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/29/2010 - 8:45pm

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

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/28/2010 - 8:54pm

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

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2010 - 2:58pm

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

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/12/2010 - 12:17pm