Weather-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! |
Water, 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.
Plus we get LOTS of questions answered! Scorched leaves, geranium budworm, upright evergreen tree suggestions, and more. Lois wanted to know how to tell which plants will die if cut down and which will re-sprout. Don's answer is "It depends. ..." Well, he was a little more specific -- "It depends upon the general structure of that plant."
In all, another fact-filled Davis Garden Show with Don Shor and Lois Richter.
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MELONS! Kids love to plant them; they take over large areas; they all do well in Davis; and it's not too late to transplant them. The same goes for other cucurbits -- zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and other squash. Why do the recent cold nights cause problems for one species and not another? Is this spring's weather "typical"? IPM = IVM??? Hmmm...
Don Shor and Lois Richter use this episode of Davis Garden Show to explore a wide range of topics: growing melons, moss, low care roses, weeds, and more!
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As always, Don Shor and Lois Richter start by answering current questions. Then the main portion of this show is especially timely in May 2021 as we review "12 Tips For Low Water Gardening."
What are those 12 tips? 1. Water right. 2. Zone your plants by water need. 3. Water thoroughly. 4. Mulch well, mulch wisely. 5. Water your fruit trees like an orchard! 6. Reduce your lawn area. 7. Maybe get a "Smart timer." 8. Change your type of grass. 9. Rethink your lawn: consider a meadow. 10. Choose plants that use less water. 11. Consider California and southwestern [and other "Mediterranian" climate] native plants. 12. Think local -- use UCD Arboretum resources! Bonus 13th tip: Don't forget succulents! |
Don Shor and Lois Richter talk about May garden activities, some late-season disease issues, ten tips for easy gardening, and more.
Like the show? Head on over to Big Day of Giving and show your support with a donation to Davis Media Access! That's bigdayofgiving.org/DavisMedia. Thanks for your support, and thanks for listening. And even if you are seeing this after May 6, it's never a bad time to help us -- https://KDRT.org/donate
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Today Don Shor and Lois Richter offer their final segment about "Tomatoes." Actually, no show about tomatoes is really final, as that is a popularly requested, frequent topic of discussion on the Davis Garden Show. But this is the 4th part of a 4-part series on tomatoes done in spring 2021. |
What causes stone fruit to "twin"? Are twins okay to eat? Should you thin them out?
After Don Shor and Lois Richter answer a few questions, it's on to Tomatoes Part 3.
Find part 1 (April 8) and part 2 (April 15) in the archives.
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For another week, most of today's Davis Garden Show focuses on TOMATOES! This is the second of a four-part, in-depth discussion about tomatoes -- info applicable wherever you grow them. But we also answer some listener questions and talk about other things: "volunteer" melon-squash-cucumber seedlings (mostly inedible crosses), what ripens AFTER you pick it?, Gesnariads including African Violets (there's a related garden club in Sac), the foibles of podcasting the Davis Garden Show, and other tidbits. Join Don Shor and Lois Richter for another lively discussion.
Don't forget that you can send YOUR questions/comments/brags to DavisGardenShow@gmail.com
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Let's talk about tomatoes: Part 1. Plus landscape coefficients and watering: Part 2. April is designated Tomato Month on the Davis Garden Show - this episode is one of four that will feature a wide variety and depth of information about one of the Central Valley's favorite crops. Is it a fruit or vegetable? Is it a native or import? A true vine? An annual or perennial and more will be discussed. For the past 15 years, the Davis Garden Show airs Thursdays noon - 1 PM, and Saturday morning 9 - 10 AM.
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For a scholarly approach to "Making Sense of ET Adjustment Factors for Budgeting and Managing Landscape Irrigation" , see https://ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanHort/files/217692.pdf For a simpler, real-world explanation of all that, listen to this episode of Davis Garden Show. In addition to water use coefficients for landscape shrubs, Don Shor and Lois Richter talk about selecting vines and (as always!) when to plant tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables.
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