Davis Garden Show Archives

Cool week ahead!  But we still have watering challenges. A few questions (about new plantings and fungus gnats) lead to several important discussions about:

• Proper planting techniques (why planting trees ONLY with native soil is so important);
• How roots grow (and get damaged), and how that shows up in a full-grown tree;
• Home remedies (which have no research done on them and are NOT labelled for pesticide or herbicide use).

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.)

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.

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!

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.