Flower Power Garden Hour
203 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 168 ratingsMusings with people in the world of gardening, botany, horticulture and nature. Marlene takes her years of gardening experience, success and failures and turns it into an unpretentious, humorous listen. From organic vegetable gardening, houseplants, bee keeping, flowers, and everything in between -- this podcast covers it.
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Episodes
Flower Power Garden Hour 52: Plant Defenses
December 01, 2019 15:18 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBPoisons, spines and secondary metabolites….plants have numerous ways of ensuring they are protected and dispersed. I sit down with botanist Jonathon Holguin and we discuss some of our favorite ways plants protect/disperse themselves. Why does Stevia taste sweet, what are the compounds in stinging nettle and what happens when you get Euphorbia sap in your eye? Some of these defenses we encounter often while hiking, and others we hope to never experience -- such as Giant cow parsnip or Monksho...
Flower Power Garden Hour 52: Plant Defenses
December 01, 2019 15:18 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBPoisons, spines and secondary metabolites….plants have numerous ways of ensuring they are protected and dispersed. I sit down with botanist Jonathon Holguin and we discuss some of our favorite ways plants protect/disperse themselves. Why does Stevia taste sweet, what are the compounds in stinging nettle and what happens when you get Euphorbia sap in your eye? Some of these defenses we encounter often while hiking, and others we hope to never experience -- such as Giant cow parsnip or Monksho...
Flower Power Garden Hour 51: Summer vegetable wrap up show
November 24, 2019 11:00 - 50 minutes - 40.7 MBThis is a review show of what worked and didn’t work in my vegetable garden this summer. I go over both the varieties of plant and techniques I used with a critical perspective. Tomatoes. Florida weave versus cages. My pruning process in the future. Straw as weed block. Success of varieties including Sungold, Black Beauty, Berkley Tie Dye Peppers. MANY successes, including ghost peppers, shishito, poblano, bell peppers, Rhenza Macedonia. Why the success? Melons. Mixed bag on planting te...
Flower Power Garden Hour 50: Listener Q&A…potpourri
October 19, 2019 15:49 - 53 minutes - 38.3 MBMarlene answers a variety of listener submitted questions this week -- grab bag of questions. Fall planting – what can still be planted for Fall in the San Joaquin Valley Rose bushes – yellow spots on leaves….what to do to prevent Ficus – losing leaves on only a certain portion of the plant Comfrey – can it be planted in raised beds for winter? How to break through hard pan in order to plant Superblue Lavendar – for indoor growing in the Northeast US, should a ceramic or plastic ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 49: Terrariums
October 02, 2019 20:06 - 1 hour - 61 MBTerrariums are a great way to grow a landscape on a miniature scale. I sit down with expert terrarium builders Kyle Shankle and Eric Cendejas to discuss building a terrarium from container up. Learn what soil is best, water-proofing techniques, drainage, how to build features, which lighting system to choose and of course all the plants that will reward you with your own mini-jungle. Eric can be found @aroiddaddy on Instagram To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Marlene The ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 48: Listener Q&A...flower focus
September 22, 2019 14:17 - 53 minutes - 121 MBMarlene answers a variety of listener submitted questions this week. The focus is on flowers this week, with a smattering of vegetables thrown in. Black tulip magnolia – not blooming, unhealthy looking Mums – growing tall, but not flowering Bougainvillea – growing out of control, how to train Christmas cactus – half growing well, half not Butterfly bushes – how to prep for winter Japanese maples – browning as summer gets hot “Rusty” leaves – what is causing, how to mitigate To...
Flower Power Garden Hour 47: Ethnobotany, with Nathan Gonzales
September 11, 2019 10:00 - 57 minutes - 58.1 MBMarlene sits down with Nathan Gonzales, instructional assistant of biology at American River College and talks about his favorite plants to use medicinally and while on the trail. Learn what California native can be used as an antimicrobial band-aid in a pinch, what plants make the best fire starting material and what uncommon plant can be snacked on to get you a bit giddy! This ethnobotany centric episode covers many of the plants people see every day when hiking and dwells into the many us...
Flower Power Garden Hour 46: Oaks, with Emily Griswold
August 25, 2019 14:34 - 1 hour - 111 MBMighty, majestic… these are words often used to describe Oaks. For Emily Griswold, Oaks are so much more.. they are her passion. She has turned this passion into collecting and disseminating different Oak species to various collections across the world, as well as curating the 300-species-strong Shields Oak Grove on the UC Davis campus. I sit down with Emily and tap into her knowledge on all things Oaks… how to grow, diseases, species suitable for backyards, the smallest and the oldest (whic...
Flower Power Garden Hour 45: Listener Q&A
August 11, 2019 14:16 - 53 minutes - 123 MBMarlene answers a variety of listener submitted questions this week. It’s a grab bag of topics this time, including: Hibiscus leaves dropping – causation? Orchids – root location Watermelons with a black spot on bottom – fungus or? Passion Fruit viability – Central Valley CA Dwarf lemon not producing Watermelons – white inside….why? Roses – tiny holes in flowers To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Marlene The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also em...
Flower Power Garden Hour 44: Cacao, with Cru Chocolate
July 28, 2019 14:53 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBHow did two engineers become chocolate makers? As we discuss the process of making chocolate with Karla McNeil and Eddie Houston, owners of Cru Chocolate, it becomes clear that chocolate making is not only an art but part chemistry and engineering. This episode covers the history of cacao, its importance in many South American cultures and the steps to make beans to bar. Additionally, we dive into the challenges of being a company with a culture focused on sustainability and ensuring the suc...
Flower Power Garden Hour 43: Dr. Matt Amicucci – not all carbs are created equal
July 10, 2019 12:55 - 51 minutes - 28.8 MBGrowing a cover crop is a great way to incorporate nitrogen into the soil, but what exactly does this mean? What are the best plants for it and what are the steps to getting the most out of the cover crop. I sit down with Dr. Matt Amicucci, owner of Calyxo Biosystems, and discuss nitrogen fixation. We then veer into his involvement in the research and discovery of a native Oaxacan corn that makes enough nitrogen that the local farmers have never fertilized their soil! We then go into more de...
Flower Power Garden Hour 42: Pollinators for fruits and vegetables
June 25, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBBees, butterflies, beetles, oh my. These are just some of the important pollinators needed to achieve great fruit and vegetable set in your garden. Find out which plants are best at attracting pollinators, as well as tips and tricks on hand pollinating when pollinators go MIA. Learn why your strawberries and squash are malformed, as well as how to plant corn to achieve high quality. This episode covers all things pollination! To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power G...
Flower Power Garden Hour 41: Listener Q&A…Summer Vegetable Gardening
June 16, 2019 12:23 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBAn episode dedicated to answering questions submitted by listeners. Topics this week include: Peppers – poor growth and production Tomatoes and squash – what are the best fertilizers/amendments Leaf curling on tomatoes Epsom salt – good for plants (specifically tomatoes)? Technique for disinfecting gardening shears Marigolds as companion plants Is peat moss effective to retain moisture in soil To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook p...
Flower Power Garden Hour 40: Farmer Fred Hoffman, Master Gardener and Garden Show radio host
May 26, 2019 14:55 - 1 hour - 198 MBMarlene sits down with “Farmer Fred” Hoffman, renown long time Garden Show radio host, writer and lifetime Master Gardener. Having decades of both practical experience and countless hours with farmers/garden professionals, Fred is an incredible fountain of knowledge, tips, troubleshooting – and a amazing storyteller in the best sense. Subjects discussed: Farmer Fred history; Growing up in North Hollywood; From radio to gardening; From Captain Fred to Farmer Fred; Truckers come to the res...
Flower Power Garden Hour 39: Plant Cuttings
May 17, 2019 10:00 - 54 minutes - 126 MBIn this episode Marlene delves into making softwood cuttings in order to propagate clones of parent plants. Taking cuttings is a fast and reliable method of obtaining numerous plants from a small amount of source material. Marlene covers: Auxin -- primary hormone for root production Step by step process of how to successfully take a cutting Common issues people run into with cuttings To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant L...
Flower Power Garden Hour 38: Listener Q&A
April 23, 2019 09:00 - 44 minutes - 101 MBMarlene answers a variety of listener submitted questions this week. It’s a grab bag of topics this time, including: How to treat a sparse looking Daphne How to stop insects from eating sweet basil and tomatoes Browning Camellias Yellowing leaves on a tomato plant Is putting ice cubes on soil an effective method of watering Pruning of Weeping Cherry tree To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Inst...
Flower Power Garden Hour 37: Lavender, with Tina Reikes of Bear Flag Farm
March 31, 2019 02:27 - 57 minutes - 130 MBTina Reikes was not always a farmer. 9/11 caused Tina to reevaluate her life, leading her to deviate from her corporate real estate career to seek something more fulfilling. Never having farmed, but armed with a desire to find a rural based lifestyle, Tina searched for the perfect location. A few years later, Bear Flag Farm was born. 26 acres tucked amongst almond & walnut orchards in the ag town of Winters CA, Tina began her career as a boutique farmer of lavender, olive oil, wine – and to ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 36: Listener Q&A….Vegetable Focus
March 16, 2019 21:35 - 1 hour - 177 MBA listener questions episode this week focusing on vegetables: Does cornmeal work as a pre-emergent herbicide Why does broccoli bolt? What is bolting? Do eggshells and/or diatomaceous earth effectively kill snails and slugs? Use of heat mats to start seeds My go-to soil amendments for vegetable garden soil preparation – and when to use To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also e...
Flower Power Garden Hour 35: Vermiculture – How to raise Composting Worms
February 24, 2019 20:20 - 1 hour - 148 MBKate Waldo owns Worm Fancy, a business focused on diverting food waste going into our landfills. She began by working with schools, and implementing local programs which yielded some astounding results – in some cases a 3x reduction in daily trash volume. The scale and applicability of raising composting worms varies widely – from single family home use, to schools & business, to large scale ag operations. Here Kate walks through steps to start and guidance about how to be successful with ra...
Flower Power Garden Hour 34: Tomato Expert, Brad Gates
February 14, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 165 MBA highly anticipated episode, featuring world renown tomato expert, Brad Gates. Based in Napa Valley, Brad owns Wild Boar Farms where he fastidiously spends years creating new varieties of exotic tomatoes, optimized to be “stunning looking tomato varieties with extreme flavor.” To bring a new variety to market, it takes Brad on average 6-7 years of breeding for the desired traits and selecting the strongest plants each season to begin the following generation. Using fully organic and sustain...
Flower Power Garden Hour 33: Bees – How to start and maintain a colony
January 23, 2019 19:00 - 1 hour - 259 MBThis is a much requested and anticipated episode with a deep dive on bees. Bee expert Dave Watson joins the show to share best practices for successfully raising bees. Dave provides a step by step process on how to set up your hive (including terminology/equipment), proper maintenance, location considerations, how to smoke bees, how to split colonies, pest/disease control, and much more (including hive social dynamics). Dave is a fantastic teacher – this show serves as the How-To guide for...
Flower Power Garden Hour 32: Roses Deep-Dive, Part 1
January 11, 2019 15:02 - 55 minutes - 127 MBThis is part 1 of 2 that comprises a comprehensive breakdown of anything and everything about roses, with a focus on bare-root. Here Marlene covers: Types of roses: Old English, ramblers, climbers, hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, moss rose Purchasing: What to look for when buying bare-root roses Planting: Bare-root, actively growing roses, grafted versus non-grafted, soil, temperature range, drainage tolerance, sun requirements, when to plant, techniques of successful planting ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 31: Listener Q&A….Cold Weather Prep
November 22, 2018 00:29 - 1 hour - 140 MBA listener questions episode this week featuring: African violets….tips for re-potting Succulent protection in cold weather and frost All about Rue (Ruta graveolens)….growing tips Mushroom infestation…potential diagnosis and recommendations Pest control (beetles)…how to selectively predate their larvae To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also email Marlene questions, future sho...
Flower Power Garden Hour 30: Houseplants – Care and Feeding, part 2
November 07, 2018 15:22 - 39 minutes - 89.3 MBAlan Yip, Masters in Horticulture and Biodiversity, joins for Part 2 on a discussion around everything houseplants. Here we focus on tips and tricks about how to optimize your indoor plants. Topics include: Potting soils – how to choose or make your own Make your plants shiny (?) Protecting plants from cats Treat fungal gnats Dispelling common myths Common issues, such as leaf browning To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The P...
Flower Power Garden Hour 29: Houseplants – Retro, Easy and Stylish, part 1
November 04, 2018 14:26 - 43 minutes - 99.4 MBAlan Yip, Masters in Horticulture and Biodiversity, joins today for a discussion on houseplants. Alan is an expert on orchids, and we will do an upcoming episode specifically on those. Here we talk about all things houseplants, focusing on ones which are easy to grow, tips for making them thrive, and common problems and solutions. We also dive into which houseplants are the popular ones currently. We’ve gone retro, because 1970’s houseplants are in! Popular plants discussed include Monstera ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 28: Winchester Mystery House, with Delmar Duldulao
October 28, 2018 15:02 - 59 minutes - 137 MBDelmar Duldulao was the Head Gardener at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA for over 20 years. The Winchester House is an 161 room estate in the heart of Silicon Valley, originally built by Sarah Winchester in the early 1900’s. Originally on 160 acres of fruit orchards, the house still sits on 4.5 acres, with 2 being manicured gardens. The Winchester House is where I had my first job and introduction into gardening, where I worked with Delmar as Assistant Gardener in my late teenag...
Flower Power Garden Hour 27: Plant Communication and Defense, with Dr. Richard Karban
October 22, 2018 11:00 - 38 minutes - 87 MBDr. Richard Karban is a researcher at UC Davis, where he is an expert in the field of plant defenses and plant-insect interactions. His studies with sagebrush and how they “communicate” to decrease herbivore predation has been groundbreaking. Plant communication has been a hotly contested discussion for the better part of a decade. Although the general consensus in the scientific community now is that plant communication DOES occur, the mechanism(s) by which this happens is not well known or...
Succulents and Unique, Rare Plants
October 11, 2018 21:05 - 1 hour - 172 MBBrendan Wilce is a UCD graduate with a BA in Environmental Horticulture & Urban Forestry. He is a nursery industry veteran, currently working at El Dorado Nursery in Shingle Springs, CA. Brendan is a longtime friend and colleague, and has an amazing collection of succulents (Pachypodium, Stapeliads, Aloes, Agaves, dwarf Cactus), maples, oaks, woodland perennials, & rhododendron species. He is an amazing resource of knowledge in the above and has a relentless interest in anything rare, uni...
Flower Power Garden Hour 25: Listener Mailbag
September 28, 2018 11:00 - 58 minutes - 133 MBA listener questions episode this week featuring: Leaf curling on citrus trees Geriatric Christmas Cactus not blooming Difficulty growing Rhododendron in Northern California Mosaic Virus (or some other virus) in vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes, cucumber Gnats infiltrated hibiscus Stubborn Plumeria not blooming To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also email Marlene quest...
Flower Power Garden Hour 24: Unusual Edible Plants
September 15, 2018 14:47 - 1 hour - 167 MBTony Lord first developed his love of exotic edible plants while working as a social anthropologist in Micronesia. After his retirement as an Anthropology Professor at Long Beach State, he continued this passion in his Sacramento garden. Scouring plant & seed catalogs, Tony is intrigued by any plant that says, “will amaze your neighbors”. He is driven by the challenge of a difficult plant to cultivate. This could be anything from sugar cane to Moringa…. amazing because Tony grows in a Medite...
Flower Power Garden Hour 23: Fall/Winter Vegetable Garden Preparation
August 26, 2018 14:37 - 49 minutes - 113 MBIt’s late August which means…time to start preparing and planting your Fall/Winter vegetable garden NOW!! Marlene discusses: Strategy to plant Winter vegetables when summer garden still going well Direct sow seeds or plant starters (small plants) Types of winter vegetables and containers/locations they can be grown in (Kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beets, carrots, radishes, onions, potatoes, cabbage, etc) Critical aspects of success, including cover crops for nitrogen fixing (such ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 22: Listener Q&A….Fruit Focus
August 12, 2018 14:33 - 58 minutes - 135 MBA listener Q&A episode this week featuring: Seedless green & red grapes producing very small fruit – why and how to fix How to know when a watermelon is ripe and ready to harvest Avocado trees grown indoors – when and how to move outside Edible weeds – example, Purslane Techniques to propagate a Crape Myrtle from a sucker Azalea health Best soil type for raised vegetable beds Yellow spots – causes and how to fix To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power G...
Flower Power Garden Hour 21: Albino Redwoods – Mutant Takeover
August 05, 2018 13:58 - 58 minutes - 133 MBMutations happen, just ask the X-Men. Zane Moore, a PhD student at UC Davis, wants to know why. More specifically he wants to know what possible long term ramifications can be – an effect known as “mutational meltdown”. Zane’s particular area of study are Albino Redwoods, mutant trees that lack chlorophyll. He has been studying these since he was 16 years old after hearing a radio interview about them. We discuss the possible evolutionary benefits of having no chlorophyll such as acting as a...
Flower Power Garden Hour 20: Listener Q&A….Potpourri
July 14, 2018 10:30 - 51 minutes - 118 MBA listener questions episode this week featuring: Hydrangeas not blooming – why?? Fungus on Squash Lemon tree issues – dropping fruit Plumeria not growing after transplant Best indoor plants for low light workspace Best flowers for a cutting garden Apple Cider Vinegar for fertilizer? To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also email Marlene questions, future show topic request...
Flower Power Garden Hour 19: Begonias – properties and growing/propagating techniques
July 06, 2018 15:22 - 53 minutes - 124 MBAll things Begonia this week. Paul Tsamtsis (lifetime Begonia gardener & expert) & Mike Tentis (lifetime gardener with a more recent Begonia fetish) join Marlene to discuss one of her favorite undervalued flowers - Begonias. Both are active members of the Sacramento Begonia Society, a chapter of the American Begonia Society. The gamete of topics are discussed: Different forms (Rex, tuberous, rhizomatous, cane) Preferred soil types Propagation techniques (leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 18: Listener Questions
June 29, 2018 10:30 - 57 minutes - 132 MBListener questions answered, ranging from protecting vegetable gardens from the summer heat, water strategy with regards to landscaping, causation & prevention of yellowing leaves, protection of plants from birds & insects, and how to best keep fuchsia flowers alive. Fertilizing and organic soil amendment technique and product choice is a common theme. Use these Q&A shows to help build your diagnostic capability to become a master gardener! To ask questions for future shows, submit them at...
Vegetable Gardening – Common Problems, Symptoms & Solutions
June 16, 2018 14:57 - 58 minutes - 134 MBThis episode covers many of the common vegetable garden problems Marlene gets asked about. She covers tomatoes, peppers, squash and more – spanning problems ranging from overwatering, over-fertilization, deficiencies, pollination issues resulting in lack of fruit set. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also email Marlene questions, future show topic requests and feedback at msimon@mar...
Mycology 101 with Jason Carter
June 09, 2018 14:55 - 34 minutes - 78.8 MBJason Carter is a PhD candidate at UC Davis studying Pine Pitch Canker, which is a fungus responsible for mass death of Monterey Pines in California. As part of this, he is investigating specific fungus ability to tolerate grass defense compounds, and if there is a correlation to the capability this particular fungus has for resisting pine defenses. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 15: Horticulture Fake News -- Gardening Myths Debunked
May 27, 2018 17:29 - 57 minutes - 131 MBWe all know of common gardening hints and tips. Sometimes these are passed on through family generations, and sometimes they seem to pop up in the social media world. Some are based in solid principles, and some are based in logic that belongs deep in the sewer. This episode covers some of the more popular “garden myths” and whether they have any merit or are the fake news of the horticulture world. Lots of focus on vegetable and fruits. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Fl...
Flower Power Garden Hour 14: Gardening Q&A….Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers
May 18, 2018 16:09 - 59 minutes - 135 MBLoads of listener questions this week, with topics ranging from fruit trees, vegetables, soil amendments and prep, to flower and shrub health in harsh summer conditions. To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plant Lady Facebook page, or Instagram. You can also email Marlene questions, future show topic requests and feedback at [email protected]
Flower Power Garden Hour 13: Spanish Peppers….a story of gardening tips and the history of this pepper in Gloria Lopez’s family
May 11, 2018 15:11 - 55 minutes - 126 MBGloria has been growing the same lineage of peppers since her family brought them over from southern Spain in 1920. Following her grandfather & father, Gloria has kept this strain alive and vibrant. Whereas most Spanish immigrant families stopped growing or lost track of the seed, Gloria has been able to keep the tradition alive. Each year she starts 1,000 of these sweet peppers in her small greenhouse & gives away most. Her list of people who want them grows each year. In her own garden, sh...
Water Wise Gardening – Lawn Transformation and native drought tolerant plants with Taylor Lewis
May 04, 2018 19:04 - 51 minutes - 117 MBTaylor Lewis, UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery Manager, discusses water-wise, drought tolerant, California native gardening. Removing a lawn can be back-breaking…..Taylor shares his detailed methodology for transforming a lawn into a water-wise garden, with minimal intense physical labor. Taylor’s method makes lawn removal a much less daunting task. Additionally discussed is maintenance of soil after lawn transformation, low water usage irrigation types and technique, and ideal plants & f...
Flower Power Garden Hour 11: Vegetable & Flower Gardening Q&A
April 26, 2018 11:00 - 44 minutes - 101 MBA round of listener questions fills this week’s episode, with a mixed focus on vegetables, pest control & flowers. Specifically, Marlene answers questions regarding artichokes – how to keep healthy, pest free (or pest “controlled”) & how/when to harvest. On the floral front, Marlene tackles rose & lavender questions around care & specific variety blooming attributes. She dives into the unique Jericho rose – aka the Resurrection plant. Bonus -- hear about The Plant Lady’s unhealthy obsession ...
Flower Power Garden Hour 10: Eric Cendejas, Orchid Expert
April 13, 2018 11:30 - 1 hour - 143 MBOrchidelerium anybody? It was during the Victorian era that Orchidelerium took hold. Rich socialites & aristocrats hired their own plant hunters to gather and bring back as many different orchids as they could find. While poaching of rare orchids such as the Ghost Orchid still happens, the frenzy has died down. The ability to clone orchids from meristematic tissue has made these once hard to come by flowers as easy as grabbing one on the way out from the grocery store. In this episode Marlen...
Flower Power Garden Hour 9: Gardening Q&A
April 09, 2018 22:54 - 56 minutes - 130 MBListener questions are the focus of this episode, predominantly looking at flowers and succulents (with of course a dabble of tomato and vegetable gardening advice). Also, a discussion takes Marlene down the path of nurseries that sell PAINTED plants. Store deceit or wishful thinking of the budding gardener…..you decide. This week’s questions include cactus, poinsettias, hydrangea health and how to attract the insects you want (bees & butterflies). To ask questions for future shows, subm...
Flower Power Garden Hour 8: Tomato Gardening Deep Dive
April 01, 2018 17:56 - 1 hour - 149 MBThis episode is a deep dive into tomato planting – how to set your spring/summer vegetable garden up for success. The first half of the episode focuses on the tactical aspects…when to plant, what & where to plant (containers versus native soil), soil amendments (fertilizer & compost), pruning & training, and tomato varieties (ie heirloom, roma, cherry). The second half of the show turns attention to the most common tomato questions – diagnosis and treatment of diseases, pest infestation &...
Flower Power Garden Hour 7: Gardening Q&A
March 24, 2018 15:03 - 1 hour - 139 MBYou say potato…Horticulturalists say Solanum tuberosum. This week Marlene delves into vegetable gardening discussing potato planting…the do’s and don’ts. In addition she will be answering your listener submitted garden questions. This week’s questions include suckers, mites, hummingbird plants, rose leaf spot, planting garlic, bareroot trees, what is “organic”…. and she introduces Beetlegoat! To ask questions for future shows, submit them at Flower Power Garden Hour Facebook page, The Plan...
Flower Power Garden Hour 6: Matt Amicucci
March 16, 2018 01:59 - 1 hour - 150 MBVegetable gardening 101 with Matt Amicucci. Matt is an Ag/Environmental chemistry PhD candidate, currently working in conjunction with the Foods For Health Institute. Their focus today is prepping vegetable gardens for spring planting. Marlene & Matt highlight their experiences with DIY raised beds, crops such as tomato and pepper varieties, organic gardening, fertilizing how-to, soil amending, seed starting, farm to fork, urban and sustainable gardening and Matt's unique planters. Matt ca...
Flower Power Garden Hour 5: Joel Ledford
March 10, 2018 15:57 - 52 minutes - 120 MBMarlene "The Plant Lady" talks to Joel Ledford, PhD arachnologist at UC Davis…that makes him a spider researcher to us lay people. Marlene & Joel discuss his varied pathway to becoming a leading expert in the field, including stops in the Marine Corp, time as an elementary school teacher and a post-doc fellowship at the California Academy of Sciences. Their conversation ranges from evolutionary mechanisms, unique habitats and survival strategies, arachnophobia, spider myths, and Joel’s adven...
Flower Power Garden Hour 4: Bob Starnes
February 21, 2018 16:43 - 40 minutes - 93.1 MBMarlene "The Plant Lady" sits down with Bob Starnes, owner of Shale Peak Horticulture. Bob is a leading expert in chemical-free pest management (aka bio-control), utilizing a multitude of predatory insects to control (ie hunt & kill) crop damaging pest populations. His IPM (integrated pest management) and consulting services are specifically targeted towards the burgeoning cannabis (marijuana) cultivator community in California. With a focus on maximizing efficacy, Bob utilizes bleeding edge...