Gardening the Hudson Valley

Episode 50 - Do We Need Garden Design?

February 24, 2016 11:45 - 5 minutes - 7.97 MB

Should you start with a design or does design evolve over time?

Episode 49 - Why You Need Flowers in the Vegetable Garden

February 10, 2016 18:12 - 7 minutes - 10.3 MB

It's more than beauty. Flowers serve a vital role in the vegetable garden, stopping the spread of disease, controlling which insects get to stick around and making our lives easier. Here's some more info and tips for getting started.

Episode 48 - Spring Garden Show Season

January 27, 2016 17:24 - 6 minutes - 9.51 MB

Even though we can't start planting outdoors just yet - soon, but not yet - we can get a taste of spring by visiting one of the local garden and flower shows. I talk about 3 within driving distance that will satisfy your longing to breath in air saturated with the scent of warm soil.

Episode 47 - Can Anyone Garden?

January 06, 2016 00:00 - 9 minutes - 12.6 MB

What does it take to enjoy gardening? Is it a personality thing? Maybe a disorder? My friend thought it looked enticing, until she gave it a half-hearted try. Here's my advice to her and anyone who is discouraged about gardening.

Episode 46 - El Nino in the Garden

December 23, 2015 13:30 - 6 minutes - 8.76 MB

We're all familiar with El Nino. He comes around every few years and totally confuses us about winter. I'm not complaining that it's too warm for me, but it's not the best winter weather for the garden. Here are a few things to keep an eye on, until things go back to normal.

Episode 45 - Does Your Garden Tell a Story

December 09, 2015 19:26 - 7 minutes - 10.4 MB

Would someone visiting your garden get a glimpse of who you are? If your garden doesn't reflect you every bit as well as your home does, here are some ideas to help you shape your garden's story.

Episode 44 - Fall for Garden Design

November 25, 2015 16:47 - 5 minutes - 7.99 MB

You might not consider fall to be the ideal season for evaluating your garden's design, but you can learn a lot by studying your garden when all the leaves have fallen.

Podcast Ep. 43 - Winterize Your Garden

November 11, 2015 00:00 - 6 minutes - 8.74 MB

It may be November, but it's still nice enough outdoors for the plants to be growing - which means there's work to be done. A little care now can mean the difference between winter dieback and winter dormancy.

Episode 42 - What to Do with All Those Leaves

October 28, 2015 17:38 - 8 minutes - 11.2 MB

Piling your leaves at the edge of the road for pick up is a waste of garden gold. Here are 6 things you can do with your leaves that won't take much time or effort on your part and will make your garden richer.

Episode 41 - Why Leaves Change Color

October 14, 2015 00:00 - 5 minutes - 7.73 MB

It happens every year, so it's easy to take it for granted or even miss the show. Those dazzling fall colors the leaves turn don't change by accident. Here's what causes all those colors and how to predict if it will be a great year for fall foliage.

Episode 40 - Gardening Tips from Vanderbilt Gardens

September 30, 2015 18:50 - 15 minutes - 21.1 MB

The formal gardens at the Vanderbilt Historic Site in Hyde Park are a great place to visit, but they also hold a lot of lessons for our own, much smaller gardens. Today I bring some of the tips and ideas I was given by 2 of the Vanderbilt Garden Association Volunteers. The group has been working on the gardens for over 30 years and they really know what works - Canadian roses, floating water garden dye, and starting your garden in fall, for starters.

Episode 39 - Are Mums Really Hardy?

September 23, 2015 17:41 - 3 minutes - 4.9 MB

Mums are everywhere in the fall. They call them Hardy Mums, but most of them wind up in the garbage. Can mums really be hardy? Sure. Follow these tips.

Episode 38 - Over-Wintering Root Vegetables

September 16, 2015 15:01 - 5 minutes - 8.01 MB

Have a few carrots, turnips, or beets still in the garden. Why not let them stay there and sweeten up. Today's podcast is about how to store your root vegetables in the garden, so - snow permitting - you can harvest them in January.

Episode 37 - Planning for Bulbs

September 09, 2015 19:28 - 8 minutes - 11.9 MB

It's hotter than July, but the bulbs are out in the nurseries and it's time to scoop some up. Today we talk about the best bulbs for the Hudson Valley and how to guarantee a great show next spring.

Episode 36 - Herbs for Fall Planting

September 02, 2015 00:00 - 7 minutes - 9.66 MB

As the vegetable garden starts to fade, herbs are a great way to fill in those increasing bare spots. Not every herb loves fall's cooler weather, but these 6 will be as welcome in the garden as they are in the kitchen.

Episode 35 - Shopping for Fall Bargains

August 26, 2015 17:44 - 4 minutes - 5.58 MB

Tips for making smart choices when you go bargain shopping at nurseries in the fall.

Episode 34 - Fall Tasks for a Better Spring Garden

August 19, 2015 16:22 - 4 minutes - 6.16 MB

Some easy jobs for late summer, that will give you a headstart next spring.

Episode 33 - Garlic Growing Woes

August 12, 2015 18:41 - 7 minutes - 10.6 MB

My garlic was not stellar this year. In fact, it was down right puny. That's not going to happen again. Today's show is a refresher on what garlic needs and what keeps it from forming big, lush bulbs.

Episode 32 - A Seasonal Garden Appraisal

August 05, 2015 20:09 - 3 minutes - 5.45 MB

The end of summer is clean-up time in the garden, but it's also a great time to evaluate how things are going. While you're cutting back and moving plants, use some of today's tips to check how things are going in general, in the garden. Remember, fall is just around the corner and it is a great time to be outside. Having a list of what you want done will help you get right to it.

Ep. 31 - Flowers for the Vegetable Garden

July 29, 2015 15:58 - 6 minutes - 8.94 MB

Not enough bees and other pollinators in your garden? There are a number of reasons for this, some of which are out of our control. But one thing we can do to get our vegetable gardens buzzing is to mix in some flowers. Not just any flowers - nectar rich flowers. That's what we'll talk about today.

Episode 30 - How to ID Plant Problems

July 22, 2015 19:36 - 7 minutes - 9.97 MB

With a little observation and knowing the right questions to ask - which you'll get here - you can figure out what's ailing your plants. It's probably not as bad as you think.

Episode 29 - Getting Rid of Plants that Don't Work

July 15, 2015 19:06 - 3 minutes - 4.32 MB

It's one of the hardest things for a gardener to do - tearing out perfectly good plants that no longer work in your garden. Here's some inspiration to make it easier.

Ep. 028 - Fertilizer Made Easy

July 15, 2015 00:00 - 4 minutes - 5.81 MB

Do you need to buy special fertilizers for every plant? Of course not. Here are a handful of things every plant needs and how to provide them.

Ep. 027 - Planning for Fall Flowers

July 08, 2015 00:00 - 4 minutes - 5.96 MB

The time to think about your fall garden is early in the growing season. Fall plants need time to get established, so they are ready to shine when their time comes.

Ep. 026 - Pros and Cons of Too Much Water

June 26, 2015 19:16 - 3 minutes - 4.91 MB

We can't stop the rain, but we can be prepared for what it does to the garden. Take advantage of the loose soil, but watch out for rot.

Ep. 025 - How Duck Saved My Water Garden

June 17, 2015 20:15 - 3 minutes - 5.08 MB

It is possible to have a small water garden without it being a lot of work. I don't even have a pump. What I do have are floating water plants that create just the right environment.

Ep. 024 - Common Sense Companion Planting

June 10, 2015 21:55 - 5 minutes - 7.68 MB

Does companion planting work? It's hard to say. How do you even test it? One thing that's worth experimenting with is companion planting to control insect pests and attract beneficial insects. That's what we'll talk about today.

Ep. 023 - What's June Drop?

June 03, 2015 18:35 - 3 minutes - 4.72 MB

Have you ever noticed your fruit trees seem to drop lots of small fruits in the beginning of June? That's called June Drop and it's nothing to panic about.

Ep. 022 - Caring for Plants During a Heat Wave

May 27, 2015 18:38 - 3 minutes - 5.11 MB

Plants hate excessive heat as much as we do. Even though the heat doesn't usually last long, there are a few things we should do to help our plants cope.

Episode 021 - Dealing with Groundhogs

May 20, 2015 19:23 - 5 minutes - 7 MB

Wildlife is a never ending challenge in the garden and no one is more wily than the groundhog. We may never keep them out entirely, but here are some ideas to keep them diverted.

Transplanting Tips

May 13, 2015 19:02 - 5 minutes - 5.22 MB

Successful transplanting requires more than digging a hole and plopping in a plant. Young plants are at your mercy and need a little TLC and forethought. Here's how to give it to them.

Episode 019 - Onions to Cry For

May 13, 2015 19:02 - 4 minutes - 6.87 MB

You can grow a lot of onions in a small space and even save them through most of winter. But they do have a few peculiarities in the garden. Choose the right type, with these tips, and you'll be way ahead of the game.

Ep. 013 - Pruning Raspberries

May 13, 2015 19:02 - 5 minutes - 5.01 MB

How to know what type of raspberries bushes you have and the best time and method for pruning them, so you get a great harvest

Ep. 012 - When to Feed Spring Bulbs

May 13, 2015 19:02 - 4 minutes - 3.83 MB

Your spring blooming bulbs have made it through the winter and are all set to flower - any day now. Should you feed them now? Should you wait until the flowers fade? While there's no true consensus, there is some common sense. Listen in.

Ep. 011 - When is the Soil

May 13, 2015 19:02 - 3 minutes - 3.26 MB

We've all heard the term - as soon as the soil is ready to be worked. But what does it actually mean. We should be seeing the soil any day now, but that doesn't mean we should grab our shovels and head outdoors. Here are some key tests to do, before you dig.

Gardening the Hudson Valley

Episodes