Garden Basics with Farmer Fred
Tips for beginning and experienced gardeners. New episodes arrive every Friday. Fred Hoffman has been a U.C. Certified Master Gardener since 1982 and writes a weekly garden column for the Lodi News-Sentinel in Lodi, CA. A four-decade fixture in Sacramento radio, he hosted three radio shows for Northern California gardeners and farmers: The KFBK Garden Show, Get Growing with Farmer Fred, and the KSTE Farm Hour. Episode Website: https://gardenbasics.net
Episodes
371 episodes
371 America's Top 10 Vegetables to Grow (and Enjoy!)
In today’s episode, we explore America’s top 10 homegrown vegetables. We are guided by Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour. From tomatoes—America’s favorite, with 86% of gardeners growing them—to cucumbers, sweet peppers, hot pepp...
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Season 5
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Episode 73
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1:03:52
370 Grow Your Own Immunity Boosting Foods
The healthiest food you can eat is the food you grow yourself! In this episode, we speak with Dr. Laura Varich from FreshPhysician.com about the vital role of nutrition in supporting immunity, especially during the winter months. We explore the...
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Season 5
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Episode 72
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41:08
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369 Container Food Gardening Basics
If you are about to set foot into a garden for the first time in the coming new year, or looking to expand your gardening horizons, and you are wondering where to begin, a good tip is to start small…with container gardening. Today, we talk with...
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Season 5
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Episode 71
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40:08
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368 Trees vs. Invasive Shot Hole Borers
Today, we venture into the critical realm of invasive pests, zeroing in on the invasive shot hole borer (ISHB), a formidable newcomer from southern Asia threatening California's trees. We navigate through the fascinating biology of the ISHB, di...
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Season 5
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Episode 70
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46:57
367 Ten Secrets of Successful Gardeners
In this episode, along with America's Favorite Retired College Horticultural Professor, Debbie Flower, we discuss the importance of soil health, effective pruning techniques, and the value of learning from gardening failures. Water management s...
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Season 5
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Episode 69
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59:57
366 Thwarting Ant Invasions. Fair-Winning Preserves.
Farmer Fred and Debbie Flower discusses ant management in raised beds. Master Food Preserver Wendy Rose talks about garden food preservation techniques and how to wow the judges at county and state fairs with your homemade preserves.Pre...
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Season 5
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Episode 68
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32:59
365 Fall is for Shade Tree Planting
If you live in the milder areas of the country, November is an excellent month for planting and establishing shade trees. Today, we cover the basics of correctly planting and caring for a shade tree. We chat with consulting arborist Gordon Mann...
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Season 5
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Episode 67
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50:49
364 10 Quick Tips for a Successful Garden
Ep. 364 10 Quick Tips for a Successful Garden• Julia Oldfield of Big Oak Nursery in Elk Grove, CA talks about creating a container garden that would be sure to slow down cars and wowing the walkers going by your front yard, using only th...
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Season 5
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Episode 66
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58:57
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363 Weed Killers Just Got More Confusing
Listening and following the advice in this episode is more important than ever if you use herbicides, especially when we repeatedly chant our mantra: "Read and Follow All Label Directions."America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture ...
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Season 5
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Episode 65
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36:31
362 Fall Plants for Winter and Spring Color
Today, we chat with Diane Blazek, executive director of All-America Selections and the National Garden Bureau, about the best plants to be adding to your garden this Autumn for long, cool season blooms. We explore various options such as annual...
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Season 5
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Episode 64
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29:30
361 Defensible Space Landscaping Tips
We examine the wildland-urban interface and its growing wildfire risks for homeowners, particularly in fire-prone areas like California and other western states. We talk about the concept of hardening your landscape from the Ember Ignition Zone...
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Season 5
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Episode 63
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1:05:20
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360 Avocado Growing Basics
Today, we are talking avocado cultivation with Greg Alder, he’s an avocado grower in Southern California, a San Diego County Master Gardener, and he’s the director of the California Avocado Society. Who better to answer a question about t...
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Season 5
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Episode 62
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1:03:49
359 Tree Surrounds, Cardboard Mulch Pros-Cons. Winter Tomatoes
They’re known as tree rings, or tree surrounds. Basically, it’s a demilitarized zone for your trees, where the trunk and roots are safe from weed whackers and lawn mowers as well as competing plants (especially lawns). It might be a short term ...
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Season 5
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Episode 61
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32:18
358 Fall Garden Prep. The Catalina Cherry.
Have you done the necessary work to have a thriving fall vegetable garden? What about the soil? What have you done to give those new plants a great start? We talk with Sacramento County Master Gardener Gail Pothour about how they prepare ...
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Season 5
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Episode 60
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40:44
357 Plant Cool Season Vegetables Now. What is a Crisis Nursery?
The change in the September weather is your best opportunity for a new round of planting vegetables in your garden, the cool season crops: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, kale, onions, peas, potatoes, shallots, and all those versatile, ...
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Season 5
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Episode 59
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39:35
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356 Q&A - Controlling Fruit Tree Pests, Soil Solarization around trees, The Asian Garden Beetle
We talk with fruit tree expert Ed Laivo today about how to control the four-legged varmints (as well as the winged ones) that get to your backyard fruit before you do. Plus, he has recommendations for potting mixes to grow fruit trees in contai...
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Season 5
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Episode 58
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32:23
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355 Rhubarb Growing Basics for Warm Climates
“Can you grow rhubarb here?” For those who have moved from colder climates to the warmer USDA zones, that might be a popular question. Memories of rhubarb pie, jams, and more while growing up back East or in the Midwest might have y...
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Season 5
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Episode 57
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40:38
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354 Lawn Substitutes
Fred and Debbie Flower discuss the trend of lawn elimination and alternative landscape options to save water. They explore lawn alternatives that require less maintenance and water, such as no-mow lawns, fescue varieties, and groundcovers...
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Season 5
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Episode 56
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34:36
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353 It's All About the Soil (for a Successful Garden!)
Today, we talk with Kevin Marini, a community education specialist with the University of California Cooperative Extension, about the topics of soil and successful gardening. We talk about the pros and cons of using native soil versus com...
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Season 5
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Episode 55
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51:14
352 Mint Choices for Cooking. All About Zinnias.
What are the best mint varieties to use for cooking? We talk with a professional herb grower about the myriad of culinary herb choices available. Is there a better summer flower than Zinnias? This colorful warm weather annual comes in a wide va...
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Season 5
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Episode 54
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32:18
351 Honey, I Shrunk the Fruit Trees!
In this episode, Farmer Fred and Kevin Marini discuss the importance of thinning fruit trees and maintaining their height. Kevin Marini, a certified arborist and community education specialist with UC Cooperative Extension, also talks about the...
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Season 5
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Episode 53
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56:04
350 New Home? First Garden Tips
Looking to start a first garden in a new home? Before digging, do some planning, and some research. Today, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticultural Professor, Debbie Flower, and I have tips for getting that first garden off to a great s...
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Season 5
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Episode 52
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29:35
349 Stressed? Your Garden Can Help.
Gardening and being in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety. Forest bathing, or simply spending time in a natural environment, has been shown to have calming effects. Having a garden or indoor plants can also provide stress relief. Aroma...
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Season 5
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Episode 51
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33:24
348 The Tastiest Peaches and Plums. Improving Sandy Soil. Raised Bed Drainage Tips.
Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Audio, transcripts, and episode chapters also available at <...
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Season 5
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Episode 50
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38:12
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347 Travelers' Garden Basics Playlist. All About Berries. Slugs in Compost.
It’s a holiday weekend and you might be traveling. What about a Garden Basics playlist for that long car ride or for listening to while lounging around someplace cool? We have suggestions for that playlist - the five most listened-to Garden Bas...
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Season 5
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Episode 49
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41:08
