Garden Basics with Farmer Fred

Master Gardener Gail Pothour shares tips on growing summer and winter squash. We cover variety selection, planting, pest management, harvesting, and storage of squash to boost your yield.

Previous epi…

America’s Favorite College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, and I answers questions about the importance of building “reaction wood” in seedlings, greenhouse airflow, scale pest management for …

Farmer Fred and Debbie Flower provide practical advice on cultivating table and wine grapes, focusing on the essentials  such as sunlight, well-drained soil and variety selection. Also: peach leaf cu…

Prepare to be inspired as we dive into a creative and sustainable approach to gardening with Sacramento County Master Gardener Gail Pothour. We explore how to turn everyday household items and scrap …

Essential tips for beginner gardeners, focusing on starting small, plant selection, spacing and companion planting, along with maintenance strategies and the value of involving children and keeping a…

If you’re a tomato-head, this is the episode for you!

We dive into the world of tomatoes with Don Shor from Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, California. We discuss our favorite tomato varieties to plant…

In this episode:

• The benefits of delayed winter pruning of fruit trees, with orchardist and Master Gardener Quentyn Young.

• Controlling ants in raised garden beds, with America’s Favorite Retired Co…

Tips for protecting your backyard chickens from the bird flu.

Compost for potted plants.

Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics wi…

Today: Practical flower seed starting techniques, such as the critical timing for beginning various flowers and the correct depth for planting those seeds. And, Debbie Flower shares with us her trick…

We talk with Diane Blazek, the executive director of All-America Selections (AAS), exploring the newly announced 2025 winners of top-performing garden plant varieties. 

Each year,  AAS winners undergo…

We tackle the management of four-legged garden fruit tree pests with Debbie Flower. 

We discuss listener concerns about squirrels, raccoons, and rats, exploring protective measures and the importance …

Want bountiful tomatoes and beautiful roses in 2025? Today, we cover essential tips for starting tomato seeds and winter rose pruning. Debbie Flower shares insights on timing for planting tomato seed…

Episode 376 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast offers more sustainable gardening tips for all gardeners. We cover managing hackberry aphids using less toxic methods with Debbie Flower; gro…

We delve into cool season gardening with Master Gardener Gail Pothour and retired college horticultural professor Debbie Flower. We explore best practices for growing peas, focusing on varieties like…

Tips for starting pepper seeds. How to care for pepper seedlings. With Debbie Flower.
Protecting your yard and home from wildfire. With Kevin Marini, University of California Defensible Space advisor…

We're kicking off the 2025 season with the garden interviews that were the Top 3 topics that drew the most interest from you, the listeners, in 2024. 

Debbie Flower and I have the tips to start your f…

 In this episode, we reflect on the ups and downs of Northern California’s 2024 tomato gardening season, with Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, California. We share insights on the successfu…

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 growi…

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, especi…

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……