Garden Basics with Farmer Fred

Tired of pesky ants ruining your garden beds and invading your home? Join us as we chat with Debbie Flower, America's favorite retired college horticultural professor, who shares her personal formula…

• Have you ever wondered how to attract more birds to your yard? We have a tip to bring more birds, using sound. (07:28)
• Thinking of removing all or part of your lawn to save water, or  expand your …

According to one recent national poll of backyard gardeners, cucumbers are the second favorite crop for growing. In a poll conducted by the National Gardening Association, 86% of gardeners cited grow…

Proper soil moisture is necessary for healthy plant growth. Do you know how moist your garden soil is right now? What are the easiest, best ways to determine the moisture level of your soil? How do y…

What are America's Top 10 homegrown vegetables? Last week, in Episode 263, we covered the first five, including tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, beans and carrots. Today, in Part 2, Master Gardene…

Today:  It's  America’s Top homegrown vegetables. Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour and I talk about them, along with growing advice for each one, including our favorite varieties.

We …

What is the most consumed vegetable in the United States? Potatoes! Oddly enough, it’s not even on the top 10 list of backyard garden vegetables. That’s too bad, because the potato varieties that are…

If you are unfamiliar with multi-budded fruit trees, and you have a small yard and you want a cornucopia of tasty fruit, then a multi-budded fruit tree may be right for you.  We tackle a fruit tree q…

Easter egg season is here, and many of you may be thinking, "Why bother painting those eggs? After all, there are breeds of hens that lay beautifully colored eggs. So, Let’s just get some baby chicks…

It must be spring, and time for our annual tomato preview show! Today a couple of tomato heads, nursery owner Don Shor and myself, talk about growing tomatoes. Topics include:

• The winning and losing…

Last September, in Episode 226, we presented 10 of the best quick tips for a successful garden.  In this episode,  we have 10 More Garden Quick Tips. We talk about: 

• Creating a front yard container …

Today, I’m joined by America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, and we are going to spend the entire episode answering your garden questions. We will be going into mind…

Setting foot into the garden for the first time? Looking to expand your gardening horizons?  Wondering where to begin?  Start small…with container gardening. We talk with Pam Farley, author of the ne…

Since the name of the show is Garden Basics, let’s cover something that’s basic, but not necessarily easy or successful.  America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower walk…

One joy of having a garden are aromatic plants. Annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees that emanate a pleasant smell while you’re walking through the yard, especially in the afternoon and evening. Sho…

What should you do when an unexpected heavy frost or freeze damages your plants? (4:25)
How can mulch save you water? (8:32)
Are those extra ingredients in fertilizers and potting soils worth the expen…

Guest:
Quentyn Young, UC Master Gardener, Orchard Specialist, and Landscape Designer
Topics:
Winter vs Summer Fruit Tree Pruning (1:27)
Tips for Improving Container Drainage (10:17)
Unusual Cool Season …

Welcome to Part 4 of our four part series, 2022’s greatest hits of Garden Basics with Farmer Fred. The four parts include the top 10 most listened-to segments last year. 

In part 1, in Ep. 248, we ta…

Welcome to Part 3 of our four part series, the 2022 greatest hits of Garden Basics with Farmer Fred. The four parts include the top 10 most listened-to segments last year. Today it’s a Debbie Flower …