The Garden Show with Charlie Dobbin

Charlie and Dean Hollin do the entire show with no live call-in, just email questions that have been piling up. Lawn care, soil amending with organic matter, bird seed debris, rubber tree care, aphid infestation prevention and some suggested vines to replace a raspberry patch. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers from all over, with questions from all over too! Transplanting pussy willow, soil issues, crabgrass control, orchids, Amaryllis, butterfly bush, white clover and Stephanotis. You name it we cover it this week on the Garden Show! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Lots of calls today about pruning; hedges, roses and overwintering geraniums. Plus whether to replace container soil every year, when to dormant spray and how to eliminate thistles. Spring is clearly in the air! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers are keen to get out into their gardens and do some maintenance. Saskatoon/Serviceberry shrubs, Butterfly bush, Pee Gee Hydrangeas, (herbaceous) perennial Hibiscus, Bougainvillea and climbing roses are on people's to do lists. Soil testing, planting wild flower seeds and more! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers want to know about Ninebark, Elder, Hydrangea and Quince. When to prune to promote flowers and fruit comes up. Along with Amaryllis, and other tropical plant care tips feature this week on the Garden Show. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Listeners want to know more about pruning clematis, transplanting strawberries, keeping Poinsettias alive and tapping sugar maples.

The new common name for 'Gypsy' moth (Lymantria dispar) is Spongy moth. It refers to the little brown fuzzy egg masses that resemble sponges. Be on the lookout in tree bark, walls and fences now. Scrape out and destroy! We chat about roses, gro lights, catmint, and best blends of grass seed to use on your lawn. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Caller Rita, suggests everyone plants yellow sunflowers this year in support for Ukraine. Included this week we talk Hibiscus and aphids, poison ivy, pruning and propagating lilacs, jade plants and snake plants. A bit of garden design sneaks into the show too. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Calls and emails from listeners who want to know pruning, fertilizing, propagating and transplanting tips for Hibiscus - even hardy Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon). Cacti, succulents, geraniums and Junipers are also discussed this week on the Garden Show. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Weeds in lawns and vegetable gardens, emerald cedars that keep dying, planting into sandy soil, choosing vines for a sunny fence, and rejuvenating a rose hedge. All are covered on the Garden Show this week. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

An email and call prompts Charlie to share the best way to deal with spring bulbs that never made it into the garden. Overgrown cedars, seed starting, lime trees and gypsy moth control are just a few more examples of what's covered on the Garden Show this week. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Terry Kennedy owner of Orchids in Our Tropics joins the garden show to share tips and techniques on how to be successful with orchids. Watering, fertilizing, and pruning are just some of the topics covered today. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Special guest Paul Oliver from The Urban Nature Store discusses all about supporting the wild birds in winter. Frank Proctor calls in and goads Charlie into sharing her story about randy foxes in her backyard. And callers want to know about Christmas cactus' and garden rejuvenation. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Questions about fungus gnats, Helleborus, mini roses, geraniums, tulips, Bromeliads, mulch and orchids planted into pots with no drainage are all connected to: when and what kind of fertilizer to use. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Dean Hollin (co-host) was warned - it's all about Amaryllis this month. He's even sending me pictures of his flowering bulb! When to prune Hibiscus, fertilize orchids and is hen manure appropriate for indoor plants? All covered on the Garden Show this week! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers and email questions continue on the care and maintenance of Amaryllis. Fungus gnats, Bromeliads and wrapping evergreens for winter protection are also covered this week on the Garden Show. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers want to know how to cure powdery mildew on African violets, transplant big old Aloe vera, crown of thorns and Ficus plants, and get some blooms on an Epiphyllum. Pharoah ants and Japanese maple pruning are also addressed this week on the Garden Show. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Houseplants like Hoya, Amaryllis, Christmas cactus and geraniums are covered this week. Plus we talk about how to control lilac suckers coming up near a foundation. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

It's better to plant any found bulbs under the ground before it freezes, rather than trying to save them until spring. Propagating Osage oranges, dealing with coneflower rosette mites and window decals to protect birds from crashing. All on the Garden Show this week. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers and emailers want to know why their Christmas cactus have dropped their buds (likely too much water, or not enough, or they were moved), or they haven't set any buds. Poinsettias dropping leaves, Bougainvillea doing the same, and is it too late to plant garlic? All this and more on the Garden Show this week! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

We answer the question above plus lots more on the the Garden Show this week. How late is it ok to fertilize the lawn, why is it so hard to get Wisteria to bloom, and how come Gardenias never thrive indoors in the winter? By the way, sow bugs eat decaying organic matter, not live plants! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Callers want to know how to keep mini roses and butterfly bushes alive overwinter in pots. And is it too late to fertilize the lawn? What about tulips - can we still plant them? And is it possible to grow vegetables indoors over the winter? Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Dean Hollin co-hosts again. He's a keen gardener with lots of his own questions. Meanwhile listeners have questions about Anthurium, Amaryllis, winter rose care and catmint that's taking over the driveway. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio!

New co-host Dean Hollin, steps up big time on the Garden Show. He brings plant cuttings, questions from his own garden, and lots of energy and fun. Meanwhile callers want info about: composting, pruning evergreens, choosing a ninebark variety and what to do when garlic starts growing early. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio!

First hard frost means all the plants know it's time to go dormant. The last mow for lawns and fall fertilizer application is now. Lower your mower since this is the also the shortest cut of the year - somewhere between 2 - 4 inches (5-10cm). Callers are putting away Dahlias, sticking Amaryllis into the dark, and wondering about overwintering fig trees.

Can mini roses survive outside overwinter? Can Hosta plants survive in pots? And how come my Plum tree never has any plums?

Callers want to know more about winter preparation for their gardens - composting (including infested apples), to prune or not Butterfly Bush, overwintering geraniums and Calla lilies, removing stumps and making Poinsettias turn into Christmas plants!

Multi questions this week about (a) how to bring tender tropical plants indoors and (b) overwintering hardy potted plants outdoors. Overgrown pussy willows, boxwood hedges, Aloe vera and Amaryllis care all covered this week on the Garden Show!

After a lengthy absence Frank Proctor joined the Garden Show for the last time. He has been struggling with anxiety and depression, but with appropriate medication hopefully he will feel a lot better soon. Callers into the show were very supportive, and wanted to know about: pruning roses when, puppies and yew (Taxus) bushes, transplanting Anthurium and fall fertilizing newly laid sod. All in an hour on the Garden Show!

Suzanne Graab (of Graab Designs) joins the Garden Show for the first time. Callers are thinking about Amaryllis bulbs, grubs and toadstools in their lawns, overwatered orchids and tender perennials like Calla lilies.

Paul DeGroot from NVK Nurseries joins us to help solve puzzles poised by callers and email. Whether Japanese maples, Japanese snowbell trees or red delicious apples we do our best to help with solutions. Clematis, gardens full of roots, and plants that don't (but should) flower are covered.

Lori Dimonte of 'Who Does Your Garden' joins Charlie on the Garden Show. Callers want to know about powdery mildew, pruning, when to plant tulips, and (for the first time) how to care for Air Plants (Tillandsia).

Computer issues at the studio mean we don't take any calls during this episode. Instead Charlie answers email and shares information about upcoming events. When to prune Hydrangea and Apple trees, eliminating mealy bugs and information about Aster Yellows vs Mites in coneflowers are all covered.

Callers report on blossom end rot of tomatoes, maggots in onions, and homemade herbicide recipes. We talk pruning of Magnolia, Rose of Sharon and how to best propagate Datura.

Callers are wondering when to dig and divide overgrown mums and Iris'. Non-blooming Wisteria, Raspberries with black spots and pruning lilies are all topics covered this week. One caller wants to know more about milkweed, and whether she should give it room in her garden.

Emma Biggs (16 yr old tomato grower), and her dad Steve (the "fig pig") are in studio to share some tips and tricks from their intensively planted North York home garden. Listen in for Emma's favourite tomato varieties and learn more at foodgardenlife.com. Callers are struggling with lack of water, but bumper crops!

With Sean James in the studio we talk about all things "eco". Examples include design, plant choices, avoiding invasive plants, pruning roses and insects in the garden.

Herbs, tomatoes, eggplant, carrots, beans and lettuce are all ready for harvest in Charlie's garden. Listeners want more harvest details, tomato information and how come the zucchini have no fruit? Meanwhile in Toronto boxwood are under attack from a new pest, Box Tree Moth.

Listeners are interested in transplanting, pruning, and caring for a diverse range of garden plants including: roses, rose of Sharon, lavender, evergreens, fruit trees and figs. Some diseases are showing up on tomatoes, phlox and Shasta daisies.

Japanese beetles are eating just about everything this time of year. Meanwhile the weather is encouraging fungal diseases like rust and powdery mildew.

Whether it's homemade herbicides or details on how to 'pick & squish' Japanese Beetles, listeners are tuning in. Pruning Clematis, cherry trees, and creeping Phlox are covered. As well as identifying Giant Hogweed and detailing what to do next! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Pruning, pruning and more pruning! Having a certified arborist in your back pocket is not a bad thing. We hear about crab apple trees, blue spruce and smoke bush all in need of proper pruning. A search for a rose continues and weather conditions bring on fungal problems on begonia and tomatoes.

Both callers and emailers want to know how to eradicate aggressive plants like: violets and trumpet vine. Removing deadwood from indoor and outdoor plants, plus when and what to fertilize is addressed as well.

Callers and email questions about more garden pests - like slugs, bindweed, and environmental stress on plants. Charlie is stumped when trying to ID (over the radio) a strange and fragrant plant!

Between email and calls, listeners want to know about thistles, compost, why ladybug beetles are congregating on a honeysuckle, and what about those long roots growing from an orchid?

Hydrangea leaf-tier, lupin aphids, and bindweed are some of the pests addressed this week. Clematis wilt, goutweed (called Bishop's Weed in the USA), and when and how to transplant African Violets, Tri-colour willow, Hydrangeas and Barberries. A wide-ranging very full show!

Peach leaf curl, gypsy moth larvae, brown patches on cedars, and fungus gnats are some of the topics callers wanted more information about. Late frost caused damage to tomatoes planted out to early. Email provides photos so Charlie can ID unknown plants. Even potting soil is discussed in terms of quality and ingredients.

Despite balmy days recently - it's now cold with snow and hail. And Charlie told everyone to go ahead and get planting, starting last weekend! Insect infestations predominate in emails, while callers want to rejuvenate lilacs, orchids, Clivia, Hydrangea and palm trees.

So much happening during this busy spring planting time! A little rain would be great at my place; meanwhile listeners want information about growing lavender, rhubarb, when to plant, florist hydrangeas, dealing with spring bulbs after they flower, mulching, and bugs sewing Hydrangea leaves together. Tomatoes, even poinsettia plants make an appearance today.

Tips and questions keep rolling in from fans of the Garden Show. How to keep birdfeeders for the birds, fertilize tomatoes with a secret recipe (see charliedobbin.com for more), or rejuvenate a 60+ year old lilac stand, it's just the way we do the Garden Show. We discuss flat rakes, Rhododendron, Clematis and Hosta health and what's up with the garlic this spring.