The Garden Show with Charlie Dobbin

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.

Email and callers are wanting to know how to control violets in the lawn, slugs in the soil, sticky excrement on Schefflera plants, peach leaf curl and squirrels in the tulips. Charlie does her best to solve everyone's problems.

Special guest and head honcho at Zoomer Media, Moses Znaimer, shares the details about his 'tree daughter' named Plum. She's a tree of 40 fruits planted in High Park in Toronto. The park is currently closed to the public but a grand unveiling is planned for spring 2022. And callers want to know about amending soil with manure, pruning and transplanting plus tips are shared to help "journal" our gardens.

Ian Simpson, Director of Education & Marketing joins the Garden Show to remind everyone to always call or email the Ontario One Call (https://www.ontarioonecall.ca/) before you put spade into earth. Even something simple like a fence post or fire pit. Call first! Email and callers want to know more about: journaling garden details, planting wildflowers, and when plus how corn gluten works to control weeds.

We get calls and email asking about spider mites on Hibiscus, red spots on Rhododendron, killer cauliflower and apricot trees that don't bear fruit. And why does moss grow and kill lawns?

More about lawn care, hiding "monster homes" with plants and when to prune. Problems: lack of drainage in a raised bed and tossed recycling bins damaging a hedge are solved!

Pruning blue spruce, lawn care, fertilizing climbing Hydrangea and fungal disease on maple trees and Boston ivy. All in a day when you join the Garden Show.

How much should we clean up debris in our gardens in the spring? What are some great late summer blooming red and orange perennials? Is vegetable garden potting soil the same as flower garden potting soil? And what about moles - they've damaged my lawn! Mark Cullen joins us for these and other great garden questions in this episode. Plus we get a sneak peek into what Mark is up to these days!

It's the First Day of Spring and we have a special guest: Niki Jabbour sharing her tips on "Gardening Under Cover" from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Callers are wanting information about starting seeds, plus NOT starting seeds - like crabgrass. Transplanting trees and incorporating clover into lawns is also addressed.

Transplanting, seed starting and TLC for Birch trees dominates the email this week. Meanwhile callers are interested in pruning lilacs, planting violets and getting hyacinths to re-bloom next year. Charlie follows through on her homework - sharing great plants for a shady, moist corner in a caller's yard.

Emailed questions include: details on soil testing both in Ontario and Illinois, forcing Forsythia branches and a frustrating Gardenia. Callers are interested in plants for shade - Impatiens and can we still grow them, colour for a dark, moist corner, and a vine for a dark, dry corner?

Fraser Hetherington (VP) and Arde Eghbali (garden specialist) of Stokes Seeds share trends, small space choices, hot new varieties and the state of the flower and vegetable seed industry. Meanwhile callers need to know more about propagation, and getting Hoya and orchids to bloom!

Charlie answers all your gardening questions - where to find unusual perennials, how to grow 'cat grass' and other seeds indoors, and whether wood ashes will be a good amendment to the garden.

We talk birds, and why some plants haven't flowered as expected. Temperatures, fertilizer and watering is all discussed.

Where to buy red worms? Can you compost in winter? What's the best way to control gypsy moths? And how did creeping bent grass get into my lawn? These questions and more are answered on The Garden Show this week.

Red worms, "heather", and a power outage in the greenhouse! Of course there's always more to learn about Amaryllis, Clivia, Perovskia Mandevilla and whether hair clippings really scare varmints in the garden.

It's the time of year gardeners struggle with pests on their indoor tropicals. We discuss humidity, light levels, watering and pruning. And some proactive gardeners are out scouting for Gypsy Moth egg sacs on their trees. Never a dull moment in the gardening world!

Callers and emailers want to know how to keep their houseplants healthy and happy during the dark days of winter. Agapanthus bulbs and Dahlia tubers are topical too.

Several callers are having trouble with pesky fungus gnats in their potted plants. Less water and Safer's Sticky Stiks are the recommendation from Charlie. What about re-potting? And pruning? And fertilizing? And the best question - what was that flowering plant I remember from my childhood? Charlie has answers for everyone!

Charlie explains 'best practices' when it comes to Christmas tree disposal. Callers ask about planting avocado seeds, how to transplant Christmas cacti and wonder why some flowering plants (like Magnolia) just don't flower.

We start the program with a hardy replacement for Buxus (boxwood) plants. Native Ilex glabra 'Compacta' (inkberry) is a tougher choice that sports white flowers in spring and black berries in fall. Callers express frustration due to spring plants growing now - after we had a warm spell in late fall. And amaryllis is discussed again!

Callers share stories about blooming orchids and amaryllis. Plus garlic and spring bulbs are growing now due to mild weather!

Call it a Hanukkah bush or a Christmas tree - it's all about celebration! Food, fun and lots of great questions from our callers. Fungus gnats, voles, Christmas cactus, lemon trees and squirrels. We cover it all!

Callers to the Garden Show are still wanting to prune, transplant and eliminate invasive plants like Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia). As usual Charlie and Frank handle all inquiries with great aplomb.

Frank is joined by Dennis Flanagan of Landscape Ontario to take your calls on the last weekend before December

Thriving ornamental cabbage plants need dividing, a crab apple tree defoliates before autumn every year and what about Buckwheat - can it act as a herbicide?

Mild fall weather means many gardeners are still bringing in tender Passion Flowers, Tomatoes and Dahlia tubers. Pruning and mysterious bugs round out the show!

Listeners are interested on how to overwinter Dahlias, force bulbs indoors, and make Amaryllis bloom again. Plus bring in your tropicals before it's too late!

Tree roots growing in lawns, forgotten seeds, florist Hydrangeas and how to eliminate the highly invasive English ivy are some of the topics of this episode of the Garden Show.

Callers are prepping for winter - bringing in tender geraniums, agapanthus and others. How to fix the lawn is part of the show. Is Dusty Miller a perennial? And how to control Gypsy Moths is a priority this year too!

Can red worms survive winter above ground? How to take geranium cuttings for overwintering, unhappy Japanese maples and do we have to cut back Hostas before winter?

Callers need help with transplanting, pruning hedges for better growth, planting bulbs and when to plant grass seed.

Callers set the tone as usual, but lawns are top of mind. Overwintering tender geraniums, heather, Norfolk Island Pine and re-potting Anthurium are also addressed.

Callers & emailers need to know about moles, overwintering tender dahlias and glads. Plus planting a wisteria vine, and what about all those Rose of Sharon seeds!

Familiar callers phone in to ask about green tomatoes, overwintering annual plants and when to transplant garden perennials. We continue to answer emails about orchids, jade plants, grass and mulch.

Listeners wonder about blow torching Japanese beetles, saving a valuable Japanese maple during construction and what to do about pesky bindweed. Cucumber beetles and Lily leaf beetles are discussed at length too.