Soil solarization is a powerful tool in the organic arsenal—but can you solarize a bed that has a tree in the middle?! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses how you can—and can’t—use the rays of the sun to wipe out wicked weeds and defeat dread disease. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I recently bought ...…

Tomato season will soon be here! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses ‘pruning suckers’ from your plants, and considers the curious case of the suddenly unproductive bed. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’m getting my garden plans together and was wondering if you recommend pruning the shoots tha ...…

What can you do with the stump that’s left behind after a dead tree is cut down? On this week’s You Bet Your Garden we’ll discuss whether the best answer involves Hügelkultur—or oysters! Plus your fabulous phone calls. Question of the Week: We moved into a new home last April and, as you often suggest, just took the first year to see what was g ...…

What can you grow in a sopping wet spot? Are non-native plants ever OK? In a very special edition of You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath answers those questions and many more—recorded live on the floor of the famed Philadelphia Flower Show! Question of the Week: I planted running bamboo in my landscape that ‘they’ said wouldn’t run; but it’s run ...…

Ornamental grasses make for great privacy screens. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses which big grasses work best, and how and when to safely prune them. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I checked the “A to Z Garden Answer” section of your website under “grass,” “ornamental grass” and “tall gras ...…

Do you burn wood for heat and thus have lots of wood ash that you want to use on your landscape? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses the best and worst ways to use your ash. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’ve got a lot of wood ashes and wonder if I can use them in the garden; and if so, where? —Bob ...…

Recycling your kitchen waste into compost is the responsible thing to do, right? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals the surprising problems you can encounter when you make garbage to go. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I have filled three large black sealed composting bins with fruit and vegetable was ...…

Removing plugs of sod and soil can work wonders for a struggling turf–if you do it at the right time of year. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses what to do when compacted soil needs to be aerated at the wrong time in the season. Question of the Week: Last summer my neighbor’s 85-foot-tall oak tree fell into our yard, crus ...…

Lowbush blueberries may be the tastiest little fruits—but are you cold enough to grow them? On the next You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath lays out your options in growing these low-to-the-ground native fruits. Plus, the meaning of “chilling hours.” Question of the Week: Back in college I was spoiled by the taste of the delicious wild blueberrie ...…

Pitchers and catchers report is here! That means it must be time to think about tomatoes! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reviews the rules of raised beds and takes bets on perlite versus vermiculite. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’m in the process of resizing a majority of our raised beds from four fee ...…

A listener wants to know how to stay safe from ticks–in her native Australia! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses tick control strategies that are common to both Australia and North America. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I have a phobia of ticks. The little suckers totally freak me out! I’ve read y ...…

Thinking of starting your own plants from seed this season? Success begins with a soil-free mix! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals what to include in a seed-starting mix and what to leave out. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’m really interested in starting my own vegetables from seed this year usin ...…

What is ‘muriate of potash’—and is it safe? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses the many ways you can add the ‘K’ in ‘N-P-K’ to your landscape! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: “Is ‘muriate of potash’ safe to use as an additive in the raised bed gardens I’ll be planting next spring? An ...…

What’s grey and black and red and black and yellow with black stripes? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals the disturbing answer when he takes a close look at the newest pest in town–the Spotted Lantern Fly. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

Who’s eating homegrown greens right now–in places where winter really means winter? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses how to extend your season with a French hot bed! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: Last year I had some success constructing cold frame boxes to keep my greens going into winter. ...…

There’s a new pest in town—and it wants to ruin your raspberries! On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will teach you how to protect your precious plants from the dreaded Spotted Wing Drosophila. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: “I know that you’re a fellow raspberry fan and hope you can help me. ...…

Are you imperiled by poison ivy? Sucked dry by mosquitoes? On this very special edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will help negate these nasty nuisances—and reveal the best small fruits to grow, build a rain garden and more! Question of the Week: Last year, we started having problems with poison ivy around our vegetable garden. ...…

You are cordially invited to the You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular! Host Mike McGrath will be unwrapping fascinating facts about poinsettia, Christmas cactus, and mistletoe. Plus: holiday tunes from Kenn Kweder and Nalani and Sarina! Question of the Week: “You once offered a solution to the problem of paperwhites drooping on your show. ...…

There’s been a lot of discussion about collecting black walnuts on the show lately, but so far, it’s been all talk. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath gets into the nitty gritty details on how to husk, wash, cure, crack, and yes, eventually eat, the most controversial food of the forest. Plus, your fabulous phone ca ...…

They’re causing mayhem in the roads, eating our azaleas, and attacking the arborvitae. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath tries to deal with what seems to be a deluge of dangerous deer. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I love your show and am hoping you can help my ‘de-barked’ pine trees. The t ...…

Are warm-weather grasses taking over our turf? On the latest edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will help you decide: Favor the fescue or succumb to the charms of Bermuda? Plus: turning abandoned lots into drive-by flower shows, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: “Is there any sure way to kill the Bermuda grass ...…

You’re moving; can you take your priceless plants with you? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath helps you hold on to your heirlooms and get a good price for your old house. Plus: a sneak peek at the 2018 edition of The Flower Show, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: We’re in the process of building ...…

Raspberries are delicious, super-nutritious and incredibly easy to grow. There are only TWO things you must supply in order to bag buckets of berries. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals just what those two things are. Question of the Week: “Can raspberries be grown successfully in central Florida? If so, when should t ...…

It’s time to put your raised beds TO bed for the winter. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath explains how to renew their vigor, protect their nutrients and avoid turning them into a sea of weeds. Plus, some handy tricks for avoiding basil blight, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’ve heard you tal ...…

What’s the best way to protect your plants from deer, rabbits, mice and voles–and what’s so bad about ‘cleaning things up’ for winter? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath covers the best ways to protect your plants from herbivores…and YOU! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Questions of the Week: I have a huge butterfl ...…

What’s the best way to protect figs in climes where winter gets too cold? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reviews your options—from building a little house to burying them alive! Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I’m exploring methods of fig tree protection as we head toward winter. As my fig ...…

This is the time of year many people feel compelled to “clean up the landscape.” On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath counts the many reasons you should NOT be cutting back roses, figs, or any other plants in the fall. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I have two butterfly bushes—one of which is a ...…

Are bleeding oaks some sort of sign? Or just a miserable driveway mess that attracts stinging insects? On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, we’ll reveal the surprising causes of excessive sap from oaks and other trees. Plus: organic answers to all your growing questions. Question of the Week: We recently moved into a home with a lot of trees, in ...…

Weed woes can get really ugly when those weeds have gone to seed. On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath gives the details on how to get rid of those weeds without planting next year’s crop of crab grass. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: “I’m looking for advice on how to get an area of my garden ba ...…

Native paw paw trees are supposed to be easy to grow. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will help you figure out what to do when the famed “Banana of the North” doesn’t produce its distinctive fruits. Plus, your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I have two pawpaw trees planted about ten feet apart (I think the varie ...…

What can you do if your hot pepper harvest is behind schedule? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath helps bring those peppers indoors to give them extra time to ripen up. Plus: how to make hot sauce and “Monster Mash” from that hot pepper harvest! Question of the Week: I grow a variety of hot peppers and use them to b ...…

Are snakes the answer when rats invade an orchard? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath talks about the pros and cons of reptilian releases. Plus: a lizard that defeats Lyme disease, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I have rats eating my plums and would love to have snakes in my garden that would eat the rats ...…

What to incorporate native plants into your landscape, but you’re not sure which ones are right for you? On a very special You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath goes native while perusing the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center. Question of the Week: I want to establish a food source to attract more wildlife to my yard. I have moved some thorn app ...…

The only way to beat poison ivy; the beneficial insects in your backyard; the wasp without which you could not get figs and the most important fall pruning advice you’ll ever hear. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath talks good bugs, bad ivy and much more.

Sowing seed at the wrong time of year may be the biggest cause of weedy lawns. Mike McGrath, host of You Bet Your Garden, will reveal that the timing is now right to correct past mistakes and establish a truly weed-proof turf. Plus: answers to all your growing questions. Photo: Dave Meier via pictography.co Question of the Week: “We removed our ...…

Protecting birds from window collisions; keeping our little bats healthy; helping chickens thrive in your backyard; and how a little aqua can gain you an abundance of amphibians. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, we’ll talk flying birds, backyard chickens, beautiful bats, and tremendous toads!

Does painting the porch a certain hue of blue keep out stinging insects—or restless spirits? Mike McGrath, host of You Bet Your Garden, discusses what the color ‘Haint Blue’ can do for you. Plus: Mike speaks with author Shawna Coronado about creating a living wall! And organic answers to all your growing questions. Question of the Week It all s ...…

Are you seeing fewer fireflies each season? On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, we’ll devote the entire hour to the fascinating creatures we call fireflies and lightning bugs – and what you can do to help them shed more light on your summer nights. Question of the Week: Most listeners who write in about fireflies/lightning bugs just report that ...…

Plants under glass, mushroom hunting, permaculture, and copper plugs. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath talks terrariums, ‘shrooming, piling stuff up on top of old wood and much more in a series of our favorite interviews. Question of the Week: I’ve been looking into the different design systems I could use in establishing a ...…

Radioactive roses; peerless pollinators; the famed “Banana of the North;” and puckering persimmons. On the next You Bet Your Garden, we gather some of our favorite interviews to cool down your summer with a wilder blend of topics than the ingredients in a Singapore Sling!

Most people think the phrase “wild strawberry” only refers to a vining plant that invades your lawn with tasteless fruits. On the next You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will introduce you to a wild strawberry that’s worth the eating. Plus: Billy Penn plans for the greening, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I heard you m ...…

’Tis the season for slugs to do their ravenous damage to your plants overnight. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath gives the lowdown on suppressing those often-unseen slimers. Plus: the only proper place for your grass clippings; and your fabulous phone calls! Questions of the Week: My wife and I have always composted our law ...…

You say cantaloupe; I say muskmelon. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses that mis-naming of tropical melons and what it takes to grow these tasty treats of summer. Plus: the plant science in your backyard; and the answers to all your growing questions. Question of the Week: I have a ‘flat earth’ plot in a community g ...…

How would you react to having a tree filled with bees? On the latest episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses the crazy sights you can see during swarming season. Plus: how soil is going to save us all, and your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: We’re a horticultural society that runs a community garden. We suddenly ...…

Potatoes are fun to grow–and you always miss a few at harvest time. On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses what to do if these valuable volunteers pop up in the middle of another planting the following season. Plus: your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: “Every fall I accidentally leave some potatoes in the gr ...…

Do trees really NEED mulch? And can their roots be safely severed during construction? On this week’s episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals some surprising truths about trees. Plus: Square Foot Gardening legend Mel Bartholomew. And your fabulous phone calls! Questions of the Week: I’m about to put an addition on my house tha ...…

Could leaving mulch in place possibly harm your garlic harvest? In this week’s edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses how to grow glorious garlic. Plus: a database that tells you what to plant to attract your favorite birds. And your fabulous phone calls. Question of the Week: I put leaf mulch on my garlic after I plant it ...…

What could possibly go wrong if you spread some of your saved seeds around a lake? On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discusses whether it’s ever a good idea to introduce the seeds of landscape plants into a wet area. Plus: your fabulous phone calls! Question of the Week: I saved seeds from some of my favorite perennials last ...…

Want to grow twice as much in half the space with half the work? In this week’s edition of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath celebrates Square Foot Gardening–the great Mel Bartholomew’s method of growing in grids and raised beds. Plus, answers to all your growing questions. Question of the Week: Learn the Ten Commandments of Square Foot Ga ...…

Wild violets are beautiful but ephemeral—especially when a landlord can’t wait to mow them down! On this week’s You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will discuss how to try and save these wonderful wild things! Plus: Equal time for African violets; and your fabulous phone calls. Question of the Week: “Every spring a portion of our lawn is a c ...…