Showing results by author "Mike McGrath" in All Categories

Have you tamed every weed in your lawn except those exasperating wild violets? They may be tough to get rid of, but they are really pretty! Mike McGrath will explain what makes them so close to invulnerable, and he'll reveal the surprising violet advice of a distinguished university turf-grass professor. He will also discuss the health benefits of these purple beauties.

Black spot is the scourge of rose growers everywhere. Mike McGrath will tell you how to prevent rose disease in general, and he'll name eighteen rose varieties that are naturally resistant to black spot and mildew, including a number of grandiflora and floribunda types, and even some hybrid teas!

This week, we put the spotlight on tiny plants that often go unnoticed. Mosses and liverworts might lack the eye-catching flowers of many other plants, but they have a beauty of their own. They also play a big role in ecosystems, pioneering the way for more advanced plants to take root in places where they would otherwise not be able to grow. Susan Munch joins us to discuss the habits and role of these small beauties. She has written Outstanding Mosses & Liverworts of Pennsylvania & Nearby States.

We usually think of orchids as gorgeous and fickle indoor plants. But there's a whole world of hardy, perennial outdoor orchids! They grow anywhere from Alabama to Alaska.

Are you troubled by large numbers of flies that seem to show up inside your home every winter? You have Cluster Flies, which are also known as attic flies.

Have you ever wondered how they get all those Spring bulbs, flowering trees, shrubs and other plants to burst into bloom weeks and even months ahead of schedule for Springtime Flower Shows?

Are you hoping to grow heirloom vegetables like Kentucky Wonder Beans, or Green Zebra Tomatoes and unusual varieties of flowers like beautiful sweet peas next season?

Are multi-legged crawly things creeping into your bedrooms, and all over your house? Mike McGrath will explain how to tell if you have pestiferous millipedes or highly beneficial centipedes and what to do about them. Plus, learn how tomatoes protect themselves against pests with signals that travel an inch a minute through the plant.

Chiggers and no-see-ums are some of the most pestiferous parasites of summer, but because they're virtually invisible, we often don't know what's giving us the itch! Mike McGrath will explain how you can identify and avoid these very different nasty nuisances.

Do you ever wonder which insect is providing the soundtrack in your backyard? Is it crickets, katydids, or cicadas? Our guest is Wil Hershberger, one of the authors of a new book called The Songs of Insects. We'll discuss the habits of singing insects and play some swinging six-legged tunes! In the Question of the Week, Mike McGrath will explain the best ways to handle suckers and water sprouts.

Spring means it will soon be mosquito season again. Mike McGrath will help you break the cycle of biting when he reveals the roles that water, fish, and frogs play in the fight against these pests. He will also discuss an all-natural product that prevents the bloodsuckers from breeding. There's a brand new chemical-free repellant made from wild tomatoes that's very effective and works against ticks too!

It's our annual You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular! This year, we are listening to some of our favorite interviews and musical selections from previous years.

Would you like to have a pest-free garden without using any sprays? Beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings are the answer. Beneficials are insects that eat only pests and don't bother good bugs or your plants. Mike McGrath will reveal which beneficial insects you can buy to release in your garden, and how you can attract many more with our list of plants that lure the good bugs in!

Garden author Ellen Zachos reveals how to make a big splash with minimal effort with easy-to-achieve, novice-friendly, small-scale garden projects. Her new book is called Down and Dirty: 43 Fun and Funky First-Time Projects and Activities to Get you Gardening. During the Question of the Week, Mike McGrath will tackle the problem of fungus gnats that live in houseplant soil. He'll name five reliable ways to get rid of them, without chemicals, of course!

Looking for a holiday gift for the gardener in your life? Mike McGrath will reconstruct the classic Twelve Days of Christmas to present you with a dozen unique, useful and ecologically sound options. There's something for everyone, from the hard-core, already chemical-free grower to the newbies you're hoping to coax away from the bottles and bags with big warnings on them.

You may have heard rosemary being called "the herb of remembrance", but two top researchers say that many other easy-to-grow edibles are also capable of helping prevent or reverse age and Alzheimer's related declines in mental function. Mike McGrath will reveal the top 20 plants you can grow in your own garden to prevent "brain drain".

Have you tried to mix up a batch of compost only to end up with a big nasty mess? You probably made a simple and very common mistake! Mike McGrath will reveal what that mistake was, how to fix it, and he�ll explain his dirt-simple plan for compost success.

It's the You Bet Your Garden Christmas Spectacular! Paul Myers, director of the Morris Arboretum will offer growing tips for hollies, Professor Karen Snetsellar explains the science behind the aromas of evergreens, and author Kris Wetherbee helps us attract beautiful birds into our backyards.

The holidays are coming, and Mike McGrath will help you avoid some of the prerequisite panic by going over great gift suggestions for gardeners. Most of these ideas have been contributed by our listeners, but Mike adds some of his favorite critter-and weed-defeating gifts, and a brand-new suggestion that has become a staple in his collection of gardening gadgets. We'll also hear about an interesting tip concerning festive paper whites!

Spring is coming, and that means soon it will be time to get your garden going. Mike McGrath will help new gardeners avoid rookie mistakes with details on how to create a super-productive, easy-care raised bed.