Garden Basics with Farmer Fred

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Controlling Puncturevine Weed and Liquidambar Tree Seeds

We tackle two prickly topics: the spiky, caltrop-like seed balls of puncturevine weed and the “sputniks” of liquidambar (sweet gum) trees. Yes, those sharply pointed spheres that fly in the autumn bre...

Friday, September 4, 2026

Saving Homegrown Tomato Seeds...and more about Tomatoes!

Collecting, Storing and Using Home-Saved Tomato Seeds If you want to save seeds of a particular tomato variety, remember that many varieties are hybrids; they may not necessarily come back with the ...

Friday, August 28, 2026

Heat-Tolerant Roses

“Of all flowers, methinks rose is best”. Shakespeare said that. He lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, about halfway between London and Birmingham, England. However, the roses he saw 600 years ago never end...

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Dealing with Tomato Blossom End Rot

Blossom end rot is generally considered the most common tomato problem for backyard gardeners in the US. It causes a dark, sunken, leathery spot on the bottom of the fruit, and it’s usually caused by ...

Friday, August 21, 2026

What To Do When a Wildfire Approaches Your Home

Today’s podcast and newsletter of Beyond the Garden Basics is something a bit different, but very important: what to do around your home, both inside and outside, if a wildfire is in the area, and you...

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Zinnias vs Powdery Mildew

Before we attempt to rid our zinnias of powdery mildew disease, let’s first hear from Debbie Flower, who has plenty of zinnia growing tips for us in today’s podcast. Here’s the quick summary of our ch...

Friday, August 14, 2026

Growing a Cool Season Garden

In today’s podcast, Master Gardener Gail Pothour and myself discuss some of the most popular cool season vegetables to grow in the cooler months here in USDA Zone 9 and elsewhere: carrots, lettuce, pe...

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Tomato Troubleshooting Tips

Paid subscribers to the Beyond The Garden Basics get exclusive newsletters and podcasts each Monday! In today’s podcast (above), Don Shor from Redwood Barn Nursery (https://redwoodbarn.com/) in Dav...

Friday, August 7, 2026

Plants for Dry Shade

Beyond The Garden Basics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. In today’s podcast, America’s Favorite Retired College Hort...

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Alternative Summer Greens

Every Monday, paid subscribers get exclusive, first looks about various garden topics, such as today’s. Just one of the benefits for paid subscribers. Thank you for your support! When you live in a ...

Friday, July 31, 2026

Summer Heat vs. Japanese Maple Trees

In today’s podcast, nurseryman and Japanese maple expert Chris Aycock of El Dorado Nursery (https://www.eldoradonursery.com/) provides the basics for Japanese maple care, especially in the summer mon...

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Can You Grow a Peach Tree from Seed?

Thanks for being a paid subscriber to Beyond the Garden Basics! No time to listen to today’s podcast (above) with Ed Laivo? Here’s a summary. And below that, the actual transcript, with pictures, li...

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