S5E14 Mulching, What to do with Strawberries, Guest Niki Jabbour- The Gardening with Joey and Holly Radio show

The Gardening with Joey & Holly radio show Podcast/Garden talk radio show (heard across the country)

The gardening with Joey and Holly Radio Show heard weekly March - Oct
our 2021 anonymous Survey Garden survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11zLBO6dluGFLbLYqDUw6C3GA88Co39xbOCbOiUy7hVc/edit?gxids=7628
In segment one Joey and Holly talk about Mulching the good and the bad
What does mulch do ?
Organic mulches also improve the condition of the soil. As these mulches slowly decompose, they provide organic matter which helps keep the soil loose. This improves root growth, increases the infiltration of water, and also improves the water-holding capacity of the soil.
Natural mulch
Grass clipping
Leaves
Shredded paper
Straw
Pine needles
Bark & Wood Chips
Black Plastic
If you abhor weeds, one layer of black plastic will help with weed management. Over time the plastic will be broken down by sunlight and must be replaced. It will increase the soil temperature and this should be monitored so that plant roots are not damaged. Often, an organic mulch is applied on top of black plastic to absorb sunlight and prevent overheating of the soil.
Landscape Fabric
Like black plastic, landscape fabric slows weed growth. This product is great under stones and gravel as it will keep rocks from sinking into the soil. It also makes removal of rocks and gravel easier if you decide to change up your landscaping plans. Landscape fabric makes weeding very difficult and is not recommended under organic mulches. It is better to let organic mulches decompose and mix into the soil.
DISADVANTAGES
Because mulch blocks sunlight, it prevents some seeds from germinating. This is good for keeping weeds away from the beds, but not for your good seeds. You can prevent this problem waiting until plants green up before mulching.
Slugs, earwigs, cutworms, and other pests love cool, dark, moist places. To minimize plant-threatening insects, use a thin layer of mulch (about 3 inches), keeping it several inches away from plant bases.
Heavy rains can make the ground soggy for several days. If beds turn into wet, muddy areas, take off the mulch and let the soil dry.
ADVANTAGES
Mulch reduces sun heat damage.
It suppresses weed growth.
Retain moisture. During summer, the soil stays cooler and plant roots don’t stress from the heat.
Reduce soil erosion. Raindrops don’t hit the surface of the ground directly. Also, soil is less likely to splash onto plants, which keeps them cleaner.
Some mulches can insulate crops from extreme temperatures.
Organic mulches provide soil nutrients and encourage beneficial soil organisms and worm activity.
Mulch saves you time, money and, most importantly, water as it slows evaporations, so you don’t have to water as much.
In segment two Joey and Holly talk about what to do with all those strawberries
Post harvest strawberries
Pick your own farm - process quickly
Strawberry jam - pomona pectin
Flash freeze on cookie sheet, then put in freezer bag - label!
Pie filling - cook type clear jel
Strawberry syrup
Strawberry vinegar
Add to a salad
Smoothie
Strawberry baking - muffins, pie, shortcake, cake, etc
In segment three Joey and Holly welcome their guest
Niki Jabbour is a writer, radio show host, year round vegetable gardener, speaker, and award winning author. She's also one of the 3 garden experts from savvygardening.com
1. You are a year round vegetable garden expert, and we'll get to that, but lets talk about your newest book - Growing Under Cover: Techniques for a More Productive, Weather-Resistant, Pest-Free Vegetable Garden - you explain how to use low tunnels, row covers, etc to extend the season and to help with this continual varied weather it seems we all experience - some people may think that wont work for them, how does using simple things like a low tunnel or shade cloth help - what is some of the science there? Especially for those apprehensive to try.
2. You encourage your listeners and readers to try different edible plants than what they normally grow - if someone is trying to be space savvy when growing new things, what are some tips for them to incorporate something new without a large space commitment?
3. Your book The Year Round Vegetable Gardener is known and loved by thousands of gardeners. Someone may have raised beds now, and want to try a cold frame - can they convert the raised bed into a cold frame? Whats another simple tip you love to give to encourage people to check out your book?
Talking with Niki Jabbour is a writer, radio show host, year round vegetable gardener, speaker, and award winning author. She's also one of the 3 garden experts from savvygardening.com
4. You have a chemical ban where you live - what do you use to help keep the bad bugs away?
5. How can our listeners find all of your great info?
In segment four Joey and Holly answer gardeners questions
Q: I bought several hanging baskets. The flowers are doing fine, but I see on top of the soil what looks like round egg shaped things that are slit open. Do I have some bugs that have hatched? What do I need to do?
A: Those are fertilizer capsules for the garden center/ grower. Nothing is wrong as they get wet and over time they will open and feed the plant.
I found some store bought potatoes under the cabinet. They are still firm and have sprouts on them about 9 inches long. Can I plant these if so should I pinch the sprouts off?
Q: Yes you can plant them store bought can be ify but if you have sprouted do not remove the sprouts if you can cut then to get more potatoes leaving one to two sprouts per chunk no smaller than an egg then plant them deep or trench method you are good to go. Do not plant them if you have summer soil temps that excide 85F.
3. Q I have recently moved into a house in the boston area that the previous owners have kept a very nice lawn with no weeds that I can see and a nice thick blanket of grass. I have a riding mower and since I have never had a lawn like this before (in my old house what ever grew was cut short and that was that) I would like to keep it nice looking. How often and how low should I be cutting the grass.
A: An optimal height for a cool-season grass Which you would have (Cool-season grasses are grass types that thrive in areas with cold winters and hot summers. ... However, these grasses grow best when temperatures are between 60-75 degree F, which is why they grow most actively in the spring and fall) generally is about 2 ½ inches . And at each mowing, you should only be removing about the top 1/3 of the grass blade. Consequently, a good time to mow lawns is when your grass is about 3 to 3.5 inches high now some will keep their grass at 4 inches that really shades out the weeds.
4. I want to plant rosemary and lavendar together, would that work?
The companies that make the show possible
Proplugger of https://proplugger.com/
Rootmaker of https://myrootmaker.com/ Us coupon code Radio21 at checkout and save 15% of your order
Chapin Manufacturing Inc. of https://chapinmfg.com/
Pomona pectin of https://pomonapectin.com/
Iv organics of https://ivorganics.com/
Dr. JimZ of https://drjimz.com/
Seed Savers Exchange of https://www.seedsavers.org/
Waterhoop of https://waterhoop.com/
Phyllom BioProducts of http://www.phyllombioproducts.com/home.html
Happy leaf led of https://happyleafled.com/
Dripworks of https://www.dripworks.com/
Deer defeat https://deerdefeat.com/ use code Radio at check out to save 10% on your order
Blue ribbon organics http://blueribbonorganics.com/
Chip Drop of https://getchipdrop.com/
Walton's Inc of https://www.waltonsinc.com/
Tree Diaper of http://www.treediaper.com/
Janie's Mill of https://www.janiesmill.com/
Nature's Lawn and Garden Inc of https://www.natureslawn.com/gardentalk can get 10% off on Aerify Plus by using this link
Simply Earth of https://simplyearth.com/
Quick Snap Sprinklers of https://www.quick-snap.com/
Timber Pro Coatings of https://timberprocoatingsusa.com/products/internal-wood-stabilizer/
Bloomin easy plants of https://bloomineasyplants.com/
Tiger Torch of https://www.tigertorchltd.com/
Seedlinked of https://www.seedlinked.com/
Iron Wood Tool Company of https://www.ironwoodtools.com/
Natural green products of https://www.natgreenproducts.com/
EZ Step Products of https://ezstepproducts.com/
Rinsekit Of https://rinsekit.com/
Rincon Vitova of https://www.rinconvitova.com/
Wild Delight of https://www.wilddelight.com/
Bale buster of https://strawbalegardens-com.myshopify.com/collections/balebuster-bale-preparation-formula
Soul brew kombucha of https://mysoulbrew.com/
Rescue of https://rescue.com/
Yard Glider of https://yardglider.com/
Piper and leaf of https://tinyurl.com/44rzt5sj
Heard on Joy 1340 AM & 98.7 FM Milwaukee, WI Saturdays 7-8 AM CST Replay Saturdays 7-8 PM CST https://tunein.com/radio/Joy-1340-s30042/
Heard on WCRN 830 AM Westborough/Boston, MA Saturdays 8-9 AM EST Replay Sundays 5-6 AM EST https://tunein.com/radio/WCRN-AM-830-Full-Service-Radio-s1112/
Heard on KYAH 540 AM Delta/Salt Lake City, UT Saturdays 1-2 PM MST Reply Sundays 1-2 PM MST https://tunein.com/radio/KYAH-540-s34223/
Heard on KDIZ 1570 AM Minneapolis, MN Saturdays 4-5 PM and replay Sundays 2-3 PM CST http://player.listenlive.co/57071
Heard on WAAM 1600 AM & 92.7 FM Ann Arbor, MI Sundays 7-8 AM EST https://tinyurl.com/p68cvft Heard on WOGO 680 AM & 103.1 FM Chippewa Falls, WI Sundays 9-10 AM CST https://onlineradiobox.com/us/wogo/
Heard on KFEQ 680 AM & 107.9 FM St. Joseph/Kansas City, MO Saturdays 6-7 AM replay Sundays 10-11 AM CST http://www.680kfeq.com/live-stream/
Heard on WNAX 570 AM Yankton SD Sundays 10-11 AM CST bonus play Saturdays 2-3 PM CST (when twins baseball is not on) https://wnax.com/
Heard on WMBS 590 AM & 101.1 FM Uniontown/Pittsburgh/Morgantown PA. Saturday 6-7 AM EST replay Mondays 6-7 PM https://www.radio.net/s/wmbshttps://www.radio.net/s/wmbs
Heard on KHNC 1360 AM Johnstown/Denver, CO Cheyenne, WY Saturdays 7-8 AM MST Replay Sundays 5-6 PM MST https://1360khnc.com/