Showing results by narrator "Mike McGrath" in All Categories

Do you want to avoid giving blood to summertime mosquitoes but don't want to douse yourself in chemicals like Deet? Mike McGrath will talk about two natural repellant products that have been shown to be very effective in scientific studies. He'll also suggest some aromatic garden plants that can be used to fend off the pests, and discuss new repellants based on catnip, Osage orange and even tomatoes.

It used to be that only Japanese beetle grubs savaged lawns, and only in the Northeast, but now other beetle babies are learning to terrorize turf all over this land. Mike McGrath will begin a two-part series on grub damage control with a close look at milky spore disease; can it really grub-proof your turf? Plus: More bad news from the world of science for people who still use lawn chemicals.

The terrible taste of store-bought tomatoes is enough to get even non-gardeners to put a few plants in the ground. Luckily, growing tomatoes is fun and easy, if you give them a few things they crave and require at planting time. Mike McGrath will help you achieve love apple success with his Top Ten Tips for Terrific Tomatoes!

It's finally Spring bulb planting time! Mike McGrath will talk about all the planting basics, and he'll discuss how to protect those beauties-to-be from squirrels, voles and other vermin. We'll also suggest some Spring bulbs that like growing in wet soil. Already planted your bulbs? Go out and buy more; they're a real deal this time of year!

Are nasty pests planning to hitch a ride on your incoming houseplants? Mike McGrath will explain how to prepare plants that have spent the summer outside for overwintering in your house, without bringing pests like aphids along. Plus, he'll offer specialized cures for fungus gnats and scale. We'll also hear about a new way for pipes and tree roots to peacefully coexist.

Roses are the most popular garden flower, and Mike McGrath strongly believes that their reputation for being difficult to grow is completely unwarranted. Poor planning at planting time often results in plants that never really had a chance at a happy, disease-free life. Mike will reveal the 10 Secrets of Rose Planting Success in the Question of the Week.

The terrible taste of store-bought tomatoes is enough to get even non-gardeners to put a few plants in the ground. Luckily, growing tomatoes is fun and easy if you give them a few things they crave and require at planting time. Mike McGrath will help you achieve "love apple" success with his Top Ten Tips for Terrific Tomatoes!

Nationally acclaimed garden writer Barbara Damrosch joins us to talk about her new book The Garden Primer: The Completely Revised Gardeners' Bible. Together with her husband, Eliot Coleman, Barbara runs the famous Four Season Farm in Maine (fourseasonfarm.com). During the Question of the Week, Mike tackles questions related to vegetable gardening. With grocery prices rising steadily, many people plan on growing some of their own food this season.

Do you use wood chips, "triple premium shredded bark", dyed mulch, root mulch, Right Dress or other forms of wood mulch near your home or car? Penn State Professor Don Davis will explain how these mulches can breed nuisance fungi that ruin those expensive items with impossible-to-remove stains - and what you can use safely instead. Plus how to handle grasshoppers, and the secret behind "locusts".

New federal laws may make it easier for homeowners to chase away those pestiferous Canada Geese. Ron Kokel of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins us to discuss these new regulations. Plus, on the Question of the Week: Do you turn your garden soil every spring and then fight weeds all summer long? Mike McGrath will explain how a "no-till" system can do away with all that work of weeding and soil turning, not only for your garden beds, but also your lawn.

It's been a great growing year if you're a weed! Mike McGrath will reveal how you can eliminate weeds between your pavers, on your patio, walkways, and in your garden. He'll explain when to use flame, radiant heat, soap, or what are known as "horticultural vinegars". Plus an Insect Fear double header: Fire ants on vacation in Virginia Beach and yellowjackets building nests the size of a car!

Defoliating "webworms" build tent-like nests in trees; "bagworms" spin pine cone-like structures. But despite their names, neither pest is a worm. They are caterpillars, and Mike McGrath will offer the all-natural solution to get rid of these tree terrorizing troubles, no matter how high up in the tree they are hiding!

Are the leaves on your poor plants stained, splotched, and smudged? Mike McGrath will discuss the dread diseases that cause spots to appear, and explain how you can prevent the problem without any sprays, chemical or organic! Plus: Science isolates the sweaty smell that makes some people unattractive to mosquitoes, midges and other bad biters.

Are you tired of losing your plants to garden-devouring pests? Insect expert Linda Gilkeson joins us to reveal easy organic ways to keep bad bugs out of your beds. Her new book is West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed & Disease Control. Then, are chipmunks cute little critters or are they just as pesky as squirrels? Mike McGrath will reveal what kind of damage chipmunks do in gardens, and suggest non-lethal ways to keep them at bay.

Are you going on vacation? Prepare your plants, lawn, and garden so they don't suffer while you're away. Mike McGrath will explain what to do to cover watering needs, prevent weeds, and harvest your precious crops so nothing spoils during your time off. We'll also answer lots of gardening questions from around the country.

Many gardeners mulch badly; using the wrong materials in the wrong way. Bad mulch can harm or kill plants and even ruin the paint job on a house or car! Mike McGrath will discuss the downsides of wood and rubber mulches, and reveal the best options for preventing weeds and improving the look of your landscape. Plus: How Australians are turning toads into beer!

Have you received the email warning about termite-infested mulch heading our way from Katrina damaged trees? Mike McGrath will reveal the truth behind those rumors, and explain how your current mulch may already be inviting local termites to dine on your domain. Plus: Mark Tebbitt from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden joins us to discuss the amazing diversity in the surprisingly wide world of begonias. Tebbitt has written Begonias; Cultivation, Identification and Natural History.

The legendary Mel Bartholomew, creator of the wildly popular "Square Foot Garden", joins us to discuss his new guide to growing the most possible plants in the smallest possible space. Mel�s new book, All New Square Foot Gardening, adds 10 improvements to the original 25-year-old SFG method. Later on the show, Mike will reveal how people without any ground of their own can still get growing by joining a community garden.

Are you ready to start your seeds? Howard Shapiro from Seeds of Change joins us to discuss the all-organic offerings their new catalog. During the Question of the Week, Mike tackles a potentially stinky topic: Skunks can tear up lawns in their search for food, and they're very fond of sub-letting spaces underneath unsuspecting homeowners. Mike will explain how to safely evict them without unwanted incident; and how to erase that smell if you or your pets do get sprayed.

Corn Gluten Meal is an organic lawn-owner's dream. It prevents dormant weeds seeds from sprouting while giving your turf an all-natural, high-nitrogen feeding. Mike McGrath will explain how and when to use corn gluten meal, and what other areas of your landscape it will work on. He'll also discuss why some cheap products sold as Corn Gluten Meal in animal feed stores won't work!