328 episodes

Tips for beginning and experienced gardeners. New episodes arrive every Tuesday and Friday. Fred Hoffman has been a U.C. Certified Master Gardener since 1982 and writes a weekly garden column for the Lodi News-Sentinel in Lodi, CA. A four-decade fixture in Sacramento radio, he hosted three radio shows for Northern California gardeners and farmers: The KFBK Garden Show, Get Growing with Farmer Fred, and the KSTE Farm Hour. Episode Website: https://gardenbasics.net

Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Fred Hoffman

    • Leisure
    • 4.7 • 180 Ratings

Tips for beginning and experienced gardeners. New episodes arrive every Tuesday and Friday. Fred Hoffman has been a U.C. Certified Master Gardener since 1982 and writes a weekly garden column for the Lodi News-Sentinel in Lodi, CA. A four-decade fixture in Sacramento radio, he hosted three radio shows for Northern California gardeners and farmers: The KFBK Garden Show, Get Growing with Farmer Fred, and the KSTE Farm Hour. Episode Website: https://gardenbasics.net

    328 Q&A Add Fertilizer to Compost Pile? Can Later Ripening Peach Trees Survive Peach Leaf Curl?

    328 Q&A Add Fertilizer to Compost Pile? Can Later Ripening Peach Trees Survive Peach Leaf Curl?

    In this episode of the Garden Basics Podcast, Farmer Fred and Master Gardener Susan Muckey discuss composting and answer a listener's question about adding nitrogen to a compost pile. They explain that adding nitrogen is not necessary for most compost piles and discuss the ideal carbon-nitrogen ratio. They also provide tips for turning a compost pile and maintaining the right temperature. In the second part of the episode, Quentyn Young, Master Gardener and orchard specialist, joins the conversation to discuss strategies for dealing with peach leaf curl, including planting late ripening peach varieties.

    Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.


    Pictured: Compost Bin at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center


    Links:
     Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/


    The Rapid Composting Method
    Dave Wilson Nursery Fruit Harvest Chart
    Compost Thermometer
    Compost Bins
    Garden Fork for Turning Compost
    Dormant Season Copper Sprays for Peach Leaf Curl Control




    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Farmer Fred website: 
    http://farmerfred.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
    http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
    https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/
    Twitter/X: @farmerfred
    Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube 

     As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.


    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 15 min
    327 The Heart Healthy Garden

    327 The Heart Healthy Garden

    The healthiest food you can eat, is the food you grow yourself.  Where have you heard THAT before? Today,  let’s grow a heart-healthy garden! What are the foods you can plant that are best suited, chemically, to help reverse what might be going on around your ticker, including high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, and stress?  We talk with Dr. Laura Varich, the Fresh Physician, about those foods that can do your heart  a world of good..
    It’s all in Episode 327 of today’s Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast - Growing The Heart Healthy Garden. You, or your family, or your friends, who might be struggling with metabolic disorders may learn some new techniques and foods that might improve the quality of their lives. Don’t be shy about sharing this episode with them.  It’s the Heart Healthy Garden!
    We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory, it’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots. Let’s go!

    Pictured: Snow Peas, high in soluble fiber
    Links:
     Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/
    Dr. Laura Varich, the Fresh Physician
    Heart Healthy Foods Newsletter from Fresh Physician
    My Fitness Pal
    Black Seed (Black Cumin, Nigella Sativa)
    Ground Flaxseed
    Devil's Ear Lettuce
    Tokyo Bekana Chinese Cabbage
    Book: "The One Minute Workout" by Martin Gibala


    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Farmer Fred website: 
    http://farmerfred.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
    http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
    https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/
    Twitter/X: @farmerfred
    Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube 

     As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.


    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 57 min
    326 Q&A Working with Coir vs Peat Moss, Reuse Old Potting Soil. Runaway Plum Tree!

    326 Q&A Working with Coir vs Peat Moss, Reuse Old Potting Soil. Runaway Plum Tree!

    Q&A - Working with Coir, Peat Moss, Perlite, etc. Reusing Old Potting Soil. 00:24
    Q&A - Runaway Plum Tree! 16:10

    Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.
    Pictured: Wheelbarrow with Homemade Potting Mix


    Links:
     Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/


    Perlite
    Peat Moss
    Coir
    Vermiculite
    Pumice
    Drip Irrigation Micro Sprayers


    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Farmer Fred website: 
    http://farmerfred.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
    http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
    https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/
    Twitter/X: @farmerfred
    Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube 

     As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.


    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 18 min
    325 Peach Leaf Curl Control Tips. All the Presidents' Gardens.

    325 Peach Leaf Curl Control Tips. All the Presidents' Gardens.

    Appearing now (or soon) on a peach or nectarine tree near you: Peach Leaf Curl? What is this fungus that causes the leaves on these trees to redden, pucker, and curl? And how can you control it? (Please note, I did not say, “eradicate”). America’s favorite retired college horticultural professor, Debbie Flower has some tips. Also, we go back about eight years for an interview with Marta McDowell, author of the book “All the Presidents’ Gardens”. It’s a look at the White House gardens, through the centuries. And which president was the most active gardener while living in the White House? If you know that answer off the top of your head, you need to get on Jeopardy as soon as possible!
    It’s all in Episode 325 of today’s Garden Basics with Farmer Fred - Peach Leaf Curl Control Tips…and, a chat with the author of the book, “All the Presidents’ Gardens”. 
    We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory, it’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots.  Let’s go!

    Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.
    Pictured: Peach Leaf Curl
    Links:
     Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/
    Copper Sprays for Peach Leaf Curl
    Book: All the Presidents’ Gardens   by Marta McDowell


    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Farmer Fred website: 
    http://farmerfred.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
    http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
    https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/
    Twitter/X: @farmerfred
    Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube 

     As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.





    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 31 min
    GB 324 Q&A - Nitrogen Sources. Soil for a Raised Bed.

    GB 324 Q&A - Nitrogen Sources. Soil for a Raised Bed.

    Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.


    Pictured:  Pizza Pie Crop Rotation Garden


    Links:
     Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/

    LaMotte Soil Test Kits (and others)
    Farmer Fred Rant: Pizza Pie Crop Rotation Garden
    Nutri-Rich Fertilizer
    Fish Emulsion Fertilizer
    Electric Chipper/Shredder
    Jeff Lowenfels’ “Teaming With…” Books


    Soil Testing Services:
    UMass/Amherst
    Colorado State U
    Texas A&M


    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Farmer Fred website: 
    http://farmerfred.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
    http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
    https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/
    Twitter/X: @farmerfred
    Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube 

     As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.


    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 28 min
    323 Gold Medal Plant Winners. Thin Your Fruit Trees Now!

    323 Gold Medal Plant Winners. Thin Your Fruit Trees Now!

    Each year the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society puts out its list of Gold Medal winning Plants. Usually these plants are chosen for their adaptability to the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. This year, the chosen plants have a much wider range of possible success, including USDA Zone 9 and possibly up to  Zone 10, and down to Zone 3. 
    Also: Now is the time in warmer places of the nation to get outside and thin the fruit from many of your deciduous fruit trees, as the fruit is beginning to form right after flowering. 

    It’s all in Episode 323 of today’s Garden Basics with Farmer Fred - Gold Medal Plant Winners, and Why You Should Thin the Fruit on Your Fruit Trees Now!
    We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory, it’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!

    Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. 
    Pictured:  Magnolia “Genie”, a 2024 PHS Gold Medal Plant Winner


    Links:
    Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
    Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/


    2024 PHS Gold Medal Plants:
    Asparagus, ‘Millenium’
    Florida Anise tree, Illicium ‘Woodland Ruby’
    Magnolia ‘Genie’
    Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis ‘Sugar Shack’
    The Japanese Roof Iris, Iris tectorum
    Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia ‘Brandywine’
    Philadelphia Flower Show
    Fruit Thinning Tips (UCANR)


    Got a garden question? 
    • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
    • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. 
    • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
    • E-mail: fred at farmerfred.com 


    All About Farmer Fred:
    The GardenBasics.net website
    The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
    https://gardenbasics.substack.com
    The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog 
    Facebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" 
    Instagram: farmerfredh
    Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
180 Ratings

180 Ratings

Fishman J ,

Can’t get enough

I drive a lot and enjoy using that time listening to the podcast and learning more about how to garden well. Farmer Fred and his guests have taught me so much. I really appreciate the expertise information I can put to practice in my own garden. I also like how you provide scientific and technical information in a way that is easily understood. I look forward to many more episodes.

justnat2 ,

Enamored with gardening

I have gained so much knowledge from this podcast. Thank you

Mn04csd ,

Informative, Comprehensive, Thoughtful

Thank you-

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