145 episodes

Musings with people in the world of gardening, botany, horticulture and nature. Marlene takes her years of gardening experience, success and failures and turns it into an unpretentious, humorous listen. From organic vegetable gardening, houseplants, bee keeping, flowers, and everything in between -- this podcast covers it.

Flower Power Garden Hour Marlene Simon

    • Leisure
    • 4.6 • 165 Ratings

Musings with people in the world of gardening, botany, horticulture and nature. Marlene takes her years of gardening experience, success and failures and turns it into an unpretentious, humorous listen. From organic vegetable gardening, houseplants, bee keeping, flowers, and everything in between -- this podcast covers it.

    Kids gardening literature, with author Collin Pine

    Kids gardening literature, with author Collin Pine

    How do we ensure the next generations become stewards of the land? Of course exposing them to nature and getting them outdoors but also having conversations and reading with them. I talk with author, Collin Pine, about his children’s book ‘The Garden Next Door’ and how its message is more important than ever.
    Collin’s latest book is called “The Garden Next Door’”
     
    Collin can be found at:
    ·       Instagram:  @collin.pine
    ·       River Horse Books
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 37 min
    Gardening can be Murder (in literature), with author Marta McDowell

    Gardening can be Murder (in literature), with author Marta McDowell

    Gardening can be murder... that is what a lot of people who claim to have a brown thumb think. But in this case, I’m discussing murder mystery books and their links to gardening. Author, Marta McDowell, joins me to discuss her new book “Gardening Can Be Murder: How poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers’. We discuss historical detectives who a passion for plants, methods of murder as well as my favorite topic… poisonous plants!
    Marta’s latest book extensively covers the topic discussed today.  It is called “Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers”
     Marta can be found at:
    ·       Website:  martamcdowell.com
    ·       Facebook:  @marta.mcdowell.5
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 53 min
    Trees, with Arborist Pamela Sanchez of the Sacramento Tree Foundation

    Trees, with Arborist Pamela Sanchez of the Sacramento Tree Foundation

    Trees -- we all know how important they are. But what are the best trees for zone 9? How exactly do you properly plant, stake and water a new tree? Pamela Sanchez -- Certified Arborist and Education Programs Manager for the Sacramento Tree Foundation -- joins me to discuss these topics and more.
     
    Pamela and the Sacramento Tree can be found at:
    ·       Website:  sactree.org
    ·       Instagram:  @sactree
    ·       Facebook:  @Sacramento Tree Foundation
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 1 hr 3 min
    October To Do, Listener Q&A

    October To Do, Listener Q&A

    It is the October To Do List, and that means it is a very busy time in the garden.  Clean up from summer vegetables and prepping for fall and winter. The days are cooler, but shorter – which means you have to work efficiently and hard. Episode includes Listener Q&A, with topics listed below. 
     
    It is time to plant:
    ·       Fava beans
    ·       Beets
    ·       Bok choy
    ·       Carrots
    ·       Celery
    ·       Swiss chard
    ·       Collards
    ·       Garlic
    ·       Kale
    ·       Kohlrabi
    ·       Leeks
    ·       Lettuce
    ·       Onions
    ·       Peas
    ·       Radish
    ·       Spinach
    ·       Turnips
    ·       All perennials, bulbs
     
    Chores include:
    ·       Clean up vegetable beds (prevent diseases), mess from fruit trees
    ·       Collect seeds
    ·       Divide plants such as grasses, iris
    ·       Compost
     
    Listener Q&A section.  Topics covered include:
    ·       What to do about aphid infestation on large trees
    ·       Lemon tree – producing fruit, but leaves are very pale
    ·       Succulents – fertilizer?
    ·       Best time of year to prune cherry tree
    ·       Tomato plants – to compost or not?
     
    Help support feral cat rescue/spay-neuter/finding good homes by contributing at Flower Power Garden Hour Patreon.  
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 38 min
    Seeds, with Jennifer Jewell of Cultivating Place podcast

    Seeds, with Jennifer Jewell of Cultivating Place podcast

    Seeds. As gardeners we sow them, order them, harvest them, and sometime try to prevent them. Author and gardener Jennifer Jewell delves even deeper into the science and importance of seeds in her new book ‘What We Sow’. We discuss her inspiration for the book and talk about why seeds are so important in our ecosystem, cultures and overall survival as humans.
     Jennifer Jewell, Cultivating Place and her new book ‘What We Sow’ can be found at:
    ·       Book:  What We Sow
    ·       Website:  Cultivating Place
    ·       Instagram:  @cultivating_place
    ·       Facebook:  @cultivatingplace
    ·       Pinterest:    @cultivate_place
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 57 min
    Firesafe and water wise gardening, with Soleil Tranquilli of Tranquill Gardens

    Firesafe and water wise gardening, with Soleil Tranquilli of Tranquill Gardens

    As a plant person with minimal design skills, I’m in awe of people with both skill sets. In this episode I talk to Soleil Tranquilli about how she combines her artistic design ability with her wealth of plant knowledge to create firesafe, water wise and tranquil gardens. She is the owner of Tranquill Gardens as well as being a Certified watershed Wise Landscape Pro and the president of the Sacramento Association of Professional Landscape Designers.
     Soleil and Tranquill Gardens can be found at:
    ·       Website:  Tranquill Gardens
    ·       Website: Association of Professional Landscape Designers
    ·       Facebook:  Tranquill Gardens
     
    To ask questions for future shows, submit them at:
    ·       Facebook
    ·       Instagram
    ·       email Marlene at marlenetheplantlady@gmail.com
     
    Find Marlene over on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook

    • 1 hr 10 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
165 Ratings

165 Ratings

suji123456 ,

I have a notebook for this podcast now.

There has never been a podcast I have ever had the desire to listen to twice, not even my all time favorite crime podcast. 😆 This podcast upped my garden game and now I am re listening to old episodes and taking notes.

Things I learned about
Bugs-they aren’t all bad- except for aphids. Those guys are terrible
Water-plants need it, but I need to save it
Compost
My orchids don’t actually hate me, they just need cooler temps to bloom.
A lot of succulents need seasons
Being greener
And sometimes things just don’t work out…like the time I got an 8 foot tomato plant that gave me 1 whole tomato…..oops. Now I know why that happened and it hasn’t happened since, in fact, it’s November and I’m finally seeing my little 3 foot tomato plant slowing down. I’m really sick of tomatoes right now but I’m thankful this podcast taught me what I was doing wrong so I didn’t cry about a giant plant giving me one single tomato….again.

I also enjoy hearing updates about the cats and whatever other adventures. The banter on the Q&As is amusing. Also, Steven ray morris follows her on IG so, by the rules of social media, that means she is legit.

Masonic Traveler ,

I learn a lot every listen.

I love this show. The tip, the guests, the cats, all of it. It’s such a fun listen and the back and forth between Marlene and Joe is great. This has fast become one of my favorite gardening podcasts. Thanks for producing it.

fruitsnveggies ,

Love this show!

I really love this podcast. My favorite episodes are the monthly to do lists. Super helpful. I also love the banter between you two. Thank you for the great information!

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