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farmerfred.bsky.social
Garden Basics podcast at GardenBasics.net Newsletter at Substack.com/gardenbasics I also like to ride my bike(s).
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The impact of governmental decrees and cutbacks is adversely effecting America’s farmers in a variety of ways: open.substack.com/pub/farmerge...

California, requires home owners in high-fire-risk areas to create 100 feet of defensible space around structures. A requirement to create a zone free from flammables such as plants, garden sheds & propane grills within five feet of homes haven’t been written. www.washingtonpost.com/weather/inte...

Saw this pea plant support at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, using items near and dear to my heart. You can see one little pea plant that has already germinated on the right. The tennis balls are placed on top of the support poles to protect the Master Gardeners and visitors from getting poked.

The L.A. fires: which trees and shrubs survived? Which ones didn’t? www.latimes.com/lifestyle/ne...

Available wherever you get your podcasts. Or, from our home page, GardenBasics.net

Good tip when planning a fire-smart landscape for a slope leading up to a home: build a concrete wall. Plus, good plant choices for many areas of California: marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/FIRES...

Want to speed up pepper seed germination? Some tips. open.substack.com/pub/gardenba...

It’s that time of year…

The plucky sunflower volunteer plant of winter is alive and well, wishing you a Happy New Year! #MotherNatureBatsLast

Whenever I think about Jimmy Carter, I think about this 1979 measuring cup. Although Ford signed the metric conversion act, Carter had to implement it. This cup was an early attempt to get us to use metrics. Note that for right handed people, it’s the metric numbers that are in front of their eyes.

Dec. 27. Sunflower-1, Winter weather-0. But it’s still early in the game.

From the University of Florida: Cool Season plants to grow for long lasting cut flowers: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdo...

Pictured: America’s second favorite homegrown garden vegetable. What’s number one? We have tips for the Top 10 garden vegetables in Ep. 371 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! gardenbasics.net/episodes/371...

A Christmas tree…in the South Pacific. Norfolk Island pine, which is really an ancient, majestic conifer. #Araucaria

Despite its intricacies, this is just one leaf from a jacaranda tree. Good job, Mother Nature. #BipinnatelyCompound

Learn to talk flower.

Looking for a repeat-blooming miniature rose that also is a long-lasting cut rose? It’s hard to beat the “Joy” rose. #gardening #roses #GardenBasics

If you have citrus trees, remove any branches that touch the ground, also known as the “Ants/Rats/Snails Freeway”.

When trimming tree branches that are an inch or more in diameter, use the 3-cut method to avoid stripping the bark (and more) below the branch. farmerfredrant.blogspot.com/2019/12/fall...

When choosing a poinsettia plant, opt for the ones with closed cyathia, not the open ones. Cyathia are the yellow flowers in the middle of the colored bracts, aka the modified leaves. Also, make sure the smaller bracts closest to the cyathia are fully colored. If they're faded, the plant is fading.

My Oregon II sugar pod peas are happy right now, no need for questions. Just planted more peas yesterday of a new variety (to me), "Snak Hero", a 2020 All-America Selections winner. all-americaselections.org/product/pea-... #gardening

In Ep. 369 of the Garden Basics podcast, Container Food Gardening Basics, I chat with Pam Farley of BrownThumbMama.com and author of the book, "The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening." Lots of great tips! Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at our home page, gardenbasics.net .

#gardening reality

Here’s the chart I was looking for:

Doing a photo search in my library for a tomato at breaker stage of coloration (just beyond full green, a sign that it will ripen indoors). Came up with this. A careful search unveiled the culprit.

‘Tis the season…

“Local stores next to the protected bike-lane have seen a 49% increase in sales, compared to an average of 3% for Manhattan as a whole.” (Among MANY other public benefits.) Want To Make Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane. #CityMakingMath @fastcompany.com www.fastcompany.com/90182112/wan...

On the latest Garden Basics episode, we delve into the growth of a garden bad guy that is expanding its tree-killing reach from Southern Cal to Northern Cal: the invasive shot hole borer, which is found around the world. Its at the podcast service of your choice or at gardenbasics.net #gardening

The local Lowe’s told me they removed the seed rack because seeds are not in season. That’s news to me!

A personal favorite. The older I get, the more poignant it becomes...

“I hope you know if you’ve ever felt unworthy, unbeautiful, unheard or unseen that you’re a light for someone else. A beacon of hope and of kindness. I hope you know that there’s still love to be shared, sunlight and music and even some dancing.” Good morning, loves.

The latest Garden Basics podcast (Ep. 367), features the secrets of successful (and happy) Master Gardeners. We talk about improving your soil health, practicing BISS (?), why you should water with two hands, and a lot more. Available wherever you get your podcasts, including GardenBasics.net

Putting a small bag of dried fruit in your jersey is a good idea for a bicyclist: “if you need a quick burst of energy — such as to fuel a hard hike, a day spent skiing, or a long bike ride — dried fruit can be a delicious source of easily portable energy.” www.health.harvard.edu/digital_firs...

Turn Your Automatic Sprinklers Off! Lots of rain for the Sac. Valley Nov. 21-24, says the NWS: "Rain amounts of 1-5" in the Valley with 3-12" in the foothills are forecast thru Sat. morning, with an additional 0.25-2" from Sat. into Sun. as the system moves inland." Your soil will thank you.

To me, this is a giant whitefish slamming its nose into Portland. To meteorologists, this is 3-6 inches of rain north of I-80, an atmospheric river storm, Tuesday night to Friday morning. We will find out just how clean (or not!) our rain gutters really are. forecast.weather.gov/product.php?...

THREAD The 25 best GT stages of 2015-2019. It's the offseason and you're stuck on your rollers or just need something to get you through the winter? Do not fear, let me take you back to real ciclismo

Gee, I sure liked my Schwinn bicycle! This 1988 Voyageur was my constant companion, skinny tires and all, in the six and a half weeks it took to ride that year from Seattle to Atlantic City (3400+ miles) as part of a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. #bicycling #cycling