Show Notes
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Today’s podcast interview focuses on consulting arborists and how they help property owners evaluate tree health. Gordon Mann explains that a consulting arborist provides independent inspections, identifies problems such as leaning, branch breakage, bark shedding, root issues, and recommends options for treatment or mitigation rather than only suggesting removal or trimming. But we talked about a lot more regarding shade trees. Among the topics discussed: * Call a consulting arborist (not a tree-care salesperson) every few years for an independent inspection, especially if you notice leaning, breaking branches, or unusual bark shedding. Find one via treesaregood.com (ISA) or asca-consultants.org. * Don’t over-water lawns and starve trees: if you cut lawn irrigation, add dedicated deep watering for trees instead (e.g., a spiral soaker hose or concentric drip rings under mulch) so roots don’t rely on turf runoff. * Water deeply and infrequently (weekly to bi-weekly in dry season), covering the entire root zone from trunk to drip line, not just one emitter at the trunk. * Mulch with wood chips or leaf litter (”duff”), replenished every few years, as a top dressing only, never buried under the tree. It moderates soil temperature/moisture, builds soil biology, and softens rain impact. * Before planting, remove the tree from its container and check for circling roots; prune or score the root ball on four sides (and the bottom) to redirect root growth. * Use the “pedestal method”: dig the planting hole to the height of the root ball (or 1 inch less), keep that pedestal of native, unexcavated soil undisturbed, but loosen a much wider area around it (2–5x the root ball diameter). * Plant slightly high - top of the root ball about 1 inch above grade - to account for settling, and never plant in compost or heavily amended soil that will settle and bury the trunk. * If amending soil, mix in only 8–10% organic matter across the whole dug area rather than replacing native soil entirely. * Space trees for mature canopy size, not instant privacy. Plant further from fences and from each other to avoid crowding, root conflicts, and future removals. * Plant a diverse mix of species (no more than two of the same species in a row) to avoid catastrophic losses from pests/disease like Dutch elm disease or emerald ash borer; include some native trees for a stronger ecological palette. * Learn correct pruning cuts: avoid “heading cuts” (topping/chopping), which cause weak, densely packed regrowth; favor selective, purposeful cuts instead. * Prune only for a specific reason (health, structural safety, or clearance needs). Remove no more than 5–20% of foliage annually, and retire the outdated idea of “thinning” a tree just for looks. * For dead, dying, diseased, or crossing branches, evaluate each case individually rather than removing wholesale. A partial dead branch can sometimes be left for habitat. * Choose the right tree for the right purpose and location up front, accounting for underground utilities and infrastructure, since trees take 15–20+ years to deliver full shade/canopy benefits. * Give young trees a light shake 12–30 inches above the ground; if the root ball shifts, the tree isn’t rooting well and needs root pruning, transplanting, or replanting. Today’s conversation with Consulting Arborist Gordon Mann reminded me of two of the 11 Farmer Fred Garden Rules: 7. EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG. In the 1940’s & 50’s, DDT was available to home gardeners as a pesticide. Turns out, it caused cancer and killed birds. In the 1960’s-70’s, the Modesto Ash was considered the “perfect shade tree” for the Central Valley of California. Turns out, it is susceptible to anthracnose, mistletoe and is no longer recommended. In the first decade of the 21st century, the pesticides Diazinon and Dursban
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Redwood Barn Nursery owner Don Shor of Davis, California and myself finally got around to putting the 2026 Tomato season to bed…except for the ones that are hanging on for dear life. In today’s podcast, we sing the high notes and low notes of our tomato growing efforts this year, with lots of gardening advice thrown in for good measure. How was your tomato season? Any favorites? Any failures? Any surprises? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to mention where you were doing your gardening this summer. One of the first to comment was Keith, located in the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay area. He actually commented before the tomato season was ending: “When you two get together to talk about the 2026 tomato season, I'd like to put in a good word for my San Marzano tomato harvest in Contra Costa County. I had a good crop, mostly because the weather wasn't too hot. Tomorrow is sauce-making day! I have a set-up that lets me cook outside.” There’s a complete, human-edited transcript of the podcast near the bottom of this newsletter. Here are the main points of our podcast conversation:
In today’s podcast, I tell a long, drawn out story about what happened the night before my wedding in 1980. Yes, it is a garden story, about the Cecile Bruner rose. But, we quickly turn to a chat with Ben Hanna of heirloomroses.com, who describes how he and his wife came to own the company after leaving corporate life over a decade ago. He says their shared love of gardening and roses, plus the chance to work closer to family, made the business a good fit. He also notes that all five of his children have worked at the nursery in different roles. In the newsletter, it's a list of the best roses for fall blooming color!
In today’s podcast, we talk with Mark Seibert of Sturdi-Built greenhouses in Oregon. The interview covers key considerations for first-time greenhouse buyers, including choosing the right site, with emphasis on sunlight, southern exposure when possible, and local hazards such as trees or lawn equipment. It also discusses heat control and utilities, recommending ventilation, shade cloth, fans, water access, and electrical service with safety protections. Seibert also explains that lean-to greenhouses can work if the roof pitch and site conditions fit, and says a well-built greenhouse can last 20 to 30 years. Growing Hobby Greenhouse Tomatoes in the Winter If you really want to demonstrate to your friends what a great investment your greenhouse is, nothing beats serving them home grown tomatoes...on New Year’s Day. Here’s What You’ll Need to Grow Greenhouse Tomatoes for the Winter and Spring:
The discussion in today’s podcast focuses on pumpkins. Warren Roberts, Superintendent Emeritus of the UC Davis Arboretum, explains that the pumpkin is botanically a fruit, though it is usually eaten as a vegetable. He says the plant belongs to the genus Cucurbita, which is native to the Americas, especially Mexico and the Andes. He describes pumpkin types and notes that many large pumpkins are hybrids, often involving Cucurbita maxima. He contrasts these with the smaller typical pumpkin species, Cucurbita pepo. The conversation also covers the origin of jack-o’-lanterns, whose purpose, Roberts says, came from hollowed-out turnips or rutabagas used to carry coals before matches were available (a handy skill to remember when AI takes over). Short of Garden Room? Grow Mini-Pumpkins! Admittedly, I got a late start on planting pumpkins this year: in early summer (the 4th of July weekend), and I had only one raised garden bed, 4 feet by 8 feet, still available. So, I planted three pumpkin seeds that would eventually produce medium sized pumpkins, the “Jack O’ Lantern” variety, a fruit that gets about 15 pounds. I won’t make that mistake again. Fast-forward three months, and I have a jungle of green vines from those three seeds that have escaped the confines of the raised bed and are now proceeding to swallow the trunks of my adjacent fruit trees. And it looks like the end-result for Halloween decorations will be only four or five medium sized pumpkins. Not much production, considering the sprawl of the vines. And three of them are still green, making me wonder if they will be nice orange orbs ready for carving at the end of the month. Fortunately for gardeners, many seed catalogs and nursery seed racks feature pumpkin varieties that mature in about 90 days and don’t do much sprawling: the miniature pumpkins. There are several advantages to growing pumpkins that weigh less than a pound: quicker maturity, a smaller footprint, and versatility in shapes, color, and uses.
You know trouble awaits if there is a really orange sunrise on an otherwise clear morning. That usually indicates there’s lots of smoke in the air. In today's newsletter, we talk about the effects of wildfire smoke on you and your garden. In today’s podcast (above), University of California Wildfire specialist Kevin Marini discusses the wildland-urban interface areas and why they matter for wildfire risk. He explains that many homes in California and other states are built close to wild vegetation, and that it is embers rather than large flames that are often the main cause of home loss. We then focus on defensible space and the newer “Zone Zero” concept, a 0- to 5-foot area around homes and other structures. We describe how this zone should be kept free of flammable material, including most plants, mulch, cardboard, newspaper, outdoor furniture, gutters filled with debris, and poorly vented areas where embers can enter. We also cover the 5- to 30-foot zone, where spacing, pruning, and plant maintenance are important. We discuss avoiding fire ladders created by layered vegetation, reducing continuous lines of plants, and using hardscape, rock, or gravel to break up plantings. We note that irrigation and keeping plants hydrated can improve fire resistance. And, we discuss the best mulches to use in creating a defensible space.