The Garden Show with Charlie Dobbin

Callers have issues with Bromeliads, Christmas cactus, and scraggly rhubarb. Meanwhile we chat about available worm castings in TO (rhswormcastings@gmail.com), Japanese beetles, and 'out of season' Amaryllis! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Paul Oliver (UrbanNatureStore.ca) joins in again to share tips and tricks to feeding and caring for all your favourite birds. Callers are interested in plants that support birds in autumn, birdseed that won't grow in the lawn. Plus we get a great trick for storing garlic over the winter! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Using eggshells to control slugs, pruning Butterfly bush, grubs in the lawn and topping up raised bed gardens. Not to mention rascally rabbits! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Cool, wintery weather is hanging on. However, we talk about planting seeds (Charlie is all over peppers and annual flowers). Callers want to understand how long to use a heat mat, when to cut back Sedum (without damaging overwintering insects), moving daffodils, rotating tomatoes, and of course - when to start tomato seeds. Marilyn's mom always claimed, "plant tomatoes the Friday before Good Friday". Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Growing peas with beans, maintaining ornamental grasses, sprayers for different pests and girdled roses (those rascally rabbits!). More about worm castings too. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Tech can be so challenging - Charlie (CR) is ok; Dean (Port Hope, ON) is glitchy. Sorry to everyone for issues. Meanwhile Amaryllis continues to engage many, companion planting, pre-emergent herbicides, wild strawberries, and emerging Calla lilies are on the agenda. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Charlie reports on flora and fauna seen this past week in Playa Portrero, Costa Rica. Including sea turtles, crocodiles, and a mangrove estuary at Marino las Baulas National Park. Callers are wondering about fertilizer: seedlings, young peppers and leeks, and whether banana peels are good for tomatoes? Forcing spring branches (Forsythia, fruit trees, Magnolia etc) also a fun way to bring colourful blooms indoors now. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Charlie is in Costa Rica, soaking up sun and surf, plus reporting on flora and fauna. Meanwhile winter continues unabated in southern Ontario. Callers are feeling spring, and want to re-pot all kinds of houseplants. Orchids require attention and robins are showing up! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Our phone lines are back, and the callers are thrilled! We talk: orchid care, plants for pollinators, saving poinsettia and starting seeds. Next week Charlie will be hosting from Costa Rica! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Frigid, fallow and friable just about sums up today's show. Super cold has gardeners worried about plant survival. A caller wants to know about the benefits of leaving the vegetable garden fallow for a season. And Charlie gets into what is a great soil - friable you say?!? Plus dormant cyclamen, clematis propagation, white pine in a pot and root crops struggling. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Transplanting indoor pathos, amaryllis care, and starting nasturtiums seeds. But, days are getting longer and we're thinking outdoors too: moving rhubarb, pruning Rose of Sharon and more! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Now for something completely different - live communication with text and email! Questions from listeners include: winter seed sowing (both indoors and out), Gardenia with spider mites, lemon trees that don't flower and leaving orchids for an extended holiday. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Niki Jabbour joins us from Nova Scotia to chat about gardening under cover, some exotic varieties, making soil blocks and more! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Lots going on in the cyberverse for gardeners! Zoom with a horticultural society, or learn Bird Identification at birdscanada.org in preparation for The Great Backyard Bird Count Feb 13-16th. Paul Oliver (Urban Nature Store) joins the show once more to explain birdfeeder care, and how to help our feathered friends avoid predators! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Terry Kennedy (and her husband) of 'Orchids in Our Tropics' have been growing orchids in Ontario for over 50 years! She talks about exotic travel, tropical orchids and some best practices for the home orchid grower. Plus we get insider info about the Southern Ontario Orchid Society 'Orchid Show & Sale' coming Feb 14 & 15 to the Toronto Botanical Garden. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Steven Biggs (foodgardenlife.com) joins the show. He's teaching courses, has just published the latest 'Canada Gardener's Journal' and is very engaged in using his "garage" for just about everything except cars! We chat about herbs, crop rotation, leaf mulch and more. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

No phone calls means Dean & Charlie chat about all things gardening. Gifts for gardeners, emails about pomegranates & Amaryllis, and caring for your Christmas tree, now and after Christmas! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Paul Oliver (urbannaturestore.ca) joins Charlie & Dean in a pre-recorded episode. We chat about winter challenges for all wildlife, great gifts for nature lovers and best Poinsettia/Amaryllis care. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Carol (in Orangeville) has a bumper crop of walnuts. Squirrels are leaving shells everywhere. Is this an issue for other plants growth? Meanwhile, Monica called to remind us wildlife refuges like https://www.shadesofhope.ca would love excess bounty like walnuts! Composting, transplanting houseplants, watering cacti - what a show! Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Today Sean James, horticulturist, naturalist, eco-warrior and communications expert joins the show! We talk about native plants, sustainable design and the importance of beauty in our gardens. Plus callers ask about: organic fertilizers for houseplants, controlling Pulmonaria and birdseed that's not working. Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio