(00:00:00) Bill none is with us during the hour today to help answer some of your questions about vegetable gardening Bill the gardening season got off to certainly to a slow start with the cool cloudy rainy weather we had now today and yesterday we really had some pretty good summertime weather. Is this the sort of thing that's going to cause Gardens to start sprouting and popping up all over the state (00:00:25) Bob. I don't know. I hope so my impression. Is that a great number of gardeners are very unhappy and very disappointed with the kind of whether they're having you spoke with yesterday being a good day. Well yesterday, I went out in the garden fully expecting to have an overcast day with not much Sunshine thermometer getting up into the 70s. And a 20 percent chance of rain at dark. I didn't get it but I expected to get it because I heard it on on one of your competitors. Well, the weatherman does (00:01:11) goof from time to time. (00:01:13) Well, I know that they are gardeners who are very discouraged because the garden the garden year. Thus far has been very erratic weather wise. (00:01:22) What do you what do you suggesting to people now to kind of pull things up and turn the garden (00:01:27) by the country? I'm an optimist and gardeners. Normally Optimist. I wait for tomorrow. And tomorrow is going to be a perfect day for gardening no matter what you want to do. Tomorrow will be the day to get it done. No traditionally we have we have lived with uncertainty we've gotten used to it. I hope that gardeners don't give up the ship. I have a neighbor who started a garden and who has thrown the shovel away. I'm sorry, I urge individuals to continue to plant to continue to water to continue to do everything that they've been doing. The weeds are wonderful in the garden. This is wonderful. We'd whether well, the best thing the garden can produce right now are weeds. It can go into the compost heap. Hmm. (00:02:24) Well, that's one one optimistic thing to (00:02:26) get out of I'm a born Optimist. I'm a gardener. Yeah, (00:02:29) six minutes past the hour if you have some specific questions about vegetable gardening today, we invite your calls Minneapolis. St. Paul. The telephone number is two two seven six thousand 2276 thousand in other parts of the state toll-free 1-800 6-5 to 9700 and of course if you're living in one of the surrounding states This directly in the Twin Cities area code 612 2276 thousand have been lots of reports in the news Bill about the bad weather all over the country this year. It has been old devastating rains and floods and in the South and in California and so on with all of that is is that going to affect you suppose the the produce that we're going to be seeing in the in the grocery (00:03:17) stores. Yes, indeed. I am fortunate to get the sheets of information from the National Garden Bureau and from the United States Department of Agriculture to the last batch. I got has much to do with the situation in California and in the Gulf States where water drains into the Gulf The largest Garden in the United States is the whole state of California California produces more than one half of all the vegetables used in this nation of ours my goodness. That's an incredible statement that just floors you when you first hear it now, then the sheets of paper I get today talk about the decline that has already manifested itself in the foods that come out of the state of California. The same thing is true of foods that are coming from Texas and foods that are coming from Georgia. That means to say that when we go to buy something soon. The price is going to be reflected in all of this and that is just another incentive everybody to have a garden even if you just plant a tomato plant in a bucket you helped (00:04:45) out save yourself some money. (00:04:47) What by the way speaking of tomatoes. I found something else that's interesting last year the average family of four people in America 8 88 pounds of tomatoes a lot of tomatoes and it's really not a cost. The Department of Agriculture says is about $75. Well, I look 88 pounds of tomatoes. You can grow 88 pounds of tomatoes in buckets. If you will go down to the garden center by one of Northrop Kings packets of ultra boy plants and plant them. Well don't plant them. All you don't need that many tomatoes of or you want to see 88 just plant half the seats and keep them from next year Well, 45 cents worth of seeds will give you the 88 pounds of tomatoes that you presently buying for the cost of $75. I know of no better argument to give anybody. That's why they should ever (00:05:51) gotten not to mention the fact that they can probably have a good time doing it. I think so. Well, we have a lot of people on the line with questions bill. So let's turn to our first caller go ahead. Please bill is listening. Hi. I just like to say that well during your program. Are you there? Hello. Yeah, there we are. Go ahead please. Yes. I have a question about tomatoes. And the question is what can you do when ants attack your tomatoes? (00:06:17) Well, I hope you don't run away because they are a lot of things that you can do go down to the nearest garden center or even to the nearest drugstore and get get a tube of gook that you squeeze on anything and it attracts ants it is exactly what you would use. If you have any problems around your kitchen sink. You should have no difficulty with answer unless you're in the south. Now we've got the fire inch that will eventually get the Minnesota and then you got another problem but we haven't (00:06:56) gotten out that would be yes, that should be adequate. Okay, thank you. If interested in the (00:07:03) events were the only thing I had to worry about in the garden. I wouldn't do much worried because they can be controlled. Okay. (00:07:13) Well, we'll probably probably get some questions about other kinds of pests in the garden as the our continues. We have more listeners waiting and also a couple of lines open to 2276 thousand is the phone number you can jot it down and if you get a busy signal just try again. Go ahead, please you're next. Hello. I started this time. And tomatoes are doing fine, but I planted some melons and I haven't seen any trace of them. It's a still hope or should I do something else (00:07:44) there? You know, I wish I could answer your question, but I stopped growing melons or long time ago. They simply take up more room than I've got for them. But I'm a little worried when you say you planted a melon some time ago plant melons (00:08:01) now. Okay, so that you get plants or seeds (00:08:06) get seeds get seeds and plant them. Now. The melon is the is a part of the of the garden that is planted. Only after all danger of Frost has passed and that date was two weeks ago. So you got plenty of time to plant melon seeds of any kind you want from watermelons to Kamloops to muskmelons to what have you you should have no difficulty at all. If you want to you can soak those seeds. Overnight in water and that will speed the germination (00:08:44) another listener is waiting with a question. Hi, you're on the air. That's good morning. I had I had some peas that were about 3 inches high until the rabbits. Got out of down there about an inch high and I do have one set of leaves. I was wondering whether I should just give up on the plants that are out there and replant or whether I still have a chance at these producing something. I'll hang up and listen for the (00:09:04) answer Never Surrender to a rabbit. Get an old-fashioned box trap. If you don't know how to make them call me on the telephone or come out and I'll show you some box traps that I've made myself. You can put one carrot in a box trap and probably catch that rabbit. And if you do catch it, you'll know what to do with it. Even a rock in your fist is will be will be helpful, but you can't afford to have rabbits in the garden. I think I would have to look at the plants there now to answer your question if they are growing if new leaves are coming. I would not I would not plant again. I leave these alone, but you still got time to plant seeds. Now remember for pea seeds it should have been planted or could have been planted a month ago. They can still be planted. I would what kind of peas are these are they under English peas? (00:10:12) I don't think he still loves he was going to listen on (00:10:14) the radio Horizon telephone. Okay. Okay, (00:10:17) so we'll let that one pass and move on to our next caller good. Hi, you're on the air. Oh, hi, I have two questions. First of all, this is the first year that I've planted the sugar snap peas. The ones that you can eat both the Pod and the P itself. And for the first time I've noticed that we're getting sparrows house sparrows eating the leaves of the plants and I've never noticed this with any variety of planted in previous years, and I'm wondering if you could comment on that and the second question that I have is let's take that question and get is that all right? (00:10:52) Sure. Anything that I need to ask you you said you planted sugar snap peas. Do you have a trellis that six feet tall (00:11:02) tower? What if it's a sense that we've put up and it's about five feet tall. That's good enough. Okay, (00:11:09) that's good to know. I might tell you you can plant the first cousins of the sugar snap pea that will produce Vines will grow only about two feet tall. And every Seed Catalog that I know sells those today Sugar Bun Bo n is one of the varieties you might try next year another variety and get rid of the told trellis problem. I where do you live (00:11:46) where we live in Northeast Minneapolis? All right, (00:11:49) if you will drive out to I suppose I'm going to get some calls a protest with the sensor. If your drive out to my house. I'll show you a snake. That's 6 feet long. It's a big snake. It's made out of paper you blow it up. There's a company that makes these things in his selling them to gardeners (00:12:12) everywhere the (00:12:14) way and if if you will take one of those phony snakes blow it up and put it in. It's all right. It'll keep the birds away. I assure you if you'll drive out. I'll show you one of those things and now I let you see the literature that I have about it and you can order one and and I almost guarantee you birds will stay away. I'm sorry about this because I like birds and I do everything I can to keep him in the (00:12:46) garden. Well, I like having them but not when they eat my peas. My second question was about soil testing and we seem to have a high pH. My husband had soil of our garden tested and it was close to seven point five. I'm just wondering for the general Gardener who plants a variety of different vegetables what PH should you be aiming for in the soil? That's all right. It's okay. Yes, even for things like tomatoes I'd heard that they like things more (00:13:16) acidic. You know, I I would advise I'm going to get some letters of protest over this answer to I would advise gardener. To stop making these kind of soil test. I would urge you to have your soil tested at the University and the agricultural County agent can give you a little box with instructions and you can fill it with soil carefully taken from the whole garden send it to the university and the university will take eight make a test for you. And then you you act accordingly, but you will be become the most frustrated Gardener known to man. If you test to get the pH for everything you plant in the garden, I would walk away from that unless you have problems that you really know (00:14:11) about. They don't seem to be any of it. Okay. Well, thank you. All right. Thanks for calling. So that's just something that's a particular factor. That just doesn't really matter unless there is a specific problem. All (00:14:21) right II I don't think it I don't think Matters at all. Okay (00:14:26) more listeners with questions for Bill. None are vegetable gardening expert go ahead. You're next last summer or fall whenever it was any way. You talked me into trying garlic. And so I planted my garlic cloves last fall and I have nice long green things coming up. What I want to know is when can I (00:14:43) harvest not until they get to look exactly like the kind of garlic you like to (00:14:49) have? Yeah, but they're underground. (00:14:51) Oh, well, they use your finger and just just just just move some dirt around and yeah, but I'm sure that they're not they're not going to be ready for a while. (00:15:00) Yeah, I can now it seems to me you said that they can win her over again. Yes. I don't use them (00:15:04) all. Oh sure. (00:15:06) Sure. Okay, one other quick question some of the cold weather planting seeds like your spinach and peas and lettuce that kind of thing radishes since we've had such a weird spring and early summer while I guess not quite summer yet. Is it too late to plant those or should One wait until late in the summer for a fall crop. Let him know where I am now. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Is there time Bill you've talked about planting now and indeed planting seeds now is they're really time to suppose between now and harvest for things like tomatoes to come up and get ripen make it (00:15:42) well for seeds. No, but I wouldn't advise anybody but just try it and see it depends after all remember the tomatoes that are grown in Alaska and were developed by the Canadian agricultural experts which can be bought from Stokes seeds in many other seed catalogs to need only a very few days. There. They are there they are you can plant those now a Siege but you don't have to do that go down to the nearest garden center who had tomato seedlings are being sold get those. I'm planning my tomato seedlings Now by no means of our planet (00:16:30) them all. All right back to the telephones more questions for Bill non. Go ahead. You're next. Yeah. Hi there. I have a problem every year with squash boar and I can't seem to get rid of that from year to year. And I'd like to hear some ideas about what I should do. What I should (00:16:48) do. Well you you got a weevil and it resists it lives through the winter and you've got a you got a you got a problem, but I'm going to make a (00:17:01) prediction (00:17:04) you plant it you planted squash this year where you planted them last year? No planted them last year where you planted them year before last did you or did you (00:17:13) not know I didn't but I have a very small garden so it's not a whole lot of space but I did plan I have plan them consecutively in different areas. I plant try to plant everything that I've planted in past years in a different spot. (00:17:25) That's wonderful. Well, if your garden is small that is you will know becomes very difficult, right? I would if I went to a place, I don't know if you are if you are an organic Gardener, right I am you are well. I'm I'm a half organic Gardener. But if I had your problem I'd get I'd get some malathion and I'd spray malathion. It's either that or planning something else and I would urge you to to (00:18:03) look just send a little (00:18:08) use a little malathion and spray it and see if that doesn't help. (00:18:14) Okay, where would I get it now? Any any (00:18:16) any it's the most free as the most frequently bought product that any of the garden centers will sell (00:18:25) and I apply that by just spraying the plant. (00:18:27) Yes, the direct follow the directions you can get it in dust form. You can get it in spray form and the way to get it and spent do you have a hose that reaches to your garden? Oh, yeah. Oh well get one of the get one of these plastic containers and figure out with the help of what it says and what you know, how much of the chemical you're going to use and pour it in and connect your your plastic cup. With a hose and spray away. (00:19:00) I have one other question and that is you answer a kind of with another person that called in about the rabbit. If you don't want to trap the rabbit and this and this case the rabbit's been chewing on my tomato plants. Is there another way to distract the rabbit from coming into your garden. (00:19:16) Well, a tomato a rabbit deleted tomato plant is so strange. Haven't you got some lettuce around for the (00:19:24) latter for the video but this is obviously been it's some kind of thing that's eating it from the top down and it's eating the edge of the leaves actually (00:19:31) seen a rabbit eat eat the tomatoes. Pardon me. Have you actually seen the rabbit eat the tomato (00:19:38) not it isn't he actually in a tomato, but it's eating the plant. (00:19:42) I mean the plant (00:19:43) no, I haven't actually seen it. (00:19:45) Well, I'm going to suggest that you if you look for a rabbit, you're not going to find one there that the rabbit is not the culprit. I'd much think of Starlings as the culprit rather than rabbits, but I could be wrong about that. (00:20:06) But it's (00:20:10) see see what you can do by staying with the plant hour after hour in the Twilight or early in the morning and identify the culprit. So you'll know who you're fighting (00:20:23) with. Well supposing it is a sterling. What would what would you suggest Bill? (00:20:28) An air rifle is good, but somebody who were protests that the starting the starting is a is a protected bird from the United States point of view. Of course, we've got such a screwball heading the department of interior now, then he might be he might he might decide to be a good idea and correct some of his employees. (00:20:53) I have used some mothballs and I put that near by it and in last week I've had no no interruptions there and that's good. But I'll try also to follow and see what it really is. (00:21:06) All right, good good. (00:21:07) Thank you. Okay, 25 minutes past 12:00 o'clock Bill known as with us answering your questions about vegetable gardening. I see that we have a couple of lines open in the Twin Cities area 2276 thousand is the phone number and elsewhere within the state of Minnesota toll-free one 800 695 and Rosie. Of course, if you're listening outside the Minneapolis st. Paul area. In fact in another state you can call us directly in the Twin Cities at area code 6 12 and then the Twin Cities number next listener is waiting. Go ahead please. Yes. I have some karate planted and I've got kind of a couple planning's of it and one of the plants that have reached about three inches tall. I went out in the garden of the day and I noticed that half of them had been nipped off about a quarter of an inch above the ground cutworms. Yeah. That's what I suspected. What can I do about this? I don't I don't want to use poison if I can avoid it, but I don't see how I can use collars with Cora because it swells up at the bottom. What would you suggest? (00:22:11) Well now wait just a minute to Kohlrabi doesn't really swell at the bottom. It swells little bit up you can use you can use use something around the (00:22:21) plant. (00:22:29) The plants are not big yet. One of these is quickest thing to do is to buy these little plastic cups that you buy them and stuck together 50 in a box or so just punch the bottoms out and use them and they will do it will make a very satisfactory collar. (00:22:52) I was wondering ask guy trying to kill Robin. Did you plant articles about this? I use about six layers and newspaper and then I cut holes or slots in the in that and planted my crops and seems to be working out. Okay, if you are there any problems that I was wondering if this might shelter insects and things like that. No, I'm doing something like that. (00:23:20) Don't don't let it worry you you can do the same thing with black plastic (00:23:25) sheets. I know abot the newspaper Samaritan. Chunder because it would rot. Yes. Okay. Well, thank you very (00:23:31) much your shoes. I'd like to get in touch with me at the end of the year and tell me how well how long is the newspaper lasted with you? Oh, I will (00:23:40) I'd like to know. Okay, thank you. Another listener is waiting with a question bill is listening. Go ahead, please thank you. This is the second year that we've was previously prior to the house being built was a brick yard in turning over the soil last year to try to just clear it from Weeds. I kept turning up lots of bricks and rocks and this year. I started to plant a vegetable garden that consists of tomatoes bell peppers lettuce and pole beans. My question is the soil seems to be essentially a very heavy clay content kind of texture and I've added Pete and we turned over compost in leaves and things to try to mix it up at it just doesn't seem to have any any any I mean, it's all solid and it seems to harden over a lot. The things that I've planted are showing signs of not dying but my question is really what is the potential for this and would we be smart to just add a whole bunch of new soil next year or is there hope for this kind of quite texture soil for vegetables? (00:24:49) Well, if I were in your place, I would call the soils department at the University of Minnesota. And I would talk to the Secretary of the dean tell her what your problem is. And if you would like very much to talk to somebody on the staff who can give you some advice. And I'm quite sure she will do that. Another alternative would be to talk to the Agricultural Extension Service. But I suspect you got a problem that they're not too familiar with very location of that as as they made brick there. They obviously made brick there because of the kind of soil that was (00:25:32) there and I tried with the sturdy plants like the street vegetables like tomatoes which I understand her in pole beans and they're not they're showing signs of green and they seem to be the bell pepper seem to be doing the best and I did put some plant them directly. I dug holes in planted lots of Pete and then put them in and but I can't seem to get the soil to loosen up in any way another question. That's kind of concurrent with this is there are lots of worms in there. Is that a good sign or a bad sign then son? Oh good. Okay. Well, alright, so I should I (00:26:07) think I might tell you one more thing. They are parts of the United States of America where somewhere Clay is a typical kind of soil that every Gardener has. And people who used to clay have good Gardens. But somehow or other in Minnesota Clay is so strange and we are so we were so frightened about clay that will spend a fortune putting things in the clay hoping they were going to change the clay to something else. I'd like very much to have you talk to somebody and agriculture. What county do you live in? (00:26:49) I don't believe I mean I get actual bricks that seem to be rising up from the ground periodically you I'm going to build what county do you live in belongs to me Hennepin County? (00:27:02) Well, why don't you call mr. Mukesh muga s and tell him about the conversation you and I are (00:27:12) having P from where would I find him (00:27:16) under Hennepin County Agricultural Extension Service. Tell him about the conversation you and I haven't okay and asked him to if he can furnish you with a list of vegetables that you can grow that will grow in (00:27:32) clay. All right. We'll move on its 29 minutes before one o'clock. And our next listener is waiting. Go ahead please yes. I was wondering if you could tell me is there any way to control raspberries once they get really (00:27:46) moving? You mean control because they're growing (00:27:49) everywhere rolling everywhere put up wouldn't keep putting him down. (00:27:55) I don't normally answer any questions having to do with fruit, but your question is is a fascinating one. All I can tell you to do is use a trowel or hole or shovel or something and and dig the runners-up and give them to somebody who wants some plants. What kind of what kind do you have? (00:28:17) I'm not certain my sister just planted a few years ago when she got a couple different kinds at (00:28:26) the moment. I'm looking for some but (00:28:31) certainly you can you can find you can find (00:28:35) somebody who will be happy to get them because they're expensive the expensive when you go out to buy them. I'm sorry. You don't know the names of the ones you have. (00:28:46) Okay, we'll take another listener with a question. Thank you for calling and your next go ahead please I'm calling from Rochester. I'm not sure whether your guests will answer question on a couple of evergreen trees. No, no vegetable gardening is is Bill Dunn's specialty gardening only. Okay, you might check with a garden center or possibly the (00:29:08) call the Agricultural Extension Service in Rochester. Okay, and then it's a they've got one of the best services in the state of (00:29:17) Minnesota. We've got some scales or something on these trees. Okay. Okay agriculture extension service. Yes. Good luck with your with your Evergreens in Rochester. And our next listener has a question. Go ahead please. Twelve cabbage plants in a fenced-in garden and now I have two left in the when the first one was. It was like it was being pulled down into a hole and I kind of dug around and looking there was a tunnel under there. (00:29:51) Well, you've got somebody you got you got a guest in your (00:29:56) garden, right? And I'm the beets are I have wide rows and the beats are in the next wide row and I'm just afraid he's going to challenge the beach next. (00:30:06) Well, I don't quite know what you can do. If I were in your place, I would go and buy some poison. (00:30:15) When I first time I put some poison peanuts in or whatever. (00:30:19) Where did you get those? (00:30:22) I don't know I had them from last (00:30:24) year. Well. I'd go right ahead and use (00:30:31) them keep putting them in. Yes. (00:30:34) Another thing you can do. Can you get your car close to that place? (00:30:38) No, I can't but I could get my More no, (00:30:43) no, what you want to do is to get a pipe. Maybe you could still do it get your car close enough and get a flexible pipe from somebody rather and run the engine of your car and let the exhaust go in the (00:30:59) hole. Okay. Another question is four to five years ago. I planted two rows 10 foot long of asparagus and this year I have about five plants left. that's something eat the roots or (00:31:20) I never heard of any animal you doing the root of an asparagus (00:31:25) plant. When (00:31:27) did you properly plant them (00:31:29) according to directions? And we had you mean you've filled in another place where we lived or not a field but a little bed and never had any problems. You say (00:31:39) you had a trench foot and a half (00:31:41) deep put them in and you planted the when we did the first couple of years you did not pick that all the first year and the next year we pick this a little bit (00:31:53) you should have had no problem at all. (00:31:56) Well, I just was afraid you know, what something was eating them. And if I replanted them that I (00:32:01) can't think of a single environment that would eat the roots of an asparagus (00:32:07) plan. Now, I don't see any activity Burrows in the activity of an animal then I know you said you don't I just heard you say you didn't deal with raspberries. I To ask a referral question then two years ago our raspberry bad died and it's about six rows about 10 to 12 feet long and they all seem to die at once and I was concerned that they might be diseased. We're could I send them to find out the few that are left before? (00:32:43) Where do you live (00:32:45) south of white there? And what county (00:32:48) Ramsey Ramsey County? Okay, you-you-you-you called Agricultural Extension Service in Ramsey County and ask the horticulturalists there and there is one excellent one ask him where you can take these. I'm sure he will want to look at them. And he may ask you to send them to him in the mail. Oh, he may ask you to to bring them into the office for him to look at and he can help you out. (00:33:25) We have some people who want to get rid of raspberries and other people yes to measure raspberries come back and roll. Well 23 minutes before the hour. Let's take another Lester. Go ahead, please. Hello is that mr. McGregor there? This is flopsy Barney. You haven't caught me yet and I had two questions to ask you this knows if they please do that one if they plant lots of chamomile and to when they catch us in our in our box in your good old box of trip, would you take us down to the river and let us loose in a nice wooded area? Well, we got somebody there who obviously doesn't approve of your methods of dealing with the rabbits bill. (00:34:05) That's alright. I'll ask to ask the lady. What is she what kind of chamomile is she talking about it two (00:34:10) kinds of the makes a good tummy ache medicine for the babies. Okay? Okay. All right. Another listener is waiting with a question on vegetable gardening. Go ahead please it's my backyard is surrounded by a honeysuckle head and it would headache words on it last year, which seemed to get in my garden. That's a good way to take care of (00:34:32) aces. A garden hose is a good thing to do. You knock the aphids off the (00:34:41) plant spray the heck out of them. (00:34:43) That's right. That is as good as I know unless you want to use a chemical use anyone. I think one of the tragedies with a lot of gardeners is they get a different chemical for every bug or insect. They have and the end up with a great collection. I would stick to one thing if and and use it. For example, even with aphids try any of the standard ones and stick to it now. I want to ask you a question. Okay. Do you have you don't have a lot of ladybugs around? (00:35:22) Why not because I think because we just started (00:35:26) gardening. Well now wait a minute. If you got a fridge you ought to have ladybugs. The ladybug is the best helper. What do you could have in the battle against against aphids? Okay, and I want to ask you. People get mixed up with regard to ladybugs ladybug and a and a Mexican bean Beetle adjust about the same looking thing matter of fact their (00:36:01) relatives. Oh, really? (00:36:03) The thing about it is the being relative has exactly 16 spots and a and a and a ladybug can have any number of (00:36:15) spots. (00:36:17) So if you can go to where the the ladybugs what looked like ladybugs are pick them up. And and and look at him you need ladybugs in your garden, but don't buy them. You can buy a pound of ladybugs and all sorts of places. Yeah, you're spend a lot of money and you'll open the box and all the ladybugs will go visiting so such as I don't fall for that one, but I wish you luck. I don't see why ladybugs would be such a great problem to you. (00:36:54) How would you suggest the introduce ladybugs into his (00:36:57) garden? (00:37:00) Because (00:37:00) you should be nice to (00:37:02) ladybugs. Just be nice to (00:37:05) her. No, I'm serious about this because so many people have it in the back of the head that any insects should be killed and if you can distinguish between the ladybug the the ladybug won't go away. Okay, you won't you won't hurt them. You won't harm them. You won't slap out them and they'll stay right where they are and you want them (00:37:25) there. Another Gardener is on the phone with a question. Go ahead, please. Yes. I'm calling for Rochester and I did get rid of some aphids last year by spring with 2 tablespoons of ivory dish liquid and one or two tablespoons of molasses and you just spray it on the tomato plant and they were gone in a couple of days and they didn't come back and then and my question is I'm building this tomato fence. It's about four foot high and it's a 5-foot Circle and you're supposed to put compost in the middle or you know, like last year's compost and leaves and then plant your tomato plants around this stents and they're supposed to grow up the sense. Is there anything I should be feeding the tomatoes? They're putting in that compost pile that would make it, you know more nutrient for the tomatoes. (00:38:15) I would I would not although they are all sorts of compounds that are sold (00:38:23) commercially it just like your regular tomato food. Yes. Yeah. (00:38:27) That you can use but I don't use any of those. I'm I regret to say okay what I want but I certainly would fertilize those Tomatoes. Okay, if you have any natural manure, that's well rotted use it if you haven't if you're not an organic Gardener use use any of the chemical fertilizers 5 10 10. (00:38:52) Okay. Thank you very much. More listeners are waiting more gardeners with questions for Bill none. Go ahead. You're next. Hello. I'm an organic Gardener from Minnetonka with a suggestion to share on how to keep the rabbits and moles and chipmunks and squirrels and even the birds out of your garden without poisons are traps good work for us. And so I like to pass it on to find as I can. We had one fence around the garden and of course that wasn't working especially against the Chipmunks. So we put another fence about 10 feet farther out all the way around the And then we brought a dog in our case of Kali and built her a doghouse and installed her out there and she lives in that run and patrols around that garden and the mole tunnels come right up to the outside Vents and they just stopped and now we're eating all our food instead of the animals from the woods eating at nobody's been trapped or poisoned or killed and everybody's happy but they stay out of there because that dog are living in the run all the way around the garden just guards it it works beautifully. We've done that for about seven years now, (00:39:56) that's just superb idea. I hope every Gardener who is listening will do the same thing. You can even the dog is going to appreciate this, but you can take your dog and tie your dog in the garden. And and the animals that bother you a garden plants will stay away (00:40:24) - she doesn't need dog doesn't have to be in there all the time either. You know, that's right. Just the smell of the dog is enough to she's in the house. I'd say half the day and in but that smell must keep those animals away. They know that a dog lives in there and they aren't going to risk Crossing that it's kind of like the principle of an alligator in a moat and it works keep some out even the Birds she barks at them and they go away to (00:40:48) what kind of dog is that incident? Is it barks at (00:40:51) Birds? She's a collie. Oh and she's a young pup. She's not quite a year old yet. So, you know when they're young almost anything if you encourage them and praise them for that then they'll get the idea that you like it when they do that and they'll keep on I'll sell alcohol at the window chase the birds away shadow and she'll bark and away they go. (00:41:09) Thank you so much for calling. Welcome (00:41:11) 15 minutes before one o'clock Bill. Are there any useful as Beck's of birds and animals in the garden. Oh, yes. Well, what are they just a (00:41:20) couple well rinse, for example a great Garden favorites their little birds tiny little birds. They'll get used to you. I have Ren's all over the place. And the reason I have them is I take ordinary milk cartons and I cut a hole around hole and I put the milk cartons against every Post in the garden and I have a fence around my God. So how many of these I've never counted them out in Romani I have but about every fourth one is occupied by a wren family. And they are just wonderful. But any bird is good. Robin's are good. Robin's not kind of first the only when they are feeding their babies when they're feeding their babies, they don't use Burt they don't use seeds. They don't use parts of plants. They use animals. They use insects. Hmm, but they're very useful. One of the nice things about the Robin is they hop around while you're working and they'll be within a foot of you waiting for you to turn solid up with a trowel so they can get out to where it's sure. They'll get some (00:42:34) earthworms (00:42:35) you wish they wouldn't but you don't begrudge the worm of the bird of an earth word. I think birds are valuable to the gardener. But I think there's a lot of other animals that are valuable to I wish every Gardener for example could identify a shrew? And not think that every through they see is a field mouse. They look about the same and if you only when you got them close together, will you see the long nose of the Shrew? And this through eats its weight three times every day in insects. So if you have shrews in your garden can be grateful, but you can do better than that. I've pick up. Well when I'm mowing the grass or doing anything else away from the garden and I see a toad I pick it up put it in my pocket, by the way, they will not give you warts or whatever and then I take it out to the garden and I'll put it in the garden to make the toad feel at home. He needs a place to get out of the Sun and attend can isn't any good because it gets too hot. But if you have some old terracotta pipes, you can put a terracotta pipe every once in a while and if you want to you even put a little fence around it for three or four days and put water there and the toad will stay there and the total will be there for the whole garden are just just just eating and eating and eating eating insects a lot. Is (00:44:18) all right. Let's go back to the phones and more listeners with questions. Go ahead, please. Yes. I wonder if our panelists can tell how to prevent or dispose of Iris root ballers. (00:44:36) I don't know. I'm going to be very honest. What is what you say on Irish (00:44:42) route Irish reporters, they get down in the roots and they eat the heart out of the Irish roots. Oh Iris Iris, I'm (00:44:48) sorry that I'm so I don't know. I have not been Ramsey County have nothing to do with flowers if my wife were here she could tell you but but but I have nothing to do with flowers, but call the Agricultural Extension Agricultural (00:45:05) Extension Service. Yes. Okay. I'll try them. Yes. All right. Let's see if we can solve somebody's problem. Go ahead. You're on the air. Thank you. I'm calling from st. Paul. What do you suggest as bait for a live box for rabbits? Carrot (00:45:23) you can use you can use a carrot cut a part of the card up and chop it up and put the little pieces of the carrot in front of the box and and then right up to the bait. So the rabbit comes out eating a little piece of carrot a little piece of carrot a little funny. He's in the box and he's ready to eat the big carrot he does and and the trap Falls and then you've got a (00:45:49) responsibility. All right. Thank you very much. Okay, 10 minutes before one another listener is waiting with a question and build on his listening. Go ahead, please thank you. We have a neighbor's cat who thinks our Gardens are real Nifty litter box. You have any ideas about that? (00:46:09) Well, I don't know what to say about that. I just don't know but I will I will shock You by saying that we plant catnip in our garden. to attract cats and I want cats in the garden. They'll do much less damage to the plants in a dog will do because the dog digs and a cat does not (00:46:40) dig. Well, we can't things to cover his (00:46:42) traces. Well, that's not much of a dig and on top of that traces of useful in the garden, but the important thing is if one thing is that I have a curious feeling that cats will distinguish between field mice and (00:47:00) shrews. That way you'll control the field mice and leave the shrews right as you pointed out earlier are useful because of the amount of (00:47:09) insects the I could be wrong about that. I couldn't prove it is what (00:47:13) about discouraging Birds? But what about discouraging birds in the garden? I don't (00:47:18) think catch killer as many birds as you think in the birds in my garden alert enough to avoid cats. I think it (00:47:28) sounds like you've got quite an ecosystem in your garden bill with the cats and the shrews and everything. Alright, another listener is waiting with the question. Go ahead please. Hello. Yes. I'm wondering what you'd recommend for beginning Gardener besides tomatoes. That would not be vulnerable to bad weather and plants and insects and so on animals and (00:47:50) insects. You mean what kind of (00:47:53) tomato what other plants in a tomato for a beginning Gardener several that would be relatively easy to handle first time around small garden. (00:48:02) Well, look here. All you need to do is to go to a garden center and just stand in front of the racks of Northrup King and pick out any any pack of seeds its appeal to you and try them out or get a catalog. But it'll take you a while to write for the catalog and for the center of the catalog to send you (00:48:30) one (00:48:31) but the catalog can help you out to just pick out any vegetable that you want to grow plant it and see but I suspect already. You know what you'd like to have in the garden. I suspect you want peers and you won't beans and you want carrots and you want potatoes and so on plant any of them? (00:48:52) Okay, thank you very much. Are they all relative of the same relative difficulty or he's to deal (00:48:59) with it depends upon the soil and all sorts of things, but he should have no difficulty with anyone that we're talking about. (00:49:07) More listeners with questions as we come close to your to the end of the are go ahead please. I have two tomato plant questions. Ins that our plants we tried rotating the crop and we still have the problem the plants come up and they seem to do just fine. And then about Harvest Time the foliage all dies off and then the other problem that we have is the tomatoes rotting from the (00:49:31) bottom. Okay. Do you smoke no does your husband or son or anybody else lives works in the garden smoke? No, have you got a neighbor who comes over and admires your (00:49:45) garden? Nobody admires our garden? (00:49:50) Well, what I'm getting at is we have a tobacco mosaic virus that is that is increasing its influence in our area and what you've just described indicates one of the wheels could be that one but there are a lot of others. So let's go back. What kind of tomatoes did you plant? (00:50:23) We've planned it we've had the problem I would say for at least five years maybe (00:50:27) longer and you're planting tomatoes in the same place. (00:50:30) No, we've got it. rude guard and will to rotate Tate the tomatoes to different areas (00:50:39) and we so that Tomatoes anywhere in your garden now are growing not growing where any have grown for the last five years (00:50:48) from now this year. We're going to try a spot where we've had the problem before but we haven't had tomatoes there for at least five (00:50:56) years, right and I have one more question. Okay. Do you get resistant or tolerant Tomatoes? But (00:51:03) I don't know I think you know, we just by wherever we have but we would not you know, we just buy whatever we happen to see them. We haven't gotten into any hybrid or anything like that. (00:51:17) Why don't you go to the where do you live in the st. Paul area the (00:51:21) Minneapolis Elk River? Yes, so we have very very sandy soil. (00:51:26) Well, no, I wasn't thinking about (00:51:28) that. Okay. (00:51:34) I don't like to sit here and tell you what to do and name on a garden center to call but just for the heck of it. I will look in the yellow (00:51:49) section. (00:51:51) For Margolis Nursery, (00:51:54) okay. (00:51:56) And call mr. Margolis and talk to him. There are two Margolis (00:51:59) Brothers. All right, (00:52:01) tell him about the conversation you and I having okay and ask him if he has any tomatoes plants for sale that are result. He knows either resistant or tolerant to one of the wilts because you've got one of the world's. I don't know what it (00:52:19) is and that stays in the soil you yes. (00:52:23) So so the reason I'm suggest you do that you can do the same thing with any of the other nurseries you want to write but Margolis is a kind of a guy who gets interested in these questions and and and and he and I know him he's a friend. Okay, and and he will he will help you. But Lyndale Garden Center will do the same thing. Then they'll Garden Center is owned by Two Brothers. Ask the telephone operator to give you one of them. Okay, and and try what you're looking for you and they're not easy to find I want to tell you because Most of the people who sell tomato seedlings. Yes. I just selling tomato seedlings and they can tell you the name, but they can't tell you whether or not the it the ceiling is resistant or tolerant. (00:53:12) Three minutes before one. I think we have time for one maybe two more calls. Let's try our next listener. Go ahead, please. Yeah, good afternoon. I'm calling from Bemidji where we have a really nice Garden going right now, but next spring will later. This summer will be moving down your Itasca State Park and we will be have to be starting a new Garden in what has been for last. Ten years or so a pasture for cattle and we're going back and forth. Now what to do best to prepare a pastor for a vegetable garden and one thing that we had recommended To Us by a man of many years of experience in gardening was to plow the field under or where we're just we're going to have a garden on the day of a new moon and he said that in the grass off again and this is coming up Tuesday here and we're still debating what what to do about that and we're wondering what your thoughts are on that subject (00:54:17) first. I'm always amused when people tell me they do something by the moon but my grandfather thought there were certain times of the moon when you could do things in the garden and you couldn't but his children had it didn't have that idea and the children didn't either so I can't I can't You know nothing about the moon, but I can tell you what to do about that Pastor the clearly you there is quack grass in the pasture, right? Yeah, lots of it. Okay, you've got to get rid of the quackgrass and for heaven's sakes don't paw that Garden up don't wrote it till it because if you if you wrote it till quack the quick route, maybe 10 feet long and you'll cut it in 50 pieces in our you got 50 new quack grass to grow. So don't do that. Get some Roundup it cost eighty six dollars a gallon and you better get a gallon any in a you have to use it not in a metal sprayer. If you do it'll explode. You you got a plastic sprayer you go out there long before you go out there now. And spray the area that you're going to use for the garden (00:55:37) Bill. I'm going to have to stop you there because we have just we just run out of time, but I want to thank you for coming in and sharing your experience with us today. (00:55:45) I've enjoyed this (00:55:46) as always. It's a real pleasure to have you here Bill none.