You Bet Your Garden

Mike McGrath loves radio, but he’s always down to show off in front of a crowd. This week’s You Bet Your Garden is a very special treat: excerpts from Mike’s talk at Meadowbrook Farm in Abington, PA earlier this summer. Subjects include tomato pollination, diversity of native bees, rosemary vs St. John’s wart, and so much more!

Your tomatoes and peppers are under attack; big chunks are missing! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath identifies the most likely suspects and reveals if the leftovers are safe to eat. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

I believe that my garden has recently been visited by these pests...

Got lots of ripe tomatoes coming in? More than you can eat? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath walks you through the cooking and processing of superior tomato sauce, with an emphasis on using the fewest garden fresh ingredients. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

I’m in tomato heaven; and I just got a Vitamix high-powered blender...

In fall, a young man’s fancy turns to…killing greasy grubs! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath lays out your organic grub control options and explains why this is the time of year to strike. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

When is the best time to apply milky spore to control Japanese beetle grubs in the lawn? And how often should it be applied?
—Stephen in Ellicott City, Maryland

How to get rid of grubs »

If you’ve been to a home show, you’ve seen the rival franchises selling mosquito spray packages to homeowners. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath responds to a listener concerned about her neighbor’s use of such a service, and does a bit of sleuthing to figure out exactly what’s in those sprays. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

Nobody wants to work hard outside. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath reveals that cheaters always win—especially when they perfect the lawn care and pruning practices that minimize hard work in the summertime. Also, Jenny Rose Carey, senior director at the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s Meadowbrook Farm, joins the show to talk about the perfect plants for shady spots...

Your garlic harvest is in…now what? Use it fresh before it sprouts? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will expose the secret to getting a season of good seasoning from your harvest—or from the great garlic you’ll find at local farmer’s markets. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

Mosquito prevention time is over; now is the time to switch tactics to protection. On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath reveals how to attract dragonflies and explains why white is the color to wear this mosquito season. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

I’m a 13-year-old boy and live with my grandparents on seven acres of land. We have a pond, but absolutely no dragonflies...

A listener wants to attract beneficial insects, but instead is beset by flies! On the latest You Bet Your Garden, Mike McGrath discusses how this might not be the worst thing to happen to an urban gardener. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

Is it ever right to use your grass clippings as a garden mulch?? On the latest You Bet Your Garden, we’ll bend–but not break–the rules as Mike McGrath looks at the pros and cons of collecting those clips. Plus, your fabulous phone calls!

My son has been trying to make compost out of three large piles of grass contained by plastic fencing...