346 All About Soil Thermometers, pH Testing, Cardboard Mulch

06/28/24 • 29 min

How do use and adjust a soil thermometer? Why is my soil pH so variable at different soil depths? How do you use cardboard to replace a lawn and start a garden?

Those are some of the questions, along with scenic bypasses - of course - that we’ll be tackling today. And there’s a lot of great garden tips in those scenic bypasses today.

It’s all in Episode 346 of today’s Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! Brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!
Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Audio, transcripts, and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.

Pictured: Soil Thermometer

Links:
Subscribe to the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
Dave Wilson Nursery
HeirloomRoses.com (with the FRED discount link)

Other links mentioned in today’s podcast:
Soil Thermometers Instructions for Soil Thermometers (Australia)
Soil Thermometer calibration (Wisconsin)
Soil Temperature Chart for Seeds
Sheet Mulching with Cardboard (UCANR)
What is Hugelkultur? (Oklahoma St. U)
Understanding pH (UCANR)
pH Test Kits
University Soil Testing Services: Texas A&M, Colorado State, UMass/Amherst

Got a garden question?

• Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
• Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964.
• Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net
• E-mail: [email protected]

All About Farmer Fred:
The GardenBasics.net website

The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
https://gardenbasics.substack.com

Farmer Fred website
The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com
Facebook: "Get Growing with Farmer Fred"
Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.

Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

How do use and adjust a soil thermometer? Why is my soil pH so variable at different soil depths? How do you use cardboard to replace a lawn and start a garden?

Those are some of the questions, along with scenic bypasses - of course - that we’ll be tackling today. And there’s a lot of great garden tips in those scenic bypasses today.

Pictured: Soil Thermometer

Got a garden question?

All About Farmer Fred:
The GardenBasics.net website

The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
https://gardenbasics.substack.com

Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

Previous Episode

345 The Heart Healthy Garden, Live!

Did you know rose petals are edible, and contain lots of healthy fiber? That's part of today’s podcast, recorded live, in February 2024, at the Sacramento Rose Society's monthly meeting.
The main topic is growing the Heart Healthy Garden! And roses can be an edible part of that healthy landscape.

This podcast episode features foods to grow that can help lower your cholesterol and blood sugar numbers, as well as help control your blood pressure. Plus, steps to take for "how" and "when" to eat, to help you on the pathway to better health.

It’s all in today’s Episode 345, The Heart Healthy Garden, Live! brought to you by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!
Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net.

Pictured: The Dick Clark rose

Links:
Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com
Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/
Dave Wilson Nursery
HeirloomRoses.com (with the FRED discount link)

"Beyond the Garden Basics" Newsletter of 5/27/22: “Heart Healthy Tips...” (contains photos, links to studies mentioned)

Other links mentioned in today’s podcast:

Fiber Content of Foods in Common Portions
Study: Chemical Composition of rose, sunflower and calendula flower petals for human food use
Study: Beneficial medicinal effect and material applications of rose

Note: The Garden Basics podcast has returned to its once a week release schedule, on Fridays.
Got a garden question?

All About Farmer Fred:
The GardenBasics.net website

The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics
https://gardenbasics.substack.com

The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog
http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com

Facebook: "Get Growing with Farmer Fred"

Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/

Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.

Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

Next Episode

347 Travelers' Garden Basics Playlist. All About Berries. Slugs in Compost.

It’s a holiday weekend and you might be traveling. What about a Garden Basics playlist for that long car ride or for listening to while lounging around someplace cool? We have suggestions for that playlist - the five most listened-to Garden Basics episodes.

Also: wherever you live, you can probably grow some kind of berries. Today, we revisit our chat with Master Gardener and expert raspberry and boysenberry grower, Pam Bone, who has lots of good tips for growing these tasty, healthy treats.

And to wrap up this episode, we tackle the question, what are those slugs doing in the compost bin?

We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory. It’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!
Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Audio, transcripts, and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.

Pictured: Raspberry Trellis System.

Other links mentioned in today’s podcast:
Top 5 Listened-to Episodes of the Garden Basics Podcast:
1. #319 How to Plant and care for a shade tree
2.#266 Cucumber Growing Basics
3. #256 Container Gardening Basics
4. #258 10 More Garden Quick Tips
5. #263 The Top Homegrown Vegetables, Pt 1

Growing Caneberries in the Sacramento Region
University Soil Testing Services: Texas A&M, Colorado State, UMass/Amherst

Got a garden question?

• Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics
• Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964.
• E-mail: [email protected]

All About Farmer Fred:
The GardenBasics.net website

The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Garden Basics
https://gardenbasics.substack.com

Farmer Fred website
Facebook: "Get Growing with Farmer Fred"
Instagram: farmerfredhoffman
Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.

Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter.

Garden Basics with Farmer Fred - 346 All About Soil Thermometers, pH Testing, Cardboard Mulch

Transcript

346 TRANSCRIPT Thermometers, pH, cardboard

Garden Basics with Farmer Fred is brought to you by Smart Pots, the original lightweight, long lasting fabric plant container. It's made in the USA. Visit SmartPots.com slash Fred for more information and a special discount, that's SmartPots.com/Fred.

Welcome to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast. If you're just a beginning gardener or you want good gardening information, you've come to the right spot.