In The Garden

Peter and Joel talk about their favorite recipes for their fresh produce out of the garden. They also take some listener calls to share their favorites. Got a recipe to share? Contact WDEV on Facebook or email inthegarden@radiovermont.com.

We start the show with many listener questions about protecting from pests, this summer must have been good for the bugs and rodents because it seems like everyone's garden has some pests trying to steal their produce. Peter also gives some ideas on what you can do once you harvest your produce, from pesto to tomato sauce to canning. Make sure you get your supplies ready beforehand.

Peter explains why right now is the best time of year to buy your garlic starts and when to plant your starts in time for winter. And as always we take your calls and questions about garlic or anything else garden related.

Peter and Joel take listener calls and answer your questions on everything from pests to storage and more.

Peter and Joel talk about what they've been eating out of their gardens, like tomatoes and pole beans. They also take listener calls and answer your questions.

We've talked in the past about how to deal with bugs, but Peter and many of our listeners are having their produce devoured by small animals like chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits. We talk about the best ways to keep them away and Peter answers your questions.

Peter jumps right into it this week answering your questions. Take a listen, you might find someone with the same garden question you might have.

The Leek Moth has been a big problem for parts of New England and New York. Now there are the beginnings of reports that it has It likes to feast on  members of the Allium family including onions, garlic, leeks, chives and shallots. Peter gives his recommendations on how to protect your plants. And he also goes over how to protect from Japanese beetle, a common pest in Vermont.

Peter invites his neighbors and mushroom growers, Sarah and Steve Gallagher, to call in and talk about how they grow mushrooms and how they have found success, particularly with Shiitakes.

Hilling potatoes involves covering the plant with loose organic material periodically to encourage the tubers to grow deep and wide, improving the flavor of the potatoes. Peter talks about how to hill potatoes when you're growing them in a garden bed. Unlike in many other places, in a bed there isn't a lot of room and dirt around the plant to hill with. So instead, you can scoop up the soil you can around the plant and then add a mixture of germination mix and compost for additional material.

With outdoor garden season basically in full swing and a lot of new gardeners experimenting now that grocery store visits seem a bit risky, it's important to review the basics and refresh even the most seasoned gardeners. One of the biggest keys to garden success aside from permanent beds are the permanent pathways. They'll save you a lot of time and energy later weeding out grass and other weeds from your beds.

We had some hot weather this week, but this being Vermont there's still more cool weather on the way that can harm some plants. Peter goes over what to get outside now and what to wait on a little more for more consistent weather.

With the warming weather coming in, now is the time to start planting the rest of your plants. A few more tender things might still be affected by night time temperatures, but the majority should be good to go. Take advantage of the beautiful spring weather.

It's still a tad cold out, but there's still plenty you can plant right now. Peter tells his tale of getting a soil thermometer so you know what will grow right now and what to wait a bit longer on.

With the cold weather we're having right now, it's more important than ever to plant things that can handle this early season cold. Things like rhubarb, spinach, and arugala can thrive despite the cold. When things warm up, then you can plant the more heat-loving produce.

If you want your garden to be able to keep your panty stocked for the year with delicious produce, you'll need to do some planning. Think about how much produce your family would eat in a year. Then think about how you can get that amount of produce out of the space you have available. Peter explains how he plans his garden and takes listener calls to give his insight.

At a time when grocery stores are seeing some shortages and people are encouraged to stay home, the garden is a great place to look to fill out your produce needs. Peter goes over the garden basics to kick off another growing season and another season of "In the Garden."

Just because we're in September, doesn't mean the growing season is over. When something comes out of the garden, something else can go in. Peter gives his advice on what you can grow this time of year.

Peter interviews John Hayden, owner of The Farm Between in Jefferson, VT.  He and his wife Nancy wrote the new book "Farming on the Wild Side: The Evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery."

With the advent of the Labor Day weekend, the summer growing season begins to come to a close. There are things you can do to maximize the output of your plants in this time and ways to preserve your harvest through the winter.