Showing results by author "Mike McGrath" in All Categories

You may have heard rosemary being called "the herb of remembrance", but two top researchers say that many other easy-to-grow edibles are also capable of helping prevent or reverse age and Alzheimer's related declines in mental function. Mike McGrath will reveal the top 20 plants you can grow in your own garden to prevent "brain drain".

We celebrate St. Patrick's Day with tips from noted Irish gardener John Cushnie! John is the author of several books; his latest is How to Prune. He is also a panelist on the BBC's Gardener's Question Time. During the Question of the Week, we stick with the green and discuss moss. Moss covers the ground with a bright blanket of green that never needs mowing or feeding. It can take a little foot traffic and even a little sun.

Black spot is the scourge of rose growers everywhere. Mike McGrath will tell you how to prevent rose disease in general, and he'll name eighteen rose varieties that are naturally resistant to black spot and mildew, including a number of grandiflora and floribunda types, and even some hybrid teas!

Would you like to make your landscape a better place for wildlife like beautiful birds, toads, and amphibians? David Mizejewski, author of Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife offers tips and simple steps to provide shelter, food and nesting spaces in your yard. He'll also explain how gardeners can get their yard certified as a habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Then. there's a chill in the air, and that means miserable mice are gearing up for lots of mischief.

Stinkbugs come in a variety of colors, but they always have the same shape. They make a mess of lots of different kinds of plants, and can ruin your season in a heartbeat. Mike McGrath will reveal the best ways to control stinkbugs, on both flowering and non-flowering plants. He'll also tell you about two look-alike bugs that are garden friends, not foes!

Have you ever wondered how they get all those Spring bulbs, flowering trees, shrubs and other plants to burst into bloom weeks and even months ahead of schedule for Springtime Flower Shows?

Want more butterflies in your life? On this week's episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will reveal how to attract the fabulous flyers with butterfly-friendly plants and tricks with sand and salt!

Does your compost just sit there instead of turning into rich "black gold"? Do you want to start making compost but don't know where to begin? Mike McGrath will explain the easy, no mess way to make the world's finest disease-fighting plant food. Mike will also reveal how to correctly incorporate kitchen scraps and other green waste into your pile.

Are tenacious weeds like Creeping Charlie creeping you out? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath discuses the potential medical benefits of aggressively invasive weeds.

Do you love fireflies? Or maybe you call them lightning bugs? This week on You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will explain how these incredible insects are becoming endangered, and how you can help keep the lights on!

Blueberries are one of nature's most perfect foods - they're packed with naturally occurring antioxidants that fight cancer and other ailments, plus phytochemicals that can delay the onset of dementia. Mike McGrath will discuss everything you need to know to grow your own, in your own backyard.

Homegrown tomatoes are the treasure of summer! But, if you plant them in the same spot year after year, soil-borne wilts will attack your precious plants. This week on You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will tell you your options for keeping your tomatoes healthy, even when the growing space is too tight to rotate. Plus: are you envious of plants that you see in the yards of friends, families and neighbors?

Many tomato patches were claimed by late blight this season. You Bet Your Garden host Mike McGrath not only tells you how to prevent its return, but also how to deal with diseased plants in general. As always, fabulous phone calls and chemical free answers to garden questions.

The time to plant garlic is fast approaching! On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath explains how to preserve this year's garlic harvest and grow the best plants next year and for many seasons to come. And of course, chemical free answers to all your garden questions.

Have you got lots of grass clippings that you'd like to turn into compost? This week on You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will explain why you should back away from that pile and use those clips for something much better!

The ultimate kernel of delight every summer has got to be sweet corn! Host Mike McGrath will reveal how you can grow a patch of your very own stairway to buttered heaven. Plus, chemical-free answers to all your gardening questions.

Are pesky mosquitoes making you miserable? This week on You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will review the steps you should take to avoid giving blood 'on the fly'. And of course, chemical free answers to all your garden questions.

Want to start a garden right away, but the area is a mess of tough invasives like ivy or mint? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will reveal your long and short-term options. Plus, tips for growing great edibles from George Ball, and chemical-free answers to all your gardening questions.

Would you like dramatic, instant height in your garden? How about screening from nosy neighbors and busy streets? This week on You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will take you on a tour of the wonderful world of ornamental grasses. And of course, chemical free answers to all your garden questions.

Want to extend your growing season? On this episode of You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will tell you how to add months to your favorite pastime with hoop houses, row covers and cold frames! Plus: chemical free answers to all your garden questions.