Garden Time with Mike Ventura: Recent Episodes
Michael Ventura
In this episode, I will continue to explain the importance of having a healthy soil is essential to develop a healthy plant root system.
In this episode, I will be discuss the correlation of how soil management will impact the four functions of a plant root. I will be using the root system of a tree and why soil management is so important for a healthy root system.
A plant root has 4 specific functions:
Anchorage
Storage
Support
Conduction
I this episode I continue to discuss the four functions of a plant root and how the management of a plant roots is one of the keys to success to the growing a healthy plant.
In this episode, I continue explain techniques that have worked very well when moving plants from a nursery container to their new home.
In this episode I discuss how to properly remove a plant from a nursery container assist the plant with getting established in its new home.
When a plant wilts, this is an indication that something is interrupting the flow of water thru the vascular tissue. The vascular tissue is called xylem.
The xylem can be interrupted from:
soil
insect ( borer) activity
disease activity
In this episode, I discuss more about macro and micro nutrients. I also discuss some of the benefits of adding organic matter to soil.
In this podcast, I will be discussing the different types of soils:
sand
silt
clay
The role that organic matter plays with soil, I will also be discussing macro nutrients, micro nutrients and what is cation exchange capacity as it relates to soils.
This will be a two part podcast
A continuation of plant heath care and implementation of plant health care. Putting plants in the very best cultural condition that is best for the plant.
As an example, I mention the growing of Coast Live Oaks. Coast Live Oak is a native tree. Avoid putting water loving plants around the tree protection zone of the oak. Maintaining plants in cultural growing conditions that are best for the plant is plant health care.
Plant health care incorporates:
Diagnostics
Management of plant diseases
Insect and mite management
Weed control
Abiotic, non-pathogen
Biotic, pathogen
Soil management
Plant health care discusses:
Soil management
Insect management
Disease management
Diagnostics as it applies to plant
Abiotic which are non- pathological
Biotic which are pathological
Understanding the disease triangle as it applies to plants
I discuss how to manage Kikuyu grass out of a cool season lawn.
Implement integrated pest management practices for the management of the kikuyu grass
What is a pest issue?
Insect, mite, virus, bacteria, fungi, weed and improper cultural growing conditions
What season of the year is the pest issue the problem?
Spring, summer, fall and winter
Strategies to manage a pest issue:
Monitor
Chemical
Biological
Mechanical
Cultural
Growing a healthy garden is a multi step process, it incorporates:
Soil management practices
Effective Irrigation management
Nutritional program
Garden time is now on Facebook, simple go Garden Time with Mike Ventura and you are good to go.
How to grow a healthy garden is not just a single step, steps that will benefit the performance of the garden:
Organic soil amends
improve the overall cultural growing conditions in the garden
learn and implement the cultural growing conditions that the plant requires
applying organic soil amends that are low in salts
Preparing the garden for spring time, this is the second part of the episode.
As a recap, I mentioned:
planter bed irrigation management
soil amends
irrigation management
fruit tree management
turf grass management, how to manage crabgrass
Preparing the garden for the spring time, this includes:
soil mangement
irrigation management, converting where possible spray head to drip irrigation
fruit tree management
turf grass management, specifically how to manage crabgrass in the the lawn
This episode is about the management of Camellia's. In this episode I will be discussing cultural conditions as far a irrigation practices, management of Camellia Petal Blight and the flowering periods of the camellia.
In this episode, I discuss weed control strategies for commonly found weeds in the garden. Weeds in the garden are classified as:
Annual
Biennial
Perennial
Annual weeds, 6 month growing season
Biennial weeds, 2 year growing season
Perennial weeds, 3 years and longer
Weeds are classified as:
Grassy and broad leaf
In this episode, I discuss more about aphid activity and ant activity on plants. I also discuss different types of control options:
monitor the population of the pest
inspect the plants for biological control, such as but no limited to lady bird beetle, lace wing.
threshold of the pest on the your plants
control options
I also discuss chewing pests, such as looper and caterpillars and control options that may be implemented
In this episode, I will be discussing a few of the common insect pests that attack landscape plant material. In this episode I will be discussing soft body insects such as but not limited to: aphids, soft scale, leaf hoppers. I will also be mentioning foliage feeding pest called spider mites. spider mites are a sucking pest, but spider mites are in the spider family. Spider mites do not secrete honey dew, the damage from spider mite is different from the feeding activity from aphids and soft scale.
In this episode, roses are a full sun plant. Use drip irrigation, apply mulch and have a well drained soil. Proper rose to rose spacing.
This is the time of year for the management of the camellia's. Some items to remember regarding the growing of the camellia's are:
a well drained soil
applying phosphorous to assist with flower production
apply soil conditioner from live earth to assist with building a stronger, healthier soil
flowering periods for the camellia's
maintain a sanitary growing environment around the camellia's, the sanitary practices will aid in the management of a a fungi called camellia petal blight
In this episode, I discuss seeding a warm season lawn, such as Bermuda grass. I discuss the following:
type of rooting system that a warm season lawn as compared to a cool season turf.
recuperative potential
holding up well under competition
Bermuda grass tends to use less water as compared to a cool season lawn
In this episode, I will be discussing examples of cool season turf. Cool season turfs are:
Perennial rye grass
Annual rye grass
Fescue
I will also discuss how cool season grass hold up under competition, such activity from kids and pets.
In this episode, I discuss micro nutrient deficiencies of:
Zinc and Iron
Salt tip damage, what is looks like and how to manage salt tip damage.
Both of the micro nutrients become unavailable with the soil ph begins to become alkaline. A soil become alkali with the soil ph begins to go above 7.2.
I also reference a very good book, Western Fertilizer Handbook.
In this episode I will be discussing nutritional deficiencies issues with plants. I will be discussing macro nutrients and micro nutrients. Macro nutrient are: Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
Micro nutrients are: Zinc and Iron
This is two part episode.
In this episode, I discuss more information regarding how to manage root rots in the garden. I discuss some of the negative cultural conditions that favor root rots.
A negative cultural condition is applying rocks under the tree protection zone. Aesthetically , the rocks look nice, applying rocks under a tree is one of the worst practices that can be done to a tree. The soil has to breathe, remove the rocks. Apply mulch.
Introducing oxygen to a soil is one of the most important cultural practices to manage root rots. In addition, irrigation practices and the use of mulch are also great cultural practices to manage root rot.
Do not apply any pesticides to control root rots, implement beneficial cultural growing conditions.
In this episode I discuss how to manage root rots in the garden. Phytophora Root Rot and Armillaria Root Rot are two root rots that are very common
in the garden. There are three specific components that are required for pathogen, in this case a root rot to become a problem. The three specific items are:
Host, cultural conditions to favor the pathogen, presence of the pathogen
In this episode I discuss the importance of getting that moisture to go down deep into the soil. Introduce a product from Live Earth called Soil Conditioner. Soil Conditioner will help the soil structure, it will unlock many of the nutrients that are inside the soil and allow those nutrients to become available to the root of the plant.
Remember, one of the keys to success with the garden is a soil/ water relationship. Points to keep in mind regarding a soil/ water relationship are:
Good water holding capacity
Good drainage
At least 25 percent organic matter in the soil profile
Enjoy the garden
This episode discuss importance of irrigation to the landscape and how soil management and irrigation go hand in hand.
In this episode, I discuss more on palm management. Palms are in the same family as grasses, palms are a monocot.
Cultural issues such as planting and soil management to grow a healthy palm
Palms prefer a well drained soil, so prior to planting a palm. Know what type of soil the palm will be planted in.
When planting the palm, incorporate a soil amend product from Live Earth Products, the product is called Great 8.
In this episode, I will be discussing how to manage a palm. Palms are not a conventional tree. Palms do not have a cambium, palms have diffuse vascular bundles. Palms want a well drained soil. Palms need magnesium and zinc made available to them. Those nutrients are found in the soil. So, a managed soil is essential for a healthy palm.
In this episode, I will be talking about:
Japanese maple, a beautiful accent tree.
Shade trees with a willowy growth habit, as an example the Australian Willow
Shade trees that are evergreen, such as the Coast Live Oak
Trees with aggressive root system and aggressive foliage production
In this episode, I will be discussing more information on trees. Information that will be discussed will be:
speed of growth of a tree
a branch defect known as included bark
aggressive root system
managing trees that are irrigated with reclaimed water
This episode is about how to reduce green waste in the garden. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this goal. Here are some of the ways to reduce green waste:
Plant trees that have a slow to moderate growth habit. An example of a slow to moderate growth habit is the tree called Crape myrtle.
Shrubs, plant shrubs that are slow to moderate growth habits, an example is the Indian Hawthoren " Ballerina"
Turf, avoid using fast reacting synthetic turf fertilizers. Use slow release products. Also, use fertilizers that have less nitrogen and more iron. An example is apply a product called Blitz 22.
In this episode, I will be discussing the following points to interest regarding what type of tree to plant in the garden:
Root system, aggressive, non- aggressive
Green waste production, cost of maintenance
Water requirements
Points of interest when determining which tree to plant for the yard:
evergreen, deciduous,
sun exposure
root system, how aggressive is the root sytem
green waste production, this translates the cost of maintenance
In this episode, I continue to discuss the cultural growing conditions for a Coast Live Oak. I also discuss the growing season for a Coast Live Oak. Regarding the pruning of a Coast Live Oak, only prune the dead wood from the oak.
Maintain a 2 inch thick layer of mulch under the tree protection zone.
Avoid pruning the crown of the Coast Live Oak, only prune dead wood from the oak.
Soil injection with Great 8 from Live Earth Products.
This a part 1 of how to manage a Coast Live Oak, Coast Live Oak are a native tree. They are a drought tolerant tree. Always keep the trunk taper exposed, never introduce water loving plants under the drip line of the Coast Live Oak.
In this episode, I will continue to discuss the use of the organic herbicides in the garden.
This episode will discuss how to manage weed control in certain sections of the landscape using organic herbicides.
Items to be aware of but no limited to:
Read the label
Be aware of the limitations of a contact, herbicide.
Enjoy the garden
This episode I will be discussing more topics related to integrated pest management. One of the keys to success of the integrated pest management program is the implementation of the program.
Talking about the program is great, implementation of the program provides results.
Topics that are discussed are:
Tree care management
Shrub care management
Pest management, such as:
use of safer soap
biological control
organic herbicides for weed control
In this episode, I will be discussing how to effectively manage a landscape without using synthetic pesticides. I will be discussing:
Soil management, implement the organic product that will increase the oxygen content of the soil
Irrigation management, incorporate more drip irrigation as compared to spray head irrigation
Use of mulch, reduce the compaction of the soil. By reducing soil compaction, oxygen in the soil become more available and consequently a more healthy plant.
Use of organic products for pest control and integrated pest management strategies as compared to relying solely on synthetic pesticides for pest control. This program is for the exterior landscape and garden.
In this episode, I continue to discuss how to prepare a soil area for either a seeded or sodded lawn. Steps to follow:
Apply adequate seed, adequate lbs. per 1,000 square feet of soil
Apply organic amend to the cover the seed
Apply sod, be sure after the sod is apply. The sod is rolled to remove air that is trapped that is between the root system and the soil
Irrigation, be sure that the irrigation system is providing head to head coverage over the seeded or sodded area.
In this episode, I will be discussing how to prepare a soil area that will be either seeded or sodded lawn area. I will be discussing the following steps:
How to exhaust the soil of weed seed
Importance of irrigation, head to head coverage
Application of organic soil amend assist the soil to become more productive for the seeded or sodded lawn, use of Live Earth Soil Conditioner as the organic amend
This is a two episode program.
In this episode, I will be discussing the proper tree pruning tools, such as:
Loppers
Folding Hand Saw
Pruning shears
Soil Conditioner from Live Earth Products
Copper Fungicide
In this episode, I will be discussing to the prepare fruit trees:
stone fruit and citrus for the next growing season.
The preparation includes:
proper pruning practices, vertical mulching and removal of unwanted plant material from around the base of the fruit trees. The fruit trees includes but not limited to: peach, plum, nectarine, citrus trees.
In this episode I discuss more about soil, in the case I will be discussing a sandy soil. I also discuss how to amend the soil. Regarding soil amends, what soil amends do for the plant / soil relationship.
In this episode, I will be discussing the basics of soil. There are 3 types of soil:
Sand, Silt and Clay
I will also discuss some of the characteristics of sand, silt and clay and what to amend the soil with so that the soil / plant relationship may improve. A healthy plant / soil relationship can lead to more productive and healthier plant material.
How to encourage healthier camellia's and azaleas. Applying phosphorous to enhance flower and root development. Use soil conditioner from Live Earth in conjunction with bone meal to enhance plant health care.
Do not apply any nitrogen fertilizers to either the azalea's or camellia's.
Other beneficial cultural practices include, but no limited to:
Application of mulch on the soil around the base of the plants
Irrigation management, use drip irrigation as compared to spray head irrigation.
Do not prune the crowns of either the camellia's or azaleas's now, the shrubs are producing flower buds. Pruning now, would remove the flower buds. The only pruning that is to be done now is only remove dead wood from the interior of either the azalea's or camellia's.
In this episode, I continue with explaining what the vitamins or fertilizers do for plant health care.
Building a healthy soil, is one of the keys to success for a healthy plant.
These two episodes are discussing fertilizers and the what do the fertilizers or vitamins do for a plant:
Lawn
Shrub
Vegetables
A continuation of how to properly overseed a lawn, in this episode I discuss the following topics:
germination time of a annual rye grass
germination of a perennial rye grass
Apply a starter fertilizer following the seeding process
Irrigation, keep the seed moist
Use of an organic topper product to protect the seed
Growing plants such as vegetable and ornamentals in containers. How to build a healthy soil in the container.
Continued information on container gardening, companion planting. Proper planting depth and adequate sun for the plants.
In this episode, I will be discussing the additional steps on how to properly plant a tree. Double staking, soil drenching with a Live Earth Product, Great 8. Be sure to incorporate non-perforated, 3 inch diameter PVC tubes in the planting hole of the tree.
The background of Mike Ventura, his education and the certifications and licenses that he holds.