Mike's Special Guests, Tips, and Tricks

Mike on All Things Considered!

Michele Norris interviewed You Bet Your Garden host Mike McGrath on All Things Considered recently about the late blight outbreak on last year's tomato crops. Read/listen to the interview here »

Girl Scout patch in horticulture

Mike's guests on this topic were Pat James, Education Director for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Cheryl Baker, Director of Marketing for the Girl Scouts of Eastern PA. Check out the Girl Scout Program Workbook containing all 16 activities.

Pesticides

Here's a link to a study that discusses the link between pesticides and myeloma. Sorry, but you have to get permission from the Journal (or have access to a medical library) to read the entire 23 page article.

Here's a link to the study about store-bought Round-Up causing human cell death.

Visit the Bio-Integral Resource Center and check out their new list of least-toxic pest controls.

Read about Round-Up's negative effects on frogs and toads.

Pesticide effects on children.

Interviews

SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Is there hope against stinkbugs? See full interview »

Mike interviewed Rowan Jacobsen, author of the book Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honeybee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis, about the incredible social world of these bees, why their lives are threatened and what home gardeners can do to help. You'll find Mike's interview with Rowan in our "Archive" section (1/17/09), and can learn more about Rowan and his book here: www.rowanjacobsen.com

Mike interviews University of Pittsburgh researcher Rick Relyea about the effects of a common pesticide on the survival of frogs and toads. Here's a link to Dr. Relyea's website: www.pitt.edu/~relyea, a pdf of the new study: 3098.pdf, and a link to Dr. Relyea's previous study on the effects of the common herbicide Roundup on amphibians: relyea2005.pdf.

Informational Links

How to build your own stinkbug trap!

Think poisons were the only early answer to insects in America? Author and researcher James McWilliams (associate professor of history at Texas State University-San Marcos and a recent fellow in the Agrarian Studies Program at Yale University)'s new book American Pests explains that many early pest controls were highly advanced!

Visit Garden Designer and BBC Radio Broadcaster John Cushnie's website.

Visit Wil Hershberger's website of nature photography

Mushroom maven Paul Stamets has been a frequent and popular guest on our show. Visit his company, Fungi Perfecti, where you can read more about Paul, his books, his mushroom growing kits and the many, many uses of mushrooms.

Science isolates the sweaty smell that makes some people unattractive to mosquitoes, midges and other bad biters. Read about it online.

Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening site.

Check out Texas organic advocate Howard Garrett's website, www.dirtdoctor.com, and a link to what you all asked about the most his recipe for curing toenail fungus with cornmeal.

For the ultimate Corn Gluten Meal resource: Dr. Nick Christians' Iowa State corn gluten page, with all the research information and a nationwide list of suppliers: www.gluten.iastate.edu.

Trying to find a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Farm near you? Visit www.csacenter.org. If you live in the Greater Philadelphia / New Jersey region, visit www.phillychile.com.

Seeds

Legendary seed-seller Renee Shepherd's seed picks and growing advice are available at www.reneesgarden.com.

The J. L. Hudson "Ethnobotanical Catalog" of unusual and exotic seeds. (Note--the famous fly-fighting "shoo fly" plant, aka "the Apple of Peru" is listed under its scientific name, Nicandra).

More information about Seeds of Change.

More information about Burpee.

Compost and Mulching

Visit Dr. Davis' site to learn more about wood mulches and fungi.

Find out more about TerraCycle's worm fertilizer products (packaged in recycled soda bottles).

For more information on the house-staining, plant-killing dangers of shredded bark, dyed mulch and other wood-based mulches, check out these University Extension bulletins:

The very latest research, from several Universities, including Iowa State & Ohio State.
Dr. Harry Hoitink's classic bulletin on wood mulch problems from Ohio State; includes photos of shotgun fungus damage and other nuisance molds.

Check out the latest research on nuisance molds such as shotgun fungus.

Presenting! The fabulous fungal cannon--in widescreen! You know the home staining spores that Mike is always warning users of wood and bark mulches about? Here's a highly artistic look at how the spores get shot onto your siding: