Michael Weishan

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Victory Garden
With Michael Weishan
Host, 'Victory Garden'
Friday, April 4, 2003; 11 a.m. ET

Now well into its third decade, PBS's "The Victory Garden" is the longest-running gardening program on television. The show, with its mission of giving practical advice to home gardeners, is also the only national gardening program available to the entire viewing public as most are available only on cable.

Host Michael Weishan was online Friday, April 4 at 11 a.m. ET, to talk about the kick-off of the show's 28th season and field your questions and comments about gardening.

Gardening editor for Country Living Magazine, Weishan is a nationally known horticulturist and garden designer whose practical knowledge and know-how is regularly featured in his monthly column, "Your Garden." A veteran of National Public Radio, where he hosted his own program, The Cultivated Gardener, Weishan also frequently appears on the environmental news show Living On Earth. His books include "The New Traditional Garden," and coming spring 2003, "From a Victorian Garden."

"Victory Garden" airs on PBS Saturday, April 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET (check local listings).

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Washington, D.C.: How much time goes into prepping for each season? Do you film the season a year in advance or do it relatively in "real time?"

Michael Weishan: Somewhere in between. We film 2-3 weeks in advance of the shows you see aired to keep the subject matter topical to the season. This year, the first shows are shot in the south. We'll be doing some southern things in Georgia and we did a number of pieces in New Orleans. That actually premieres this Saturday.

Tomatoville: We had a small plot with two tomato plants last year and would like to grow four plants this summer. Question is, can we put them in the same general vicinity or is there a disease risk? (Our sunny area is pretty small.)

You may have guessed, I love the culinary aspects of your show!

Michael Weishan: The short answer is it would be preferable to plant them somewhere else. There is potential for disease, which is why we rotate the tomato position throughout the garden. This goes for potatoes, too. Once again, if you don't have the space, go ahead -- as long as you fertilize and water well you should be okay.

The culinary is one of my favorite parts as well.

Arlington, Va.: I am intrigued by the title of your new book on Victorian gardens. I love the cottage garden look but live in a 1950s brick split-level. Oh well. Rather than going all-out, I'd like to devote a couple corners of the yard to a sort of English garden. What does well in our climate, though, which is so different from England's? Does your book contain plant recommendations?

I had some limited success with cosmos last year and would like to try again, especially the really tall ones. They have the airy look I'm striving for.

Michael Weishan: Well, that's an excellent question.

The subtitle for the book is "Creating the Romance of a Bygone Age in Your Own Yard." There is a special emphasis for homes of that period. In terms of specific recommendations, it's hard to recommend specific plants for specific sites. We can do, and do give, are various types of plant families to use that were familiar to Victorians and evoke that lush garden style.

Consult with a good local nursery about what grows best in your area. All gardening is local ultimately.

New York, N.Y.: What do you think of reel mowers? Do they cut grass well? Are they difficult to deal with?

Michael Weishan: Well, they cut beautifully if and only if you sharpen the blades repeatedly. It's something of a fine art and a lost art. It is supposedly the best of all lawn cutting, but the blades have to be absolutely sharp to mow. So, that brings up an interesting point. Most people don't sharpen their blades on their rotary mowers and that's really critical. It gives you a much better cut and it prevents a lot of diseases and you save a tremendous amount of gasoline. So you really are giving yourself a much better lawn.

We recommend people take mower blades into hardware stores.

Washington, D.C.: This is your second season with the show, right? How are you liking it and any big changes from last year?

Michael Weishan: Yes it is the second season. I'm having an absolute ball, but when job and hobby are the same, you're blessed. This season expands on last year. We're doing more traveling this year -- we're calling it the North American Odyssey. We'll be in the Pacific Northwest, New England and Canada. The idea being that we wanted to show some of the best of North American gardening, but using practical lessons. We're not touring for touring's sake. But all our favorite segments are all coming back for this year.

Cumberland, Md.: How often should you fertilize perennials and shrubs during the summer months?

Michael Weishan: In general, you don't do a lot of fertilizing in the summer because essentially after July most plants are semi-dormant. They rest during the high heat periods. So most should be fertilized in the spring and then late in the season. But rarely during the high heat. So between now and June one does most of this.

Ideally you would have prepared your soil and additional fertilizer is necessary. But keep a bag of 10-10-10 on hand.

Brunswick, Maine: I planted garlic cloves last fall, and mulched them with straw. When should I remove the straw? Last frost free date in my area is around Memorial Day. Thanks.

Michael Weishan: You can remove the straw slowly around now. Garlic is fairly hardy, so only a huge freeze would damage it. So as the days start to warm, pull it back and the sooner you do the better it will be. Mulch in the springtime is a cold retardant, so you can slow down the growth process. In the spring, mulch keeps the cold in the ground.

That's why in general we don't mulch gardens until well after the frost-free date.

Arlington, Va.: When growing sunflowers, how do you keep insects from eating the seeds?

Michael Weishan: I've seen some ingenious things. Pantyhose seem to work well. Any netting you can slip around the heads. It's generally birds that do this. Plant more than you need. Let nature have some and you do the rest.

Stockton, NJ: Deer got into my garden and ate all the tender shoots on my espaliered apple trees. The leaders are still there minus any bud formation including the tips of the leaders. Are the trees ruined?

Michael Weishan: Not ruined, but not in good shape either, but there will be no fruit this year. The key is to watch where the new growth comes from. They are remarkably resilient, but will need to be protected from now on.

Espalier are particularly prone to damage because there aren't a lot of extra branches.

Vienna,VA: I have a terminte problem and the exterminator have sprayed extensively. I would like to plant a couple of tomato plants in one of the beds that was sprayed. Is there any danger or precautions suggested?

Michael Weishan: Yes, don't. I'm always leery -- even when assured that there's no problem. Personally, I'd just put them in a pot for that year. You just really never know. The stuff they use for termites are so long lasting, I'd prefer not to be poisoned.

Arlington, Va.: My daughter is finally reaching the age where she can start pulling weight, chore-wise, around the home.

I'm inclined to assign her weeding duty, and base part of her allowance on it. The question is how to structure her compensation: by the plant? by the pound? by maintaining a weed-free garden?

My preference is the latter -- always good to reward end-results, not activity -- but how does one quantify a "weed-free garden?" If there is a single weed present, do I withhold her whole allowance? What gradations of weediness are recognized by professionals like you? Is there some kind of taxonomy of weed presence on which a consensus compensation program for her can be based? Should I pay more for a perfect weed-free garden, or tolerate flaws in exchange for paying my little proletariet less cash.

In other words, are weeds absolute evils, or are there standardized guidelines on which an 80-20 rule can be applied?

Michael Weishan: Well, let's start by saying that what defines a weed-free garden -- a garden that does not have a sufficient number of weeds to annoy me. That doesn't mean every one is out, but it looks good and it looks well-tended. The vegetable plants aren't competing.

I think one can get carried away with weeding and you'd spend far too much time and energy on something that is rather unpleasant.

As to the question of compensation. I'd hesitate paying children to garden. If you make the process unpleasant, they come to hate the whole thing. I was almost scared off gardening by having to weed my father's corn field. What I might suggest instead is that you compensate or reward by actually simply producing a garden instead of a single aspect of it. Assign her 12 tomato plants and the responsibility for their care is hers and that way the young gardener gets to partipipate in not only the drudgery, but reward.

Atlanta, Ga.: I've had a terrible time with poison ivy -- calling in the sprayers and removers each year but the little, itchy buggers still appear each summer. Is there anything at all, aside from moving to the desert, to rid my yard once and for all?

Michael Weishan: Well, there are two things that help. One is selectively spraying w/ a poison ivy killer. YOu can't just hit it with Round up. The leaves will die, but the root will come back.

You can also keep areas mown. It can be whacked down two or three times before it dies back. YOu have to be assiduous. At Victory Garden we use a combination of the two effectively.

Alexandria, VA: My husband and I are renting a house with a backyard that is patchy at best. How can I fill in the patches of grass -- with lawn that is tough enough to withstand my two dogs -- without using chemicals?

Michael Weishan: Don't. Once again, my philosophy of gardening is not to fight nature. So if you have an area where grass won't grow, switch materials. Use hard surfacing, put down gravel. Move the lawn areas to places where the dogs are not. Fighting constant battles is not what gardening is about.

Michael Weishan: If you insist on using grass, there are specialty mixes for play areas that are much more durable than standard bluegrass. First I'd try to change the design of the space.

Washington, D.C.: Can clematis self-seed, or spread voluntarily somehow? I have one in pot on my deck, and in the pot next to it, there is something new growing that looks suspiciously like the clematis. I'd be happy if it were a clematis, but don't want to be in the habit of growing weeds.

Michael Weishan: Yes, it could be a clematis. However, if it is a seedling, it won't resemble its parent. It won't be the same hybrid. It'll be quite different -- for better or for worse.

Silver Spring, MD: I am from California where you can grow just about anything, any time of the year- I had hollyhock growing in Winter! After moving to the East coast, I have had many failed attempts, most of the flowers I brought from Calif. have died (geraniums, hydraegia -sp?). I like to grow perennials, but I live in an apartment so I can only have pots. My question what kind of perennial can I grow on the east coast, that I don't need to bring into the house in the winter?
Any suggestions??

Michael Weishan: Hmmm. Well, interestingly, most can be grown in pots -- Iris, phlox, peonies. The effect is bizarre. We're used to seeing them in massed plantings. I'm sitting in the office here looking out at our new perennial border. I consult with garden centers about hardiness. In planters, plants are one growing zone less hardy. That may be part of your problem. You need to take the extra stress into account.

Cumberland, Md.: I have read that you can use Moss instead of grass in shady areas -- some catalogs I have gotten sell Moss. Is it really a useful alternative to grass in hard-to grow areas? Will it spread quickly?

Michael Weishan: Well, the answer depends on your definition of useful. I love moss. I try to encourage it to grow. I've never tried to plant it. Moss cannot be walked upon, so it should be areas where there are no foot traffic.

Wheaton, Md: I am the lucky recipient of a town garden plot this year. Since my home is shady, I plan on planting lots of tomatoes, peppers and squash. Should I use that plastic sheeting (tho I really do hate plastic) or can I mulch between the plants to keep the weeding to a minimum. The plot is about 6-7 miles from my home, so I won't be there everyday. Thanks.

Michael Weishan: Yes, of course you can use plastic sheeting. It does have the benefit of cranking the heat, which is good for peppers and tomatoes. But I hate the stuff and find it environmentally insensitive. I prefer using organic mulch. Any kind of heavy mulch will keep the weeds down.

Lawn clippings are one of my favorites, provide you don't have pesticides on the grass.

Malden, MA: I planted my first garden last year (perennials with a few annuals). I hastily created the large garden bed by cutting the design out of the lawn, removing grass, and adding plants and mulch. But now I realize the soil is too compact and should be improved. I want to dig up all the plants (want to rearrange some anyway) and correct the soil but have no idea when or how to begin. Now? All at once or bit by bit?

Michael Weishan: Now and all at once.

Should be done while the plants are dormant. Rushing to prepare a space and planting it before it's ready is a huge mistake. Preparation will be addressed in the next few weeks on the "Victory Garden." You generally only have one chance to get it right, or you have to do it again.

Don't feel bad, I've made the same mistake myself.

manassas, va: For the first time in 20 or so years of growing tomato plants last year was the worst. Most of my plants had spectacular foliage but the bottom of the fruit turned black near mid season. what happened and what shoul i do this year since i cant rotate the crop.

Michael Weishan: This is blossom end rot. It's caused by dry soil. Regular supply of moisture at all times is key. Mulching generally helps. Also, have your soil tested to make sure you're not deficient.

There's a great book by the American Horticulture Society that lists these things. "Pests and Diseases," by Pippa Greenwood.

Springfield, Mass.: Hi Michael --

I love the show. Have you always been a gardener? I'm discovering it later in life and love it, and get so many great ideas from Victory Garden. Thanks!

Michael Weishan: Thank you so much, it's very appreciated.

Yes, I've always been a gardener, but by default instead of choice. I started as a child when I was with my grandfather and father. Despite that, I developed a love for it. Originally, I intended to go into diplomatic service, and that didn't occur, so I went back to gardening. So this will be by 35th year of gardening.

Silver Spring, Md.: Funny, I have moss growing in my front yard, where I want REAL grass to grow! How do I get rid of the moss and grow grass, so I have a normal looking front yard?

Michael Weishan: Well, in general, where moss is growing is an area where grass will not grow. It's generally too shady and has poor soil conditions. One can, by increasing the sunlight, grow grass. But I personally like the look of moss and wouldn't want to fight that battle.

This all goes again to my theory of working with nature and not against it. If you find something is very successful, it's often wiser to accomodate yourself than to accomodate nature -- and far less expensive.

Brookline, Mass.: Hi --

I live just outside of Boston and have a great terrace off the back of my condo. We have a small 3X7 planting space, but get a ton of shade all summer long. It's great for dining, but not for growing. What are you suggestions for sprucing this up with colorful plants that like shade? Thanks!

Michael Weishan: My suggestion would be to stay tuned to the "Victory Garden," because we have an area here similar to what you described and will be showing you how to create a shade garden. Part of the key is to think not in flora color, but in terms of leaf color.

Southern Maryland: I'm a huge fan of VG and, frankly, kind of had a crush on Roger Swain (weird, I know). I've read great things about your work on the show, but have been frustrated in my attempts to actually watch VG in the last year or so. Maryland Public Television just doesn't seem to be carrying VG regularly. It's not on every week and seems never to be on at the same time. It's very frustrating. Help! What's up with VG and MPT?

Michael Weishan: Well, both in Maryland and Washington D.C. sporadically. The television stations choose their programming independently. One suggestion would be to write the station. Saying you want to see it and when you want to see it.

I'll pass on your good wishes to Roger!

south arlington: last year, at the height of the drought as the first tomatoes were ripening, I noticed that rats were actually eating my ripe tomatoes! what can i do about that

Michael Weishan: Most wildlife I'm tempted to tolerate, but not rats. Two things you can do. Eliminate the rats or fence in the garden space with a wire mesh that prevents all rodents from getting in. I don't mind a rabbit nibbling away on things, but I don't want serer rats chewing on my tomatoes.

Manchester, Iowa: What is the name of the preserver that is used to dry lilacs and how does one go about the process?

Michael Weishan: It's called silica gel and we did a whole show on that last year with Kathy Miller. I highly recommend her book on drying flowers, which gives the complete recipe for doing just that. It's simple. Bury blossoms in silica powder for a week to 10 days, then remove.

I was absolutely fascinated. Lilacs in particular -- the color is preserved almost perfectly. You can dry all sorts of things -- daisies, cosmos, roses. All sorts of wonderful plants.

There are some tricks to different varieties. Some are harvested as buds. Once again, get a good book like Kathy's.

Hillsboro, Va.: I've got HUNDREDS of bunches of what looks like a round/thick grass coming up in my mulch beds and throughout the yard! Last year I noticed maybe 10 bunches

Michael Weishan: Honestly, without seeing it, I can't tell you. But take a sample in a plastic bag to a good nursery and ask them. You can also try a good book.

Clarksburg, MD: Michael, I've got a 20' x 50' veggie garden for 2 people. Outside of the usual...tomatos, squash, cukes and peppers and such, what would you recommend? I found myself planting way way too many tomato and green pepper plants. On the other hand, 2 squash plants will feed an army....

Michael Weishan: What I recommend always is to grow what you like and what's expensive. Raspberries are extremely expensive and are extremely easy to grow. They're brambles.

I like to grow small fruits and veggies I know I'm going to eat and are expensive to buy. Fingerling potatoes.

As gardeners we fall into the trap of planting things because it looks good in the catalog. Keep track of what you buy at a specialty food market and grow that. Grow the things you wind up paying huge amounts for.

Arlington, Va.: I have obtained a large number of canna rhizomes and was wondering when the right time to plant them will be. I have heard varying things such as to put them in the ground when the forsythia are blooming (now!) to wait until after danger of frost is gone.

Michael Weishan: Generally, I like to plant canna in pots because that makes them easy to lift. So I'd start them now indoors, then sink the pots in the garden, then mulch them over.

Then cut the foliage back and save for next year.

Michael Weishan: That goes for a lot of similar plants. Quasi-tropical plants. It's so easy.

Duluth, Minn.: Michael Weishan: although the Oleander is native to Iraq, does it come in a tree or a bush and is it adaptable to northern climes? Also, what family of plants is it similar or cousins to? Plants smell better than people lately and co-exist much better. Thanks.

Michael Weishan: That's a great question!

According to my great source, there are 50-some varieties of this, hardy to zones 7 through 8. Most can withstand high drought conditions and in the north would be grown in pots. They're their own family.

We grow several varieties at the Victory Garden in pots. The scent is absolutely wonderful.

Frederick, Maryland: So glad you are on at a better viewing hour.

Michael Weishan: Thank you to all the readers, very much enjoy having you watch along. The season starts this weekend and should be really reawlly fun.

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