March 1, 2025 • 44 mins
Your calls, tips and questions with Ron. We also hear from Katie Dubow.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Eight hundred eight two three eight two five five. Good morning.
I am Ron Wilson, your personal yard boy. We're talking
about yardning on this first day of spring, the meteorological spring. Yes,
it started today, can you believe that? Yep? Excited, clapping
my hands. I'm ready to go. I don't know about you. Yes, absolutely,
(00:57):
let's get it on. Not too quick, all right, take it,
take your time. Like I said earlier in the first hour,
we want to cruise into the spring season. Ideally, we
just want to gradually warm. I know you're anxious and
biting at the bullet and chomping at the bit, ready
to get out there, start doing things. And there are
things we can be doing, you know, the dormant seating,
(01:20):
raking out debris, starting to think about cleanup, cutting back
those ornamental grasses, you know, getting the containers ready for planting,
things like that. But you know, get you know, start
getting those get your plans in place. Know exactly what
you're going to do as we move through the spring season.
Maybe you need a little professional landscape design and installation.
(01:43):
Want to screen off those neighbors. You want to add
a few larger trees, maybe put some evergreen screens, up
whatever it may be, a new foundation planting. You know,
the landscaping typically lasts we used to say, about twenty
years and then you kind of go in, you freshen
it up, keep the specimen, plants, kind of pull out
fresh up to look and whatever it may be. Good
curve appeal about every twenty years or so. And maybe
(02:04):
you're at that point, or maybe you've moved into a
brand new home and you need landscaping or whatever it
may be, and you want someone else to do it. Well,
now's the time to get your name on the list,
because I'm telling you now that it says March that
turns the light bulbs on right there, and then temperatures
start to warm up, and the next thing you know,
(02:25):
everything's breaking loose for the spring season. You say, well,
let's get a landscaper out here and see about getting
a design and the quote for installation and go from there.
And guess what, they're already backed up two or three
weeks or more to come out and see you. And
then they come out and see you and get the
plan together another week and then do all that and
(02:45):
then see you say yes, and now guess what, the
cruise are backed up another three weeks and now where
are we. We're into June before they're even doing any
planting in your yard. So don't delay help your escape,
have a happy day. Get out there this weekend and
get hold of your you know, favorite local landscape firm.
(03:07):
If you're not familiar or know which ones to use,
check with some folks that you know have used a
landscaper in the past in your neighborhood. Check with your
local independent garden center see if they have landscape firms
that they would recommend as well. But please do that.
And for you folks that are chomping at the bit
to get out and start planting that vegetable garden, please
(03:28):
remember a couple of things very very important. One is,
you know, if you're going to go out and you're
going to work the soil a little bit, uh, maybe
you still do some tilling and all that, and do
little soil amendment, don't try to till your garden when
it's too wet. Pick up some soil about you know
that it will fit in the middle of your hand,
(03:49):
Squeeze it like about size of a golf ball. Open
your hand up. If that falls apart, you're good to go.
If that stays together like a like a golf ball.
Too wet, don't work it. If you work spring soils
that are too wet and they clawed up, and that
clay will do that. My dad used to call them
clod oppers, and they will clump up. That stuff does
(04:09):
not go away. It takes all summer and into the
fall before you finally see it start to break down.
It's the worst thing it can happen to you. So
don't till or work the soil when it's too wet.
Make sure the moisture levels are just right when you're
out doing whatever you're doing. Soil amendments light and tilling
the soil lightly, turnover whatever it may be. Make sure
(04:30):
it's not too wet, and walking on it as well,
because when you walk on wet soils, what do you do?
You can pact it down and that's not what we
want as well. So keep your eyes on that when
I make sure that. And the other thing is we
always watch the air temperatures. Right, who is going to
be sixty degrees every day this week or it's going
to you know whatever, And we look at that and
our frost free date for planting tender annuals, you know,
(04:54):
for planting times when actually when we're looking at that
vegetable garden. Yeah, air temperatures are important, we can protect
from frosts. Air temperatures are important, but what's more important
are the soil temperatures. Soil temps. We've gone through, we
go through this every spring in every fall. How important
soil temperatures are. The two of them combined. Soil and
(05:17):
air temperatures are key, but soil temperature is truly the key.
I don't know really of most vegetable plants. Cool season
that you get started early, that you can plant early
onions and you know, the cabbage and the broccoli and
things like that that you want to go after it.
You know, go ahead and start planting anything cooler than
about forty five degrees consistently. Now, sometimes you look at
(05:42):
some of the planting charts and they'll put forty degrees
on there. They'll take that, no problem. But I personally
have always used that forty five degree soil temperature mark
as far as the kickoff. And I'm talking consistently staying
at forty five degrees and higher. And if you start
looking at tomatoes and peppers, they really like it more
(06:03):
into the sixty sixty five seventy degree temp soil temperatures,
and that shows you why, you know why we also
hold off a little bit longer on planting nose. But
the cool season crops I look at about forty five degrees. Well,
how do you know what the soil temperatures are? You
got a couple options. One is you can buy a
soil thermometer, And a soil thermometer is very simply a
(06:25):
thermometer that you stick down in the soil and you
just read it just like you would a regular oral thermometer,
and you just stick at the soil. And some of
them have a metia on the top, some of them
have it on the side. I wind up breaking them
AULTI forget where they are. But you can do those
and get an average of where your soil temperatures are
in the top four to five inches of your soil,
(06:46):
and you can watch those, and it's kind of fun
to watch. And not only are we watching the soil
temperatures for the vegetable planting or tender annual plantings, seed
germination as well if your direct sewing into the garden,
but you're all also looking at those soil temperatures because
they're an indicator of when crabgrass and other weed seeds
start to germinate and grow. At fifty five degrees consistently,
(07:10):
all right, it set soil temperatures. And once you start
getting the soil temperatures at fifty five degrees consistently and
air temperatures at fifty five to sixty degrees consistently, everything
else starts to bust loose up top. But it's the
combination of the two. But again, we want to watch
the soil temps, so you either use a soil thermometer
if you don't want to go through that, and then I
have a really easy way to do it. There's a
(07:33):
website that you put in your zip code or the
name of your town, and it will tell you your
soil temperatures for current for at that time, what it
was over the last twenty four hours average and over
the last five days average. Very very easy. It's called
green cast g R E E N C A S T,
(07:57):
dot com greencast, dot com cast online, I'm sorry, dot
com green cast online, and you go there and it
can give you so many charts you gets unbelievable. In
the professionals will use this soil moisture levels, all of that,
but go to the soil temperatures and then put in
your town and it'll bring it up. Let me give
you for instance. I did it this morning, right before
(08:19):
our show came on the air. In our area in
southern Ohio, current temperature forty one degrees. Forty one degrees.
Over the last twenty four hours, it's been averaging out
about forty seven degrees, and over the last five days
this past week forty three degrees. So we are starting
to get to that point where those cool season crops,
(08:41):
a direct plant planting could be in the works, maybe
by the end of the week. Columbus, Ohio about it's
the same. I jumped over to Ashboro, North Carolina, where
my uncle lives. He's talking about getting ready to start
to play in his garden as well. Soil temperatures this
morning only forty two degrees in Ashboro, North Carolina. Fifty
(09:03):
degrees has been the last twenty four hour average, and
forty five degrees because they've had some cool weather earlier on.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
It's very easy to use.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
I just did it myself. There you go. Danny Gleason
just put it in his town. And there you go.
Now he knows the soil temperature, so correct keep that
in mind. It's really really important to know the soil
temperatures and the air temperatures as we move through our
planting season for various things that we need to do
that are extremely dependent on those temperatures. And it's so
(09:32):
easy for you to do, by the way, thermometers if
you buy them at the garden center. We're online ten bucks,
fifteen bucks at the max. Really easy to use. Stick
them in the ground there they are, put a flag
where they are so you can go in and pull
them out and read them. Or otherwise you just ut
your computer and put it on greencast online dot com.
Pretty simple. All right, quick break, we come back. John
Short Charlotte, North Carolina. Coming up next. Phone lines are
(09:55):
open for you. Eight hundred and eight two three eight
two five five. Coming up to the bottom of the hour.
Our good friend Katie Dubao will join us this morning.
We're going to talk about the green industry. Have you
thought about a career in the green industry, horticulture. There's
so many things in the green industry, it's crazy. We're
going to talk about that and why you should maybe
think about it, because gardening and horticulture right now is hot.
(10:17):
It is a hot industry and maybe something you might
want to consider. Eight hundred eight two three eight two
five five. That's our number here in the garden with
Ron Wilson.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Landscaping ladies here with your personal yard boy. He's in
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Speaker 1 (13:43):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson again
that toll free number eight hundred eight two three eight
two five five to Charlotte, North Carolina. We go, John,
Good morning.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Good morning Ron. I called you a couple of weeks
ago and told you that we purchased ar raise the planner.
It's about the four foot long by two foot wide
and maybe maybe two foot deep. I forgot to ask
you what would be the best soil composition to put
in that in that planner?
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Is it? Is it on a surface like a hard surface?
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Well, it's on legs a little taller than that, Yeah,
don't and something like that.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Of course, weight becomes an issue. So and I'm assuming
you're only going to be growing vegetables or annuals things
like that. Nothing that would stay in there every you know, year.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
Round, Well, that was another question. What would be the
best varieties of tomato plants to put in an environment
like that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Well, that's a great question too. Let's go back. Let's
back up first of all, the soil that you put
in there. There are several the potting soil companies now
that actually have developed a raised bed or more of
a container mix that they've got available for you to
put in there. They are absolutely outstanding. I don't know
that I I would use actual top soil in that
(15:02):
type of a planner. A lot of times in raised beds,
I'll go about a sixty seventy percent top soil the
rest organic matter in that particular situation, No, you're gonna
go with just a straight potting mix, top grade potting
mix or container mix. I think fertilom is called. They
have a raised bed, they have a garden mix. Both
(15:23):
are absolutely outstanding. For those. You can even supplement or
bulk up a little bit by if you can find
the really fine pine bark, the pine bark fines you
can add. You can add like a half to two
thirds of a bag to that to help bulk it
up a little bit. And I like using that in
my potting mix. As a matter of fact, if I
do my own mix, which I do, have a couple
(15:45):
of beds that I do that with. I do a
combination of the potting soils, which are again top grade
potting soils. I'll always throw in a little bit of
pine findes chop that in. I love putting that in there,
and as it breaks down, it just it adds organic matter.
It helps to keep it more. Course, it really does
help as a soil amendment. And I use a little
bit of what's called the cow It's a bagged composted
(16:08):
cow manure. That's a combination of compost and manure. I
love using all three of those together. As far as
that's my mix in beds that I'm gonna boxes that
I'm going to be planting, rotating crops or whatever it
may be. I like that kind of a mix. So
what the plant in there? Of course, you're ope wide open.
But when it comes to tomatoes, look at the determinate varieties.
(16:31):
Look at the bush varieties which are typically determinant, which
means they're only going to get anywhere from two to
four feet high and wide. And that's it. Now, when
they do that, they produce most of the tomatoes and
then when they're done, they're done, So by mid August
you may be finished unless you do a later or
second planting so you have a later crop. But the
(16:52):
dwarf tomatoes that are out there today are the selections phenomenal.
But look at look at the dwarfs. Look at the
and they're typically labeled determine it because they don't get
so big. And what I usually do with my mom,
who has several containers, loves cherry tomatoes, I start out
with two called tumbling toms. They only get about eighteen
(17:14):
inches high, about twenty four inches high, and you can
do them in hanging baskets, are in a container. They're
the best end containers, not in the ground. They produce
very quickly. It's an okay tasting cherry tomato, but it's
very quick and early. These things. On this one plant
that's eighteen inches high and twenty four inches wide, you
will easily get one hundred plus cherry tomatoes off of
(17:36):
that in a four to five week period. And then
they're done. They're finished. They don't do anymore. And at
that point your regular then your other cherry tomatoes are
starting to come on. As she in the other containers.
So anyway, look at the more the dwarf varieties unless
you have a trellis on that box or something that
you're able to treill us that thing up to give
(17:58):
some height to it. Otherwise I think you causeino tomatoes
can get seven eight feet tall with no problem. But
I like, like, I like the dwarf varieties, look at
the bush varieties, and like I say, they are determinants,
so you might want to stagger your planting on those
a little bit so you have an earlier crop and
a later crop.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Okay, great answer, Thanks Ron.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
All Right, John, good talking to you, and I do
I love the container gardening. You know, we had the
folks on from Square Foot Gardening last week talking about
that square Foot Gardening book. That's another great reference book
for They've got Mels Mix Mel Bartholome. You put that
mixed together forty years ago and still very popular today
for us, specifically in raised beds and that square foot gardening,
(18:42):
and that's his particular mix. It's about the same as
what I was talking about earlier with compost, potting, soils,
that type of thing. But I like throwing in those
pine fines. I think there I think it's a great
you know, and it's very small percentage, but I do
like putting that in here as well. We're gonna take
a break, we come back, we're gonna talk with Katie.
It's always fun having Katie on such an inspirational person
(19:03):
in this industry. I'll tell you what, when you go
she travels around the world talking about the green industry
and gardening, and when you go to her classes and
her workshops, you come away totally inspired and our goal today.
And you've for me talking about over the last several
weeks talking about you know, do you think it's time
for a career change or you're looking for a part
(19:23):
time position with more flexibility. You know, this is a
great time of the year for you to think green
and working in this green industry. Can you know you
can play a vital role in the world because at
the end of the day, the world's going to be
a lot healthier and more beautiful because of the things that
you do in the green industry. And you can learn
more about those green opportunities visiting your local garden centers,
landscape firms, nurseries, floors, things like that, see what opportunities
(19:46):
are out there. And if you're experienced or not, high
school to seniors, full time, part time, a lot of
these places are hiring right now to get your foot
in the door, get your feet wet a little bit
if you want to learn more about it. Florists, garden centers,
landscape greenhouses, they're all hiring right now, so be sure
and check in with them as well. But think green careers,
(20:06):
you know, if you're looking for a change or looking
for something with part time position. And again, like I say,
high schoolers, senior citizens, looking for a part time job, seasonal,
I'll tell you what the green industry has got you.
But if you're looking for a full time career, keep
the green industry in mind as well, because there are
so many opportunities and it's a hot industry right now.
(20:27):
We're going to talk with Kitty Dabao about that after
the break. Here in the garden with Ron Wilson. Help,
(20:54):
So let's do.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
It yourself gardener at one eight hundred eighty two three
talk You're in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
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All get some today. Welcome back here in the Garden
(23:02):
with Ron Wilson, and I am so excited, not only
because it is the first day of the meteorological spring,
Happy spring to everyone, but it's also to have this
young lady on our show because it is so much
fun when she's on here. She is miss inspirational. Trust me,
if you ever go to her workshops or classes. She
travels around the world talking about the benefits of gardening
and this green industry. You walk away on Cloud nine
(23:24):
and you just you know, you can't wait to sign
up and do something in our industry. And that's what
it's all about. As a matter of fact, Seed Your
Futures hosting its fifth Green Career Week starting on Monday,
runs next week. It's a movement, national movee to get
students involved with green careers, which it's hot right now.
So who am I talking about our guests this morning. Well,
she is the second generation owner of the Garden Media
(23:47):
Group and their website is Gardenmediagroup dot com. Again, like
I said, she travels around the world talking about gardening
and everybody inspired about the world of horticulture. She's a
lot of fun. She's a gardener herself, and what I
understand she mixes a mean cocktail out in the garden
as well, ladies and gentlemen. She's the QVC Queen Katie Dubao.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Good morning, Good morning, ron.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I am just blushing. If you could see my face,
it is entirely pink this morning. So thank you. Good morning.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Because you haven't watched yet, he because you're still in bed.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Or you make me blush.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
I envisioned it. I envision you still just laying in
bed doing this on you know, with a cell phone.
And is that just the way you are? That's the
way you work.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
Yeah, Hey, by the way, what's.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
What's u Is it bickram yoga? What is that?
Speaker 6 (24:40):
Bickram yoga is a practice that is in one hundred
and nine degrees?
Speaker 1 (24:46):
So you oh yeah, no, yeah, I don't know. I
wouldn't give it. So that's where you go into sweat,
sweat like crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
And yeah, okay, ye all right, I love it.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah obviously because you do that, and you you're do
all kinds of great things. All right, let's not waste
a lot of time. Green industry. You and I both
been in it. You grew up in it, your mom
was in it, got brought you into it, you got
away from it, came back to it. I started in
high school in this industry and have been in there
ever since. Absolutely love it. And you know it's now
(25:20):
just get out there and we're trying to encourage more
and more folks to get involved in the green industry.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Yes, but Ron, that's a great segue starter, as I
would love to hear what your story is because high school,
this organization that we're going to be talking about today
see your Future, actually wants to get kids interested in
plants in high school. So I would love to know
how you got interested in high school, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
And what's funny is on my notes here I wrote
down you and me, meaning you, Katie and me talking
about us growing up in this industry and how you
got involved and where you've been and you know, I
we lived down in the country, lived on the farm.
I worked with a lot of farmers out all my
life as a kid, little whatever, bail and hay and
all that stuff, and we had cattle and horses and
all that. But it was time for me to start
(26:04):
doing something that, you know, working for Like, I wanted
to do something and I wanted to be outside because
I didn't want to work inside and a new garden center.
They've been in business forever, but they built a new
garden center about two miles to my parents' house, and
they were taking applications for folks to work there. And
I said, this is great, and I went and signed up.
And I was a freshman in high school and signed
(26:25):
up and started working there. And you know the and
I I was going to go to college. As a
matter of fact, I went to UK. My first two
years I was in pre vet. So I was thinking
I wanted to be a veterinarian. Uh until I until
I figured out how much you had to study. Yeah, now,
but I you know, but my minor was horticulture. And
(26:47):
you know it's the old saying that once the MUD's
in the blood, it doesn't it doesn't go away. And
the next thing you knew I was I got out
of pre vet and I got into horticulture and landscape hoart,
transferred up to a house state, got my degree in
landscape port a lot of landscape design. And I think
what's interesting about it is in this industry there are
(27:07):
so many things you can do as you have done. So,
you know, I've been a part timer. I've been a
water a loader. I've been a designer, I've been a
sales manager, I've been a you know, and the next thing,
you know, I'm doing marketing and.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
PR right and radio.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
And stuff like that and sharing my you know what
I love doing in horticulture. So it's not just working
in a greenhouse or planting trees and shrubs. There's so
many things available in this industry today. And you know
what I tell folks, and I know this is your segment,
not mine. I told you I was gonna turn my
mic off. And what you talk is that this industry
and I think you said it is hot. And if
(27:47):
you if you come out of a vocational school, high school, college,
whatever it may be, and you want to get into
this green industry, if you're good and you're willing to work,
and you are upbeat and you love what you're doing,
I'm telling you're going to make some bucks in this
industry because that's what we're looking for.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, I think that people don't understand there are
so many available careers in this industry, not just you know,
having to break your back working in a greenhouse, which
some people love too, you know, working outside people. There
are so many different careers. I mean, we use a
graphic designer, we do a ton of social media. You know,
(28:24):
you can do something that you love, but also plants.
Because I'm sure you've talked to a number of people
ron and maybe some of your listeners too, had a
long career of doing something that they thought was the
right path for them, you know, because their parents chose
it for them, or because it's what they saw their
peers doing. But then later in life they actually realized
(28:46):
that gardening was their passion and they turned it into
their career. So we also have a bunch of people
in our industry who have come to this as a
career late in life because you just realize, you know,
when you get to be the wise age that we are,
that you should do something you love, find something you love,
and that can be your career. So that's what sees
(29:07):
your future is trying to do, is inspire people to
discover gardening, because I think once people discover plants, which
they did over the pandemic, you know, we had so
many young people discover gardening, and people of all ages
really like discover gardening was their joy. Then you I
love when some mud is in your blood. I have
never heard that before, because then you can see that
(29:29):
this is not only a fun hobby a rewarding hobby
because you can grow flowers or food, but it is
something you can turn into a career.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Oh absolutely. And again if you want to check this out,
the website is seed Youorfuture dot org. You can go
to that and check out what they're doing, learn more
about the Green Career Week. It's seed your Future dot org.
And you can have that mud in your blood if
you want to use that one.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's okay, I love it, thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
But it's true. We just had our job fair at
our nurse this past week and you look at it
and you look at the folks that came in and
we and we had a bazillion folks that an applications
in and we had just a smash of people, which
was great. But if you look at the the age group,
it was a lot of high schoolers looking for that
first time job, and we had a lot of folks
(30:18):
that were fifty sixty ish looking for that late late
in the life career change. Literally, I want to get
out of what I'm doing right now, and I'm I
work for a bank, I do whatever, but I shop here.
You guys are always having fun. It seems like I
love working with plants. I'm looking for a career change.
And those were the two levels that mostly that we
(30:40):
saw at that job fair. And it's you know, it's
it's it's it's something I tell you. And I'm serious
when I say that, And I think you'll agree with me.
With this industry, with the way it's going right now,
and it is a you know, it is hot that
if you're good, you know, if you like what you're doing,
you're going to make some money because you know, everybody
out there is looking for good people.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
And absolutely and we need you.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Whether it's you know, out of college, student, out of
vocationial school, high school, whatever it may be, or changing
your career. And you know you can learn this industry
working in the industry. Yeah, So if you changed the career,
I mean, there are so many great classes and workshops
and today you can go on your web, you know,
on your computer and do all the webinars. You can
learn so much plus your personal experience, plus they'll train
(31:24):
you where you are. It's a it's an easy switch
to go into the green industry. I think anyway, I
think so too.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
And I think the other thing is it's not just
if you want to change, but I think it's talking
to young people. If you're listening and you're talking to
young people. So many people ask my kids, who's ten.
I have a ten and eight year old, like what
do you want to be when you grow up? And
it's like she's ten, how does she even know? But
you know, as you're talking to young people, explain to
(31:52):
them that this is a viable career that you can
make it. If you see young people who are out there,
you know, doing landscaping. And there's some young people in
my community who are in high school who post on
our local community Facebook group that they can do some
landscaping jobs on the weekends, and I love to see
that kind of passion. Well, then they go off to
school and they want to be, you know, accountant or something.
(32:14):
We need accountants. But we're here to talk about green careers,
and so I think it's important, you know, to nurture
and explain to young people. And for parents. I think
parents sometimes see these jobs as not necessarily worthy of
their children, and I think it's really important for us
to help them understand they're not you know, going to
(32:35):
be out there all day just blow and leave, or
mowing lawns. I mean, you know, sure that that could
be part of it, but that this is a viable,
lucrative career where many people own their own businesses, so
I think for all ages where And that's really the
point of Green Career Week RON is to help people
understand that that horticulture is a path for many people
(33:00):
to have a really successful future, and not just for people,
but for our planet. I mean, I don't want to
get to woo woo here on us, but you know,
we need more people to come in this industry to
help us grow more food, to help us grow more flowers,
to help us discover more flowers, and to help get
those plants to people and sell those plants to people,
(33:21):
put those plants in people's ground so then that the
local wildlife can benefit from them. And you know, those
are the things that really are We are making a
difference in this industry, and it feels really good to
be a part of it, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Absolutely? And I've got goosebumps, Katie Dubao, and I knew
you'd do that too. I mean I got tears of eyes,
I got goosebumps and I have to take a break.
We're gonna take a quick break. We come back more
with the inspirational Katie Debao. Next week it's Green Career Week.
Check out the website seed Yourfuture dot org learn more
about it. But we'll talk more about it after the break.
Katie Duboo Here in the garden with Ron.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Wilson landscaping Ladies. Here with your personal yard boy. He's
hitting and he's Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
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It's easybreed dot com.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson. Our
special guests this morning, the ever lovely and most inspirational
Katie Dubao. Of course, to Katie, we usually have Katie on.
She's from the Garden Media Group. They do trend forecasting,
and of course she does it. They do such a
great job letting us know what the trends are going
to be in the next year to come. I've been
doing this for quite some time and typically right on target.
(36:24):
But today we're talking about looking into the future the
green career industry. Have you ever talked about maybe making
that a career change or getting if you're a student
in high school or whatever looking at that as your career,
and well, we just both think that you ought to
check it out.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
Yes we do.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
I think the Mud. Once the Mud is in your blood,
you can't get out. You're practice working on that one.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, you know what. You know, what's funny is every
now and then and at our retail or whatever, we
have folks that have come in are my age or
you know, forties, five sixties, whatever said, and they'll come
in and say, you know, I U I used to
I did this in high school. I worked here and
back in high school or I worked on you know,
and I had so much fun and I enjoyed so much,
and I learned so much. And they may have gone
(37:12):
into another career, but they always reflect back how much
fun they had. Rob Portman and I don't know if
that name rings a bell with you or not. On
the and we went on the hill one time with
the O in LA and Rob Portman. Uh was he
a congressman or senator? I know either one, but anyway
it was I had to go talk to Rob. And
(37:32):
Rob at one time worked for our nursery when he
was in high school and college.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Yeah, and then went on to serve the public and
uh so I went and he's the one that introduced
the bill where you can't accept gifts from people all
that kind of stuff. And I went and gave him
a hat to give my hat from our company and
a T shirt. I said, just for old times. He says,
you know, I can't take this, and I said, I know.
I said, I'm just going to put it on the
desk Rob just to get it. And he laughed, but
(37:59):
he said, you know, and he said the same thing.
He said, you know what, of all the things I've
done in all my life, that was probably one of
the most enjoyable times that I had was working on
He worked in the nursery and I think on the
landscape cruise for a little while.
Speaker 5 (38:12):
Oh that's so cool, and.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
You know, just great experiences doing that as well. But
you know, again that's to me. I look at the
at the you know, whether you're working at a garden
center or a florists or whatever, and you're in high school,
it's a great part time job. You know, they work
around your your school schedule and it does give you
an opportunity to take a look at that and say
maybe this is something I did not consider as a
(38:35):
career that actually can be kind of fun. And then
look at the other things that are within. You know,
if you like marketing, I mean, look at you. You know,
you grew up in the garden. Your mom was a gardener,
and of course what she did, and then you learned
about that and you went away to do marketing, right
I did.
Speaker 6 (38:50):
Yeah, And you know it's interesting because she wasn't. You know,
her career was not in gardening either, and it was
the knockout Rose, which did you know, celebrate twenty five
to be here. Yeah, it feels like yesterday when she
started working with them. But when she hit this industry,
she said, it was like coming out of the dark,
you know, to the light. Because the people in the
(39:12):
industry were so willing to help her. They spent hour,
I mean, the editor of Better Home than Gardens magazine
spent hour on the phone with her talking to her
about how the industry works from you know, breeder grower,
garden Center and she didn't know any of that. And
it's you know, one thing to have a rewarding career,
as we were talking about, and doing something for yourself
and being healthy and for the planet. But it's also
(39:35):
a career where you are actually in with people who
are really good people. You know, we are all my
mom used to just say, this is an industry of
ladies and gentlemen like we are good people who are
are also wanting to give back to the environment.
Speaker 8 (39:50):
You know.
Speaker 6 (39:51):
He we care about plants, and most people who care
about plants also love animals. So you know, it's just
really a really good group of people.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
Yeah, it is, and that's what makes it lot of fun.
You learn a lot. I still remember again, I wanted
to share your and my experiences as we've come up
through this industry and all the different things that you
can do in this industry, not just planting plants, but
all the different things. Mister Natorp, the second generation Atorp,
advised me all through cost kept saying, you know, don't
worry about all the plant classes. Take the business classes
(40:20):
and take the and learn the marketing and that. So
when you come back to do this, you can also
look at the marketing and advertising and do other things
within you know, our industry, and you know, so you know,
you can go all those different directions and still be
in this industry. It's just to me, it offers so
much today in careers. It's it's crazy, and you can
do as much as if I don't want to. I
(40:42):
don't want to deal with people. I want to just
grow plants. Great. Then you can work in the nursery,
you can work in a greenhouse, you can work in
the floors. If you like working with people, then you
can be a landscape designer and work with people. If
you like working with people, you can work in a
retail and you know, do that and then not you know,
not just be a salesperson, but become a manager. We're
a general manager or the marketing manager or whatever. You know.
(41:03):
It just again can take you so many different places.
It's crazy, and I am I am so thankful that
I got into this industry because I love it.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Yeah, I am too. You know. I think back of
what my mom created, and I'm very lucky that I
got to take over this business that she created. But
I you know, thank goodness that we are in this industry.
I was just reading something about how other industries are
really or seeing all these stores closing, and I'm so
sad for them, but it's like I am just really
thrilled that we get to be in this industry and
(41:35):
we get to give back. When I did leave home,
I was in the jewelry industry and I was working
in New York in jewelry, and I constantly tell people
when I came back, it was like a breath of
fresh air because I just kept that idea of bye
bye bye. You know that day, yesterday, February twenty eighth,
was supposed to be like a blackout buy from buying day.
(41:56):
Did you read this? And so you know they didn't
want it. Only wanted to just shop small, shop local,
shop small. And that's kind of the rat wheel that
I felt like I was on when I was doing
marketing for this large jewelry company and now really promoting plants.
You feel like you're telling people to get outside, create
something of their own that they can go then go
(42:17):
return to and sit outside and enjoy. And it really
is a breath of fresh air, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
So how can folks learn more about this?
Speaker 6 (42:25):
So Green Career Week is kicking off, as you said
March third, and to go to seed your Future's website.
It sees your future dot org and you know you
can find free resources. One of the big things that
they really pride themselves on and that they fundraised for.
It's a nonprofit is giving free resources, So there are
(42:46):
you know, if you're a teacher, you can still participate
in Green Career Week. You can find local companies there
that are participating. You can find career guides to pass
out to your students, which makes it really easy. I
also encourage pop if they are listening and they want
to sign up. Like natorps, visit sefuture dot org backslash
Green Career Week where you can say this is what
(43:08):
I'm doing, because Seed your Future is tracking it.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
And they you going.
Speaker 6 (43:14):
Oh okay, I heard that great music. And they can
also help you with planning an event like yours. So
I really hope people get involved again.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Fired seed your Future dot org. Be sure and check
it out. Look, if I hadn't been in this industry,
I would never met her mom. Susie McCoy's just an
outstanding person and of course you as well. Yes, ditto
two benefits right there, just right to the top of
the list. Katie Dubo. Always a pleasure you do, such
a great job, such an inspiration. Thanks for spending time
(43:43):
with us this morning.
Speaker 6 (43:45):
Thank you Ron, it was great.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Talking to you, all right, Take care Katie Duboo again.
Garden Media Group is the name of her company. But
we want to this week to go to seed your
Future dot org. Think about the green industry. You might
like that career, think you will. Eight hundred eight two
three eight two five five. That's our number here in
the Garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
Not gardening questions. Ron has the answers at one eight
hundred eighty two three Talk. You're in the Garden with
Ron Wilson.
Eight hundred eight two three eight two five five. Good morning.
I am Ron Wilson, your personal yard boy. We're talking
about yardning on this first day of spring, the meteorological spring. Yes,
it started today, can you believe that? Yep? Excited, clapping
my hands. I'm ready to go. I don't know about you. Yes, absolutely,
(00:57):
let's get it on. Not too quick, all right, take it,
take your time. Like I said earlier in the first hour,
we want to cruise into the spring season. Ideally, we
just want to gradually warm. I know you're anxious and
biting at the bullet and chomping at the bit, ready
to get out there, start doing things. And there are
things we can be doing, you know, the dormant seating,
(01:20):
raking out debris, starting to think about cleanup, cutting back
those ornamental grasses, you know, getting the containers ready for planting,
things like that. But you know, get you know, start
getting those get your plans in place. Know exactly what
you're going to do as we move through the spring season.
Maybe you need a little professional landscape design and installation.
(01:43):
Want to screen off those neighbors. You want to add
a few larger trees, maybe put some evergreen screens, up
whatever it may be, a new foundation planting. You know,
the landscaping typically lasts we used to say, about twenty
years and then you kind of go in, you freshen
it up, keep the specimen, plants, kind of pull out
fresh up to look and whatever it may be. Good
curve appeal about every twenty years or so. And maybe
(02:04):
you're at that point, or maybe you've moved into a
brand new home and you need landscaping or whatever it
may be, and you want someone else to do it. Well,
now's the time to get your name on the list,
because I'm telling you now that it says March that
turns the light bulbs on right there, and then temperatures
start to warm up, and the next thing you know,
(02:25):
everything's breaking loose for the spring season. You say, well,
let's get a landscaper out here and see about getting
a design and the quote for installation and go from there.
And guess what, they're already backed up two or three
weeks or more to come out and see you. And
then they come out and see you and get the
plan together another week and then do all that and
(02:45):
then see you say yes, and now guess what, the
cruise are backed up another three weeks and now where
are we. We're into June before they're even doing any
planting in your yard. So don't delay help your escape,
have a happy day. Get out there this weekend and
get hold of your you know, favorite local landscape firm.
(03:07):
If you're not familiar or know which ones to use,
check with some folks that you know have used a
landscaper in the past in your neighborhood. Check with your
local independent garden center see if they have landscape firms
that they would recommend as well. But please do that.
And for you folks that are chomping at the bit
to get out and start planting that vegetable garden, please
(03:28):
remember a couple of things very very important. One is,
you know, if you're going to go out and you're
going to work the soil a little bit, uh, maybe
you still do some tilling and all that, and do
little soil amendment, don't try to till your garden when
it's too wet. Pick up some soil about you know
that it will fit in the middle of your hand,
(03:49):
Squeeze it like about size of a golf ball. Open
your hand up. If that falls apart, you're good to go.
If that stays together like a like a golf ball.
Too wet, don't work it. If you work spring soils
that are too wet and they clawed up, and that
clay will do that. My dad used to call them
clod oppers, and they will clump up. That stuff does
(04:09):
not go away. It takes all summer and into the
fall before you finally see it start to break down.
It's the worst thing it can happen to you. So
don't till or work the soil when it's too wet.
Make sure the moisture levels are just right when you're
out doing whatever you're doing. Soil amendments light and tilling
the soil lightly, turnover whatever it may be. Make sure
(04:30):
it's not too wet, and walking on it as well,
because when you walk on wet soils, what do you do?
You can pact it down and that's not what we
want as well. So keep your eyes on that when
I make sure that. And the other thing is we
always watch the air temperatures. Right, who is going to
be sixty degrees every day this week or it's going
to you know whatever, And we look at that and
our frost free date for planting tender annuals, you know,
(04:54):
for planting times when actually when we're looking at that
vegetable garden. Yeah, air temperatures are important, we can protect
from frosts. Air temperatures are important, but what's more important
are the soil temperatures. Soil temps. We've gone through, we
go through this every spring in every fall. How important
soil temperatures are. The two of them combined. Soil and
(05:17):
air temperatures are key, but soil temperature is truly the key.
I don't know really of most vegetable plants. Cool season
that you get started early, that you can plant early
onions and you know, the cabbage and the broccoli and
things like that that you want to go after it.
You know, go ahead and start planting anything cooler than
about forty five degrees consistently. Now, sometimes you look at
(05:42):
some of the planting charts and they'll put forty degrees
on there. They'll take that, no problem. But I personally
have always used that forty five degree soil temperature mark
as far as the kickoff. And I'm talking consistently staying
at forty five degrees and higher. And if you start
looking at tomatoes and peppers, they really like it more
(06:03):
into the sixty sixty five seventy degree temp soil temperatures,
and that shows you why, you know why we also
hold off a little bit longer on planting nose. But
the cool season crops I look at about forty five degrees. Well,
how do you know what the soil temperatures are? You
got a couple options. One is you can buy a
soil thermometer, And a soil thermometer is very simply a
(06:25):
thermometer that you stick down in the soil and you
just read it just like you would a regular oral thermometer,
and you just stick at the soil. And some of
them have a metia on the top, some of them
have it on the side. I wind up breaking them
AULTI forget where they are. But you can do those
and get an average of where your soil temperatures are
in the top four to five inches of your soil,
(06:46):
and you can watch those, and it's kind of fun
to watch. And not only are we watching the soil
temperatures for the vegetable planting or tender annual plantings, seed
germination as well if your direct sewing into the garden,
but you're all also looking at those soil temperatures because
they're an indicator of when crabgrass and other weed seeds
start to germinate and grow. At fifty five degrees consistently,
(07:10):
all right, it set soil temperatures. And once you start
getting the soil temperatures at fifty five degrees consistently and
air temperatures at fifty five to sixty degrees consistently, everything
else starts to bust loose up top. But it's the
combination of the two. But again, we want to watch
the soil temps, so you either use a soil thermometer
if you don't want to go through that, and then I
have a really easy way to do it. There's a
(07:33):
website that you put in your zip code or the
name of your town, and it will tell you your
soil temperatures for current for at that time, what it
was over the last twenty four hours average and over
the last five days average. Very very easy. It's called
green cast g R E E N C A S T,
(07:57):
dot com greencast, dot com cast online, I'm sorry, dot
com green cast online, and you go there and it
can give you so many charts you gets unbelievable. In
the professionals will use this soil moisture levels, all of that,
but go to the soil temperatures and then put in
your town and it'll bring it up. Let me give
you for instance. I did it this morning, right before
(08:19):
our show came on the air. In our area in
southern Ohio, current temperature forty one degrees. Forty one degrees.
Over the last twenty four hours, it's been averaging out
about forty seven degrees, and over the last five days
this past week forty three degrees. So we are starting
to get to that point where those cool season crops,
(08:41):
a direct plant planting could be in the works, maybe
by the end of the week. Columbus, Ohio about it's
the same. I jumped over to Ashboro, North Carolina, where
my uncle lives. He's talking about getting ready to start
to play in his garden as well. Soil temperatures this
morning only forty two degrees in Ashboro, North Carolina. Fifty
(09:03):
degrees has been the last twenty four hour average, and
forty five degrees because they've had some cool weather earlier on.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
It's very easy to use.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
I just did it myself. There you go. Danny Gleason
just put it in his town. And there you go.
Now he knows the soil temperature, so correct keep that
in mind. It's really really important to know the soil
temperatures and the air temperatures as we move through our
planting season for various things that we need to do
that are extremely dependent on those temperatures. And it's so
(09:32):
easy for you to do, by the way, thermometers if
you buy them at the garden center. We're online ten bucks,
fifteen bucks at the max. Really easy to use. Stick
them in the ground there they are, put a flag
where they are so you can go in and pull
them out and read them. Or otherwise you just ut
your computer and put it on greencast online dot com.
Pretty simple. All right, quick break, we come back. John
Short Charlotte, North Carolina. Coming up next. Phone lines are
(09:55):
open for you. Eight hundred and eight two three eight
two five five. Coming up to the bottom of the hour.
Our good friend Katie Dubao will join us this morning.
We're going to talk about the green industry. Have you
thought about a career in the green industry, horticulture. There's
so many things in the green industry, it's crazy. We're
going to talk about that and why you should maybe
think about it, because gardening and horticulture right now is hot.
(10:17):
It is a hot industry and maybe something you might
want to consider. Eight hundred eight two three eight two
five five. That's our number here in the garden with
Ron Wilson.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Landscaping ladies here with your personal yard boy. He's in
the garden and he's Ron Wilson.
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(12:49):
purchase a kit, or find a retailer near you.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson again
that toll free number eight hundred eight two three eight
two five five to Charlotte, North Carolina. We go, John,
Good morning.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Good morning Ron. I called you a couple of weeks
ago and told you that we purchased ar raise the planner.
It's about the four foot long by two foot wide
and maybe maybe two foot deep. I forgot to ask
you what would be the best soil composition to put
in that in that planner?
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Is it? Is it on a surface like a hard surface?
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Well, it's on legs a little taller than that, Yeah,
don't and something like that.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Of course, weight becomes an issue. So and I'm assuming
you're only going to be growing vegetables or annuals things
like that. Nothing that would stay in there every you know, year.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
Round, Well, that was another question. What would be the
best varieties of tomato plants to put in an environment
like that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Well, that's a great question too. Let's go back. Let's
back up first of all, the soil that you put
in there. There are several the potting soil companies now
that actually have developed a raised bed or more of
a container mix that they've got available for you to
put in there. They are absolutely outstanding. I don't know
that I I would use actual top soil in that
(15:02):
type of a planner. A lot of times in raised beds,
I'll go about a sixty seventy percent top soil the
rest organic matter in that particular situation, No, you're gonna
go with just a straight potting mix, top grade potting
mix or container mix. I think fertilom is called. They
have a raised bed, they have a garden mix. Both
(15:23):
are absolutely outstanding. For those. You can even supplement or
bulk up a little bit by if you can find
the really fine pine bark, the pine bark fines you
can add. You can add like a half to two
thirds of a bag to that to help bulk it
up a little bit. And I like using that in
my potting mix. As a matter of fact, if I
do my own mix, which I do, have a couple
(15:45):
of beds that I do that with. I do a
combination of the potting soils, which are again top grade
potting soils. I'll always throw in a little bit of
pine findes chop that in. I love putting that in there,
and as it breaks down, it just it adds organic matter.
It helps to keep it more. Course, it really does
help as a soil amendment. And I use a little
bit of what's called the cow It's a bagged composted
(16:08):
cow manure. That's a combination of compost and manure. I
love using all three of those together. As far as
that's my mix in beds that I'm gonna boxes that
I'm going to be planting, rotating crops or whatever it
may be. I like that kind of a mix. So
what the plant in there? Of course, you're ope wide open.
But when it comes to tomatoes, look at the determinate varieties.
(16:31):
Look at the bush varieties which are typically determinant, which
means they're only going to get anywhere from two to
four feet high and wide. And that's it. Now, when
they do that, they produce most of the tomatoes and
then when they're done, they're done, So by mid August
you may be finished unless you do a later or
second planting so you have a later crop. But the
(16:52):
dwarf tomatoes that are out there today are the selections phenomenal.
But look at look at the dwarfs. Look at the
and they're typically labeled determine it because they don't get
so big. And what I usually do with my mom,
who has several containers, loves cherry tomatoes, I start out
with two called tumbling toms. They only get about eighteen
(17:14):
inches high, about twenty four inches high, and you can
do them in hanging baskets, are in a container. They're
the best end containers, not in the ground. They produce
very quickly. It's an okay tasting cherry tomato, but it's
very quick and early. These things. On this one plant
that's eighteen inches high and twenty four inches wide, you
will easily get one hundred plus cherry tomatoes off of
(17:36):
that in a four to five week period. And then
they're done. They're finished. They don't do anymore. And at
that point your regular then your other cherry tomatoes are
starting to come on. As she in the other containers.
So anyway, look at the more the dwarf varieties unless
you have a trellis on that box or something that
you're able to treill us that thing up to give
(17:58):
some height to it. Otherwise I think you causeino tomatoes
can get seven eight feet tall with no problem. But
I like, like, I like the dwarf varieties, look at
the bush varieties, and like I say, they are determinants,
so you might want to stagger your planting on those
a little bit so you have an earlier crop and
a later crop.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Okay, great answer, Thanks Ron.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
All Right, John, good talking to you, and I do
I love the container gardening. You know, we had the
folks on from Square Foot Gardening last week talking about
that square Foot Gardening book. That's another great reference book
for They've got Mels Mix Mel Bartholome. You put that
mixed together forty years ago and still very popular today
for us, specifically in raised beds and that square foot gardening,
(18:42):
and that's his particular mix. It's about the same as
what I was talking about earlier with compost, potting, soils,
that type of thing. But I like throwing in those
pine fines. I think there I think it's a great
you know, and it's very small percentage, but I do
like putting that in here as well. We're gonna take
a break, we come back, we're gonna talk with Katie.
It's always fun having Katie on such an inspirational person
(19:03):
in this industry. I'll tell you what, when you go
she travels around the world talking about the green industry
and gardening, and when you go to her classes and
her workshops, you come away totally inspired and our goal today.
And you've for me talking about over the last several
weeks talking about you know, do you think it's time
for a career change or you're looking for a part
(19:23):
time position with more flexibility. You know, this is a
great time of the year for you to think green
and working in this green industry. Can you know you
can play a vital role in the world because at
the end of the day, the world's going to be
a lot healthier and more beautiful because of the things that
you do in the green industry. And you can learn
more about those green opportunities visiting your local garden centers,
landscape firms, nurseries, floors, things like that, see what opportunities
(19:46):
are out there. And if you're experienced or not, high
school to seniors, full time, part time, a lot of
these places are hiring right now to get your foot
in the door, get your feet wet a little bit
if you want to learn more about it. Florists, garden centers,
landscape greenhouses, they're all hiring right now, so be sure
and check in with them as well. But think green careers,
(20:06):
you know, if you're looking for a change or looking
for something with part time position. And again, like I say,
high schoolers, senior citizens, looking for a part time job, seasonal,
I'll tell you what the green industry has got you.
But if you're looking for a full time career, keep
the green industry in mind as well, because there are
so many opportunities and it's a hot industry right now.
(20:27):
We're going to talk with Kitty Dabao about that after
the break. Here in the garden with Ron Wilson. Help,
(20:54):
So let's do.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
It yourself gardener at one eight hundred eighty two three
talk You're in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Hi, Ron Wilson here. Let me ask you a question.
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All get some today. Welcome back here in the Garden
(23:02):
with Ron Wilson, and I am so excited, not only
because it is the first day of the meteorological spring,
Happy spring to everyone, but it's also to have this
young lady on our show because it is so much
fun when she's on here. She is miss inspirational. Trust me,
if you ever go to her workshops or classes. She
travels around the world talking about the benefits of gardening
and this green industry. You walk away on Cloud nine
(23:24):
and you just you know, you can't wait to sign
up and do something in our industry. And that's what
it's all about. As a matter of fact, Seed Your
Futures hosting its fifth Green Career Week starting on Monday,
runs next week. It's a movement, national movee to get
students involved with green careers, which it's hot right now.
So who am I talking about our guests this morning. Well,
she is the second generation owner of the Garden Media
(23:47):
Group and their website is Gardenmediagroup dot com. Again, like
I said, she travels around the world talking about gardening
and everybody inspired about the world of horticulture. She's a
lot of fun. She's a gardener herself, and what I
understand she mixes a mean cocktail out in the garden
as well, ladies and gentlemen. She's the QVC Queen Katie Dubao.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Good morning, Good morning, ron.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I am just blushing. If you could see my face,
it is entirely pink this morning. So thank you. Good morning.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Because you haven't watched yet, he because you're still in bed.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Or you make me blush.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
I envisioned it. I envision you still just laying in
bed doing this on you know, with a cell phone.
And is that just the way you are? That's the
way you work.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
Yeah, Hey, by the way, what's.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
What's u Is it bickram yoga? What is that?
Speaker 6 (24:40):
Bickram yoga is a practice that is in one hundred
and nine degrees?
Speaker 1 (24:46):
So you oh yeah, no, yeah, I don't know. I
wouldn't give it. So that's where you go into sweat,
sweat like crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
And yeah, okay, ye all right, I love it.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah obviously because you do that, and you you're do
all kinds of great things. All right, let's not waste
a lot of time. Green industry. You and I both
been in it. You grew up in it, your mom
was in it, got brought you into it, you got
away from it, came back to it. I started in
high school in this industry and have been in there
ever since. Absolutely love it. And you know it's now
(25:20):
just get out there and we're trying to encourage more
and more folks to get involved in the green industry.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Yes, but Ron, that's a great segue starter, as I
would love to hear what your story is because high school,
this organization that we're going to be talking about today
see your Future, actually wants to get kids interested in
plants in high school. So I would love to know
how you got interested in high school, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
And what's funny is on my notes here I wrote
down you and me, meaning you, Katie and me talking
about us growing up in this industry and how you
got involved and where you've been and you know, I
we lived down in the country, lived on the farm.
I worked with a lot of farmers out all my
life as a kid, little whatever, bail and hay and
all that stuff, and we had cattle and horses and
all that. But it was time for me to start
(26:04):
doing something that, you know, working for Like, I wanted
to do something and I wanted to be outside because
I didn't want to work inside and a new garden center.
They've been in business forever, but they built a new
garden center about two miles to my parents' house, and
they were taking applications for folks to work there. And
I said, this is great, and I went and signed up.
And I was a freshman in high school and signed
(26:25):
up and started working there. And you know the and
I I was going to go to college. As a
matter of fact, I went to UK. My first two
years I was in pre vet. So I was thinking
I wanted to be a veterinarian. Uh until I until
I figured out how much you had to study. Yeah, now,
but I you know, but my minor was horticulture. And
(26:47):
you know it's the old saying that once the MUD's
in the blood, it doesn't it doesn't go away. And
the next thing you knew I was I got out
of pre vet and I got into horticulture and landscape hoart,
transferred up to a house state, got my degree in
landscape port a lot of landscape design. And I think
what's interesting about it is in this industry there are
(27:07):
so many things you can do as you have done. So,
you know, I've been a part timer. I've been a
water a loader. I've been a designer, I've been a
sales manager, I've been a you know, and the next thing,
you know, I'm doing marketing and.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
PR right and radio.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
And stuff like that and sharing my you know what
I love doing in horticulture. So it's not just working
in a greenhouse or planting trees and shrubs. There's so
many things available in this industry today. And you know
what I tell folks, and I know this is your segment,
not mine. I told you I was gonna turn my
mic off. And what you talk is that this industry
and I think you said it is hot. And if
(27:47):
you if you come out of a vocational school, high school, college,
whatever it may be, and you want to get into
this green industry, if you're good and you're willing to work,
and you are upbeat and you love what you're doing,
I'm telling you're going to make some bucks in this
industry because that's what we're looking for.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, I think that people don't understand there are
so many available careers in this industry, not just you know,
having to break your back working in a greenhouse, which
some people love too, you know, working outside people. There
are so many different careers. I mean, we use a
graphic designer, we do a ton of social media. You know,
(28:24):
you can do something that you love, but also plants.
Because I'm sure you've talked to a number of people
ron and maybe some of your listeners too, had a
long career of doing something that they thought was the
right path for them, you know, because their parents chose
it for them, or because it's what they saw their
peers doing. But then later in life they actually realized
(28:46):
that gardening was their passion and they turned it into
their career. So we also have a bunch of people
in our industry who have come to this as a
career late in life because you just realize, you know,
when you get to be the wise age that we are,
that you should do something you love, find something you love,
and that can be your career. So that's what sees
(29:07):
your future is trying to do, is inspire people to
discover gardening, because I think once people discover plants, which
they did over the pandemic, you know, we had so
many young people discover gardening, and people of all ages
really like discover gardening was their joy. Then you I
love when some mud is in your blood. I have
never heard that before, because then you can see that
(29:29):
this is not only a fun hobby a rewarding hobby
because you can grow flowers or food, but it is
something you can turn into a career.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Oh absolutely. And again if you want to check this out,
the website is seed Youorfuture dot org. You can go
to that and check out what they're doing, learn more
about the Green Career Week. It's seed your Future dot org.
And you can have that mud in your blood if
you want to use that one.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's okay, I love it, thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
But it's true. We just had our job fair at
our nurse this past week and you look at it
and you look at the folks that came in and
we and we had a bazillion folks that an applications
in and we had just a smash of people, which
was great. But if you look at the the age group,
it was a lot of high schoolers looking for that
first time job, and we had a lot of folks
(30:18):
that were fifty sixty ish looking for that late late
in the life career change. Literally, I want to get
out of what I'm doing right now, and I'm I
work for a bank, I do whatever, but I shop here.
You guys are always having fun. It seems like I
love working with plants. I'm looking for a career change.
And those were the two levels that mostly that we
(30:40):
saw at that job fair. And it's you know, it's
it's it's it's something I tell you. And I'm serious
when I say that, And I think you'll agree with me.
With this industry, with the way it's going right now,
and it is a you know, it is hot that
if you're good, you know, if you like what you're doing,
you're going to make some money because you know, everybody
out there is looking for good people.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
And absolutely and we need you.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Whether it's you know, out of college, student, out of
vocationial school, high school, whatever it may be, or changing
your career. And you know you can learn this industry
working in the industry. Yeah, So if you changed the career,
I mean, there are so many great classes and workshops
and today you can go on your web, you know,
on your computer and do all the webinars. You can
learn so much plus your personal experience, plus they'll train
(31:24):
you where you are. It's a it's an easy switch
to go into the green industry. I think anyway, I
think so too.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
And I think the other thing is it's not just
if you want to change, but I think it's talking
to young people. If you're listening and you're talking to
young people. So many people ask my kids, who's ten.
I have a ten and eight year old, like what
do you want to be when you grow up? And
it's like she's ten, how does she even know? But
you know, as you're talking to young people, explain to
(31:52):
them that this is a viable career that you can
make it. If you see young people who are out there,
you know, doing landscaping. And there's some young people in
my community who are in high school who post on
our local community Facebook group that they can do some
landscaping jobs on the weekends, and I love to see
that kind of passion. Well, then they go off to
school and they want to be, you know, accountant or something.
(32:14):
We need accountants. But we're here to talk about green careers,
and so I think it's important, you know, to nurture
and explain to young people. And for parents. I think
parents sometimes see these jobs as not necessarily worthy of
their children, and I think it's really important for us
to help them understand they're not you know, going to
(32:35):
be out there all day just blow and leave, or
mowing lawns. I mean, you know, sure that that could
be part of it, but that this is a viable,
lucrative career where many people own their own businesses, so
I think for all ages where And that's really the
point of Green Career Week RON is to help people
understand that that horticulture is a path for many people
(33:00):
to have a really successful future, and not just for people,
but for our planet. I mean, I don't want to
get to woo woo here on us, but you know,
we need more people to come in this industry to
help us grow more food, to help us grow more flowers,
to help us discover more flowers, and to help get
those plants to people and sell those plants to people,
(33:21):
put those plants in people's ground so then that the
local wildlife can benefit from them. And you know, those
are the things that really are We are making a
difference in this industry, and it feels really good to
be a part of it, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Absolutely? And I've got goosebumps, Katie Dubao, and I knew
you'd do that too. I mean I got tears of eyes,
I got goosebumps and I have to take a break.
We're gonna take a quick break. We come back more
with the inspirational Katie Debao. Next week it's Green Career Week.
Check out the website seed Yourfuture dot org learn more
about it. But we'll talk more about it after the break.
Katie Duboo Here in the garden with Ron.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Wilson landscaping Ladies. Here with your personal yard boy. He's
hitting and he's Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
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Speaker 7 (34:49):
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(35:11):
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Speaker 1 (35:15):
I have one. I love it.
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Check it out for yourself.
Speaker 8 (35:17):
It's easybreed dot com.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson. Our
special guests this morning, the ever lovely and most inspirational
Katie Dubao. Of course, to Katie, we usually have Katie on.
She's from the Garden Media Group. They do trend forecasting,
and of course she does it. They do such a
great job letting us know what the trends are going
to be in the next year to come. I've been
doing this for quite some time and typically right on target.
(36:24):
But today we're talking about looking into the future the
green career industry. Have you ever talked about maybe making
that a career change or getting if you're a student
in high school or whatever looking at that as your career,
and well, we just both think that you ought to
check it out.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
Yes we do.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
I think the Mud. Once the Mud is in your blood,
you can't get out. You're practice working on that one.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, you know what. You know, what's funny is every
now and then and at our retail or whatever, we
have folks that have come in are my age or
you know, forties, five sixties, whatever said, and they'll come
in and say, you know, I U I used to
I did this in high school. I worked here and
back in high school or I worked on you know,
and I had so much fun and I enjoyed so much,
and I learned so much. And they may have gone
(37:12):
into another career, but they always reflect back how much
fun they had. Rob Portman and I don't know if
that name rings a bell with you or not. On
the and we went on the hill one time with
the O in LA and Rob Portman. Uh was he
a congressman or senator? I know either one, but anyway
it was I had to go talk to Rob. And
(37:32):
Rob at one time worked for our nursery when he
was in high school and college.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Yeah, and then went on to serve the public and
uh so I went and he's the one that introduced
the bill where you can't accept gifts from people all
that kind of stuff. And I went and gave him
a hat to give my hat from our company and
a T shirt. I said, just for old times. He says,
you know, I can't take this, and I said, I know.
I said, I'm just going to put it on the
desk Rob just to get it. And he laughed, but
(37:59):
he said, you know, and he said the same thing.
He said, you know what, of all the things I've
done in all my life, that was probably one of
the most enjoyable times that I had was working on
He worked in the nursery and I think on the
landscape cruise for a little while.
Speaker 5 (38:12):
Oh that's so cool, and.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
You know, just great experiences doing that as well. But
you know, again that's to me. I look at the
at the you know, whether you're working at a garden
center or a florists or whatever, and you're in high school,
it's a great part time job. You know, they work
around your your school schedule and it does give you
an opportunity to take a look at that and say
maybe this is something I did not consider as a
(38:35):
career that actually can be kind of fun. And then
look at the other things that are within. You know,
if you like marketing, I mean, look at you. You know,
you grew up in the garden. Your mom was a gardener,
and of course what she did, and then you learned
about that and you went away to do marketing, right
I did.
Speaker 6 (38:50):
Yeah, And you know it's interesting because she wasn't. You know,
her career was not in gardening either, and it was
the knockout Rose, which did you know, celebrate twenty five
to be here. Yeah, it feels like yesterday when she
started working with them. But when she hit this industry,
she said, it was like coming out of the dark,
you know, to the light. Because the people in the
(39:12):
industry were so willing to help her. They spent hour,
I mean, the editor of Better Home than Gardens magazine
spent hour on the phone with her talking to her
about how the industry works from you know, breeder grower,
garden Center and she didn't know any of that. And
it's you know, one thing to have a rewarding career,
as we were talking about, and doing something for yourself
and being healthy and for the planet. But it's also
(39:35):
a career where you are actually in with people who
are really good people. You know, we are all my
mom used to just say, this is an industry of
ladies and gentlemen like we are good people who are
are also wanting to give back to the environment.
Speaker 8 (39:50):
You know.
Speaker 6 (39:51):
He we care about plants, and most people who care
about plants also love animals. So you know, it's just
really a really good group of people.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
Yeah, it is, and that's what makes it lot of fun.
You learn a lot. I still remember again, I wanted
to share your and my experiences as we've come up
through this industry and all the different things that you
can do in this industry, not just planting plants, but
all the different things. Mister Natorp, the second generation Atorp,
advised me all through cost kept saying, you know, don't
worry about all the plant classes. Take the business classes
(40:20):
and take the and learn the marketing and that. So
when you come back to do this, you can also
look at the marketing and advertising and do other things
within you know, our industry, and you know, so you know,
you can go all those different directions and still be
in this industry. It's just to me, it offers so
much today in careers. It's it's crazy, and you can
do as much as if I don't want to. I
(40:42):
don't want to deal with people. I want to just
grow plants. Great. Then you can work in the nursery,
you can work in a greenhouse, you can work in
the floors. If you like working with people, then you
can be a landscape designer and work with people. If
you like working with people, you can work in a
retail and you know, do that and then not you know,
not just be a salesperson, but become a manager. We're
a general manager or the marketing manager or whatever. You know.
(41:03):
It just again can take you so many different places.
It's crazy, and I am I am so thankful that
I got into this industry because I love it.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Yeah, I am too. You know. I think back of
what my mom created, and I'm very lucky that I
got to take over this business that she created. But
I you know, thank goodness that we are in this industry.
I was just reading something about how other industries are
really or seeing all these stores closing, and I'm so
sad for them, but it's like I am just really
thrilled that we get to be in this industry and
(41:35):
we get to give back. When I did leave home,
I was in the jewelry industry and I was working
in New York in jewelry, and I constantly tell people
when I came back, it was like a breath of
fresh air because I just kept that idea of bye
bye bye. You know that day, yesterday, February twenty eighth,
was supposed to be like a blackout buy from buying day.
(41:56):
Did you read this? And so you know they didn't
want it. Only wanted to just shop small, shop local,
shop small. And that's kind of the rat wheel that
I felt like I was on when I was doing
marketing for this large jewelry company and now really promoting plants.
You feel like you're telling people to get outside, create
something of their own that they can go then go
(42:17):
return to and sit outside and enjoy. And it really
is a breath of fresh air, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
So how can folks learn more about this?
Speaker 6 (42:25):
So Green Career Week is kicking off, as you said
March third, and to go to seed your Future's website.
It sees your future dot org and you know you
can find free resources. One of the big things that
they really pride themselves on and that they fundraised for.
It's a nonprofit is giving free resources, So there are
(42:46):
you know, if you're a teacher, you can still participate
in Green Career Week. You can find local companies there
that are participating. You can find career guides to pass
out to your students, which makes it really easy. I
also encourage pop if they are listening and they want
to sign up. Like natorps, visit sefuture dot org backslash
Green Career Week where you can say this is what
(43:08):
I'm doing, because Seed your Future is tracking it.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
And they you going.
Speaker 6 (43:14):
Oh okay, I heard that great music. And they can
also help you with planning an event like yours. So
I really hope people get involved again.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Fired seed your Future dot org. Be sure and check
it out. Look, if I hadn't been in this industry,
I would never met her mom. Susie McCoy's just an
outstanding person and of course you as well. Yes, ditto
two benefits right there, just right to the top of
the list. Katie Dubo. Always a pleasure you do, such
a great job, such an inspiration. Thanks for spending time
(43:43):
with us this morning.
Speaker 6 (43:45):
Thank you Ron, it was great.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Talking to you, all right, Take care Katie Duboo again.
Garden Media Group is the name of her company. But
we want to this week to go to seed your
Future dot org. Think about the green industry. You might
like that career, think you will. Eight hundred eight two
three eight two five five. That's our number here in
the Garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
Not gardening questions. Ron has the answers at one eight
hundred eighty two three Talk. You're in the Garden with
Ron Wilson.
In The Garden with Ron Wilson News
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