About this episode
Those aren’t little white flowers on your woody perennials and shrubs. Look closer. What is it? It’s not a flower, it looks and feels like a wad of spit! That would be the cocoon for the aptly named spittlebug. What’s a gardener to do about this pest which can be found throughout North America? America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture professor, Debbie Flower tackles that and more of your yuck-inducing garden questions, including: should you eat green potatoes? Why does my boxwood shrub smell like cat urine? What is all this white mold around the roots of my plants? It’s all in today’s episode, number 275, Spittlebugs and More of Your Questions. We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory. It’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go! Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net . Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout Pictured: spittlebug cocoon on rosemary Links: Subscribe to the free, Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com July 21, 2023 Newsletter: Droopy Leaves vs Heat Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/ Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/ Flashback Episode: 266 Cucumber Basics See You at Harvest Day , Saturday Aug. 5 Herbicide Damage of Boxwoods (U. of Minn) Spittlebugs (UCANR) Meet the Beneficial Insects poster All About Farmer Fred: The GardenBasics.net website The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter, Beyond the Basics https://gardenbasics.substack.com The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com Facebook: "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" Instagram: farmerfredhoffman https://www.instagram.com/farmerfredhoffman/ Twitter: @farmerfred Farmer Fred Garden Minute Videos on YouTube As an Amazon Associate , I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here. Got a garden question? • Leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe , at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasics • Call or text us the question: 916-292-8964. • Fill out the contact box at GardenBasics.net • E-mail: fred@farmerfred.com Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter .