Better Lawns and Gardens · Teresa Watkins

Better Lawns and Gardens - Hour 1 Dr. Gary Bachman in the House October 11, 2025

·39 min·3 clips

Dr. Gary Bachman reveals why GMOs in gardening aren't scary and how they speed up plant breeding.

This episode of Better Lawns and Gardens features host Teresa Watkins and her special guest, Dr. Gary Bachman, a retired horticulture expert from Mississippi Extension Services. They discuss current gardening conditions, new plant varieties, and answer listener questions. They note a cold front is bringing dry weather to North and Central Florida, while South Florida has experienced flooding with over seven inches of rain in some coastal cities. Dr. Bachman explains that seeds from damp flower heads, like Mexican hat coneflowers, remain viable once they dry out. The conversation covers the current La Niña climate pattern, which typically means a warm, dry winter with fewer storms for the southeastern U.S. Dr. Bachman shares a personal anecdote about his 'Vista Bubblegum' petunias unexpectedly surviving eight inches of snow and re-sprouting the following spring. A significant topic is new bioluminescent plants, including the 'Firefly' petunia, a GMO product from Light Bio that incorporates a mushroom gene to glow. They also discuss glow-in-the-dark succulents treated with a compound called strontium aluminate, which absorbs and re-emits light. Dr. Bachman expresses a neutral view on GMOs, describing them as an acceleration of traditional breeding and noting many are already in the food system. He details his own seed company, Heritage Cottage Seeds, where he grows and isolates heirloom peppers and tomatoes, like the 'Tom Thumb' lettuce related to varieties Thomas Jefferson grew. The hosts emphasize using reliable sources like university extension (.edu) websites for gardening advice, cautioning against anecdotal tips found online. In a listener call, Jerry describes a night-blooming red flower, which they identify as a type of scarlet hibiscus in the mallow family, noting its leaves can be used for tea. Teresa presents her "Top Five" flowering plants for hanging baskets, listing Calibrachoa, Double Delight begonias, Luscious Lantana, Calatophis 'Ladybird Sunglow', and Double Impatiens 'Rocapulco'. Another caller, Bill, seeks advice on lawn care for issues with sod webworms and fungus, leading to recommendations for a soil test and adjusting irrigation to one to one-and-a-half inches of water per week. A text question from Debbie about overwintering potted plumerias prompts advice to keep them in their pots rather than bare-rooting them. The episode concludes with details on Dr. Bachman's seed company merchandise and his upcoming travels through Florida. The tone is conversational, educational, and friendly, mirroring a casual radio talk show between knowledgeable colleagues. This episode is ideal for home gardeners in the Southeast U.S. interested in seasonal advice, plant science, and practical problem-solving. Listeners seeking highly structured, single-topic deep dives or those gardening in dramatically different climates may find the content less directly applicable.

As heard by us

A practical plant conversation centered on seeds and cool-season growing.

The episode centers on Teresa Watkins welcoming Dr. Gary Bachman into the studio for a calm, useful talk about plants, seeds, and the thinking behind what goes into a garden bed.

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A morning garden chat with Dr. Gary Bachman in studio.

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