Proceed with caution this spring 3/21/26 Hour 1

·33 min·3 clips

Ashley Frasca invites listeners to join her at Gardening for Life Fest and meet UGA turfgrass specialist Clint Waltz in studio.

The episode begins with Ashley Frasca promoting her live appearance at Gardening for Life Fest at Autumn Hill Nursery in Woodstock, where she will speak about gardening with wildlife. She mentions her friend Jody Morgan will discuss pollinators and native plants. Frasca previews her studio guest, Clint Waltz, a UGA turfgrass specialist, for lawn care questions. She outlines the March Outdoor Expert series, with future guests like Dr. David Coyle from Clemson University. Frasca references a University of Georgia study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, finding that birding enhances brain structure and cognitive recognition in experts. She shares a personal anecdote about bluebirds defending their nest. The host advises proceeding with caution in spring gardening, noting it's nesting season for birds like cardinals in loropetalum hedges. She warns about snakes, such as eastern king snakes, and recommends wearing gloves and protective clothing. Frasca discusses fire ant control, explaining the Texas two-step method with broadcast baits and contact insecticides. She identifies four venomous snakes in Georgia: copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, and coral snake. The episode includes pruning tips, suggesting to remove no more than one-third of a plant and to prune spring-blooming plants after flowering. Mulching advice covers types like pine straw and rocks, with cautions about heat retention. Frasca shares a top three things to do list: notice flowering trees like Okami cherry, be aware of deer eating evergreens before giving birth, and control weeds like hairy bittercress and Japanese honeysuckle. She mentions upcoming garden events, including a talk by Doug Tallamy in Athens. The show concludes with reminders about podcast availability and weather updates.

As heard by us

A grounded spring yard check-in where wildlife, weeds, and local garden events all matter.

Spring yard work is treated here as a steady negotiation between a gardener's plans and what the season, the weeds, and the wildlife are already doing.

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Why you'd press play

Bring your Saturday yard questions: Ashley Frasca points you toward patient wildlife watching, early weed checks, and one invasive vine worth pulling now.

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