New Natural Gardening Show on KCTV

Easy care that's good for your yard and the environment

2005 Archived News

When is the best time to plant? Want to improve your soil? How can you save water, time and help our environment?

You'll find these gardening tips and much more on King County's "Yard Talk"-- dirt simple natural gardening tips. The new show premiere's on KCTV this week.

Yard Talk is hosted by the county's own gardening gurus Doug Rice and Greg Rabourn. Both Rice and Rabourn work in the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Rice is a trained landscape architect and Rabourn is a plant naturalist. Together, they are the local "Siskel and Ebert" of gardening using their considerable expertise to answer questions from the county's natural yard care hotline.

Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline

E-mail at info@lawnandgardenhotline.org. Seattle/King County Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline: 206-633-0224.

"We get hundreds of calls from folks all over King County," said Rabourn. "We try to find solutions for landscaping problems that are simple and healthy for people, pets and wildlife." "We each come from a different background but we both believe the natural approach is best," said Doug Rice.

The first segment of Yard Talk is called "Honey I Shrunk the Lawn." Rice and Rabourn revamp a Ravenna homeowner's yard to make it more water efficient and easier to maintain.

"Shrinking your lawn is easy. It's something anyone can do," said Rice. "There are some really interesting landscaping alternatives that take less time and less water."

"Native plants and drought tolerant ornamental plants are great alternatives to high maintenance lawns," said Rabourn.

King County promotes Natural Yard Care as the best way to build a beautiful garden or yard without the use of harmful pesticides. The county's message has enjoyed increased awareness since a federal ruling last year restricted the use of dozens of pesticides, including products such as Weed and Feed, commonly used in King County yards. By raising awareness about this pesticide–free approach to gardening, the county advocates that these simple yard care practices save money, time and the environment while conserving natural resources.

To learn more about environmentally friendly gardening and yard care practices, click on http://dnr.metrokc.gov/topics/yard-and-garden/.

Yard Talk airs on King County Television, cable channel 22. It's produced by KCTV team members, photographer Andrew Nunes, producer Kimberly Hill and editor/graphic artist Mo Fine in conjunction with DNRP.

King County Television is delivered on Comcast Cable Channel 22 or Millennium Cable Channels 72 or 80. Watch it now online or check the schedule at www.metrokc.gov/kctv.