Full Show 2/14/2026: Mold and micro toxins can be extremely harmful

February 14, 2026·1 hr 14 min·5 clips

Dan Gill warns that hard-pruning a crape myrtle to control its size starts a lifelong argument with a tree that will never stop trying to regain its original height.

Good morning starts with roses. The host opens with Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras, then uses the bouquet on the counter as a reason to talk rose pruning. The point is simple and seasonal: roses look pretty today, but the yard still needs work now. Emily's azaleas take over next. A vine keeps coming back through the shrubs, so he slows it down and makes the fix sound less glamorous than useful. Pull it off. Pull it out. Dig up the roots where that will not disturb the azaleas. Do it again, because once is usually why the vine wins. Chemicals are available, but they are not the whole answer. He names Killzall, Eraser, Triclopyr, Brush Killer, Brush Be Gone, and cut vine and stump killer as options. The cut stump is the target. Slice the vine a few inches above the ground, treat that fresh cut, and the herbicide has a better path into the plant. He also offers a fact sheet, which fits the show: clear steps before guesswork. Joyce calls about moving plants and a fig tree, and with half a minute left he sends her to the LSU AgCenter publication on backyard fig trees in Louisiana. He closes with a search phrase, thanks the callers, and signs off with Mardi Gras safety and Valentine's Day warmth.

As heard by us

Practical garden advice on rose pruning, vine control, and fig-tree care.

Roses, vines, and a fig tree anchor a practical garden hour that treats February work as something to get done, not dressed up. The host opens with a Valentine’s Day reminder to prune roses, then explains why fresh-cut canes can still push out new shoots.

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Why you'd press play

If your yard needs a rose-pruning reset, this call-in hour gives you a reminder before spring growth kicks in.

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