I hope you all get basic cable because the Home and Garden Television Channel (HGTV) is not only where I get most of my gardening ideas but it’s how I survive the loooong winter (even in relatively balmy Zone 7 it’s too damn long for me). So let me introduce the folksiest, goofiest, most knowledgeable gardening guy you’ll ever see on TV – the host of "Gardening by the Yard," Paul James. Ain’t he cute? Plays the guitar, too. Probably had a ponytail and played in a rock band. Overall, my kind of guy, but I digress.
Now be forewarned that Paul may take some getting used to. He and his crew are pretty goofy – no, make that silly in the extreme – but that’s just him not taking himself too seriously. What you get with the silliness is knowledge of gardening techniques that are almost always organic and that work with the land and elements, not against them. He encourages people to just accept a little insect damage, to not plant or transplant in the middle of the summer, and loads of other seriously practical lessons for gardening. He turned me on to conifers. He turned me on to one of my favorite gardening writers, Ann Lovejoy of Bainbridge Island, Washington. And he just keeps turning me on to gardening.
Where I live his show is on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as part of a line-up of solid gardening shows from 10 to 1. Of course I’m not going to spend my weekend mornings in front of the TV watching gardening, so I tape shows for my viewing enjoyment throughout the week, usually while I’m exercising. And because I don’t like programming the timer any more than you do, I just pop in a tape sometime before 10 and press "record," which even my most electronically challenged friends (you know who you are) can do, I think.
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Hi Shannon,
Paul James Canceled? NO WAY!! GBTY is still the longest running show on HGTV and has NOT been canceled. We are however currently not filming new shows, however our newest season is running now. This is for now the last 26 new shows, however HGTV has told us they plan on running GBTY for at least another 3 to 4 years. Now for the good news, MAY 1ST we launch Paul’s new website at gardenerguy.net and we are trying to get gardenerguy.com. Stay tuned because Susan from Garden Rant will get an interview REAL soon for this blog.
We have lots planned coming real soon.
Stay tuned.
Brian
Wow, I am so happy to here Paul will soon have his own website. I am also upset HGTV has slashed his programming down to 2 shows a week. Thank goodness for Tivo! I like watching GBTY because I actually learn things I will actually do! Gardening is a lifetime event. Not something done in a weekend. I love to add new plants and shrubs to my gardens, and make changes when necessary. Like Paul James, I just looove being in the garden!
Please keep me posted on what is going on with Paul…..I love his show and have watched it for years !!!
What the heck is HGTV thinking ??!!???
Gardening by the Yard is the ONLY show on TV that has actually helped me learn how to tend my own garden……and it inspires because of the “personal” side. We all want a yard like Paul’s…warts and all. I have mused as I watched this show and saw Paul move from one house to another…….what a great guy…..
What can I do to help ????
HELLO: I AM A HUGE PAUL (GARDENING BY THE YARD) JAMES FAN. I AM LOOKING FOR ANY ONE WHO TAPES OFF (AND KEEPS) HIS SHOWS AS FOR SO DO I. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING GARDENING BY THE YARD SENCE 2000 AND MAY HAVE MISSED TAPING A SHOW FROM TIME TO TIME. ALSO ANY EPISODE FROM BEFORE 2000 I DON’T BELIEVE I HAVE EVER SEEN. SO IF YOU TAPE OFF THE GARDENING BY THE YARD PROGRAM OR KNOW OF ANY ONE TAT DOES AS I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE WHAT I HAVE SO WE ALL COULD GET AS MANY EPISODES AS WE CAN AND AT LEAST HAVE THEM (IF NOTHING ELCE) FOR HOME DVD RERUNS—THANKS–KEVIN—MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS LAFAYETTE567890@WEBTV.NET
Would like to see more Gardening shows. Please bring back Paul James and Rebecca and the others. I even miss a show you had called the joy of gardening
Dear Paul,
Have a trellis that is built to the house.
Problem is that the ground doesn’t have alot of drainage.
Any climbing vines or plants you would suggest for me to
plant in that area ?
Thanks,
Deanna
Dear Paul,
I have tried to find on HGTV your recipe for compost tea, I can’t find it. Would you please tell me one more time? I absolutely LOVE your show. Unfortunatly the time it is on now I am unable to watch it. My poor husband I grumble about it frequently.
Thank you,
Cindy
Hi Cindy
This is not Paul but you are getting close. I work with Paul and we are putting the last bit of stuff on the new website that will launch May 1st. It is the Paul James The Gardener Guy’s new website http://www.gardenerguy.com. Thanks for your question and I will pass this one along with the others we have gotten here. Be sure to go to his new site on or after May 1st and you can ask questions just like yours and Paul will be answering many on his blog and with in the site.
thanks again
Brain
Love your show!! On one of your shows Jan/Feb ish you said something about trimming branches or leaves off of tomatoes plants to make tomatoes bigger. Can you tell me which ones and how severe you trim the tomatoe plant? Thanks
I planted some “horsetail ” a few years ago and now would like to get rid of it. I dug it up last year and was confident that I had gotten it all.
But this spring it is comming up in my near by flower beds. What can I do ? PLEASE HELP !!!!!
I love your show,I get so many good idea from your going to so going take master gardening class.keep show going.
We have carpenter bees all around the outside trim on our deck. The wood is cedar and has been stained. I don’t know how to rid ourselves of the bees. They are overhead as you walk through the doors onto the deck and they are bothersome to us and guests.
Any ideas on how to move them out?
Thanks
I so do enjoy PAUL JAMES–GARDENING BY THE YARD– WISH IT WAS ON EVERY DAY…
p.s. Paul puts fun in to your yard work. You rock Paul.
Paul Jame’s has not only given me lot’s of gardening idea’s, and great landscaping idea’s. But also lot’s of way’s to use and reuse thing’s lying around that you might other wise throw away… (interesting)! I have learned and continue to learn alot from him, and hope to continue to learn…. I do have a huge problem which i’m not sure how best to handle it. I’m getting married in August and my fiance live’s on the lake, But down onto the island close to the lake is a very large above pool, that is in need of much repair. I for one, think it take’s away from the beauty of the lake… So we would like to tear it out of there.. But the underneath is going to be all mucky/no grass… I was wondering what would be some great idea’s beside’s just grass? And how to best do in a kinda sorta pocket friendly way… I would like the area to be nice by the wedding time, since we are doing the wedding out there. Thank’s …. P.S. PLEASE keep Paul Jame’s on the aire. He’s my gardening hero!
Paul Jame’s has not only given me lot’s of gardening idea’s, and great landscaping idea’s. But also lot’s of way’s to use and reuse thing’s lying around that you might other wise throw away… (interesting)! I have learned and continue to learn alot from him, and hope to continue to learn…. I do have a huge problem which i’m not sure how best to handle it. I’m getting married in August and my fiance live’s on the lake, But down onto the island close to the lake is a very large above ground pool, that is in need of much repair. I for one, think it take’s away from the beauty of the lake… So we would like to tear it out of there.. But the underneath is going to be all mucky/no grass… I was wondering what would be some great idea’s beside’s just grass? And how to best do in a kinda sorta pocket friendly way… I would like the area to be nice by the wedding time, since we are doing the wedding out there. Thank’s …. P.S. PLEASE keep Paul Jame’s on the aire. He’s my gardening hero!
Paul – I got seeds from a tree in Africa they came in a pea pod, long like a banana peel and brown. Inside where 8 or so black bean like seeds. How do I plant them? They called it a flame tree or bush.
Paul,
I want to hang a swing in an oak tree. How do I keep from harming the tree?
Because our local master gardening organization is not interested in solving problems the old, fashioned way, with hard work, they have not looked into a solution for this problem.
Many septage treatment plants can produce odor-free, class A biosolids. Our local plant does produce class A biosolids. The problem is class A biosolids from processed septage contain zinc at levels too high by EPA standards for direct use as a mulch/compost in home gardening. I’ve read that by combining the class A biosolids (which meets all other EPA standards but zinc) and leaf compost, for example, in a 1 to 3 ratio would do the trick. Is Paul James interested in addressing such a worldy solution?
Paul, Can you tell me the difference between a green bean and a string bean?
I need to know how deep the soil needs to be for grass to grow. I have a septic tank lid i the middle of the yard that I want to put a ring around it and plant grass in it to blend into the rest yard, but to be able to pull it off when my septic tank needs to be cleaned every 3 years. I hate seeing that plastic thing in the yard. They make it green to blend in with my lawn, buy it just doesn’t have that nice grassy appeal. So how deep do I need to make that ring so my septic tank blend in with the rest of my beautiful lawn? Got any ideas? In addition to myself, my customer would be applicative too. Can you help me Paul?
mucho grassious,
Barbie
PS: I do realize that I will have to have the manhole cut down to adjust to the soil depth needed.
I need to know how deep the soil needs to be for grass to grow. I have a septic tank lid in the middle of the yard that I want to put a ring around it and plant grass in it to blend into the rest yard, but to be able to pull it out / off when my septic tank needs to be cleaned every 3 years. I hate seeing that plastic thing in the yard. They make it green to blend in with my lawn, buy it just doesn’t have that nice grassy appeal. So how deep do I need to make that ring so my septic tank access port blends in with the rest of my beautiful lawn? Got any ideas? In addition to myself, my customer would be appreciative too. Can you help me Paul?
mucho grassious,
Barbie
PS: I do realize that I will have to have the manhole cut down to adjust to the soil depth needed. The lids are 24″ to 27″ diameter.
I am really excited! On TODAYS episode of Gardening By the Yard….a BRAND NEW a one titled “Storybook Gardnen & tropical theme garden” …Our Hero Paul James Showed off his sexy bare feet on camera. It was near the end of the episode and Paul very sneakily put his big feet in the camera, soles in full view, laying on a couch with his toes looking huge. What a treat!
This is the first time Paul has showed off his big sexy feet in a very long time. I guess he knows his foot fans really missed seeing his big sexy feet on the shows. I know he has stopped taping but hopefully his last episodes will have more of his soles in camera, wiggling and flexing his toes with lots of wrinkles on his feet. He is awesome!! Way to go Paul!!
Dear Paul:
First of all, I have watched and enjoyed your show for many years. I recently watched the show which aired September 6, 2009 ( Alcatraz episode). I have learned so much from you. Not only have I begun composting, but I am now (because of you) a firm believer in the basis for a healthy and vigorous garden begins with the soil. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Our climate is wonderful, but our soil is poor. I’ve tried adding compost and it’s just not enough. After watching the Alcatraz episode which had a recipe for restoring tired soil, I realized that would be a great idea for my garden. I NEED that recipe for reviving dead soil. I know it used blood meal, bone meal, green sand and ugh……. what else??? Please help!! Thanks.
Years ago I “accidentally” watched GARDENING BY THE YARD and was immediately hooked. I learned so much just watching Paul and his zany crew. One question has remained: Paul (and others) quote the hardiness zones — which are important to keep plants from freezing. Here in the Phoenix area, I found that it would be helpful to learn the other end of the zone “this plant is hardy from zones 5 through 11. Freezing is typically not a problem here but 112 degrees and super low humidity makes for interesting gardening challenges.
I have a new Gardening for Dummies question (me being the dummy). I had a purple Calla die back prematurely. All the bulbs appeared to have root rot, except one. It started out looking like a normal bulb, but sitting on the washer started mutating Gremlin style into this. What the heck happened?
I love this show, its on 6:30 on Friday in my town, and I go to work at 8:00am , so I have to hurry and get all my house work done, so I can sat down and watch it before I get ready for work, I enjoy it so much and have learn a lot, please don’t cancel this show, its the best.
I've nearly stopped watching HGTV because there is nothing about gardening in it any more. I love Paul James and have watched the show for years until recently because it is never on when I can watch it, and I don't record anything. I'd rather watch him and shows like that than the stupid remodling and decorating shows about stuff people can't afford to do unless they are lucky enough to get on a show in the first place. But everyone can, and should, grow things.
Where is Paul James during the Tournament of Roses Parade 2010? For the past couple of years we have watched HGTV's vantage point of the parade and have LOVED his comments regarding the floats, their construction, their foilage, their care, etc. All I have heard today is "…their beautiful, a few mentions of construction (however simplisitic it has been), and the people/bands/horses in the parade. This is the Tournament of Roses parade is it not?
Dear Paul I love your show , find it so interesting and I love your jokes – but wish it aired more often and not just at 6.30am saturdays!!
Got a question – I live in Houston TX and we had that hard three day freeze in January – the bottle brush plants and trees got zapped and was wondering what to do??? Do we let them be and see what happens or do we trim them all way back – what do you suggest. We LOVE our bottle brushes and breaks our hearts to see them in this state …thanks Elaine
Dear Paul I love your show , find it so interesting and I love your jokes – but wish it aired more often and not just at 6.30am saturdays!!
Got a question – I live in Houston TX and we had that hard three day freeze in January – the bottle brush plants and trees got zapped and was wondering what to do??? Do we let them be and see what happens or do we trim them all way back – what do you suggest. We LOVE our bottle brushes and breaks our hearts to see them in this state …thanks Elain
I did not know you were being cancelled, Paul, until I sat down to watch a recorded show and something else was in your spot. That brought me to the web where I read about it. I hate this. You and I are probably polar opposites politically, liberal/conservative, but that just goes to show, people are people, and I have so thoroughly enjoyed you and your show. Thank you for all you've taught me and the world. Come back somewhere besides HgTV. I will lovingly watch! KAR
Paul not on anymore – I hate that HGTV has no real gardening show like yours that really helps us all with gardening tips – please let us know if you are being aired somewhere else …..LOVED your show and your tips!!!!!!! Elaine
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