>> CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF ANSWERING YOUR GARDENING QUESTIONS.

"BACKYARD FARMER" IS A CO-PRODUCTION OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND NEBRASKA EXTENSION.

>> WE START THE SEASON WITH A "WELCOME TO 70 YEARS" OF "BACKYARD FARMER" AND GIVE WATERING TIPS TO A THIRSTY LANDSCAPE.

THAT IS ALL COMING UP NEXT RIGHT HERE ON "BACKYARD FARMER."

♪♪ >> WELCOME TO ANOTHER SEASON OF "BACKYARD FARMER."

WE ARE CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF ANSWERING YOUR GARDENING QUESTIONS.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED ON ANOTHER YEAR OF GOOD GARDENING.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION, JUST DIAL 1-800-676-5446.

OUR PHONE PANEL WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU OUT.

YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT US VIA E-MAIL WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR PICTURES.

THAT ADDRESS IS BYF@UNL.EDU.

PLEASE TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE, GIVE US AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN SO WE CAN DO A GOOD JOB ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.

DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW US DURING THE WEEK ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, ALL THAT SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF.

SO JODY, WHAT IS IT?

>> IT IS MY PROP FOR TONIGHT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY LIVE INSECTS BECAUSE IT IS PRETTY COLD OUT THERE.

>> IT IS.

>> I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN SHOULD I CLEAN UP MY GARDEN.

THIS IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN KEEPING THE BENEFICIAL INSECTS AROUND, PARTICULARLY THE POLLINATORS, SO THE SOLITARY BEES THAT ARE EITHER IN NESTING TUNNELS SUCH AS STEMS OR BEE HOTELS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS IN YOUR YARD.

JUST A BUNCH OF STEMS OR YOU MAY HAVE SOME DEAD FOLIAGE.

WE ARE TELLING PEOPLE TO KEEP THAT THERE IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO PROTECT THE SOLITARY BEES.

YOU WANT TO WAIT UNTIL TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 50 DEGREES CONSISTENTLY, SO THAT MAYBE THE HIGH IS ABOUT 55 DEGREES.

THAT WAY THEY WILL BE READY TO COME OUT.

SOMETIMES, IT DOESN'T LOOK VERY NICE LIKE THIS, BUT DON'T WORRY BECAUSE WHEN THE PLANTS BLOOM AGAIN IT WILL COVER ALL THAT UP.

THAT WILL BE HABITAT FOR YOUR BEES.

>> IT IS JUST LOVELY, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY REALLY LOOK LIKE.

>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THESE PLANTS ARE.

HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS.

I KNOW, JUST BE PATIENT.

THE TEMPERATURE HERE, OR THE WEATHER, IS JUST SO UNPREDICTABLE THAT I'M SURE WE WILL HEAR FROM THE OTHERS.

JUST HOLD OFF ON CLEANING UP THAT GARDEN.

>> THANKS, JODY.

OKAY, ROCH, YOUR SAMPLE IS NOTHING THAT LOOKS TURF-LIKE BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT?

>> NO, IT IS RIGHT NOW AS JODY MENTIONED IT, AS WELL.

WE'VE HAD A REALLY STRANGE WINTER.

WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME THINGS GOING ON.

WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE SAYING, "MY LAWN IS NOT GREENING UP 100%" OR THE INFAMOUS "IS IT TIME TO PUT ON A PREEMERGENT RIGHT NOW?"

REALLY, THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS WITH A SOIL THERMOMETER.

NOT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, ALTHOUGH THE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES OR AMBIENT TEMPERATURES DO NEED TO BE RELATIVELY ELEVATED.

JUST ONE OF THESE COOKING THERMOMETERS.

I PREFER THE DIGITAL ONE.

I WILL PUT THE ANALOG ONE DOWN BECAUSE IT JUST ISN'T VERY ACCURATE.

ONE THAT YOU CAN STICK IN THE GROUND TWO TO FOUR INCHES, GET THAT SOIL TEMPERATURE AND WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S WARM ENOUGH YET FOR THE TURF TO BE GREENING UP.

WE KNOW THE SOIL TEMPERATURES IN THE 50 TO 65 RANGE ARE OPTIMAL.

A LITTLE BIT BELOW THAT AND AS WE RAMP UP, THE LAWN STARTS TO GREEN UP.

IF I WENT OUT IN YOUR YARD RIGHT NOW, I WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND A SOIL TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 42 OR 43 DEGREES, RIGHT, SO THIS THERMOMETER IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING WITH THAT.

THEN WHEN WE ADD THAT TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING PREEMERGENT HERBICIDES SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT NOT TOMORROW, AND NOT THE DAY AFTER THAT OR NOT THE WEEK AFTER THAT.

PROJECTION IS FOR SOME COOLER WEATHER.

DON'T BE ANXIOUS TO PUT THAT PREEMERGENT DOWN.

THE LONGER YOU DELAY THAT, THE LONGER SEASON-LONG CONTROL YOU GET.

YOU MIGHT EVEN GET BY WITH ONLY A SINGLE APPLICATION UNDER NEBRASKA CONDITIONS.

LET'S KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE SOIL TEMPERATURES.

FOR CRABGRASS, YOU WANT IT TO BE AT ABOUT 50 TO 55 DEGREE RANGE FOR MULTIPLE DAYS, THEN YOU ARE READY FOR YOUR PRE.

DON'T LET THE CALENDAR DAY AND CERTAINLY DON'T USE THE FORSYTHIA BLOOMING BECAUSE WE HAD FORSYTHIA BLOOMING LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF THE WEIRD WEATHER WE'VE BEEN HAVING, SO LET'S NOT USE THOSE PHENOLOGICAL INDICATORS.

SOIL THERMOMETERS ARE REALLY EASY.

THESE ARE NOT ACTUALLY SOIL THERMOMETERS.

THEY'RE COOKING THERMOMETERS AND CERTAINLY YOU CAN RUMMAGE AROUND AND FIND THE THERMOMETER ANYWHERE IN YOUR COOKING SHELF OR GO OUT AND BUY ONE.

THEY ARE NOT VERY EXPENSIVE.

LET'S USE THOSE RATHER THAN, "HEY, I THINK IT'S TIME" KIND OF ROUTINE.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

KYLE, YOU HAVE OUTDONE YOURSELF ON SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY UGLY.

>> THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, KIM.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER ANYWAY, RIGHT?

SO, I HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE BROWN BASEBALL HARD THINGS THAT ARE SHOWING UP IN PEOPLE'S YARDS.

THESE ARE ALL OVER MY YARD, AS WELL.

THESE ARE SCLERODERMA EARTH BALLS OR MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE DEVIL'S SNUFF BOX.

IT IS A PRETTY FUN NAME.

BUT THEY LAST -- LAST FALL THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL.

ESPECIALLY IN DISTURBED SOILS, THESE MUSHROOMS -- THESE FUNGI REALLY TOOK OFF.

ONE THING YOU PROBABLY CAN MAYBE SEE A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS RIND IS SUPER THICK AND IT'S THICK ENOUGH THAT IT CAN EVEN CRACK CONCRETE.

IT MAY EVEN CHIP YOUR LAWNMOWER.

TURF MANAGERS, PEOPLE LIKE ROCH, REALLY NOT A BIG FAN OF THESE GUYS.

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, THEY ARE JUST SOMETHING FUN TO LOOK AT IN THE YARD.

I DON'T MIND THEM NEAR AS MUCH.

THEY TYPICALLY WILL BE -- THEY CAN BE SMALL, ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO FIVE INCHES.

TYPICALLY, THEY WILL START OFF A LITTLE WIDER, THEN AS THEY MATURE THE INSIDE WHICH MAYBE WE CAN SEE HERE BECOMES ALL POWDERY AND JUST DUSTY.

AS WE CAN SEE.

THERE WE GO, WE HAVE DUST FLYING OUT.

THERE IS MY FINGER.

ONE OF THE REALLY FUN THINGS IS, AS THEY MATURE THEN TOOTH, THE HOLE ON THE TOP SPLITS OPEN LIKE A STAR.

SO BEAUTIFUL.

RIGHT, KIM?

>> UH, AT ONE POINT IT PROBABLY WAS BEAUTIFUL, KYLE.

>> BIG THING, THOUGH, DO NOT EAT THESE.

DO NOT EAT THEM.

THEY WILL NOT BE VERY GOOD FOR YOUR TUMMY.

>> EXCELLENT.

AND YOU'VE MADE QUITE A MESS.

>> I HAVE.

>> ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, WHAT IS THAT?

>> SEEDS!

I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET THEIR SEEDS.

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, YOU'VE GOT QUITE A COLLECTION OF SEEDS.

THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHICH ONES CAN I PLANT EARLY, WHICH ONES CAN I PLANT LATE.

AFTER YOU HAVE THOSE ALL SORTED OUT, THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW, OKAY, THIS ONE I CAN DIRECT-SEED INTO THE GROUND.

MY TURNIPS AND MY LETTUCE, I CAN BE PUTTING MY TURNIPS IN THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN SOME OF THE PACKAGING.

SOME OF THE PACKAGING IS MORE TOWARDS THE COMMERCIAL END OR TOWARDS THE HOMEOWNER END, SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, CATCHY PICTURE, NOT CATCHY PICTURE, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME GOOD INFORMATION ON THE BACK OF THE SEED PACKET.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT YOUR SEED PACKETS TO FIGURE HOW DEEP THEY NEED TO GO, HOW MUCH SPACING THEY NEED.

ALSO, WITH SOME OF THEM, WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WILL BE STARTING THEM INDOORS, SO USUALLY START SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS PRIOR TO THE LAST FROST DATE AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE AT IN THE STATE WHAT THAT FROST DATE IS.

I KNOW FOR US IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA WE USUALLY SAY MOTHER'S DAY, SO WE USUALLY GIVE A BUFFER ON TOP OF THAT SP WE ARE NEARING THAT SIX TO EIGHT WEEK WINDOW, SO I WILL NEED TO BE STARTING MY HUSK CHERRIES HERE BEFORE LONG AND MY -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT I GOT.

STRAW FLOWERS.

THAT WAS A FREE SAMPLE FOR ME, BEFORE LONG BECAUSE THESE NEED TO BE STARTED INDOORS.

SOME OF MY OTHER ONES LIKE MY BASIL AND SOME OF MY SQUASH AND CUCUMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL GOING TO BE DIRECT-SEEDED IN THE GROUND AFTER MOTHER'S DAY.

ONCE YOU GET ALL YOUR SEEDS, YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK, SORT THEM ALL OUT, DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED TO PLANT RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU NEED TO HOLD OFF ON, AND WHAT YOU HAVE.

>> AND WISH YOU WOULD HAVE ORDERED SEEDS, IF YOU DIDN'T.

BECAUSE THEY ARE PROBABLY GONE.

>> THEY ARE GOING TO BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEM YET AND HAVE A FAVORITE, GO GET IT NOW.

>> EXACTLY.

ALL RIGHT, JODY.

FIRST QUESTIONS GO TO YOU.

SO HERE WE GO.

THIS IS A WOMAN IN GRAND ISLAND.

SHE HAS SIX LARGE OLD ROSE BUSHES.

SHE DISCOVERED THE SCALE ON THEM ACTUALLY LAST FALL.

SHE'S NEVER HAD IT BEFORE.

THEY DID HAVE SOME JAPANESE BEETLES, IMAGINE THAT.

BUT SHE DOES WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN SHE DOES UNCOVER THEM THIS SPRING.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SHE CAN DO WITH THIS?

>> YEAH, SO THESE ARE OYSTER SHELL SCALE.

IT'S A TYPE OF HARD SCALE AND IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY SAW THEM LAST FALL, THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR PROBABLY A FEW SEASONS.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS WAIT FOR THE CRAWLER STAGE BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY SUSCEPTIBLE STAGE THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED.

YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO ANYTHING IF YOU CAN'T PRUNE OFF ANYMORE OF THAT.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE SOMETHING SCRUBBY AND SOFT TO PEEL OFF THE SCALES THAT ARE THERE BUT BASICALLY YOU WANT TO MONITOR FOR THE CRAWLER STAGE AND THEN YOU CAN USE HORTICULTURAL OIL TO KILL THE CRAWLERS.

>> THAT IS A PRETTY HEAVY BUNCH OF OYSTERS.

>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN THERE LONGER THAN SHE THOUGHT PROBABLY.

>> YOUR NEXT ONE, THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE DREADED MAGNOLIA SCALE FROM LAST YEAR.

THE QUESTION REALLY CAME FROM LINCOLN AND OMAHA AND IT'S HOW TO TREAT AND WHEN.

>> THE MAGNOLIA SCALE HAS BEEN GETTING -- IT IS PRETTY COMMON NOW.

A LOT OF MAGNOLIA TREES HAVE THEM.

SO THE TIME TO TREAT AGAIN, IS THE CRAWLER STAGE.

YOU KNOW, KNOWING WHAT TYPE OF SCALE IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO WE KNOW WHAT THE CRAWLER STAGE FOR MAGNOLIA SCALE IS GOING TO BE IN THE FALL.

I KNOW LAST YEAR IT WAS LIKE THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER THAT I SAW A CRAWLER.

AT THAT STAGE IS WHEN YOU CAN TREAT, AND HORTICULTURAL OIL IS GOING TO BE WHAT YOU CAN USE.

TWO-SIDED TAPE IS THE BEST WAY TO MONITOR FOR THAT.

PUT THAT ON THE TREE AND CHECK DAILY TO SEE IF THERE ARE CRAWLERS.

>> ALL RIGHT, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ANOTHER MAGNOLIA QUESTION, BUT WE PROBABLY ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE AT SOME POINT IN HERE.

>> CAN I SAY FOR THE OYSTER SHELL?

>> YEAH.

>> THAT ONE MAY BE LIKE MAY, SO KNOWING THAT, START CHECKING MAY.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOU HAVE FOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOUR VERY FIRST ONE HERE.

THEY ARE WEEDS.

THIS WAS SENT IN LAST WEEK.

SO, TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEEDS.

LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE SHOWING UP IN THE FRONT LAWN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN AREAS WHERE HE DID DO A LOT OF PATCHING WITH NEW TOPSOIL AND SEED LAST FALL, SO THAT SORT OF SETS THE STAGE.

HE'S TRIED WEED-B-GON.

THEY WILT, THEY WON'T DIE, AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEN THEY HAVE A LITTLE SINGLE FAT STURDY ROOT.

SO, I THINK WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR PICTURES ON HERE THAT ARE SHOWING WHAT THIS MIGHT BE.

THEY ARE SORT OF SEMI-DEAD.

I THINK OUR FINAL ONE HERE IS THE ACTUAL ROOTS THAT ARE KIND OF SQUIRRELLY.

HE SAID THEY DO THIS, THEN THEY COME BACK A LITTLE.

>> YES, SNAPS FOR SENDING THAT MANY IMAGES.

YOU KNOW, IT IS DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY EVERYTHING WITHOUT A FLOWER ON IT.

YOU HEAR THAT ON THE SHOW QUITE A BIT.

THERE ARE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO WINTER ANNUALS IN HERE THAT ARE PROBABLY A MEMBER OF THE MUSTARD FAMILY.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME SHEPHERD'S PURSE, BASED ON WHAT WE SEE ON THE SCREEN.

I SAW THE DISTORTION.

OBVIOUSLY, WE SEE THERE WAS SOME EFFECT OF THE HERBICIDE BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THESE HERBICIDES TEND TO WORK BETTER AT TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 55 TO 65 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT KIND OF WEATHER.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WEEDS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, OF EVEN SPRING OR FALL IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF ELEVATED TEMPERATURES THAT.

BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T GET THE KNOCK-DOWN THAT THEY THINK THEY WOULD.

IT'S IN A LAWN SO CERTAINLY GLYPHOSATE WILL WORK, OR GLYPHOSATE-CONTAINING PRODUCTS WILL WORK AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE BUT IT STILL ISN'T OPTIMAL SO THEY SHOULDN'T EXPECT VERY GOOD CONTROL.

BEING THAT THESE ARE WINTER ANNUALS OR EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT, MOWING IS A GREAT TOOL TO TAKE CARE OF WEEDS AND YOU'RE GOING TO START TO MOW HERE IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS DEPENDING ON HOW OUR SOIL TEMPERATURES ARE.

FINALLY, YOU BROUGHT SOIL IN.

I'M NOT SURE.

THEY DIDN'T MENTION WHERE THE SOIL CAME FROM.

FILL DIRT IS OFTEN A GREAT SOURCE OF WEED SEED, SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN.

IT CAN BE SEEDS OR IT CAN BE PARTS OF A PLANT, A PERENNIAL PLANT.

THEY DID MENTION THERE WAS ONE PICTURE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD A PRETTY HEALTHY TAP ROOT ON IT BUT SOME OF OUR WINTER ANNUALS CAN GROW A PRETTY HEALTHY TAP JUST FROM THE SPRING GERMINATION.

I CAN'T REALLY KEY IT DOWN TO SPECIES.

I'M GOING TO SAY YOU CAN PROBABLY MOW MOST OF THOSE OUT AND THEN WHEN IT GETS WARM OR CERTAINLY IF THEY BEHAVE MORE LIKE A PERENNIAL THEN LATER THIS SPRING, YOU COULD PROBABLY HIT IT WITH ANY OF THE HERBICIDES, BUT BE CAREFUL WITH SPRING APPLICATIONS OF HERBICIDES BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER SENSITIVE PLANTS THAT ARE JUST LEAFING OUT, AS WELL AS TOMATOES IN THE GARDEN AND GRAPES AND OTHER THINGS, SO REALLY, IT MAY JUST BE MOWING IT AND THEN WAITING UNTIL FALL WHERE WE HAVE LESS INJURY AND NON-TARGET INJURY TO OTHER PLANTS.

>> THAT'S GREAT, AND THE SOIL THING CAN REALLY BE AN ISSUE WITH THOSE DARN SEEDS.

>> MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

IT'S PROBABLY THE DRIVING FORCE BETWEEN WHY THEY WENT FROM VERY FEW WEEDS TO A VIRTUAL CORNUCOPIA OF WEEDS.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO KYLE, YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL PICTURES ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS FROM BELLEVUE.

IT'S A WHITE PINE SO HE GAVE US A LOT OF BACKGROUND.

IT WITH WAS PLANTED SIX YEARS AGO, SIX FEET TALL, LOOKED GREAT.

IT IS NOW 18 TO 20 FEET TALL.

FULLY EXPOSED TO SUN AND WIND.

UNDERGROUND IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

HE DID DEEP WATER A COUPLE TIMES AND THEN HE FOUND -- HE IS CALLING IT A WEST SPOT WHERE IT BROKE.

THEN FOUND ANOTHER SPOT.

HE'S WONDERING WHAT THIS IS.

YOU CAN BAT IT EITHER WAY BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS A LITTLE HARD TO TELL ON THESE.

>> YEAH.

THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN KIND OF CAUSE THAT WHITE PITCH ON PINES OR A LOT OF OUR CONIFERS.

ONE OF THEM IS CYTOSPORA CANKER AND IT'S ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS OF CYTOSPORA CANKER IS THIS WHITE OOZE THAT KIND OF COMES OUT.

CYTOSPORA IS FAVORED BY DROUGHT -- BY TREES THAT ARE DROUGHT-STRESSED, WHICH WE CERTAINLY HAD THIS PAST YEAR.

IT IS GREAT TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WATERING THEM, BUT WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESIN THAT WAS ON THERE, I WAS ACTUALLY WONDERING IF THERE IS NOT ZIMMERMAN PINE MOTH THAT'S GOING ON THERE.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

IT IS USUALLY THAT POPCORN, SOFT MUSHY STUFF.

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S DRIPPING OUT THAT.

THAT IS MADE BY A CATERPILLAR.

FOR THAT ZIMMERMAN PINE MOTH, YOU'D WANT TO TREAT IN APRIL.

SO COMING UP, NOW.

AND THEN AGAIN IN AUGUST.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO TIMES THAT THE CATERPILLAR WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE OR THAT THE MOTH WILL BE EMERGING AND LAYING EGGS.

THOSE TWO TIMES FOR ZIMMERMAN PINE MOTH.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, JODY.

I THINK YOU HAVE A COUPLE MORE THAT ARE ALSO PINES.

>> YEAH.

>> THESE ARE LET'S SEE, HE SAYS WILTING WHITE PINES STARTED TO GET BROWN EARLIER IN THE WINTER.

IT WAS VIBRANT.

THAT CAN BAT THE OTHER WAY IF IT NEEDS TO.

>> SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW DRY THINGS WERE.

I THINK THAT THIS PINE IS PROBABLY NOT TOO LONG FOR THIS WORLD, WITH THE AMOUNT OF WILTING THAT'S OCCURRING AND THE DEATH FROM THE INSIDE-OUT, REALLY NOT GOOD.

THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT DISEASES THAT CAN CAUSE THE INTERNAL NEEDLES TO DIE SUCH AS DOTHISTROMA OR BROWN SPOT.

BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS PRIMARILY A WATER ISSUE AND THE TREE MOST LIKELY SHOULD BE PRUNED AT GROUND LEVEL.

>> THANKS, KYLE.

ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, YOUR FIRST ONES.

WELCOME BACK, BY THE WAY.

THESE PICTURES ACTUALLY ARE OF TOMATOES AND IN CONTAINERS.

SHE SENT US TWO PICTURES OF THE PLANTS AND ONE OF THE MEDIA.

SHE DID CUT BACK WATER, MOVED THE LIGHTS A LITTLE.

SHE SAID THEY LOOK BETTER BUT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MEDIA YOU SHOULD USE AND HOW YOU WATER THESE PARTICULAR PLANTS?

>> YEAH.

WHEN WE ARE FIRST STARTING TO PUT IN OUR TOMATOES AND WHEN WE START IN SEEDS, WE WANT TO USE A LIGHT SEED STARTING MIX.

WE DON'T WANT TO USE ANYTHING TOO HEAVY AND SO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT HEAVY FOR A SEED STARTING MIX.

ON TOP OF THAT, IF YOU LOOK REALLY CLOSELY AT SOME OF THOSE PICTURES, WE ARE SEEING SOME ALGAE GROWTH AND WE'RE SEEING THAT GREEN COLOR ON TOP.

THAT'S USUALLY AN INDICATION THEY HAVE BEEN KEPT TOO WET.

BY CUTTING THAT WATERING BACK, THAT'S GOING TO HELP OUT.

I DROP THE LIGHTS DOWN LOWER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM IN THERE SO THEY ARE NOT COOKING THE PLANTS, BUT IF YOU GIVE THEM TOO MUCH ROOM, THE PLANTS ARE GOING TO START TO STRETCH AND YOU WILL HAVE TALL, LEGGY TOMATOES.

DROP THE LIGHT DOWN.

THAT'S GOING TO HELP OUT QUITE A BIT, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, ELIZABETH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MORE WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TOMATOES AND THIS CAME TO US FROM FALL.

WHEN IT GROWS AND BLOOMS IN THE SPRING, IT'S LOVELY.

THEN IT FALLS, FLOPS, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SEDUMS.

>> A LOT OF OUR PLANTS THAT REALLY DON'T REQUIRE A LOT OF MOISTURE.

IF THEY GET TOO MUCH MOISTURE, THEY START TO LODGE OR THEY START FLOP.

SEDUMS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF MOISTURE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS NEAR AN EDGE OR NEAR AN IRRIGATED AREA SO IT'S PROBABLY GETTING MORE WATER THAN NEEDS.

SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IS AS IT GROWS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, IT GETS TOO MUCH WATER AND THEN IT JUST FLOPS OPEN.

CUT BACK ON THE WATER, YOU WON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ELIZABETH.

70 YEARS AGO, OUR PROGRAM BEGAN ON A TELEVISION STATION HERE IN LINCOLN.

OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR LAWNS, YOUR GARDENS AND THOSE HOME LANDSCAPES.

WE HAVE PREPARED A SPECIAL WELCOME FOR YOU TONIGHT AS WE CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY MILESTONE.

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO ANOTHER SESSION OF THE "BACKYARD FARMER."

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BUSY ONE HOUR HERE IN THE BACKYARD.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELEPHONE YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR YARD, YOUR TREES, YOUR SHRUBS, YOUR ORNAMENTALS, PLANT DISEASES, INSECTS, WHAT HAVE YOU, DIAL HEMLOCK-27631 AND ASK FOR THE "BACKYARD FARMER."

THAT'S HEMLOCK-27631.

>> HELLO, EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO OUR FIRST COLOR VISIT HERE ON "BACKYARD FARMER."

TONIGHT, WE ARE CELEBRATING A "BACKYARD FARMER"'S 20TH YEAR AND THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW NEBRASKA TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

>> WELL, HELLO, EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO "BACKYARD FARMER."

TONIGHT, WE ARE LIVE AT THE NEBRASKA STATE FAIR.

>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE "BACKYARD FARMER."

I'M PEGGY LOWE FILLING IN FOR REGULAR HOST JIM RANDALL.

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "BACKYARD FARMER."

I'M YOUR HOST REGGI CARLSON.

>> HELLO, WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "BACKYARD FARMER".

I'M JOHN FECH AND WE'RE GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.

>> 1953, 70 YEARS AGO.

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE A LIVE TELEVISION SHOW IN THIS VENERABLE OLD TEMPLE BUILDING AT A TIME WHEN TELEVISION HAD JUST BARELY BEEN INVENTED?

THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS DIGITAL MEDIA, DIGITAL CAMERAS, OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

IT WAS JUST A GREAT IDEA ON THE PART OF THE LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY TO ANSWER ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS FROM AN AUDIENCE ABOUT LANDSCAPES, LAWNS, PESTS AND DISEASES, AND DO IT ON LIVE TELEVISION.

>> THE CAPITOL IS SURELY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDING IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

OF COURSE, IT IS THE PEOPLE'S BUILDING.

SO, ALL THE RICHNESS OF HISTORY, ALL 93 COUNTIES WHICH ARE REPRESENTED IN THE BUILDING ITSELF, AND ALL OF THE INTERESTING HISTORY AND THE RICHNESS OF HUMANITY TIED TO THE LAND.

"BACKYARD FARMER" HAS THE SAME REACH: ALL 93 COUNTIES AND BEYOND.

WE GO AS WIDE AND FAR WITH THAT SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION AS THE CAPITOL IS HIGH.

SO, WE JUST ENJOY BRINGING TO YOU EVERYTHING THAT MAKES YOUR GARDEN GROW, MAKES YOUR LIFE SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

ONE OF OUR BEST CREATIONS IS OUR "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN.

IT IS A LITTLE OVER A DECADE OLD NOW AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE ALL OF THOSE BEST PRACTICES.

SHOW YOU WHAT WE DO WRONG SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

LET YOU ENJOY ALL THOSE PESTS AND CRITTERS AND THE BEAUTIFUL PLANTS BECAUSE WE ARE OPEN ALL THE TIME, 365 24/7.

YOU GET TO COME STROLL, ENJOY.

LOOK AT WHETHER SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND DECIDE WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE HOME YOURSELF.

>> THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALL THOSE PARTNERS, WHETHER IT IS PLANTS AND PEOPLE OR SOMEBODY LIKE OUR NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA PARTNER.

THE SHOW IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE WE WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.

AND WE WORK REALLY HARD.

WE'VE LASTED 70 YEARS BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HARD WORK.

WE ARE READY TO START THE SEASON AGAIN.

WE WANT YOU TO COME ON IN AND ENJOY IT WITH US.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US.

>> THAT WAS FUN TO SEE ALL THOSE FORMER HOSTS.

WE ARE PROUD TO CARRY ON THE TRADITION.

LET'S ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.

JODSTER, HERE WE GO.

>> I'M READY.

>> THIS IS FROM OMAHA.

HE THINKS THIS IS A SEED CLINGING TO THE BALD CYPRESS, BUT HE'S UNCERTAIN.

I THOUGHT IT WAS SOME SORT OF A WEIRD INSECT THING.

>> IT IS A SEED.

IT LOOKS LIKE A MILK WEED SEED.

>> HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF SEEDS.

THIS CAME FROM BEAVER CROSSING.

HE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM.

>> YEP, THAT IS AN EGG CASE OR OOTHECA OF A CHINESE PRAYING MANTIS.

>> SO, GOOD GUYS IN THERE, KIND OF.

>> YEP.

>> THEN WE HAVE ONE THAT COMES TO US FROM HALL COUNTY, ELIZABETH.

FOUND THIS ON AN ELDERBERRY STEM.

>> THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AN AMAZING MOTH.

THIS IS A CECROPIA MOTH COCOON.

IT'S OUR LARGEST MOTH IN NORTH AMERICA.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

THAT'S FABULOUS.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS, JODY.

ROCH, THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER THAT HAS A BIG RED MAPLE, THEY THINK, ON A SLOPE THAT FACES SOUTHEAST.

IT'S NOT IRRIGATED.

THERE ARE THESE ROOTS EVERYWHERE.

THE GRASS IS BETWEEN THEM, THIN, REALLY BROWN, WANTS THE TURF.

>> THEY DESIRE TURF WHERE IT WON'T GROW?

>> RIGHT.

>> OKAY.

JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO GROW GRASS UNDER TREES, YOU ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE, WHETHER THEY HAVE SHALLOW ROOTS OR NOT.

SOME OF OUR TREE SPECIES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED, SO THEY WILL BE UP AT THE SURFACE.

I CAN SEE SOME DAMAGE ON THESE ROOTS FROM THE MOWER, SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THEY ARE BANGING UP THE ROOTS A LITTLE BIT, WHICH ISN'T GOOD FOR THE TREE.

PLUS, HERE IN AN AREA THAT'S REALLY HOSTILE TO GRASS GROWTH.

OUR SUGGESTION IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE TO MULCH UP UNDERNEATH THOSE TREES AND EITHER PLANT SOME FLOWERING PERENNIALS THAT ARE SHADE TOLERANT, OR NOTHING AT ALL AND JUST MULCH THEM UP SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TURF AND THE TREE AND YOU DON'T DAMAGE OR POTENTIALLY GET TOO CLOSE WITH MOWER OR THE STRING TRIMMER AS YOU TRY TO TRIM THAT GRASS AROUND IT.

THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT THE CONSUMER WANTS TO HEAR OR THE HOMEOWNER WANTS TO HEAR AND I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I CAN'T REALLY IN GOOD CONSCIENCE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TRY TO GROW GRASS UNDERNEATH A TREE AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGE THE TREE AND NOT HAVE GRASS THAT GROWS VERY WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT, YOUR NEXT ONE IS A LINCOLN VIEWER, STRIP BETWEEN CURB AND SIDEWALK.

LOOKED LIKE THIS BEFORE THE RAIN.

STILL DOES.

WHY IS IT GREEN ALONG THE EDGES AND BROWN IN THE MIDDLE?

>> THAT IS THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE SHOW WITH THE THERMOMETER AS OUR SAMPLE, RIGHT AGAINST STREET AND RIGHT AGAINST THE SIDEWALK IS WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO GREEN UP FASTER AND WE'VE BEEN A VERY SLOW TEMPERATURE RISE THIS SPRING SO IT'S HAPPENING VERY GRADUALLY.

AT SOME POINT IN TIME, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, ASSUMING THAT TURF WASN'T WINTER KILLED, YOU WILL SEE IT UNIFORM GREEN UP.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND JUST BE PATIENT WITH THAT.

IT SHOULD TURN THE CORNER HERE IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE WHEN AMBIENT AND SOIL TEMPERATURES WARM UP.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

KYLE, THESE PICTURES CAME TO US FROM FACEBOOK, BUT WE'VE SEEN THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WHAT IS THIS?

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH IT?

I THINK YOU HAVE A COUPLE HERE.

>> YEAH, THIS IS BLACK KNOT.

PRETTY COMMON ON A LOT OF OUR PRUNUS SPECIES.

WE SEE OFTEN ON PLUMS, AS WELL.

AS FAR AS CONTROL, THE BEST THING TO DO IS REALLY TO PRUNE IT OUT.

THIS IS A GREAT TIME BEFORE, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS DELAYED SPRING THAT WE'RE HAVING.

YOU CAN STILL DO SOME PRUNING.

AS WE SEE THOSE BIG GALLS ON THE BRANCHES, EVENTUALLY, THEY WILL GROW ON THE BRANCH AND KILL EVERYTHING PAST IT.

MAKE SURE TO CUT THOSE BRANCHES OUT.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE CUTTING AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR INCHES DOWN PAST WHERE YOU'RE SEEING THOSE GALLS.

THAT IS REALLY THE BEST WAY TO CONTROL BLACK KNOT.

IN MOST HOMEOWNER SITUATIONS, FUNGICIDES TYPICALLY ARE NOT RECOMMENDED UNLESS IT IS A COMMERCIAL APPLICATION.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOUR NEXT TWO HAVE TO DO WITH THE DREADED CEDAR APPLE RUST.

THEY WONDER IF THIS IS CEDAR APPLE RUST.

>> THAT IS WORSE THAN CEDAR APPLE RUST.

THAT IS POLLEN, AND THAT IS THE REASON THAT MY EYES HAVE BEEN WATERING AND MY NOSE HAS BEEN STUFFED UP.

THAT'S A MALE TREE AND IT'S JUST FULL OF POLLEN.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND THEN, THIS PAXTON VIEWER HAS PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT AND WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER IT IS EFFECTIVE FOR C.A.R.

>> IT IS NOT.

MOST OF THE -- CAN'T SEE IT TOO TERRIBLY WELL IN THIS PICTURE BUT THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT, OR THE FUNGICIDE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN THIS PRODUCT IS CARBARYL AND THAT'S EFFECTIVE AGAINST APPLE SCAB NOT RUST.

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT CEDAR APPLE RUST YOU WANT TO HAVE A PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS PROPICONAZOLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, CEDAR APPLE RUST DOES NOT NEED TO BE CONTROLLED.

THERE WILL BE SPOTS ON YOUR TREES, BUT THE TREE WILL SURVIVE.

IT MAY DROP A FEW LEAVES BUT CEDAR APPLE RUST REALLY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE CONTROLLING A WHOLE LOT.

JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT.

ENJOY THE SPRAYPAINTED FLOWERING CRABS IN THE FALL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ELIZABETH, THIS IS A HYDRANGEA PRUNING QUESTION.

FIRST OFF, THIS COMES TO US FROM KEARNEY, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THIS IS FIRE, SHE'S CALLING IT FIRE.

SO PRUNE NOW OR LATER?

>> WAIT FOR THOSE BUDS TO SWELL BEFORE WE PRUNE.

IT'S BEEN A SUPER HARD, SUPER DRY WINTER.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT SOME GROWTH OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE WITH THOSE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT TWO ARE ACTUALLY HYDRANGEAS PLANTED.

THERE'S THE HOUSE AND THEN THE PICTURES OF THE ONES DOING POORLY AND THE ONES DOING WELL.

THEY ARE MACROPHYLLA.

>> THE PROBLEM WITH THE MACROPHYLLA, THOSE ARE THE ENDLESS SUMMER ONES, PINK OR BLUE, DEPENDING ON YOUR PH.

THEY ARE NOT RELIABLY HARDY FOR US AND THEY USUALLY BLOOM ON SECOND YEAR WOOD, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE EXTREMELY HAPPY IN THAT LOCATION.

I KNOW THEY HAD TWO BATCHES.

ONE WAS DOING GOOD, ONE WASN'T.

WE MIGHT TAKE A LOOK AT THE SECOND SITE WHERE THEY WEREN'T DOING WELL AND DO A SOIL SAMPLE, CHECK IT OUT, MAYBE TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT OTHER THAN THAT TYPE OF HYDRANGEA.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, ELIZABETH.

YOU KNOW, ANOTHER TRADITION HERE ON "BACKYARD FARMER" IS OUR WEEKLY GARDEN UPDATE.

YOU MIGHT THINK THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT DREARY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE SPRING FLOWERS POP OUT OF THE GROUND.

HERE IS TERRI JAMES TO TELL US MORE.

>> WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE OUT HERE IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN FOR OUR 70TH SEASON.

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE SHOWING YOU WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE GARDEN SINCE WE LEFT YOU LAST SEPTEMBER.

AS YOU KNOW, WE GOT ALL OF OUR BEDS READY TO GO TO BED FOR THE WINTER.

EVERYTHING WORKED REALLY WELL.

DIDN'T GET AS MUCH MOISTURE AS WE REALLY WANTED TO BUT THINGS ARE REALLY STARTING TO POP IN THE GARDEN.

WE HAVE ALL OF OUR LITTLE SPRING FLOWERS COMING UP.

OUR PRAIRIE SMOKE, OUR PRAIRIE WILLOW AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT PANSIES ALREADY PLANTED OUT IN THE GARDEN.

WE ARE ALSO STARTING TO GET OUR RAISED BEDS UP AND READY TO GO.

WE HAVE SOME SEEDS STARTING.

WE ARE WAITING FOR THOSE TO EMERGE OUT OF THE GROUND.

BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY IN THE GREENHOUSE.

SINCE JANUARY, WE HAVE BEEN GROWING PLANTS, GETTING THEM READY TO BE PLANTED OUT IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN IN MAY SO STOP BY THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN AND CHECK IT OUT.

>> AS ALWAYS, WE WILL RETURN TO THE GARDEN EVERY WEEK.

AS TERRI SAID, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

TIME FOR US TO TAKE A BREAK.

STAY TUNED.

COMING UP, WE WILL HAVE THE LIGHTNING ROUND AND THE PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

STAY WITH US FOR MORE "BACKYARD FARMER" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

♪♪ [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] >> WELCOME BACK TO "BACKYARD FARMER."

EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE WERE HONORED TO GET CELEBRATED WITH A PROCLAMATION IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT IS "BACKYARD FARMER" WEEK, THE WHOLE WEEK.

SO THERE IS THE PROCLAMATION.

THERE WE ARE, THAT'S REALLY GREAT THAT.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO BE 70 AND YOU'RE GREAT AT WHAT YOU DO.

SO COMING UP LATER, TODD FALLER IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT RESCUING YOUR THIRSTY LANDSCAPE FROM THE DRY CONDITIONS OF THE PAST WINTER.

YOU CAN STILL PHONE IN THOSE QUESTIONS.

1-800-676-5446.

SEND US THOSE PICTURES AND EMAILS TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

RIGHT NOW, IT IS TIME FOR LIGHTNING.

ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, YOU ARE UP.

YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS FOR A WHILE.

>> I KNOW.

I'M A LITTLE RUSTY.

>> YOU DON'T GET TO PASS ON ALL OF THEM.

SO THIS IS A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN GROW PERENNIAL PEANUT GRASS IN NEBRASKA.

>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS, SO NO.

(CHUCKLES) >> I'M WITH YOU.

SO, IN THE SANDHILLS, SO THIS IS PURDUM, NEBRASKA, THIS VIEWER WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO GROW HOPS AND WHICH HOPS WE COULD RECOMMEND, OR WHO COULD RECOMMEND THE VARIETY?

>> THERE WERE SOME HOPS OUT IN SCOTTSBLUFF, SO I WOULD TALK TO THE RESEARCH CENTER OUT THERE.

OR ON CAMPUS WE DO HAVE A HOPS BREEDER AND HOPS PROGRAM AND START THERE.

>> WE HAVE A PIERCE, NEBRASKA VIEWER WHO WANT TO KNOW -- THEY'VE GROWN STRAWBERRIES.

SHOULD THEY GO AHEAD AND TAKE OFF ALL THOSE DEAD LEAVES OR JUST LEAVE THEM BE FOR MULCH?

>> YES.

TAKE IT AWAY A LITTLE.

KNOWING THAT WE LIVE IN NEBRASKA, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO COVER THEM BACK UP.

>> ALL RIGHT, THIS IS A KEARNEY VIEWER WHO HAS AN OLD APPLE THEY LOVE AND WANTS TO KNOW IS THERE ANY WAY TO DETERMINE THE TYPE OF APPLE.

>> NO.

>> YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

NICE JOB.

OKAY, KYLE, YOU ARE UP NEXT, UNLESS YOU WANT THE TURF QUESTIONS.

>> I'LL TAKE WHATEVER.

>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL MIX IT UP.

WE GOT THIS QUESTION FROM TWO OR THREE VIEWERS THIS YEAR AND IT IS THEY HAD POWDERY MILDEW ON THEIR NINE BARK LAST YEAR TERRIBLY.

THIS IS OMAHA.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO NOW TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

>> PRUNE.

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE AIR FLOW WILL DECREASE POWDERY MILDEW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A VIEWER IN LINCOLN WHO HAS A GREAT BIG DEAD SORT OF MUSHROOM-LOOKING THING AT THE BASE OF A TREE BETWEEN SIDEWALK AND CURB.

THEY ARE WONDERING WILL THAT TURN INTO ANYTHING?

WHAT SHOULD THEY DO ABOUT THE GREAT DEAD THING?

>> I WOULD JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THE TREE.

IF IT IS SHOWING OTHER SIGNS OF DECLINE, THEN START TO WORRY ABOUT IT BUT IF IT IS JUST A DEAD MUSHROOM, IT MAY BE SOMETHING, IT MAY BE NOT.

HARD TO TELL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ANOTHER POWDERY MILDEW QUESTION.

THIS ONE IS A VIEWER WHO HAD POWDERY MILDEW ON THEIR PEONIES TERRIBLY LAST YEAR.

WANTS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT THIS YEAR.

>> AGAIN, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE AIR FLOW AND DECREASE WETNESS.

>> AND THE FIRST OF THE PEAR RUST QUESTIONS HAS COME IN.

IS IT TIME TO TREAT FOR THE PEAR RUST?

>> TREAT WHEN THE BUDS ARE BEGINNING TO BREAK AND THEN EVERY SEVEN TO TEN DAYS, AS LONG AS WE HAVE WET CONDITIONS.

>> ALL RIGHT, WHICH WE NEED.

>> YES.

>> NOW YOUR TURN, ROCH, WITH TURFAGE.

YOU HAVE LOTS OF "PRE" QUESTIONS STILL.

I'M STILL GOING TO ASK THEM.

THIS IS AN AXTELL VIEWER WHO HAS A PRAIRIE SITE RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND IT'S BEEN DRY.

THEY ARE WONDERING WHETHER THEY SHOULD GO AHEAD AND PRE ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN DRY.

>> IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT EARLY TO PRE, BUT IF THEY WANT TO PUT A PRE DOWN, I WOULD WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN NOW BECAUSE SOIL TEMPERATURES AREN'T UP YET.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A BRADSHAW VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT TIMING FOR PUTTING PREEN IN FLOWER BEDS.

>> FLOWER BEDS TEND TO WARM UP QUICKER.

IF YOU WANT A CALENDAR DAY, MID TO LATE APRIL.

BUT IF YOU WANT A SOIL TEMPERATURE, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT 50 TO 55 FOR CONSECUTIVE DAYS IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE SOIL TEMPERATURES OR USE THE CROP WATCH WEBSITE TO GET THOSE NUMBERS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE ALSO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO CONTROL CRABGRASS IN KARL FOERSTER FEATHER REED GRASS WITHOUT KILLING THE KARL FOERSTER.

>> KARL FOERSTER IS A PERENNIAL AND I'S GOING TO COME UP FINE WITH ANY OF THE LANDSCAPE PRE-EMERGENTS.

PREEN WILL WORK AS WILL SOME OF THE PENDIMETHALIN-BASED PRODUCTS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKING WHETHER IT IS TOO EARLY TO SEED THEIR LAWNS OR OVERSEED?

>> IT IS PROBABLY TOO EARLY.

THEY NEED TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

IF YOU PUT THE SEED DOWN NOW, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE SURFACE WHERE THE BIRDS CAN GET TO IT, CERTAINLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TO GERMINATE WHEN CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT IS FINE.

WE DON'T RECOMMEND SPRING SEEDING.

WE'D RATHER SEE IT SEEDED IN THE FALL.

>> EXCELLENT.

NICE JOB.

ALL RIGHT, JODY, HERE WE GO.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN USE ON A TURF FOR GRUBS THAT WON'T HURT THE BIRDS?

>> I HAVE A MINUTE?

>> JUST SAY NO.

I HAVE NO IDEA.

>> NO, I DON'T KNOW.

>> THIS IS A MORSE BLUFF KIND OF THAT AREA VIEWER WHO CUT DOWN A TREE AND THEY FOUND EAB IN IT.

THEY ARE WONDERING HOW LONG THE LITTLE BEETLES CAN LIVE IN THE FALLEN TREE.

>> THEY FOUND EAB?

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO THEY SHOULD PROBABLY MULCH THAT UP.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THEY ARE WONDERING ALSO WILL THEY STAY ALIVE IN A BOARD FOR A LONG TIME IF THE TREE IS ALREADY CUT DOWN?

>> NO, THEY WON'T STAY ALIVE IN THE BOARD BUT THEY WILL IN THE FIREWOOD.

IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR THEM TO EMERGE.

>> THIS IS A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER THERE IS ANYTHING THEY CAN PUT DOWN TO KEEP ANTS AWAY UNDER LANDSCAPE FABRIC OUTSIDE.

>> THERE'S NOT REALLY.

THAT IS NOT ECONOMICAL, NO.

>> CARPENTER ANTS, HOW DO WE TREAT THEM NOW BEFORE THEY CAUSE TROUBLE AGAIN?

>> IT DEPENDS WHERE THEY ARE.

THESE ARE ALL REALLY HARD QUESTIONS.

>> AND THEY'RE REALLY REAL QUESTIONS SO OUR VIEWERS ARE SENDING US SOME REALLY FABULOUS QUESTIONS.

>> CAN WE GO BACK TO THE GRUB ONE?

>> IN A MINUTE.

WE HAVE TO DO PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

>> OH, SORRY.

>> THEN YOU CAN ANSWER THAT ONE LATER.

JUST COOL YOUR JETS.

ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH.

PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

>> WE HAVE SOME REALLY FUN PLANTS OF THE WEEK THIS WEEK.

WE'LL JUST START WITH THE SPIKY FUN LOOKING ONES.

THIS IS THE PRAIRIE WILLOW.

THE PRAIRIE WILLOW IS NATIVE AND IT IS IN FLOWER RIGHT NOW, AS ARE MANY OF OUR EARLY FLOWERING ONES IN THIS FAMILY.

THIS ONE LIKES THAT FULL SUN.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS IT'S FOUR TO SIX FEET.

WE ARE NOT TALKING AN EXTREMELY LARGE WILLOW.

IT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE SMALLER ONES.

IT LIKES IT DRY AND IT DOES ATTRACT THOSE EARLY POLLINATORS.

THE OTHER ONE THAT WE HAVE IN HERE, IT REALLY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH.

I'LL JUST GIVE IT THAT BUT WHEN YOU SEE IT AS A REAL PLANT IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN, YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS ONE.

THIS ONE IS PRAIRIE SMOKE.

IT IS AN EARLY BLOOMER.

YES, THESE ARE THE BLOOMS BUT THE REASON YOU GROW IS NOT FOR THE BLOOMS.

YOU GROW IT FOR THE SEED HEADS THAT FOLLOW BECAUSE IT'S CALLED PRAIRIE SMOKE FOR A REASON.

IT HAS THESE REALLY FUN, SMOKY-LOOKING SEED HEADS THAT HAVE THIS LONG LITTLE KITE-TYPE THING ON THEM.

IT IS REALLY FUN TO LOOK AT.

THIS DOES LIKE IT WELL DRAINED BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF OUR NATIVES.

THESE ARE TWO VERY NICE PLANTS OF THE WEEK THAT CAME OUT OF THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN.

>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU, ELIZABETH.

ALL RIGHT, JODY, QUESTIONS.

>> OKAY.

>> THIS ONE IS MYSTERY SUBSTANCE ON PINE.

GRAY SUBSTANCE ON AN OLDER PINE IN THE BACKYARD.

THEY THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE PAINT.

HOWEVER, THE ANGLE IS WRONG.

YOU WANT TO TOSS THIS A DIFFERENT WAY?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS?

>> THIS LOOKS LIKE SAP.

PROBABLY FROM STRESS FROM A TREE THAT KYLE MIGHT KNOW ABOUT.

>> EASILY COULD BE.

THIS LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE CYTOSPORA CANKER TO ME.

AGAIN, WITH CANKERS, NOT A WHOLE LOT TO DO ASIDE FROM DECREASING OTHER STRESSES ON THE TREE, SO MAKE SURE WE ARE WATERING IT WELL ENOUGH AND DOING EVERYTHING ELSE WE CAN TO KEEP THE TREE HEALTHY.

>> ALL RIGHT, ANOTHER MAGNOLIA QUESTION.

THIS IS KIND OF A STUMPER.

IT IS A 40-YEAR-OLD TREE SO IT'S BEGINNING TO SHED BARK.

THIS IS BENSON NEIGHBORHOOD IN OMAHA.

WONDERING WHAT THESE ODD MARKS ARE AND THEN IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A LITTLE BORER BUT THIS IS ALSO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

IT IS AN OLD TREE.

>> YEAH, IT IS LIKELY SOME KIND OF WOOD BORER.

I DON'T KNOW WHICH KIND IT IS.

THERE IS NOT A BORER SPECIFIC TO MAGNOLIA BUT IF IT'S A REALLY STRESSED OLD TREE, IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THE WOOD-BORING BEETLES THAT WILL ATTACK UNHEALTHY TREES.

>> OKAY.

ROCH, YOUR FIRST ONE HERE, THERE IS A RETAINING WALL SEPARATING THE BACKYARD FROM THE SIDEWALK.

THE LAWN IS BETWEEN THE WALL AND HOUSE.

LITTLE WEEDS WITH BLUE FLOWERS.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

WHAT ARE THEY?

>> THE GENUS IS VERONICA.

IT'S SPEEDWELL, WINTER ANNUAL.

IT SEEDS EARLIER THAN MOST OF THE PLANTS.

ACTUALLY, BETTER TO CONTROL IT IN THE FALL WITH A PREEMERGENT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOING TO DIE AS SOON AS WE GET WARM, WHICH IS GOING TO HAPPEN HOPEFULLY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

THERE IS REALLY NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW THAN GET EFFECTIVE CONTROL.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOUR NEXT ONE IS A FREMONT VIEWER.

THESE WEEDS CAME UP AND THEY GREW LIKE WEEDS.

THEY ARE IN MULCH BEDS AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO CONTROL THEM BEFORE THEY SPREAD INTO THE YARD.

>> OKAY, THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS CATNIP, WHICH MAKES CATS GROW CRAZY.

MINT FAMILY.

YOU HAVE SEEN THIS THROUGHOUT THE PICTURE.

THE ONE ON THE RIGHT I'M NOT REALLY SURE OF.

IF THEY ARE WANTING TO CONTROL IT IN A LAND SCRAPE, A TARGETED GLYPHOSATE APPLICATION WOULD KNOCK IT BACK.

THE CATNIP DOES COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR SO PROBABLY WANT TO HIT IT ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE IT GETS AWAY FROM THEM ANYMORE AND ONCE CATNIP GETS INTO THE LAWN, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, ROCH.

OKAY, KYLE, THIS IS A NORFOLK VIEWER.

CHERRY TREE, TART CHERRIES, BUT ALL HAVE CRACKS IN THE JOINTS.

THE STICKY STUFF IS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT?

>> IT'S SOME SORT OF BACTERIAL CANKER.

THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT REALLY HIT CHERRIES.

ONE IS CAUSED BY A PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE.

THE OTHER IS THE DREADED FIRE BLIGHT.

IF YOU ARE SEEING THOSE FIRE BLIGHT SYMPTOMS, BASICALLY SEEING BLACKENED BRANCHES AND PETIOLES AND THE SHEPHERD'S CROOK, IT'S MOST LIKELY FIRE BLIGHT.

OTHERWISE, IT'S THIS BACTERIAL CANKER.

NOT A WHOLE LOT TO DO ABOUT IT ASIDE FROM PRUNING.

>> AT THE BASE.

>> YEAH.

>> THEN WE HAVE A VIEWER IN LINCOLN WHO HAS A PLUM ABOUT TEN YEARS OLD SHOWING THIS ON THE TRUNK.

>> SOME SORT OF BACTERIAL CANKER.

EITHER PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE OR FIRE BLIGHT, SAME THING.

>> ALRIGHTY.

ELIZABETH, THIS COMES TO US FROM SIDNEY.

CREATING A NATIVE FLOWER GARDEN IN AN URBAN SETTING.

WANTS TO USE IT FOR A GOOD PURPOSE ALONG A CITY WALKING PATH.

NATIVE FLOWERS, POLLINATOR GARDENS.

SO, ANY IDEAS WHERE THEY CAN GO FOR ADVICE ON POLLINATOR GARDENS?

>> SO UNL HAS SOME REALLY GREAT RESOURCES ON THEIR WEBSITE.

THERE IS ALSO A GREAT GROUP THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT CALLED THE NEBRASKA NATIVE SEED AND PLANT PRODUCERS.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES AS A PART OF THIS AND SOME OF MY FAVORITES ARE IN THERE.

I KNOW I CAN'T NAME THEM, SO CHECK OUT THAT WEBSITE.

THEY'VE GOT LOTS OF GREAT RESOURCES ON THERE AS WELL AS THE NEBRASKA STATE ARBORETUM HAS SOME GREAT NATIVE PLANTS, TOO.

THERE'S GREAT RESOURCES.

>> GREAT, EXCELLENT.

THE FIRST OF OUR BOXWOOD SHRUBS.

WINTER KILL IN 2021, THEY WEREN'T PRUNED.

NOW THEY WANT TO TRIM THE DEAD OUT.

CAN THEY DO THAT NOW AND GIVE IT A HOPE?

>> PRUNE THE DEAD OUT; IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS, YOU CAN ALWAYS REMOVE IT AND REPLACE IT.

TAKE THE DEAD WHENEVER YOU GET THE CHANCE.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

YOU KNOW, IN MANY PARTS OF THE STATE THIS WINTER WAS BRUTALLY DRY.

THAT'S HAD AN AFFECT ON AGRICULTURAL CROPS AND OF COURSE OUR HOME LANDSCAPES.

TREES, SHRUBS, AND TURF CAN REALLY BE DESICCATED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS OR SEVERELY DAMAGED.

HERE IS TODD FALLER FROM FALLER LANDSCAPE IN YORK TO TELL US ABOUT HOW TO GET THOSE PLANTS GOING THIS SPRING WITH A DRINK.

>> DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE AT IN THE STATE, I HAVE FOUND SOIL NOT TO BE AS BAD AS WE THINK IT IS.

BEFORE THE RAINS WE GOT THE LAST COUPLE TIMES, AND WE GOT IN ON TWO RAINS, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD SOAKING RAIN IN NOVEMBER AND A LITTLE BIT IN DECEMBER, VERY LITTLE, BUT WE FOUND -- I HAVE HAD GUYS TELL ME THEY ARE TRENCHING WIRE INTO IRRIGATION SYSTEMS BEFORE THIS RAIN.

IT WAS MUD UNDERNEATH.

GRANTED, THAT WAS UNDER A PIVOT ALL YEAR.

WE HAVE FOUND DIGGING IN OUR OWN PASTURE THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE UNDERNEATH, EVEN THOUGH THE TOP WAS REALLY DRY, SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN A DRY WINTER.

WE LOOK OUTSIDE, IT LOOKS BONE-DRY WITH GRASS ON TOP BUT UNDERNEATH WE HAVE BEEN SURPRISED TO FIND MOISTURE BEFORE THESE RAINS.

GRANTED IF YOU ARE IN A SANDY SOIL, I WOULD SAY IT IS PROBABLY ANOTHER STORY SO DEPENDING ON THE SOIL TYPE THAT CAN BE A FACTOR.

WE HAVE ALSO NOTICED ON EVERGREEN PLANTS IN PARTICULAR THOSE ARE THE ONES TAKING THE BRUNT OF THE DROUGHT.

FOR INSTANCE, EVERGREEN TREES LIKE WHITE PINE, PERENNIALS LIKE AJUGA, CORAL BELLS, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF BURN ON THOSE, AJUGA IN PARTICULAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF SOME PLANTINGS AREN'T ALTOGETHER DEAD THAT WE HAVE SEEN.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN THOSE CASES?

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU MAY HAVE WATERED DURING THE WINTER, IT WAS ALL WIND THAT WAS DESICCATING THEM.

IT WASN'T SOMETHING YOU DID OR DIDN'T DO.

JUST IN NEBRASKA WE JUST HAVE SOME EVERGREEN PLANTS IN GENERAL THAT CAN SUFFER IN YEARS LIKE THIS.

OKAY, FOR SPRING, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

IF YOU HAVE SANDIER SOIL, NO MULCH ON TOP, I SUGGEST PUTTING MULCH DOWN AROUND PLANTS NUMBER ONE, ESPECIALLY NEW PLANTINGS TO RETAIN MOISTURE.

MIGHT HAVE TO WATER A LITTLE BIT IF YOU HAVE BEEN MISSING ON SOME OF THE RAINS OR THE FEW SNOWS THAT WE'VE HAD.

CLAY SOILS, REALLY ISN'T THAT BAD.

I WOULD SAY AGAIN MULCH IS GOING TO BE A FACTOR.

HEAVIER SOILS ARE HOLDING THE MOISTURE REALLY WELL.

I WOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERWATER EITHER BECAUSE AGAIN, HEAVIER SOILS ARE HOLDING THAT MOISTURE.

THE THING I LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE NEW PLANTINGS ARE MULCHED.

SOME OF THE OLDER PLANTINGS, IF THE GROUND IS CRACKED AND SEEMS TO BE DRYING OUT, MAYBE PUT A LAYER OF MULCH AND WATER AS NEEDED.

>> IF YOU DO GET A CHANCE, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SURVEY AND LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR YARD.

ALL THAT WINTER DAMAGE AND ANYTHING THAT REALLY DOES NEED ADDITIONAL WATERING.

HOPEFULLY, MOTHER NATURE WILL HELP US A LITTLE BIT, TOO.

CROSS YOUR FINGERS ON THAT ONE.

ALL RIGHT, JODY, LAST ROUND.

THIS IS BENNINGTON.

IS THERE SOME SORT OF SOIL TREATMENT AROUND FOR JAPANESE BEETLES?

MULTIPLIED LAST YEAR AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

IS THERE PRETREATMENT, GROUND CONTROL?

>> THAT IS LIKE AN HOUR PRESENTATION.

THESE ARE NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY BLOOMS.

THESE WILL BE HAPPENING, THESE ADULT JAPANESE BEETLES'LL ALSO BE OUT PROBABLY THIRD WEEK OF JUNE.

THE FIRST QUESTION WAS ABOUT SOIL DRENCH.

>> PRE OR SOIL DRENCH, YEAH.

>> THE REASON WHY IT'S COMPLICATED IS BECAUSE THESE HAVE COMPLETE LIFECYCLE WHERE THEIR LARVA ARE TURF PESTS.

THEIR ADULT ARE EVERYTHING ELSE PEST ABOVE GROUND.

TEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR THEY ARE UNDER THE GROUND SO IT DEPENDS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

IF THE PROBLEM IS ON THE PLANTS ABOVE GROUND, IF YOU ARE TREATING THE SOIL, IT COULD BE A WASTE OF PRODUCT AND IT'S NOT AN ISSUE.

IF YOU WANT TO TREAT THE SOIL FOR SOMETHING ON TOP, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GRUB PROBLEM SO YOU WANT TO SCOUT AND MAKE SURE THERE'S, WHAT, LIKE I DON'T KNOW, EIGHT TO TEN.

THEN YOU WOULD TREAT THE TURF.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE PLANTS ABOVE GROUND, THEN I MEAN IT DEPENDS WHAT THE PLANT IS.

IF IT IS AN ORNAMENTAL, THAT CAN BE TREATED, IT'S ON THE LABEL.

YOU CAN DO A SYSTEMIC, LIKE FOR ROSES.

IT'S GOT TO BE IN THE GROUND ENOUGH TIME THAT IT CAN TRANSLOCATE TO THE PLANT.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

ROCH, THIS IS A VIEWER IN EAGLE ON A CORNER LOT.

BUFFALOGRASS LAWN IS ABOUT TEN YEARS OLD.

DOESN'T IRRIGATE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT THESE WEEDS IN THESE TWO PICTURES COME IN REALLY STRONG AND THE SECOND PICTURE IS AN AREA HE KILLED, TILLED, AND PLUGGED.

PLUGS LOOK GREAT BUT NOW THIS HAS HAPPENED.

HOW TO CONTROL WEEDS IN BUFFALOGRASS.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF WEEDS GOING ON HERE IN BUFFALOGRASS.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO SPRAY ROUNDUP IN THE FALL.

THEY USED TO SPRAY IT IN THE SPRING BUT WE GOT A LOT OF DELAY IN GREEN-UP AS WELL AS SOME DEATH OF BUFFALOGRASS.

WAIT UNTIL IT'S FULLY GREEN, USE A NON-2-4, D CONTAINING BROADLEAF PRODUCT.

IT IS AN UNIRRIGATED SITE SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TOLERATE SOME WEEDS AND KNOCK THEM BACK WITH THAT OR JUST LET IT GROW A LITTLE BIT TALLER, AND MOW OFF SEED HEADS TO KEEP THEM BACK.

YOU CAN PROBABLY ABATE THEM THAT WAY, AS WELL.

THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS BUT RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TREAT BECAUSE YOU WILL DELAY GREEN-UP, EVEN IF IT IS NOT A GLYPHOSATE PRODUCT.

YOU CAN GET THESE CONTROLLED BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A LIFELONG AMBITION.

FACETIOUSLY.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST A YEAR OR TWO UNLESS YOU JUST GO AFTER THEM SO AGGRESSIVELY WITH HERBICIDES.

ONCE AGAIN, WE DON'T RECOMMEND A LOT OF HERBICIDE APPLICATION EXCEPT FOR PREEMERGENT IN THE SPRING BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE ORNAMENTALS AND POLLINATORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS NOT TURF.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANKS, ROCH.

YOUR NEXT ONE HERE, THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

THIS CIRCLE IS WHERE A TREE WAS REMOVED A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

THE OWNER BROUGHT IN SOIL, PLUGGED IN SOME TURF IN THE CENTER.

IT WAS WATERED.

IT DIDN'T REALLY SPREAD MUCH.

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LITTLE LUMPS WHERE IT WAS.

THE WHOLE LAWN WAS TREATED WITH SOMETHING THAT TURNED IT SORT OF BLUE.

ALL THE WEEDY GRASSES TURNED BLUEY-WHITE.

WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT TREATED WITH AND DID IT WORK?

>> IT APPEARS THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY WORK VERY WELL BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, TEMPERATURES WERE PROBABLY TOO LOW.

I'M THINKING THEY PUT A BLUE MARKER DYE.

I DON'T KNOW OF A HERBICIDE THAT'S BLUE.

I KNOW SOME THAT TURN WEEDS WHITE.

THE TENACITY PRODUCT OR MESOTRIONE TURNS WEEDS WHITE.

I THINK THAT WAS A MARKER DYE THEY PUT IN THERE FOR SOME REASON.

THE REASON IT'S SO MUCH GREENER RIGHT THERE AROUND WHERE THAT SOIL WAS AERATED IS BECAUSE IT HAS MORE AIR AND HENCE THE TURF WAS HEALTHIER THERE.

THAT WAS AN INTERESTINGLY WEIRD BLUE COLOR, THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ROCH.

THIS IS "ERNYANS" IN COLUMBIA, KYLE.

SHE ACTUALLY SENT US THIS PICTURE BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, THEY ROTTED IN THE GROUND.

SPOILED, SLIMY LAYER, NASTY SMELL.

HALF-ROTTED IN THE GROUND.

OTHERS ROTTED WHILE THEY WERE HANGING TO DRY.

SHE DOESN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

WHAT DOES SHE DO?

>> BEST THING TO DO IS PLANT ONIONS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS.

TYPICALLY, WITH A BASAL ROT LIKE WE HAVE HERE, FUSARIUM IS THE MAIN THING.

HOWEVER, SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE SLIMY AND THEY SMELLED BAD.

THAT IS INDICATIVE OF SOME SORT OF BACTERIAL SOFT ROT.

BACTERIAL SOFT ROTS TYPICALLY COME IN FROM THE TOP, THOUGH.

IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS BUT THE BEST THING TO DO, PLANT ONIONS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

ROTATE AWAY FROM WHERE YOU ARE.

HOPEFULLY, THIS YEAR YOU WILL HAVE BETTER CROP.

>> YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T SMELL QUITE AS BAD AS ROTTEN POTATOES BUT IT'S PRETTY DARN CLOSE.

>> IT IS NASTY.

>> ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, THIS IS A PAPILLION VIEWER.

THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT QUESTION.

TWO PICTURES OF THIS ONE.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF IT?

>> THIS IS A REALLY FUN HOUSEPLANT.

IT'S A PEPEROMIA AND IT'S CALLED THE "GREEN BEAN" OR "HAPPY BEAN" IS WHAT IT IS.

THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT THAT IS FAIRLY EASY TO KEEP ALIVE.

IT REALLY LIKES THE BRIGHT, FILTERED LIGHT SO NOT IN DIRECT LIGHT, AND IT LIKES AVERAGE MOISTURE.

LET IT DRY OUT BETWEEN WATERINGS BUT IT IS A SUPER EASY PLANT TO KEEP ALIVE AND TRY.

>> I HAVE ONE.

I DON'T DO HOUSEPLANTS.

WHAT IS THIS ONE?

HE JUST ASKED WHAT THIS IS.

THIS IS LINCOLN.

>> THAT IS HEDERA HELIX AND IT IS PLASTICUS, WHICH MEANS IT IS A FAUX IVY.

IT'S NOT REAL.

>> YEAH, THAT ONE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A YEAH, WE COULD FIGURE THAT ONE OUT THAT THAT'S NOT REAL.

THERE IS A VARIEGATED ONE BUT IT'S NOT THAT SHAPE.

>> NOT THAT NICE.

>> OKAY, ROCH, LET'S COME BACK.

YOU WANTED TO FILL IN ON THE GRUB QUESTION.

IT IS GREAT TO DO IT BECAUSE --.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS A STUMPER.

POOR JODY HAD TO START HER SPEED ROUND WITH THAT QUESTION, AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HARD.

I THINK WHAT THEY ARE REFERRING TO IS THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT BIRD SAFETY AND GRUB PRODUCTS.

MOST OF THE MORE CONTEMPORARY GRUB PRODUCTS ARE NOT HARMFUL TO BIRDS.

THE OLD DIAZINON PRODUCT THAT HAD A LITTLE GRANULE THAT LOOKED LIKE SEED OR SOMETHING WAS OFTEN CONSUMED BY WATERFOWL AND OTHER THINGS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT WAS PULLED OFF THE MARKET FOR DOMESTIC OR HOME LAWN USE.

IF YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT HAS ACELEPRYN OR THE MERIT-BASED PRODUCTS -- I FORGET WHAT THE ACTIVE IN MERIT IS.

>> IMIDACLOPRID.

>> THANK YOU.

I COULDN'T SAY THAT SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

BOTH OF THOSE ARE SAFE FOR BIRDS, PLUS YOU WATER THEM IN SO I THINK THERE WAS AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, ALTHOUGH IT STARTED OFF A LITTLE BIT WEIRD.

>> WELL, I JUST THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE KILLING GRUBS, NOT BIRDS.

>> RIGHT!

>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IF I WERE TO THINK BACK OVER THESE MANY YEARS OF THE THINGS I USED --.

>> EXACTLY.

>> DIAZINON.

LET'S JUST GO DOWN THE LIST.

>> CHLORDANE IS AN INSECTICIDE AND A PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE THAT WE USED TO PUT DOWN AT 20 POUNDS PER ACRE.

>> I KNOW, I KNOW.

SO, JODY, WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

THIS IS A BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG QUESTION BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE -- WE GOT THESE QUESTIONS OVER THE WINTER.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUGS, MOSTLY IN THE HOUSE?

>> THEY'RE FALL INVADERS.

THEY OVERWINTER IN THE HOUSE.

THEY DON'T REPRODUCE OR CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT TO BE THERE.

ANYTIME THERE WAS A SUNNY DAY, IT WARMED UP THE VOIDS OR THE ATTIC AND THEY STARTED COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK.

THEY WERE ALREADY IN THERE.

WE DON'T RECOMMEND INSECTICIDE INSIDE THE HOUSE.

JUST SWEEP THEM UP.

>> DO THEY DO A LOT OF DAMAGE?

>> NO, THEY DON'T DO ANY DAMAGE.

THEY'RE JUST A NUISANCE.

THEY WILL TRY TO GET OUT IN THE SPRING WHENEVER SPRING ACTUALLY STARTS HAPPENING.

>> ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOU GET ONE MORE ON THIS ROUND, SINCE YOU ARE NEXT IN LINE.

THIS IS THE AERATING QUESTION.

PEOPLE HAVE AERATED.

DO THEY -- YOU ANSWERED YES, YOU CAN SEED.

DO THEY NEED TO RAKE THOSE CORES IN AFTER THEY HAVE DONE THAT OR CAN THEY JUST LET MOTHER NATURE DO HER THING?

>> KIM, THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.

LET THE SOIL FALL BACK INTO THE HOLE.

THAT HOLE IS REALLY NICE AND FULL OF AIR AND THE SEED GERMINATES AND DOES REALLY WELL AND THEN IT'S PROTECTED FROM THE MOWER IF IT'S AN OVERSEEDING.

SO IT GROWS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE MOWER HACKS IT OFF AND PULLS IT OUT OF THE GROUND SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION IS TO BREAK UP THOSE CORES, DRAG THEM BACK INTO THE HOLES.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

KYLE, ONE POWDERY MILDEW QUESTION.

>> AWESOME.

>> WE ALWAYS GET THIS ONE IN THE TURF.

ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY OPEN UP UNLESS YOU DO THE TREE DEAL.

>> NOT A WHOLE LOT.

TYPICALLY, POWDERY MILDEW IN TURF IS AN INDICATION THAT IS NOT A SPOT THAT YOU SHOULD MAYBE HAVE TURF.

OR ANYTHING.

SO IF YOU CAN DO PRUNING OF OTHER PLANTS TO INCREASE MORE SUNLIGHT IN THE AREA, THAT WILL DECREASE THE POWDERY MILDEW.

BUT IN GENERAL, POWDERY MILDEW IS NOT A BIG PROBLEM; IT'S JUST A THING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR "BACKYARD FARMER" TONIGHT.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO SUBMITTED THOSE VERY INTERESTING QUESTIONS AND PICTURES.

THANKS TO OUR PANEL FOR ANOTHER GREAT SHOW.

HELPING US ON THE PHONE THIS EVENING, WE HAD MASTER GARDENERS, JOHN CARIOTTO, CYNTHIA CONNER, GARY BELL, AND EXTENSION EDUCATOR TERRI JAMES.

NEXT TIME ON "BACKYARD FARMER," WE'LL GET SOME EARLY SEASON PRUNING TIPS FROM JEFF CULBERTSON AND HEAR ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HOMEMADE COMPOST.

GOOD NIGHT, GOOD GARDENING.

WE'LL SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON "BACKYARD FARMER."

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