>> ANNOUNCER: "BACKYARD FARMER" IS A PRODUCTION OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND NEBRASKA EXTENSION.

>> TONIGHT ON "BACKYARD FARMER," WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BACKYARD GARDEN SHED AND SEE HOW ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS ARE TESTED.

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

♪ ♪ >> TODD: HELLO, AND WELCOME TO "BACKYARD FARMER."

I'M KIM TODD AND I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR ANOTHER HOUR OF GOOD GARDENING.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL AT 800-676-5446.

OUR MASTER GARDENERS WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION OR A PICTURE FOR A FUTURE SHOW, OUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS BYF@UNL.EDU.

WE DO NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE AND TELL US AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR ISSUE.

YOU CAN ALSO KEEP UP WITH "BACKYARD FARMER" DURING THE WEEK ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

YOU CAN WATCH PAST SHOWS AND OUR FEATURED CONTENT ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

AS ALWAYS, WE LIKE TO START THE SHOW WITH A FEW SAMPLES.

KATE, YOU HAVE A CREATURE THAT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY TO SEE.

>> YES, TODAY I BROUGHT WITH ME CABBAGE LOOPER CATERPILLARS, AND SO CABBAGE LOOPER CATERPILLARS, THEY'LL FEED ON CRUCIFERS, CABBAGE, BROCCOLI, MUSTARD, RADISH, AND THE LIKE, AND THEY'RE REALLY PREVALENT RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SEEING LARGE HOLES IN THEIR CABBAGE.

TO CONTROL THESE GUYS, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SIZES HERE.

WE HAVE SOME SMALL CATERPILLARS AND SOME LARGE ONES AND TO CONTROL THE SMALL CATERPILLARS, A SPRAY APPLICATION OF BT, WORKS REALLY WELL AGAINST THEM.

BT, OR BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS, IS REALLY SPECIFIC TO CATERPILLARS.

IT WON'T HARM NON-TARGETS LIKE PREDATORS OR POLLINATORS.

FOR THESE LARGER GUYS THAT WE SEE RIGHT HERE, THOSE YOU CAN SIMPLY HANDPICK THEM OFF, CRUSH THEM, THROW THEM INTO SOAPY WATER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THESE GUYS ALSO WILL TURN INTO MOTHS EVENTUALLY AND THOSE MOTHS LAY EGGS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEAVES, SO WE RECOMMEND THINGS LIKE FLOATING ROW COVERS TO PREVENT MOTHS FROM LAYING EGGS.

SORRY, THAT LITTLE ONE IS DOING A LITTLE DANCE FOR ME.

LASTLY, JUST GENERAL GARDEN CLEANUP IN THE FALL.

THESE GUYS WILL PUPATE IN THE LEAF LITTER AROUND THE PLANTS, SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CLEANING THAT UP TO PREVENT NEXT YEAR'S MOTHS FROM EMERGING.

>> TODD: NOTHING WORSE THAN A NICE HEAD OF CABBAGE OR BROCCOLI AND THERE'S A LITTLE PROTEIN IN THERE.

>> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, KATE.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH, THAT'S NOT TURF OR A WEED.

>> ODDLY, I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE A TURF SAMPLE, TONIGHT SO THAT'S KIND OF STRANGE.

THIS IS A REDBUD.

IT'S ONE OF OUR NATIVES, A NATIVE LEGUME TREE.

BRILLIANT COLOR IN THE SPRING, AND REALLY PRETTY IN THE LANDSCAPE.

BUT THIS ONE HAS WHAT -- WE CONSIDER THIS RED BUD TO BE ONE OF OUR INDICATOR PLANTS OF PESTICIDE DRIFT OR PESTICIDE INJURY AND THIS ONE CLEARLY HAS SOME INJURY ON IT.

IF WE LOOK DOWN AT THE BASE, THEY'RE CUPPED, THEY'RE LEATHERY, THEY FEEL LEATHERY, ALL THE THINGS THAT INDICATE THERE'S SOME HERBICIDE INJURY HERE.

WE KNOW THAT REDBUDS ARE EXTREMELY RESILIENT, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME WE HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, "OH, NO, YOU KNOW, THIS PLANT'S GOING TO DIE."

THE REALITY OF IT IS, WHEN WE GET INTO THE NEWER LEAVES, WHICH ARE ALWAYS AT THE END OF THE BRANCH, AND THESE ARE DROOPING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN MY OFFICE FOR THE DAY, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE, THESE ARE PRETTY HEALTHY LEAVES.

THEY'RE NOT SHOWING ANY CUPPING.

THESE ARE NEWLY EMERGED LEAVES SO THIS IS PROBABLY WHEN THE 2, 4-D OR SIMILAR PHENOXY-TYPES OR BENZOIC ACID TYPES WERE SPRAYED, HENCE THE DAMAGE DOWN BELOW, BUT THIS TREE IS GOING TO BE FINE.

THIS IS ACTUALLY OUT OF MY YARD AND WE SEE INJURY LIKE THIS.

I TRY TO AVOID SPRAYING IN THE BACKYARD BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO REALLY NICE REDBUDS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME DRIFT BECAUSE 2, 4-D AND PRODUCTS LIKE THAT ARE SO UBIQUITOUS IN NATURE, THEY'RE IN THE AIR AND THAT SORT OF THING.

THIS TREE IS GOING TO BE FINE AND THE BEAUTY AND RESILIENCY OF MANY OF OUR NATIVE TREES AND EVEN SOME OF OUR ORNAMENTALS IS THAT THEY ARE RESILIENT AND IT WILL RECOVER FINE AND THERE'S NOTHING TO BE WORRIED ABOUT.

IT LOOKS OFF COLOR A LITTLE BIT, THOSE LEAVES DROP OFF, ADD TO THE ORGANIC MATTER ON THE SURFACE AND WE'RE ALL GOOD.

>> TODD: PERFECT.

THANK YOU, ROCH.

ALL RIGHT AMY, GIANT CONEFLOWER.

WHAT DO WE HAVE GOING ON HERE?

>> GIANT CONEFLOWER.

LUCKILY, THIS WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR TONIGHT.

SO, WE'RE LOOKING AT ECHINACEA, TODAY FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE END OF THE PETALS HERE.

THEY'RE BLACK, BROWN IN COLORATION.

WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT BOTRYTIS BLIGHT.

TYPICALLY, WE TALK ABOUT BOTRYTIS AFFECTING OUR PHLOX, OUR PEONIES IN PARTICULAR, OUR ROSES, BUT BOTRYTIS REALLY DOESN'T CARE.

AS THESE PETALS ARE GETTING OLDER, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT FUNGUS TO COME AND MOVE IN.

TYPICALLY WE DON'T HAVE MAJOR ISSUES WITH IT.

IF YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FUN, YOU COULD PUT THIS HEAD IN A ZIPLOC BAG WITH A LITTLE DAMP PAPER TOWEL AND I GUARANTEE YOU WITHIN A DAY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ALL THAT NICE GRAY, FUZZY GROWTH ON THESE PETALS.

SO, THE BIG THING IS WITH OUR CORNFLOWERS AND ECHINACEA GROWING LIKE CRAZY AND BLOOMING LIKE CRAZY, WE STILL WANT TO THINK ABOUT DEAD HEADING.

WE WANT TO REMOVE THIS INOCULUM AWAY SO THAT WAY IF WE GET REALLY WET CONDITIONS, AGAIN, THREE TO FOUR-INCH RAINS AND WE'RE CLOUDY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A MAJOR DECLINE OF YOUR CONEFLOWERS BECAUSE OF THE BOTRYTIS COMING IN AND ATTACKING THOSE PETALS.

>> TODD: ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, AMY.

I WASN'T REALLY AWARE THAT BOTRYTIS ATTACKED CONEFLOWER.

>> WE DON'T SEE IT THAT OFTEN.

>> TODD: EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT, KATE, FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS IS YOURS.

THE FIRST ONE IS SO COOL.

WE HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THIS.

HIS QUESTION IS, WHAT INSECT BUILDS CAPSULES OUT OF GREEN LEAVES TO PROTECT THE EGGS?

FOUND THEM IN THE END OF A DRAIN HOSE FOR HIS RAIN BARREL AND THEY ALL HAD LITTLE YELLOW EGGS IN THEM AND THEY WERE WRAPPED IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN WITHIN THE HOSE WITH MORE LEAVES.

>> YEAH, SO THIS IS A REALLY COOL PICTURE.

THIS IS -- THESE ARE CELLS CREATED BY A SOLITARY BEE CALLED THE LEAFCUTTER BEE.

THE BEE PROVISIONS THESE BY CUTTING LEAVES OFF OF PLANTS WITH THEIR MOUTH PARTS IN THESE CIRCULAR DISKS, AND THEN IN EACH OF THESE CELLS THAT THEY MAKE, THEY'LL LAY ONE EGG.

ALL THAT YELLOW STUFF YOU ACTUALLY SEE IS POLLENSO THEY'LL PROVISION IT WITH POLLEN AND THEN WHEN THE LARVA HATCHES, THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL EAT.

SOLITARY BEES LIKE THE LEAFCUTTER BEES, THERE'S REALLY NOT A STING RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

THEY CAN STING, BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE HONEYBEES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME SOCIAL STRUCTURE, THEY'RE SOLITARY AND THEY NEST IN WOOD AND HOLES AND IN THE SOIL.

>> TODD: THAT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE THOSE.

THAT'S FUN.

ALL RIGHT, YOUR NEXT ONE.

THIS IS A BELLEVUE VIEWER, FOUND THESE BUMPS ON A TWIG THAT FELL OUT OF THE TREE.

>> YES, THIS IS ANOTHER INSECT CALLED THE KERMES SCALE, THE KERMES OAK SCALE.

THIS IS KIND OF COOL BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE ACTUALLY THE FEMALE SCALES.

THE FEMALES, WHEN THEY'RE MATURE, THEY'RE IMMOBILE, THEY DON'T HAVE LEGS, THEY DON'T HAVE WINGS.

THEY KIND OF JUST SIT THERE.

THEY HAVE THE PIERCING, SUCKING MOUTH PARTS THAT THEY'LL DRINK THE SAP FROM THE PLANT.

SO, ABOUT LATE SUMMER, THESE FEMALES ARE GOING TO BE LAYING EGGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HATCHING SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, MAYBE INTO OCTOBER.

AND WHEN THOSE EGGS HATCH, THIS IS THE PRIME TIME TO TREAT BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE MOBILE SCALES THAT ARE CALLED CRAWLERS.

AT THAT TIME, YOU CAN TREAT WITH A PYRETHROID LIKE BIFENTHRIN OR PERMETHRIN AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO APPLY A SYSTEMIC IN THE FALL LIKE IMIDACLOPRID TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THESE, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT ONE ACTUALLY COMES TO US FROM HERSHEY, NEBRASKA.

BEEN SEEING THIS LITTLE GUY IN THE GARDEN.

WANTS TO KNOW IS IT A GOOD GUY OR A BAD GUY?

>> THIS IS A GOOD GUY IN SOME SENSE.

THIS IS A LONGHORN MILKWEED BEETLE AND THEY'RE VERY COMMON ON MILKWEED RIGHT NOW.

I WAS IN THE GARDEN YESTERDAY AND I THINK I SAW ONE ON EVERY SINGLE MILKWEED PLANT.

WHILE THEY DO EAT THE MILKWEED, THEY DON'T CAUSE THAT MUCH DAMAGE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KILL THE PLANT, SO I WOULD JUST LEAVE THEM BE.

IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL, NATIVE INSECT.

>> ALL RIGHT, ONE FINAL ONE AND THIS IS FROM MCCOOK.

FRIEND OR FOE?

>> THIS WOULD BE A FRIEND.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE EXOSKELETON OR THE EXUVIUM OF A MAYFLY.

I SUSPECT THAT A BODY OF WATER IS PROBABLY NEARBY BECAUSE IMMATURE MAYFLIES ARE AQUATIC.

WHAT THEY DO IS THEY EMERGE FROM THE WATER AND THEY EMERGE EN MASSE.

THEY'RE PRETTY UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY ONLY LIVE FOR SEVERAL HOURS TO SEVERAL DAYS AS ADULTS.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE MOUTH PARTS, THEY DON'T FEED.

THEY'RE SIMPLY ADULTS JUST TO MATE AND LAY EGGS AND START THAT LIFE CYCLE ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

SOME FUN PICTURES TONIGHT.

>> MAYFLIES ARE LIKE TROUT FISHERMEN'S DREAMS.

>> TODD: OH, I KNOW.

>> OH, I LOVE MAYFLIES FOR THAT.

THEY'RE A GREAT INDICATOR.

>> SAYS THE FISHERMAN.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOUR FIRST ONE HERE IS OHAMA.

THIS WEED SHOWS UP EACH SUMMER RIGHT ABOUT NOW.

HE'S TRIED MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS OF TENACITY.

HE SUSPECTS IT JUST COMES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

WHAT IS THIS?

>> THIS IS NIMBLEWILL WHICH IS A REALLY FINE LEAFED, WARM SEASON GRASS.

IT GOES OFF COLOR, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WITH THE FIRST FROST OR THEREABOUTS LONG BEFORE THE FESCUE OR BLUEGRASS DOES.

THE INTERESTING THING IS THEY'RE USING THE RIGHT PRODUCT, MESOTRIONE, OR TENACITY AS THEY CALLED IT WHICH IS THE TRADE NAME, BUT MESOTRIONE IS A REALLY GOOD ACTIVE INGREDIENT TO USE.

IT ALSO HAS PRE EMERGENT ACTIVITY ON NIMBLEWILL, AS WELL.

IF YOU WOULD PUT IT ON, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT GERMINATES WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, LATE MAY/EARLY JUNE, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND THEN, AGAIN, WHEN YOU FIRST START SEEING IT, YOU'LL GET THIS UNDER CONTROL.

IT STAYS UP UNDERNEATH THE CANOPY AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND GET REALLY GOOD CONTACT, SO A COMBINATION OF MESOTRIONE IN THE SPRING FOLLOWED BY APPLICATIONS WHEN YOU SEE IT IN MID TO LATE SUMMER WOULD BE YOUR BEST BET.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

YOUR NEXT TWO PICTURES COME TO US FROM THE PANHANDLE.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THIS GRASS?

IT WAS IN A LAWN, BUT THEY'VE SEEN IT IN SOME PASTURES, POTENTIALLY.

>> YEAH, THIS IS BERMUDA GRASS.

I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THIS IS BERMUDARASS.

I DON'T SEE RHIZOMES ON IT AND IF IT HAD RHIZOMES, I WOULD SAY DEFINITIVELY, BUT THE LONGER INTERNODE, THE REALLY COURSE STEM, THE NORTHERN TYPES OF BERMUDA GRASS WHICH NORMALLY ARE NOT WINTER TOLERANT HERE, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN NEBRASKA, BUT OUT WEST IT PROBABLY DOES RELATIVELY WELL.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE BIRDS USE IT FOR NESTING MATERIAL.

THEY COULD BE MOVING IT OUT AND ABOUT.

I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THIS IS BERMUDA GRASS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY MENTIONED WANTING TO CONTROL IT, AND I'M GLAD THEY DIDN'T BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> TODD: OKAY.

TAKE OVER THE WORLD, BERMUDA GRASS.

ALL RIGHT.

YOUR FINAL TWO PICTURES.

SHE JUST MOVED TO A PLACE WHERE THE LAWN IS NOT ONE, IT'S WEEDS.

IF SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD GET BY WITH IT, SHE'D TEAR THE WHOLE THING UP.

ANYWAY, THIS ONE WEED IS VERY ABUNDANT.

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS BROME, BUT NO "M" OR "W" ON THE LEAF BLADES.

>> NO, AND HER THINKING IT WAS BROME BECAUSE I WOULD REALLY LIKE A CLOSER PICTURE OF THAT OR A MORE LENGTHY PICTURE, BUT I THINK FROM THIS I CAN TELL IT'S ONE OF THE COARSER FORAGE-TYPE FESCUES AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT A TURF-TYPE FESCUE AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF THOSE THAT GO AROUND.

THIS IS GOING TO NEED TO BE SPRAYED OUT BECAUSE IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE MOWED BECAUSE IF IT STARTS PRODUCING SEED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE WHERE YOU HAD LESS, RIGHT?

THAT'S A NON-TURF-TYPE K-31-TYPE FESCUE OR A FAWN TYPE FESCUE AND THEY ARE UGLY AND BUNCHY AND NOT APPROPRIATE FOR LAWNS.

>> TODD: ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ROCH.

AMY, YOUR FIRST SEVERAL ARE RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THE FIRST ONE COMES TO US AS, YOU KNOW, A SAMPLE HERE.

THERE WERE TWO PICTURES.

THIS IS THE BEST OF THEM.

THE LEAVES WERE CURLED AND VERY BRITTLE, HAVEN'T NOTICED ANY INSECTS, BUT IS THIS DISEASE BASED?

>> SO, THERE ARE A FEW DISEASES THAT WILL GO AFTER THOSE LEAVES, BUT TYPICALLY WITH IT TURNING THAT BROWN AND CRISPY, I MAYBE LEAN TO LOOKING DOWN AT THE CANE BUT I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT YOU LOOK FOR INSECT DAMAGE, APHIDS IN PARTICULAR.

THEY WILL FORCE THAT LEAF TO CURL AROUND.

IF THEY'RE PIERCING AND SUCKING TOO MANY, IT WILL GET THAT BROWN COLORATION.

>> MAYBE NOT DISEASE AND PROBABLY NOT... >> YEAH.

>> AND THEN YOUR NEXT THREE ARE ACTUALLY BLACKBERRIES.

THIS IS FROM ELMWOOD, CANE DEATH.

HE SAYS THE PRIMOCANES ARE DYING OFF ONE AT A TIME ABOUT EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS.

WHEN THEY WILT, THERE'S A SMALL ATTACHMENT AT THE CROWN AND IT'S ROTTEN OR SOMETHING.

THE REST OF THE PLANT IS HEALTHY.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A POTENTIAL OF MULTIPLE THINGS GOING ON.

SO, THE FIRST OF THE THREE PICTURES, YOU CAN SEE DARK LESIONS AND YOU CAN SEE IT HERE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT CANE ITSELF.

MOST LIKELY WE'RE LOOKING AT -- THERE YOU GO, IN BETWEEN THE CROWN AND THAT FIRST LEAF, YOU SEE THOSE DARK COLORATIONS IN THERE.

THAT PROBABLY IS AN INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE CANE BLIGHT, WHICH IS A FUNGAL DISEASE, VERY COMMON TO FIND IN RAMBLES.

SANITATION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS TO DO WITH THAT.

BUT, WE COULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT THE WAY THAT CROWN IS LOOKING.

I WOULD REALLY CHECK TO MAKE SURE HOW WET IT IS.

WE COULD BE REALLY LOOKING AT CROWN ROT.

THAT'SHE REASON WHY YOU SEE KEEP SEEING CANES DYING ONE AT A TIME AND BEING SOFT AND MUSHY.

IF IT IS WET, PULL THE MULCH BACK AS FAR AS YOU CAN, DRY IT OUT.

IF WE GET ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR-INCH RAIN, DEPENDING WHERE YOU'RE AT, MAKE SURE IT'S DRAINING PROPERLY BECAUSE BLACKBERRIES DON'T LIKE TO BE REAL WET.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, AMY.

YOU KNOW, EVER WEEK WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT GROWING PLANTS THE RIGHT WAY, BUT WE THOUGHT WE'D SHARE A REALLY NEAT PROJECT THAT ONE OF OUR CAMERA OPERATORS DID RECENTLY.

DAN SMITH AND HIS WIFE DECIDED THEY NEEDED SOME CREATIVE SPACE AND SOME STORAGE IN THEIR YARD, SO THEY BUILT A REALLY NICE CRAFT GARDEN SHED.

♪ >> SO, WE HAVE A REALLY SMALL GARAGE HERE IN CENTRAL LINCOLN, AND WE WANTED TO GET ALL THE GARDENING STUFF OUT OF GARAGE AND INTO THE SHED AND NEAR THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

ALSO, MY WIFE DOES A LOT OF POTTING.

SHE LOVES POTTING PLANTS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND WE'D HAVE TO PULL OUT SAWHORSES AND A BOARD TO GET HER POTTING STATION GOING AND TEAR IT DOWN AND SET IT UP AND STUFF, SO WE WANTED A PERMANENT SPOT FOR HER TO DO HER POTTING.

WE WANTED TO MAKE A POTTING SHED AND A STORAGE SHED BOTH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE CAME UP WITH.

WE LOOKED AT KITS.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH KITS.

YOU CAN GET A REALLY NICE KIT OUT THERE AND STUFF, BUT IT JUST ISN'T WHAT WE WANTED.

WE WANTED A LITTLE MORE CHARACTER AND A LITTLE MORE STYLE OR A LITTLE MORE CUTENESS, MAYBE, IF YOU WILL, SO WE BUILT IT FROM SCRATCH.

WE WENT ON THE INTERNET, MY FATHER AND ME, MY DAD, AND WATCHED A COUPLE OF VIDEOS AND STUFF SO WE KIND OF HAD THE SAME VERNACULAR, KNEW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TO EACH OTHER AND THEN WE JUST KIND OF FIGURED IT OUT.

I DID SOME BACK OF THE ENVELOPE DESIGNING AND WENT TO THE BIG BOX STORE AND MADE MY ORDER OF WOOD, AND THE ATTENDANT AT THE BIG BOX STORE HELPED ME.

HE SAID, "WELL, YOU NEED THIS AND YOU NEED A COUPLE OTHER THINGS" AND SO THEY HELPED YOU FIGURE STUFF OUT AND WE JUST WENT ATT.

THE DESIGN KIND OF CHANGED AS WE WENT ALONG, THAT WAS PART OF THE FUN OF IT, TO KIND OF ENGINEER IT AND FIGURE IT OUT AS WE WERE GOING.

WE ALWAYS ENJOYED DOING HOME IMPROVEMENT AND THOSE KINDS OF PRODUCTS SO IT WAS FUN TO DO, TOO.

MY WIFE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, "OH, I THINK A DUTCH DOOR WOULD BE REALLY CUTE ON THE SHED, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO ASK DAD TO DO THAT.

THAT'S TOO BIG OF A PROJECT" AND THEN MY POP AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AND HE SAID, "WELL, HOW ABOUT I BUILD YOU A DUTCH DOOR FOR THE FRONT HERE?"

SO HE BUILT THAT FROM SCRATCH.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY ENJOY AND THINK IT'S NEAT BECAUSE DAD BUILT IT.

AND ALSO THE WINDOW BOXES HERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SOMETHING A SHED DOESN'T NEED BUT THEY'RE AWFUL FUN TO HAVE AND THEY'RE AWFUL CUTE TO HAVE ON THE SHED.

THEN THE OTHER FEATURE THAT WE REALLY LIKE IS THAT THERE'S A SEPARATE SPOT FOR THE MOWER.

THE MOWER HAS ITS OWN LITTLE GARAGE, AND IT GETS AWAY FROM EVERYTHING ELSE AND YOU CONTINUE HAVE THE MESS OF THE MOWER INSIDE YOUR SHED.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT LIKE I DID IT AND DO IT A LITTLE BIT BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS, THERE'S GONNA' BE MORE EXPENSES THAT COME UP.

I SORT OF GUESSED WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST AND IT ENDED UP COSTING MORE THAN WHAT I GUESSED.

BUT, THAT'S ALL PART OF IT WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING A LITTLE FANCY LIKE THIS.

SO, I WOULD SAY -- I WOULD SAY THAT'S A FACTOR TO REMEMBER IF -- IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA COST, YOU BETTER FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING BEFOREHAND, YOU KNOW, AND JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT.

THESE THINGS ARE TO HAVE FUN WI AND ENJOY.

WE ENJOY OUR BACKYARD.

WE SIT BACK HERE A LOT SO IT'S FUN JUST TO LOOK AT AND PLAY WITH SO HAVE FUN WITH IT!

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, DAN.

I AM REALLY JEALOUS.

I WANT ONE, AND I WANT YOU TO BUILD IT FOR ME.

ALL RIGHT, KATE, YOUR NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS.

THIS IS A CENTRAL CITY, NEBRASKA VIEWER.

WHAT IS THIS INSECT AND WHAT WILL CONTROL IT?

THEY'RE ON THE ROSES AND EATING THE FLOWERS AND THE LEAVES.

AND THEN YOUR SECOND PICTURE HERE IS UNADILLA.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE SEEN A HEALTHY POPULATION OF JAPANESE BEETLES.

NOW THEY HAVE A NEW HOST.

APPARENTLY THIS IS HALF OF THE JAPANESE BEETLES THEY REMOVED FROM THEIR ARONIA BERRIES IN ONE MORNING.

THE QUESTION, OF COURSE, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE GETTING IT, TOO IS, WHAT TO DO ABOUT JAPANESE BEETLES?

>> YES, THE JAPANESE BEETLES ARE BACK AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM.

RIGHT NOW, THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS GO OUT IN THE EVENING, GET A BUCKET OF WATER, PUT SOME SOAP IN THAT AND THROW THE BEETLES IN THE WATER, KNOCK THEM OFF THE PLANT INTO THERE, KILL AS MANY ADULTS AS YOU CAN.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF INSECTICIDE OPTIONS SUCH AS BIFENTHRIN OR CARBARYL.

THOSE WILL GIVE YOU ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF PROTECTION UNTIL YOU NEED TO APPLY AGAIN.

MORE ORGANIC OPTIONS ARE GOING TO BE NEEM OR PYOLA.

THOSE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU ABOUT ONE WEEK OF PROTECTION.

I THINK IN THAT FIRST PICTURE WE SAW THEM ATTACKING FLOWERS AND WHILE THE IDEA OF APPLYING INSECTICIDE TO A FLOWER MIGHT SEEM TEMPTING, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST DOING THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HARM POLLINATORS.

COME NEXT APRIL OR MAY YOU CAN ALWAYS APPLY A SYSTEMIC LIKE IMIDACLOPRID TO TRY TO FEND OFF THE BEETLES EARLY.

>> AND HOPE THAT MAYBE SOME TIME MOTHER NATURE KILLS THEM IN THE WINTER.

>> YES, THAT WOULD BE NICE.

>> ALL RIGHT, YOUR NEXT PICTURE COMES TO US FROM LINCOLN.

THIS IS A DWARF EUONYMUS OR EUONYMUS BURNING BUSH.

SHE'S WONDERING WHAT CAUSES THE LEAVES TO DISCOLOR?

SHE HAS SEEN SOME WEBBING.

>> YEAH, SO THIS LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY ADVANCED CASE OF SPIDER MITES.

SPIDER MITES ARE THESE REALLY TINY MITES THAT SUCK UP THE PLANT SAP AND THEN THEY CREATE THIS WEBBING, TOO.

SPIDER MITES LIKE HOT, DRY SUMMER WEATHER AND IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN HOT AND DRY THERE FOR A WHILE.

SO, ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO AVOID SPIDER MITES IS JUST TO MAKE SURE YOUR PLANT IS WELL WATERED AND HEALTHY.

THEY LIKED STRESSED OUT PLANTS.

SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A PRETTY SEVERE CASE HERE, YOU CAN TAKE A HIGH PRESSURE HOSE, SPRAY OFF THAT PLANT AND DISLODGE AS MANY MITES AS YOU CAN.

YOU CAN ALSO TRY BIORATIONAL INSECTICIDES LIKE NEEM OR INSECTICIDAL SOAP AND THAT SHOULD HELP, TOO.

>> ARE THERE MORE THAN ONE GENERATION?

DO THEY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT LATER?

>> THERE'S SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF SPIDER MITES, AND SO ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS GETTING A SHEET OF WHITE PAPER AND PUT IT UNDERNEATH THE PLANT AND KIND OF JUST BAT THE PLANT.

YOU CAN SEE IF MITES UP END UP ON THE WHITE PAPER.

THEY'RE QUITE A BIT EASIER TO SEE AGAINST THAT WHITE THAN ON THE PLANT ITSELF.

>> ALL RIGHT, KATE, AND EN YOU'RE NEXT TWO ARE A BUTTERFLY BUSH.

IT DID AMAZINGLY WELL FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.

THIS YEAR IT LOOKS REALLY SAD.

IT DOES FACE SOUTH.

WONDERS IS THIS FUNGUS, IS THIS WEATHER, IS THIS INSECTS?

WHAT IS THIS?

>> I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE SAME THING.

THIS IS ALSO SPIDER MITES.

SAME RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, GET THE HOSE OUT, SPRAY AND TRY TO DISLODGE AS MANY OF THOSE MITES AS YOU CAN AND THEN YOU CAN TRY INSECTICIDES, TOO.

>> RIGHT, AND I DO KNOW THE BUTTERFLY BUSHES THAT WERE OUTSIDE ENTOMOLOGY HALL ARE NO LONGER.

>> OH, NO!

>> BECAUSE OF THE SPIDER MITES.

THEY GAVE UP.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOUR FIRST ONE HERE IS MIDTOWN OMAHA GARDEN.

SHE SAID THE PLANTING BED SEEMS TO LIKE IT A LOT.

DOES SHE KEEP IT OR KILL IT?

I THINK YOU HAVE A SECOND PICTURE.

THIS ONE POPPED UP IN THE LETTUCE IN A RAISED BED, AND THE SHAPE REMINDED THIS PERSON OF A MELON PLANT AND THEN THEY SAW THE SPIKES, SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?

>> BUFFALO BURR.

IT'S A PRETTY COMMON WEED IN NEBRASKA, IT'S AN ANNUAL AND IT PULLS UP RELATIVELY EASY, BUT I WILL CAUTION YOU, THOSE SPIKES WILL STICK, SO YOU GOTTA' MAKE SURE YOU'RE WEARING GLOVES WHEN YOU DO IT.

PULL THEM OUT BECAUSE THEY COME UP RELATIVELY EASILY.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE PREEN WORKS RELATIVELY WELL, AS A PRE-EMERGENT IN THE GARDEN BUT USUALLY THEY DON'T REALLY INFEST.

I MEAN, I NOTICED FLOWERS ON THAT.

CATCH IT BEFORE IT PRODUCES THE BURRS AND THE SEED GETS OUT, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT'S JUST GOING TO SPREAD, BUT IF YOU GET ON IT REALLY QUICKLY AND YOU'RE JUST SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU CAN GENERALLY HAND WEED IT OUT RELATIVELY EASILY.

JUST ONCE AGAIN, BE WEARING, YOU KNOW, VERY HEAVY GLOVES BECAUSE THOSE SPIKES ARE HARD, THEY STING, I MEAN, NOT LIKE A BEE, BUT THEY DO STING AND THEY'RE HARD TO GET OUT.

YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH TWEEZERS AFTER YOU'VE -- I'VE MADE THIS MISTAKE MORE THAN ONCE.

DON'T DO THAT.

>> YOU DID SAY ANNUAL, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT TWO PICTURES ARE MILLER, NEBRASKA.

THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF THIS PARTICULAR WEED IN THE PASTURES.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHETHER WE CAN IDENTIFY IT AND WILL IT TAKE OVER IF NOT CONTROLLED?

>> THIS IS REALLY AN INTERESTING ONE.

IT'S RELATIVELY RARE IN NEBRASKA.

IT'S WILD JOB'S TEARS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PICTURE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SEE THESE LITTLE FILAMENTS AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE WHITE OR YELLOWISH DOT AT THE END.

THEY'RE SAYING WILD JOB BECAUSE THEY GO ALL OVER AND THEY BLOW IN THE WIND.

IT'S A NATIVE PERENNIAL USUALLY ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD BUT THERE IS EVIDENCE OF IT IN THE PRAIRIE AREAS OF NEBRASKA AND, YOU KNOW, SO IT IS PRESENT IN NEBRASKA.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT MAYBE WE'D HAVE SOMETHING THAT WASN'T NORMAL HERE AND WE'D BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT.

IT'S NOT VERY INVASIVE.

YOU KNOW, THE SEED VIABILITY AND STUFF IS FINE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT GOOD GRASS ON YOUR PRAIRIE OR OTHER PLANTS, IT SHOULDN'T CHOKE IT OUT, BUT IT'S A KIND OF A NICE LITTLE ADDITION BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUENESS.

IT'S ACTUALLY THREATENED OR ENDANGERED ALONG THE EAST COAST IN A NUMBER OF PLACES, SO IF YOU'RE WILLING -- AND THERE'S NO TOXICITY TO WILDLIFE AND THAT SORT OF STUFF, SO IF YOU'RE WILLING, LET IT GO.

>> OKAY, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO -- >> TO ERADICATE IT, YEP.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, ROCH.

YOUR NEXT ONE, AMY, IS CENTRAL LINCOLN.

>> OKAY.

>> JUNE 28TH, FOUND THESE LITTLE THINGS.

THEY'RE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PEA AND THEY WERE GONE A FEW DAYS LATER, AND WE HAD TWO OR THREE PEOPLE SEND US PICTURES OF THIS IN THIS LAST WEEK.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SLIME MOLDS.

WE HAVE VARIOUS FORMS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A NICE LITTLE COLORED ONE.

USUALLY WE SEE THEM IN OUR MULCH.

THEY FEED ON ORGANIC MATTER, DEAD ORGANIC, A.K.A.

THE MULCH AND WE USUALLY SEE THEM AFTER A MAJOR RAIN EVENT OR WATERING PATTERN.

NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

THEY'RE GOOD GUYS.

>> THEY'RE FUN.

>> MM-HMM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER, YOUR NEXT PICTURE.

BLACK STUFF ON AN OAK BRANCH THAT FELL OUT OF THE TREE.

SHE SAID IT FEELS KIND OF GOOEY AND THE TREE HAS BEEN SPARSE AND IT'S BEEN DROPPING THESE, SO I SUSPECT HER REAL QUESTION IS, IS THIS KILLING THE TREE?

>> I'LL BE HONEST, I HAD TO ACTUALLY GO AND READ THE QUESTION BECAUSE, I'M LIKE, "OH, THIS IS A PRUNUS SPECIES, NOT AN OAK TREE."

BUT, IT'S AN OAK.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FRUITING BODY OF A HEARTWOOD OR CANKER.

WITH THAT TREE BEING SPARSE, IT'S BECAUSE THE CANKER IS AFFECTING THE MOBILITY OF THE NUTRIENTS AND WATER IN THAT TREE.

SO, THIS CANKER IS TO THE POINT THAT IT'S STARTING TO PRODUCE ITS FRUIT, THE SPORES THAT WILL GO AND INFEST ANOTHER TREE.

SO, THE BAD NEWS IS, YOUR TREE IS DECLINING.

HOW LONG YOUR TREE WILL LAST IS VERY HARD TO SAY.

I WOULD SAY -- RECOMMEND THAT THIS FALL YOU START LOOKING AT WHAT TREES YOU'D LIKE TO REPLACE IT WITH AND MAKE THAT REPLACEMENT AND HAVE SOME FUN WITH THAT NEW TREE.

>> AND HAVE AN ARBORIST LOOK AT IT IN CASE IT'S A HAZARD.

>> YES, THAT, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS LA VISTA AND BLACK AND WHITE SPOTS IN THE LAWN, AND THEY THINK THESE ARE EGGS.

WHAT IS THIS?

>> THIS IS ANOTHER SLIME MOLD ON TURF.

THEY GET REALLY PRETTY.

THIS IS A GRAY ONE, BUT WE'VE SEEN BLUES AND PURPLES.

ONCE AGAIN, MOISTURE RELATED.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, WHEN YOU MOW IT, IT WILL BE GONE.

IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF IT SOONER, JUST TAKE A BLAST OF WATER AND IT WASHES RIGHT OFF.

IT'S ALL SUPERFICIAL.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOUR FINAL TWO ARE -- THIS IS LA VISTA.

THEY'RE WONDERING, IS THERE ANY WAY TO RESCUE THIS TURF?

IT'S ONLY A 5-YEAR-OLD, IT WAS A SUPER TURF 2, TALL FESCUE, RESISTANT TO BROWN PATCH.

DOESN'T IRRIGATE AT NIGHT EXCESSIVELY.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND WE'VE GOT TURF GUY, TOO SO YOU GUYS CAN GO BACK AND FORTH ON THIS ONE.

>> THIS PICTURE SHOWS IT REALLY NICE.

THERE'S THAT PIECE OF BLADE GOING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.

YOU SEE THAT WHITE LESION WITH THAT DARK BORDER AND THEY'RE KIND OF BLOTCHY.

THIS IS TYPICAL BROWN PATCH.

THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS WITH BROWN PATCH, YEAH, WE RECOMMEND RESISTANT VARIETIES.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT VARIETY, ROCH, IN RESISTANCE.

>> IT'S ACTUALLY A BLEND, AMY.

IT'S A BLEND OF MULTIPLE -- TO ME THERE'S REALLY NO RESISTANT VARIETIES THERE.

THERE'S TOLERANCE.

WHEN THEY MIX A LOT OF TOLERANCE TOGETHER, THE MYCELIA CAN'T JUMP FROM LEAF TO LEAF AND CAUSE SOME OF THE PROBLEM, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, BROWN PATCH, BECAUSE OF THE RAIN CYCLES WE HAD IN LINCOLN AND OMAHA, WE GOT THIS RAIN AND THEN IT GOT REALLY DRY AND HOT AND THEN WE GOT NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES IN THE 75-78 ZONE AND THEN DAYTIME TEMPERATURES IN THE 98-100 ZONE.

IT'S NOT SURPRISING IN A QUOTE/UNQUOTE "RESISTANT" VARIETY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S TRULY A RESISTANT TALL FESCUE OUT THERE.

I JUST DON'T THINK IT EXISTS.

THE NICE THING IS IT GROWS OUT OF IT AND IT'S FINE.

>> ONCE THE WEATHER PATTERNS CHANGE, IT WILL BE PERFECTLY FINE.

>> RIGHT, AND IT'S TURF.

>> JUST MOW IT OFF.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING COMING UP, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD YOU CAN SPRAY PAINT IT GREEN IF YOU HAVE A BIG FAMILY EVENT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> DID YOU SAY IT'S JUST TURF.

>> I DID SAY THAT.

>> CAN I LEAVE?

>> YOU KNOW, OUR GARDEN IS MATURING AND STARTING TO PUT ON A REAL SHOW AND IT'S NOT TURF, AND OF COURSE, WE FEATURE ALL THE AMERICAN SELECTIONS.

TONIGHT TERRI JAMES IS GOING TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THEM.

LET'S TAKE A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE IN "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN.

♪ >> THIS WEEK IN "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN LOOKING AT THE ALL-AMERICA SELECTION WINNERS FOR 2021.

THE FIRST ONE IS A VEGETABLE WINNER, AN EDIBLE VEGETABLE WINNER CALLED GOLDILOCKS.

IT'S A SMALL ACORN SQUASH.

IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT BEING BRED FOR SMALLER CONTAINERS.

THIS ONE WILL ONLY GET TO BE ABOUT 30 INCHES TALL, SO REALLY THAT BUSH LIKE, SMALL PLANT.

IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME REALLY CUTE PUMPKIN-LOOKING, ACORN SQUASH-LOOKING FRUIT THAT ARE ABOUT 4X4 AND ABOUT ONE POUND EACH SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXCELLENT FOR CUTTING IN HALF AND ROASTING AND THAT STUFF IN THE FALL.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN HERE IN LINCOLN, SO THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD.

STILL GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUPPLEMENTAL WATER ON OUR GARDEN.

WALK THROUGH YOUR GARDEN.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING THOSE GREAT IPM TECHNIQUES AND STOP BY THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN AND CHECK IT OUT.

♪ >> GOLDILOCKS ACORN SQUASH IS REALLY PROOF YOU DON'T NEED A WHOLE LOT OF SPACE TO GROW THAT GARDEN.

WE DO NEED TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK.

STAY WITH US.

COMING UP IS THE LIGHTNING ROUND AND THE PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

THERE'S MUCH MORE GOOD GARDENING TO COME ON "BACKYARD FARMER" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

♪ >> WELCOME BACK TO "BACKYARD FARMER."

COMING UP LATER, WE'LL HEAR FROM SCOTT EVANS ABOUT THE JUDGING PROCESS THAT GOES INTO THOSE ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS.

YOU CAN STILL PHONE IN YOUR QUESTIONS TO 1-800-676-5446 OR SEND THOSE PICTURES AND EMAILS TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

RIGHT NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE LIGHTNING ROUND.

AMY, YOU ARE FIRST UP.

>> I'VE NEVER STARTED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.

>> YOU GET ONE MINUTE, JUST LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT STARTING.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A NEBRASKA CITY VIEWER.

THEIR OAKS ARE LOOKING POORLY, CURLED LEAVES, ET CETERA.

IS THIS A SYMPTOM OF OAK WILT?

>> WE HAVE NOT FOUND OAK WILT IN NEBRASKA, SO, NO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE A DISEASE OF ROSES THAT CAUSES THE LEAVES TO LOOK RUSTY?

>> WE DO HAVE ROSE RUST, AND SO IF YOU FLIP IT OVER, YOU SHOULD SEE THOSE ORANGE PUSTULES AND IT WILL WIPE OFF WITH YOUR FINGER.

>> THE SAME VIEWER WANTS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

>> THERE ARE SOME GREAT FUNGICIDES THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR ROSES TO COMBAT IT.

SANITATION IS GOING TO BE HUGE.

THE SPORES BLOW IN FROM THE SOUTH.

>> THIS IS A PAXTON VIEWER, WHO WANTS TO KNOW IS IT TOO LATE OR TOO EARLY TO TREAT FOR CEDAR APPLE RUST?

>> IT IS TOO LATE.

YOUR APPLES HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED AND WE DON'T TREAT THE CEDAR TREES.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND THEN THEIR NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT PRODUCT WOULD YOU USE TO TREAT THE APPLES?

>> WE HAVE A WONDERFUL NEB GUIDE ON CEDAR APPLE RUST WITH A LIST OF FUNGICIDES.

OTHERWISE, FOLLOW ANY OF THE FRUIT TREE FUNGICIDE APPLICATIONS GUIDES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

NICE JOB.

PERFECT, RIGHT ON TIME.

>> WOO HOO!

>> READY?

>> YEAH.

[LAUGHTER] >> THIS IS A PAGE, NEBRASKA VIEWER, ROCH.

THEY WANT TO KNOW ZOYSIA GRASS OR BUFFALO GRASS IN A PART SHADE SITUATION IN SANDY SOIL OR NEITHER?

>> BUFFALO GRASS WILL DO FINE IN PARTIAL SHADE.

I'M NOT A FAN OF ZOYSIA BECAUSE IT'S NOT -- IT HAS ALL KINDS OF ISSUES THAT I DON'T CARE FOR, ESPECIALLY LARGE PATCH AND SOME OTHER PATHOGENS, ETC.

SO I WOULD GO WITH BUFFALO GRASS, PARTIAL SHADE IS FINE.

THERE'S PLENTY OF GREAT SEED OUT THERE, INCLUDING MULTIPLE ONES FROM OUR PROGRAM.

SUNDANCER IS ONE WE'D RECOMMEND AND WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER NEW ONE OUT THERE SO CONSIDER SUNDANCE OR BUFFALO GRASS AS A CHOICE INSTEAD OF ZOYSIA.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND LIGHTNING ROUND.

BLUE HILL WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO CONTROL PURSLANE.

>> PURSLANE IS BETTER CONTROLLED WITH A PRE-EMERGENT USUALLY IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR, LATER IN THE SEASON.

CONTROLLING IT ONCE IT'S UP IS REALLY KIND OF A WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A KEARNEY VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE CHEMICAL THAT WE RECOMMEND FOR KILLING BIND WEED.

>> MY CHEMICAL -- THE 2, 4-D FLUROXYPYR COMBINATION THAT'S CALLED THE POISON IVY KILLER.

YEAH, I'M GONNA' GET TWO, BUT WHATEVER.

POISON IVY KILLER WILL WORK BEST ON BINDWEED.

>> YOU GOT IT RIGHT.

THAT ACTUALLY WAS THE QUESTION THAT MATT ANSWERED.

THIS VIEWER WAS FOLLOWING UP ON THAT AND IT IS THE ONE THAT STARTED WITH F. >> FLUROXYPYR.

>> ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.

THAT WAS FINE, THAT WAS FINE.

ALL RIGHT, KATE, ARE YOU READY?

>> YES.

>> THIS IS A VIEWER WHO APPARENTLY HAS CARPENTER ANTS AND WANTS TO KNOW IF ONE OF THOSE HOME PERIMETER SPRAY THINGS WILL WORK TO GET RID OF THE CARPENTERS.

>> IF THE ANTS ARE OUTSIDE, IT WILL HELP PREVENT THEM FROM COMING IN, BUT IF YOU HAVE AN INFESTATION IN THE HOME, THEN YOU SHOULD CONTACT A PEST MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL.

>> WE HAVE A VIEWER WONDERED WHETHER FLETCHER SCALE ATTACKS JUNIPERS AND ARBORVITAE.

>> THEY PREFER YOU, BUT THEY WILL ATTACK THOSE OTHER ONES.

>> THEIR FOLLOW UP QUESTION, OF COURSE, THEN, HOW DO YOU CONTROL FLETCHER SCALE?

>> SAME THING.

WAIT UNTIL THE CRAWLERS AND THEN YOU CAN APPLY AN INSECTICIDE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

A GRAND ISLAND VIEWER WANTS TO KNOW, SHOULD THEY USE THOSE JAPANESE BEETLE BAGS OR TRAPS?

>> NO, BECAUSE THOSE TRAPS OFTEN ATTRACT WAY TOO MANY BEETLES TO YOUR LANDSCAPE THAT YOU DON'T WANT, SO WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST USING THOSE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW IS MILKY SPORE EFFECTIVE AGAINST GRUBS?

>> IT IS, BUT IT ISN'T.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> THAT'S AN ANSWER.

>> YEAH.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A LINDSEY, NEBRASKA VIEWER WHO HAS REALLY TWIGGY GROWTH ON HACKBERRY AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT.

>> I'LL PASS ON THAT ONE.

>> BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ANYWAY.

>> CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THE MILKY SPORE ONE?

>> YEAH.

>> PLEASE DO.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING ON THE MILKY SPORE IS THAT IT WORKS ON JAPANESE BEETLES BUT IT DOESN'T WORK ON MASS CHAFERS NOR DOES IT WORK ON THE THREE-YEAR GRUB.

YOUR YES OR NO ANSWER, I THINK, WAS CORRECT, BUT PRIOR TO HAVING JAPANESE BEETLES, WE'VE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED AGAINST USING MILKY SPORE BECAUSE IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO JAPANESE BEETLES, CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

SO, GREAT ANSWER!

>> IT WAS THE LIGHTNING ROUND.

SHORT AND SIMPLE.

[LAUGHTER].

>> EXCELLENT.

AMY, WOULD YOU LIKE PLANTS OF THE WEEK?

>> SURE.

>> WE HAVE TODAY A -- ONE OF THE VERY FIRST BUTTERFLY BUSHES BLOOMING AND THIS IS ACTUALLY IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN.

IT'S BEEN THERE 11 YEARS.

IT IS EXTREMELY FRAGRANT.

YOU CAN PROBABLY SMELL IT.

AND OF COURSE, IT'S ALREADY ATTRACTING BUTTERFLIES.

AND THEN ALSO BLOOMING AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE QUEEN OF THE PRAIRIE AND THIS IS IN THE BOTTOM OF OUR RAIN CHAIN.

THIS IS ONE THAT LIKES A MOIST CONDITION.

IT HAS INTERESTING WHORLED LEAVES UP THE STEM, GETS THREE TO FOUR FEET TALL, KIND OF REMINDS A LOT OF PEOPLE OF A STILL BEE A LITTLE BIT.

A LITTLE FLUFFY.

IT DOESN'T REALLY LAST VERY LONG BUT IT'S REALLY A NICE ONE FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE RAIN CHAIN, SO A COUPLE OF REALLY NICE ONES, FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE BEAUTIFUL SMELL, PLANT BUTTERFLY BUSH AND THEN YOU GOT THE BUTTERFLIES.

YOUR NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS, KATE, THE FIRST ONE IS ALBION, NEBRASKA, AND THESE INSECTS ARE EATING THE ALYSSUM.

SHE HAS NEVER HAD IT HAPPEN BEFORE.

SHE'S TRIED A THREE-IN-ONE TREATMENT, SHE'S TRIED NEEM OIL.

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

>> THIS IS A SPECIES OF WEEVIL.

WEEVILS ARE A TYPE OF BEETLE AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE GROUP OF ORGANISMS IN THE WORLD.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY CUTE AS FAR AS INSECTS GO.

THEY KIND OF HAVE THIS LONG SNOUT.

IT'S NOT THEIR NOSE.

IT'S ACTUALLY THEIR MOUTH AND THESE LITTLE CHEWING MOUTH PARTS AT END OF IT THAT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE LIKE YOU'RE SEEING HERE IN THE PICTURE.

AS FAR AS CONTROL, IT'S REALLY NOT ECONOMICAL WITH THESE TYPES OF WEEVILS TO REALLY APPLY ANYTHING.

YOU CAN TAKE THE JAPANESE BEETLE ROUTE IF YOU SEE A LOT OF THOSE ADULTS AND KIND OF JUST BAT THEM IN SOAPY WATER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT TWO PICTURES ARE AN OMAHA VIEWER.

A CONEFLOWER STEM WITH EGGS OR LARVAE.

SHE SAID THE LITTLE WHITE EGGS SEEM TO HAVE A BLACK DOT ON THEM.

ARE THESE GOOD GUYS OR BAD GUYS?

>> I WOULD CONSIDER THESE BAD GUYS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO TELL FROM THE PICTURES, BUT THIS MIGHT BE THE BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG AND THOSE EGGS DO LOOK LIKE BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG EGGS.

THEY DO EAT AROUND 200 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF PLANT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT HUGE PESTS IN THE GARDEN HERE IN NEBRASKA.

MORE OFTEN, WE SEE THEM AS PESTS GETTING INSIDE THE HOME IN THE FALL, SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, GO AROUND, MAKE SURE YOU SEAL HOLES WITH CAULK AND MAKE SURE YOUR SCREENS ARE THERE.

YEAH, I WOULD SAY STINK BUG.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOUR FINAL PICTURE IS SPRINGFIELD.

WHAT IS THIS?

IT HAS BEEN ON HIS GRAPEVINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THIS YEAR THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM?

>> WELL, THE EASY ANSWER IS THE COMMON NAME IS THE GRAPEVINE BEETLE.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE ADULTS DO EAT GRAPEVINE LEAVES.

THEY DON'T CAUSE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO REALLY WARRANT ANY CONTROL.

BUT IF THEY DO KIND OF GET OUT OF HAND, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST PICK THE ADULTS OFF OF THE LEAVES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

OKAY, ROCH, THIS IS A -- THESE ARE LINCOLN VIEWERS.

THIS IS A SECTION OF THE LAWN THAT'S BEEN OVERTAKEN WITH SPURGE.

THEY'VE BATTLED IT BY DIGGING, SPRAYING WITH, SELECTIVE PULLING, STRIPPING, REPLANTING.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

>> WELL, NORMALLY WHEN WE SEE SPURGE AND THAT'S AN AWARD WINNING INFESTATION, OKAY?

NORMALLY WHEN WE SEE THIS MUCH SPURGE, THERE'S AN UNDERLYING SOIL PROBLEM BECAUSE SPURGE REALLY LIKES COMPACTED, HEAVILY COMPACTED SOILS.

SO, IT'S ALONG A SIDEWALK SO MAYBE PEOPLE ARE WALKING ALONG THERE AND THE TURF IS ALWAYS GOING TO STRUGGLE THERE A LITTLE BIT.

MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO GET A CORE AERATOR.

THIS SPRING, RIGHT NOW, YOU COULD SPRAY IT DOWN IF YOU WANT.

CERTAINLY ANY OF THE BROAD LEAF HERBICIDES WOULD BURN IT BACK.

THE AMOUNT OF SEED IT PRODUCES BORDERS ON TRAUMATIC WHEN IT COMES TO ITS CAPACITY TO SPREAD.

BOTTOM LINE IS YOU'VE GOT TO GET THAT SOIL CONDITION IMPROVED, GET RID OF THE COMPACTION, CORE AERATE, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO, AND THEN RESEED THIS NEXT FALL WHICH IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR SEEDING.

LATER IN THE SHOW, WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT TO PLANT BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO IS SPRAY FOR REVENGE AND THEN TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMPACTED SOIL.

I THINK IT'S SO AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE OF THAT COMPACTED SOIL.

>> REVENGE SPRAYING.

THERE OUGHT TO BE A SPRAY NAMED "REVENGE."

YOUR NEXT ONE HERE IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

GOT A BAD RASH, SAID POISON IVY, COULDN'T FIND ANY IN THE AREA.

DOES THIS LOOK LIKE POISON IVY TO YOU?

>> THAT'S NOT POISON IVY.

THAT'S BOSTON IVY WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN BY A SEED FROM A BIRD OR WHATEVER BECAUSE BIRDS FEED ON THE SEED.

A KEY IDENTIFIER IS IF YOU CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE THREE LEAVES, THE MIDDLE LEAF HAS A LONG STEM ON IT.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE TO HOW BIG POISON IVY WOULD BE.

BUT THAT'S -- LEAVES OF THREE, LET IT BE, BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S AN IVY THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FROM A DIFFERENT VIEWER FROM SPRINGFIELD WHO WONDERS IF IT IS POISON IVY, HOW DO YOU GET RID OF IT ESPECIALLY IF IT'S UNDER AN APPLE TREE AND ADJACENT TO A GARDEN?

>> NOW WE'VE GOT THE PROBLEM OF WANTING TO SPRAY A -- DON'T REMOVE IT BY HAND, ESPECIALLY IF ANY OF YOU IN A FAMILY ARE HYPERSENSITIVE.

DON'T REMOVE AND THEN BURN IT BECAUSE IF YOU STAND DOWN WIND, YOU'RE GOING TO GET AFFECTED, AS WELL.

POISON IVY IS EXTREMELY TOXIC AND CREATES RASHES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY -- ESPECIALLY TO PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY SENSITIVE TO IT.

SO, NOW WE'RE GOING TO SUGGEST YOU GO IN AND HAND WIPE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD PRODUCTS OUT THERE CALLED POISON IVY KILLERS.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF BROADLEAF HERBICIDES DESIGNED TO CONTROL.

YOU CAN PUT ON A PLASTIC GLOVE, YOU CAN PUT ON A COTTON GLOVE OVER AND IT SPRAY IT WITH A READY TO USE GLYPHOSATE OR BROADLEAF HERBICIDE AND THEN GO ON AND WIPE IT ON THE LEAVES.

YOU COULD USE A PAINTBRUSH.

IF YOU TRY TO TARGET SPRAY IN THERE, THEN WE RUN THE RISK OF DRIFT AND DAMAGE TO THE SENSITIVE ORNAMENTALS, AS WELL AS THE -- I ASSUME IT'S A VEGETABLE GARDEN ADJACENT TO IT.

THAT'S WHAT I SUGGEST DOING THERE.

YOU CAN'T REALLY DIG IT UP, ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA IF IT IS INDEED POISON IVY, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S POISON IVY BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT DRASTIC LEAP.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, ROCH, AND YOUR NEXT TWO PICTURES ARE THESE TWO WEEDS STARTED SHOWING UP A FEW YEARS AGO IN MY LAWN IN HEBRON.

NOW THEY'RE BLOOMING AND EVERYWHERE.

SO WE GOT THIS ONE AND I THINK WE HAVE A SECOND ONE.

WHAT ARE THESE AND HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THEM?

>> YEAH, THEY'RE BOTH PLANTAINS.

THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES, BUCKTHORN AND COMMON OR BROADLEAF PLANTAIN.

THEY'VE GOT A VERY CHARACTERISTIC SEED HEAD ON THEM.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICER HAD YOU BEEN ABLE TO -- OR GET IN THERE WITH A MOWER AND A TURF BECAUSE THEY ARE PROLIFIC SEEDERS.

THEY ARE ANNUALS, BUT THEY WILL REPRODUCE BY SEED VERY READILY, SO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS GET THEM SPRAYED BEFORE THE SEED SETS, WHICH IS LIKE RIGHT NOW.

ALSO, THEY'RE AN INDICATOR OF A COMPACTED SOIL MUCH LIKE SPURGE IS, RIGHT, AND WE GENERALLY SEE THEM ALONG THINNER AREAS OF TURF, SO GET THAT TURF UP AND HEALTHY.

YOU MAY WANT TO BURN THEM DOWN NOW.

ONCE AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE A REVENGE SPRAY MORE THAN ANYTHING BUT GET THE SEED HEADS MOWED DOWN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ROCH.

ALL RIGHT, AMY.

YOU BROUGHT A CONEFLOWER AND HERE IS A CONEFLOWER QUESTION.

THEY PLANTED THEM LAST AUGUST.

A FEW DAYS AGO, THE LEAVES ARE SPOTTED AND DYING, THE STEMS ARE TURNING BROWN.

THEY WERE DOING WELL.

LAST PIC SHOWS THERE IS A LITTLE INSECT, BUT HER QUESTION IS, IS THIS THE ASTER YELLOWS, IS THIS INSECT, IS THIS A LEAFSPOT?

WHAT IS THIS?

>> THE GREAT THING ABOUT CORNFLOWERS, BESIDES THE ONE I BROUGHT, THEY'RE VERY DISEASE RESISTANT.

THERE REALLY ISN'T A LEAFSPOT OR A STEM SPOT THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.

BUT THE WAY THESE LEAVES ARE CURLING UP AND TURNING BROWN, KATE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT, PROBABLY SPIDER MITES.

SO, GET IN THERE AND LOOK FOR THAT WEBBING AND SEE FOR THOSE LITTLE CRAWLY DUDES.

THE WEATHER HAS JUST BEEN PERFECT FOR THEM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS ACTUALLY A CLEMATIS AND SHE'S WONDERING WHAT SHE SHOULD DO.

SHE SAYS THERE'S A DOWNSPOUT ABOUT 30 FEET UPHILL THAT SHE DIVERTS.

WE THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS DRY FROM -- SHE SENT SOME PREVIOUS QUESTIONS.

THERE IS A GROUND COVER AT THE BASE.

IS THIS VIRUS?

IS THIS NUTRITION?

>> TO ME, THIS SCREAMS NUTRITION.

I CANNOT PINPOINT WHAT NUTRITION IT ACTUALLY IS.

I DIDN'T TAKE ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AT CLEMATIS.

I WOULD GIVE IT SOME FERTILIZER, A GOOD CONCENTRATION OF M, P, AND K. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE THREE MAJOR MACROS AND SEE IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOUR FINAL TWO ARE -- THIS IS MIDTOWN OMAHA.

BROWN SPOTS ON THE LEAVES, SPREADING TO THE WHOLE SHRUB, AND SHE THINKS MAYBE SOME OF THE BRANCHES ARE DYING.

THIS HAS COME UP RATHER SUDDENLY.

SHE SAID, NO, IT'S NOT DROUGHT BECAUSE I ASKED THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

>> THEY'RE IN OMAHA, CORRECT?

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO, OMAHA, YOU HAVE RECEIVED SOME SIGNIFICANT RAINS HERE LATELY.

I WAS REPORTED MAJOR CASES OF BACTERIAL BLIGHT OF LILAC AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT KIND OF -- THE SPOTS KIND OF FOLLOW THE PATTERNS WHERE WATER WOULD RUN.

THIS IS REALLY NOT A GOOD DISEASE.

SO, ERADICATION AND REMOVAL IS THE BIG THING.

AND YOU SAW HOW THAT LILAC -- THAT CORE WAS REALLY DEFOLIATED.

I RECOMMEND YOU PRUNE IT OUT BUT EVERY PRUNE CUT, THOUGH, YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR CLIPPERS JUST TO ALLEVIATE THE POTENTIAL OF MOVING THAT BACTERIA AROUND.

WITH LILACS, WE CAN PRUNE THEM DOWN HEAVILY.

REMEMBER, IF YOU PRUNE THEM DOWN TOO HEAVILY, YOU WON'T HAVE BLOSSOM BECAUSE YOU'RE KILLING THOSE FLOWERS RIGHT NOW, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM KIM AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON "BACKYARD FARMER" TAKE A THIRD OF THE PLANT.

REDUCE IT DOWN BY A THIRD AND THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL THAT BACTERIAL BLIGHT.

>> THANKS, AMY.

WELL, AS WE SHOWED YOU EARLIER IN THE SHOW, WE PROUDLY HAVE AN ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS DISPLAY GARDEN ON OUR SPOT ON EAST CAMPUS.

BUT EXACTLY HOW DOES A PLANT GO FROM JUST BEING AN ORDINARY OLD ORNAMENTAL OR A VEGETABLE TO BEING AN ALL-AMERICA SELECTION?

HERE IS SCOTT EVANS TO TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS.

♪ >> EACH YEAR, WHEN WE WALK INTO OUR FAVORITE GARDEN CENTER, WE ARE HIT WITH HUNDREDS OF NEW VARIETIES OF PLANTS.

BUT DO YOU EVER STOP AND WONDER HOW ARE THOSE NEW INTRODUCTIONS SELECTED?

DO THEY GO THROUGH A JUDGING PROCESS?

THAT'S WHERE ALL-AMERICA SELECTION COMES INTO PLAY.

AAS IS THE NATION'S OLDEST INDEPENDENT TESTING ORGANIZATION FOR BOTH FLOWERS AND EDIBLES.

MY COLLEAGUE JOHN PORTER AND I ARE JUDGES FOR AAS.

EACH YEAR, AAS WILL RECEIVE PLANT MATERIAL FROM PLANT BREEDERS AND IT'S DISTRIBUTED TO THE DIFFERENT GARDENS ACROSS THE NATION.

TODAY, WE ARE AT ONE OF OUR PERENNIAL TRIAL GARDENS HERE AT THE SARPY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN SPRINGFIELD THAT'S MANAGED BY THE DOUGLAS SARPY EXTENSION MASTER GARDENERS.

WE RECEIVED THREE NEW PERENNIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND WE HAVE THEIR COMPARISONS.

AND THIS JUDGING PROCESS IS GOING TO LAST FOR UP TO THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE FOR THE PERENNIALS TO GET INTO THE GROUND, ESTABLISH, SO THEY CAN GET A GOOD SHOW OF FLOWERS.

SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE JUDGING PROCESS AND GO OVER SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

THE FIRST PLANT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS THE HEARTY HIBISCUS.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS SOME CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS THE OVERALL PLANT HABIT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE HIBISCUS CAN GET UNRULY AS IT MATURES.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW NEAT AND TIDY IS THAT PLANT IN THE LANDSCAPE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE SHOWINESS OF THE FLOWER, WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPARING THAT FLOWER TO THE COMPARISONS TO SEE IF IT'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE LEAF SHAPE AND COLOR OF THIS PLANT BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR INTRODUCTION HAS SOME REALLY UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT BRONZE FOLIAGE BUT, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT TO THE COMPARISONS TO SEE IF IT HOLDS UP TO A PLANT THAT'S ALREADY ON THE MARKET.

THE NEXT PLANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IS THE SEDUM.

THIS PLANT IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY GROWN FROM A SEED.

IT'S A PLANT -- THAT SEED IS NOT ON THE MARKET QUITE YET, SO DON'T GO OUT LOOKING FOR IT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE TIMING OF THE FLOWER.

ARE WE GOING TO GET A NICE, LONG BLOOM TIME FROM THE SEDUM?

AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PLANT HABIT BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, SOME OF OUR SEDUMS HAVE A TENDENCY TO FLOP IN THE CENTER, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING IF THIS SEDUM WILL HAVE STRONG, STURDY STEMS TO STAY UPRIGHT.

THE LAST PLANT WE HAVE TO JUDGE THIS YEAR IS THE BLUE FLAX.

IF YOU'VE EVER GROWN FLAX BEFORE, YOU KNOW IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING HERE IN NEBRASKA.

ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS THE WINTER SURVIVABILITY.

HOW MANY PLANTS SURVIVE THE WINTER?

NOW, WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE JUDGING FOR.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE BLOOMING TIME OF THE FLOWER, IS IT A NICE LONG BLOOM?

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PLANT HABIT.

IS IT A PLANT THAT LOOKS GOOD IN FLOWER AND OUT OF FLOWER?

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE DROUGHT RESISTANCE WHICH IS A CHARACTERISTIC THAT A LOT OF US LOOK FOR NOWADAYS.

THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE AT YOUR FAVORITE GARDEN CENTER AND YOU WANT TO CHOOSE A PLANT THAT YOU KNOW THAT HAS GONE THROUGH A RIGOROUS JUDGING PROCESS, LOOK FOR THE AAS SEAL ON ALL OF THOSE COLLAR TAGS.

>> LOTS OF CRITERIA AND SOME REALLY INTENSIVE STUDY GOES INTO BEING PASSED AS AN ALL-AMERICA SELECTION AND, OF COURSE, THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN SUCCESSFUL, SHOULD DO WELL IN YOUR HOME LANDSCAPE IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

KATE, WE HAVE A -- LET'S SEE.

YOUR NEXT QUESTION HERE IS, OGALLALA, FOUND THESE BURROWING HOLES IN THE BLOSSOMING CRABAPPLE TREE.

ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR TREATMENT, OR THEY GOING TO LOSE IT?

THERE ARE TWO PICTURES HERE.

>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF LAYERS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.

THAT FIRST PICTURE IS A GIANT ICHNEUMON WASP.

WHAT IT IS ACTUALLY DOING, IT HAS THIS REALLY LONG OVIPOSITOR THAT IT'S SHIMMYING INTO THE WOOD IN ORDER TO PARASITIZE A WOOD-BORING INSECT.

IN THIS CASE, THAT INSECT IS LIKELY A HORNTAIL OR A WOOD WASP AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOUR TREE HAS WOOD WASPS AT THIS POINT IT'S PROBABLY BEYOND SAVING.

>> OOH, ALL RIGHT.

UNFORTUNATE ON THAT ONE.

ALL RIGHT, YOUR NEXT ONE HERE IS FOUND THESE ARE IRISES THAT WERE GROWING ON TOP OF AN ASH TREE STUMP.

SHE DID SEND A PICTURE OF LARVA THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE EMERGING BUT THEY WERE A LITTLE BLURRY.

ABOUT AN INCH-LONG LARVA.

>> YEAH, THIS IS A REALLY COOL FIND BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE EVERY DAY HERE.

THIS A MIDAS FLY AND THEY'RE A RELATIVELY LARGE -- I WOULD SAY BEAUTIFUL FLY AS FAR AS FLIES GO.

BUT, YEAH, I WOULD LEAVE THEM BE.

THE LARVAE LIVE IN THE SOIL AND THEY'RE BENEFICIAL PREDATORS SO THEY'LL BE EATING THINGS LIKE WHITE GRUBS AND OTHER INSECT PESTS WE DON'T WANT.

>> AND YOU SAID MIDAS AS IN GOLD?

>> YES.

>> OKAY, AWESOME.

YOUR FINAL PICTURE HERE IS WHAT TYPE OF CATERPILLARS?

THEY ARE QUICKLY DESTROYING HER PLANT.

>> THESE LOOK LIKE CHECKER SPOT CATERPILLARS.

I'D NEED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF PLANT IT IS TO BE SURE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY LOOK LIKE THE SILVERY CHECKER SPOT.

USUALLY IF YOU SEE ONE CATERPILLAR, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THEM, LIKE YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE.

BECAUSE THEY TURN INTO A BUTTERFLY, YOU KNOW, THEIR FEEDING SLOWS DOWN AS THEY GET BIGGER LIKE WE SEE HERE, SO I REALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING ANYTHING AND JUST LETTING THEM BE TO BECOME BUTTERFLIES.

IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN HAVE A SACRIFICIAL PLANT AND MOVE CATERPILLARS ALL TO ONE.

I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH.

>> ENJOY.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

ROCH, THIS IS TWO PICTURES, WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY ON AN ACREAGE AND HE'S GOT THESE GROWING WILD.

THEY'RE BLACK LOCUST, A AND B HERE, I THINK YOU HAVE TWO.

THEY CURRENTLY CUT THEM DOWN AND TREAT WITH TORDON BUT THEY KEEP COMING BACK.

IS THAT -- WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING WITH BLACK LOCUST AND ITS SUCKERING HABIT?

>> WELL, IT'S A STRONG SUCKER AND SO WHEN YOU SPRAY IT, YOU KNOW, AND A CUT STEM TORDON APPLICATIONS GENERALLY WORK ON MOST WOODY SPECIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO WORK BUT THE THING IS THEN YOU STIMULATE THAT PLANT TO THEN PRODUCE ALL THE SHOOTS.

IT'S GOT A REALLY INTENSE, EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM OF RHIZOMES SO THEY'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BE PATIENT.

CUT STEM TREATMENT, THE NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS YOU'RE NOT SPRAYING, YOU PUT IT ON USUALLY WITH A PAINTBRUSH AND THEN YOU DON'T GET THE TORDON ON THE OTHER THINGS.

IF THERE IS DESIRABLE, WOODY MATERIAL IN THERE, YOU CAN CAUSE INJURY TO THAT, TOO.

CUT STEM IS THE WAY TO GO AND BE REALLY, REALLY PERSISTENT.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND YOUR NEXT ONE IS ACTUALLY ALSO ABOUT SUCKERS.

THIS IS TIGER EYE SUMAC, WHICH I THINK YOU HAVE AT HOME, OR HAD.

>> YEP.

>> CUT IT DOWN LAST SPRING AND NOW, IN REVENGE, IT'S ALL OVER EVERYTHING.

HE PULLS, HE MOWS, THEY KEEP COMING BACK.

THEY'RE JUST LAUGHING AT HIS EFFORT.

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THEM?

>> THEN IT'S EVEN MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT'S IN THE ORNAMENTAL BED AS WELL AS IN THE LAWN.

IN THE LAWN, IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO CONTROL.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS AVERSE TO USING A HERBICIDE BUT, YOU KNOW, HERBICIDE WOULD WORK VERY EFFECTIVELY IN THERE, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS AND NOT RIGHT NOW WHEN IT'S WARM, BUT WAIT TILL IT IS COOLING OFF IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR.

THAT WOULD CUT THEM BACK.

YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY GET TRANSLOCATION BACK.

BUT THE ROOT SYSTEM UNDER THERE, ONCE AGAIN, EXTENSIVE ROOT SYSTEM, IT'S A SUMAC AND IT'S GOING TO KEEP ON POPPING THESE SPROUTS, SO SPOT SPRAYING THEM IN THE GARDEN BED WITH A GLYPHOSATE COMPOUND OR OUT IN THE LAWN WITH ANY BROADLEAF HERBICIDE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A PERSISTENT THING.

MOWING THEM ISN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT IRRITATE THEM AND MAKE THEM WANT TO GROW MORE PROLIFIC.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> NOT A GOOD USE OF TIME FOR MOWING THEM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A YANKTON, SOUTH DAKOTA VIEWER, AMY.

FIRST TIME GARDENER AND SOMETHING IS SLOWLY KILLING HIS TOMATOES.

FIRST PLANT STARTED WILTING FOUR WEEKS AGO.

NOW IT'S SPREADING TO ADJACENT PLANTS.

HE'S PULLED THREE ALREADY.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?

>> SO, YOU'RE UP IN THAT YANKTON, SOUTH DAKOTA AREA WHERE YOU'RE LEANING TOWARDS THAT EXTREME DROUGHT.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE THEY GETTING ENOUGH WATER?

JUST BECAUSE THEY LOOK DRY TO ME AND IT'S MAYBE WHERE YOU'RE AT NOW WAS MAYBE ABLE TO HOLD A LITTLE BIT MORE WATER THAN WHERE THEY WERE AT SO I WOULD LOOK AT WATER FIRST.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN WATERING AND THE SOIL IS DAMP AND NOT SOAKING WET, THERE ARE ROOT ROTS AND VASCULAR WILTS THAT WILL MOVE IN, BUT I DON'T SEE THEM REAL COMMON.

I WOULD LOOK AT THAT WATERING THING FIRST.

>> ALL RIGHT, YOUR NEXT ONE IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

LESIONS ON THE TOMATOES, LEAVES ARE CURLING AND DYING.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, WE GO BACK AND FORTH.

ON THIS TOMATO, IT KIND OF MAYBE LOOKS LIKE BACTERIAL SPECK.

HERE'S THE BIGGEST THING TO IDENTIFY BACTERIAL SPECK.

YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FINGERNAIL AND SCRAPE IT RIGHT OFF.

IT'S VERY SUPERFICIAL.

IF THAT DOESN'T SCRAPE OFF, IT'S PROBABLY A BETTER INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE A SUCKING MOUTH PART INSECT THAT IS PROBING AND MY PROBERS THAT I USUALLY SEE ARE STINK BUGS.

THEY JUST PROBE AND PROBE AND PROBE UNTIL THEY FIND SOMETHING THEY LIKE TO EAT.

THEY DON'T LIKE TO EAT TOMATOES.

>> THE FINAL ONE, QUICKLY, IS A HARVARD VIEWER.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE VIKING POTATOES?

>> YOUR VIKING POTATOES HAVE WONDERFUL SCAB, SOILBORNE PATHOGEN.

IT DOESN'T HURT YOU TO EAT IT.

YOU CAN PEEIT OFF BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CASE OF SCAB.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SORT OF.

[ CHUCKLING ] >> IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

>> EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

>> EXACTLY.

WE DO HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FUN THINGS IN THE GARDENING WORLD.

OUR FIRST ONE IS PLYMOUTH GARDENING SHOW, OUR FLOWER AND ART SHOW SATURDAY THE 10TH IN PLYMOUTH, NEBRASKA.

OUR SECOND ONE IS THE DAY LILY DAYS WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING AT HARMONY NURSERY IN DAYLILY FARM IN BRADSHAW, NEBRASKA.

THAT'S THE 5TH THROUGH THE 31ST.

AND THEN OF COURSE, "DIGGING DEEPER WITH BACKYARD FARMER."

YOU CAN WATCH US ON FACEBOOK AND THAT IS NEBRASKA DROUGHT AND, OF COURSE, THURSDAYS RIGHT AT 8 P.M. THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE DO HAVE FOR "BACKYARD FARMER" TONIGHT.

WE DO WANT TO SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT SUBMITTED THE QUESTIONS AND PICTURES.

THANKS TO OUR PANEL FOR ANOTHER GREAT SHOW.

HELPING US ON THE PHONES, WE HAD MASTER GARDENERS GEORGE MALY, LINDA HELTON AND JOHN CARIOTTO.

NEXT TIME ON "BACKYARD FARMER," WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER BUILDING PROJECT, THIS TIME IT'S A HOME HOBBY GREENHOUSE.

UNL GREENHOUSE MANAGER STACY ADAMS BUILT HIS OWN GREENHOUSE AND SHARES SOME IDEAS ON HOW YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING.

SO GOOD NIGHT, GOOD GARDENING, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON "BACKYARD FARMER."

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