>> BACKYARD FARMER IS A COPRODUCTION OF NET TELEVISION AND NEBRASKA EXTENSION.

BACKYARD FARMER IS BACK FOR THE 69TH SEASON!

TONIGHT WE'’LL HEAR A WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE SPRING AND ANSWER YOUR GARDENING QUESTIONS.

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

♪ >> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER SEASON OF BACKYARD FARMER.

I'M KIM TODD.

I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR THE NEXT HOUR OF ANSWERING THOSE GARDENING QUESTIONS.

WE'’VE GOT OUR PANEL ASSEMBLED AND WE'’RE VERY EXCITED TO HELP YOU GROW THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.

WE AREN'’T READY JUST YET TO ANSWER THOSE PHONE CALLS, BUT YOU CAN STILL SEND US A QUESTION OR PICTURES TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

PLEASE TELL US AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR QUESTION, INCLUDING WHERE YOU LIVE.

ALSO, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE GET NUMEROUS E-MAILS EVERY WEEK AND IT'’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO ANSWER EVERYBODY'’S QUESTION ON AIR.

BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS SEARCH FOR ANSWERS ON PAST SHOWS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, OR FACEBOOK, AND TWITTER.

AND AS ALWAYS, WE'’LL START THE SHOW WITH SAMPLES.

MATT, LOREN THINKS THAT A REALLY POOR CHIA PET.

>> OH, IT IS, YEAH.

ACTUALLY, IT'S GROWN JUST LIKE A CHIA PET.

CAN ANYBODY GUESS WHAT SUMMER ANNUAL GERMINATES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH?

THIS WOULD BE IT.

WE HAVE PROSTRATE KNOTWEED.

IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE MAYBE IF YOU WENT AND SEEDED YOUR LAWN YOU MIGHT THINK THIS IS GERMINATING SEED BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GROWING LIKE GRASS, BECAUSE IT HAS BASICALLY A SLENDER ONE TO TWO LEAVES, AND IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE GERMINATING GRASS, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S ALL THE SEED FROM LAST YEAR'S KNOTWEED PLANT.

YOU CAN SEE THAT HERE'’S THE SKELETON.

IT KIND OF A BROWN JUST BASICALLY A STEM.

AND THAT'S WHAT LAST YEAR PRODUCED PROBABLY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF SEED AND THEY'RE ALL GERMINATING THIS YEAR.

SO, THIS USUALLY HAPPENS IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH, ESPECIALLY IF WE GET WARMER WEATHER, THEY CAN GERMINATE IN PRETTY COOL TEMPS, AND WHEN MOST OTHER WEEDS ARE NOT GERMINATING AND WE'RE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW IN THE LAWN.

THEY'RE GREENING UP.

IF WE DO HAVE SPOTS IN THERE WHERE THERE IS PROSTRATE KNOTWEED GENERALLY WE CAN ALLEVIATE THAT BY DOING A LITTLE BIT OF CULTIVATION TO ALLEVIATE SOME COMPACTION AND ALSO IF THERE IS LOW AREAS THIS LIKES THOSE LOW AREAS THAT ARE STANDING WATER, AS WELL, SO ADDING SOIL CAN HELP THOSE LOW AREAS, TOO.

MAYBE INTRODUCING SOME NEW SEED TO THE AREA.

SO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE YOU KIND OF WANT TO CONTROL SOONER THAN LATER BECAUSE ONCE IT GETS GROWING A LITTLE BIT FASTER AND GETTING A LITTLE BIT BIGGER IT'S TOUGH TO CONTROL.

SO NOW, A LOT OF THOSE BROADLEAF HERBICIDES WORK PRETTY WELL ON PROSTRATE KNOTWEED.

AND THEY'RE EASIER TO CONTROL.

AND WE'RE KIND OF LIMITED ON WORRYING ABOUT SOME OF THE DAMAGE IT MIGHT CAUSE TO OTHER LANDSCAPE PLANTS BECAUSE IT'S SO EARLY IN THE YEAR.

TREATING THESE NOW WOULD BE EASIER THAN TREATING THEM LATER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

AND IT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE YOU GOT A GREAT STAND OF GRASS.

>> IT WILL BE A NICE GREEN STAND BUT IT WON'T BE GRASS.

IT WILL BE THICK, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT, LOREN, THAT'S NOT VERY PRETTY EITHER.

>> IT JUST DEPENDS ON YOUR VIEW.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CLEANING UP THE LANDSCAPE.

THESE ARE SOME SAMPLES THAT I BROUGHT IN FROM SOME TAYLOR JUNIPERS, AND DOING SOME PRUNING ON THOSE AND JUST SHOW SOME DIFFERENT EXAMPLES HERE.

THIS IS A KABATINA TIP BLIGHT, WHICH IS A FUNGUS.

AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS INDIVIDUAL TWIGS FLAGGING ON THE TREE.

ONE THAT REMOVING THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE WE CAN GET, IF THEY CAN GET THIS OR NOT, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT IN HERE YOU MIGHT SEE KIND OF A GRAY CAST TO SOME OF THAT.

AND THOSE ARE ALL AREAS WHERE SPORES ARE BEING PRODUCED AND SPREADING.

SO JUST SIMPLY CLIPPING THAT OFF HERE AT THE BASE AND REMOVING THAT IS GOING TO REMOVE THAT SOURCE OF INOCULUM TO TAKE CARE OF THAT ONE.

I GOT A FEW OTHERS HERE.

THESE ARE JUST SPENT CEDAR APPLE RUST GALLS THAT WERE THERE WHEN I WAS DOING SOME CLEAN UP.

NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

THESE ARE ACTUALLY DEAD BUT JUST DEBRIS WHERE OTHER THINGS CAN GROW ON TWIGS.

AND THEN FINALLY, THIS ONE HAS JUST A SWOLLEN AREA WHERE THE WHOLE BRANCH WAS DEAD AND YOU CAN SEE JUST KIND OF LET'S SEE HOW CLOSE WE CAN GET ON THIS ONE.

LET'’S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT.

JUST THIS SWOLLEN AREA RIGHT THERE AT THE EDGE.

GREAT.

LOOKS GOOD.

AND I THINK THAT'’S THE START OF A CEDAR QUINCE RUST GALL ACTUALLY THAT WOULD EXPAND AND PRODUCE SPORES.

SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE LANDSCAPE, DOING SOME CLEANING, PARTICULARLY IN YOUR JUNIPERS, ALWAYS GOOD TO PRUNE THOSE LITTLE FLAGGING AREAS OUT IF YOU CAN, FOLLOW THEM BACK.

IF YOU SEE SWELLING ON THE BRANCHES REMOVE THOSE.

AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER LOOKING JUNIPER.

>> AND YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME GROOMING YOURS.

>> I DO.

AND I THINK THEY TEND TO LOOK A LOT BETTER IN -- OLD TAYLOR JUNIPERS ARE A LITTLE DANGEROUS TO GROOM UP TOP, BUT YOU GET IT DONE.

YOU JUST GOT TO BE CAREFUL.

MAKE SURE SOMEBODY IS WATCHING.

>> OKAY.

>> BE CAREFUL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SARAH, WHAT DID YOU BRING TONIGHT?

>> I'M GOING TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE THEME OF GARDEN CLEANUP TONIGHT, KIM.

SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS TO GET OUT THERE IN THEIR GARDENS.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU COULD THINK ABOUT STARTING TO WORK ON IS YOUR ROSES.

THE NICE THING ABOUT ROSES IS THAT ONCE THEY START TO GROW, THEY'LL TELL YOU WHERE THE WINTER KILL HAS OCCURRED AND WHAT PARTS OF THE PLANTS ARE STILL ALIVE.

SO IF YOU LOOK REALLY CLOSELY AT THE STEM-- EXCUSE ME-- WE'’VE GOT SOME DISCOLORATION OF THE BARK.

YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE THE BARK IS ALMOST TURNED BLACK.

I GOT A CALL FROM A CLIENT LAST WEEK ASKING IF THOSE BLACK SECTIONS WOULD PUT OUT NEW GROWTH.

NO, THEY WON'T.

THOSE BLACK SECTIONS ARE DEAD.

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT -- HERE ON THIS STEM THE STEM HAS TURNED BROWN, AND THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THIS SECTION THE BARK IS STILL GREEN.

SO THIS PART OF THE STEM IS STILL ALIVE SO YOU COULD MAKE A CUT TO REMOVE THIS BROWN SECTION RIGHT HERE, AND ALLOW THESE GREEN SECTIONS TO REMAIN.

OKAY?

NOW, A LITTLE BIT OF CAVEAT THOUGH, THERE IS STILL A VERY GOOD POTENTIAL WE COULD GET REALLY COLD NIGHTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE BEGINNING OF MAY.

SO, IF YOU DECIDE TO DO THE PRUNING ON YOUR ROSES, YOU NEED TO BE AWARE IF WE GET TEMPERATURES DOWN IN THE 20S OR THE TEENS, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO PROVIDE ROSES WITH SOME EXTRA PROTECTION, SOME BLANKETS OR CARDBOARD BOXES OR SOMETHING TO PROTECT THEM OVER THE NIGHTTIME HOURS, SO YOU DON'T GET SOME ADDITIONAL WINTER KILL WHERE YOU MAKE THE PRUNING CUTS.

>> ALRIGHT, EXCELLENT.

THANKS, SARAH.

ALL RIGHT.

I GUESS WE ARE READY FOR THAT FIRST ROUND OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS OF THE FIRST SHOW OF THE FIRST OF APRIL OF 2021.

SO MATT, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

THIS IS A VIEWER FROM LINCOLN WHO HAS A WEED GROWING THAT IS VERY HARD TO KILL.

HE SAYS IT'S GREEN ALL WINTER.

SEEMS LIKE EVEN COVERED IN SNOW IT DIDN'T REALLY DO MUCH OTHER THAN STAY GREEN.

HE SAYS SMALL YELLOW FLOWERS SEEMS TO BE SPREADING MORE AND MORE.

HE DOES WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF IT BEFORE IT TAKES OVER.

HE ALSO HAS NEW TREES NEARBY.

SO HE WANTS TO BE COGNIZANT OF NOT DOING ANY DAMAGE TO THOSE TREES.

>> YEAH, SO THIS ONE, IT DOES STAY GREEN ALL WINTER LONG.

POISON HEMLOCK IS USUALLY THAT ONE AND IT'S KIND OF IN THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU KNOW THEY'RE PROBABLY UNDER TREES WHERE THEY'RE NOT GETTING AS MUCH SUNLIGHT, THERE'S NOT AS MUCH GRASS COVERING THE GROUND, GETS JUST -- MORE OF THAT TAKES OVER, OVER TIME.

IF YOU HAVE ONE PLANT LAST YEAR YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE THIS YEAR.

IF YOU DO NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, THOSE ARE GOING TO START GROWING EXPONENTIALLY IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS WITH THIS WARMER WEATHER.

HEMLOCK GROWS REALLY FAST AND IT WILL TAKE OFF AND GROW SIX FEET HIGH.

SO TREATING IT NOW WOULD BE IDEAL.

IF YOU DO HAVE TREES IN THE AREA, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND THEY ARE, IF THEY'RE NOT BOOMING, YET 2,4-D WORKS REALLY WELL ON THIS.

TRICLOPYR WOULD BE ANOTHER ONE, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT TOO CLOSE TO THE TREES, BECAUSE THAT CAN BE A BRUSH CONTROL, AND THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO GET RID OF THIS WHILE IT'S YOUNG.

IF WE HAVE NICE WEATHER THIS WEEK, I WOULD SAY GET IT TREATED BEFORE IT GETS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE CARE OF.

>> SO WOULD HE POTENTIALLY ALSO HAVE MUSTARD THAT MIGHT LOOK SIMILAR TO THAT IN KIND OF THE LOW STAGE?

I THINK HE SAID YELLOW FLOWERS.

>> OKAY, YEAH, THERE COULD BE ALSO MUSTARD GROWING AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S KIND OF -- IT'S A WINTER ANNUAL SO IT'S UP AND STAYS GREEN AND IT'S GROWING.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE FIRST PICTURE OR THE SECOND PICTURE, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE HEMLOCK, SO THERE COULD BE MUSTARD IN THERE, AS WELL.

AND THAT ONE TREATING IT NOW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO START BOLTING HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH, AND ONCE IT DOES THAT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO TAKE CARE OF.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU, MATT.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS AGAIN WHAT IS THIS WEED GROWING IN THIN TURF AND IN ADJACENT LANDSCAPE BEDS.

HOW AND WHEN DOES IT GET CONTROLLED?

>> HOW AND WHEN.

LAST FALL WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT TIME TO CONTROL THIS ONE.

BUT IT'S TOO LATE NOW.

SO IF THERE'S NOT VERY MANY OF THEM THIS LOOKS LIKE SHEPHARD'S PURSE TO ME, AND IT'S PRETTY COMMON WEED IN THINNED AREAS OF THE TURF OR IN FIELDS SURROUNDING THE TURF.

SO THIS ONE ALSO SAME THING, IT'S A WINTER ANNUAL, SO IT STARTED IN THE FALL, WAS TINY, AND THAT'S USUALLY WHEN WE TRY AND TREAT THOSE TO BASICALLY GET RID OF ALL OF THEM FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

SO TREATING IT NOW WOULD BE BETTER THAN WAITING, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SEED OUT THIS SUMMER AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE ANOTHER SET OF PROBLEMS FOR NEXT YEAR.

TAKE CARE OF IT EARLY.

>> AND THOSE ARE ALREADY FLOWERING IN SOME LOCATIONS.

>> YES, IN THE HOT AREAS THEY ARE SHOOTING FLOWERS ALREADY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LOREN, YOU HAVE A LITTLE SERIES HERE THAT ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH IS SNOW MOLD.

>> BEAUTIFUL.

>> SO YOUR FIRST ONE IS FROM LINCOLN, WHAT ARE ALL THE WHITE SPOTS IN DEAD LOOKING GRASS?

WILL IT COME BACK?

WHAT CAN I DO?

EAST SIDE AND GETS SUN.

YOUR SECOND ONE IS ALSO LINCOLN, HUNDREDS OF CIRCLES IN THE YARD.

AFTER THE SNOW MELTED.

RAKED SOME OF THE DRY AREAS AND IT SEEMS LESS NOTICEABLE.

THERE IS GREEN GRASS UNDER THEM.

THIRD ONE -- >> LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT IS.

>> I KNOW.

>> HOW HARD WOULD THAT BE TO GO OUT AND TRY TO RECREATE THAT?

>> ANOTHER ONE IS OMAHA.

THEY HAVE A STRANGE MOLD THAT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE SPIDER WEB AND THESE WERE ALL EARLIER IN MARCH.

AND THEN YOUR FOURTH ONE IS AS THE SNOW MELTED, THIS IS LA VISTA, NEVER HAD THESE BEFORE.

THEY DON'T SEEM TO CAUSE ANY HARM.

HE CAN JUST RAKE THROUGH.

WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE LOOKING AT?

>> WELL THERE IS A COUPLE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS.

AND I KNOW IT DOESN'T LOOK GREAT IN YOUR YARD, YOU MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH IT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT IN MANY OF THESE SITUATIONS THE HOMEOWNER HAD NOT SEEN THIS BEFORE, OR MAYBE NOT NOTICED IT AS SEVERE.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF OUR -- MANY OF OUR FUNGAL PLANT PATHOGENS ARE JUST AMAZING IN HOW THEY CAN SURVIVE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN SOIL.

SO THESE ARE ALL SNOW MOLDS.

AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE FORECASTED MAYBE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SEE THESE WHEN YOU NEEDED TO MAKE THE MANAGEMENT ON THIS, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN LAST FALL, LATE IN THE SEASON.

RIGHT BEFORE WE GO INTO WINTER DORMANCY YOU WOULD BE MAKING AN APPLICATION OF A FUNGICIDE.

I WOULDN'T REALLY RECOMMEND THAT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A RESULT OF THE HEAVY SNOWFALL THAT WE HAD, IN THE SPRING.

AND ANYTIME WE HAVE EXTENDED SNOW COVER AND THEN WE GET WARMER DAYS WHEN THAT'S MELTING WITH A HIGH ACCUMULATION OF SNOW, YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SEE THIS.

BUT IN THIS CASE, THROUGHOUT YOUR YARD YOU HAD THE LITTLE RESISTANT STRUCTURES OF THIS FUNGUS SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS SPREADING AERIALLY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DEFINITELY SPREADING FROM THE STANDPOINT OF INDIVIDUAL LOCAL -- LOCATIONS WHERE ALL THOSE LITTLE CIRCLES START.

SO THROUGHOUT THE YARD YOU HAD THIS FUNGUS THAT WAS ALREADY THERE.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

BUT IN ANY EVENT, NOT REALLY MUCH TO DO NOW.

ASSESS THE SITUATION, SEE IF IT'S ACTUALLY AS THE YARD IS GREENING UP, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE REGROWTH IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, IF IT'S THIN ENOUGH YOU COULD DO POTENTIALLY SOME OVER-SEEDING, NOT AN IDEAL TIME.

BUT YOU CAN DO SOME OVER-SEEDING.

BUT NO APPLICATION NOW.

AND JUST KNOW THAT IT'S PROBABLY ALL OVER YOUR YARD AND YOU MAY SEE IT AGAIN IF YOU GET A LOT OF SNOW COVER IN THE FUTURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO THE INOCUM IS STILL THERE.

>> IT'S STILL THERE AND IT WILL BE THERE FOR A LONG TIME.

THE OTHER THING YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO REMOVE HEAVY SNOW COVER.

YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN PUSH IT TO CONCRETE AREAS OR AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN TURF, OR EVEN WHEN IT'S MELTING BREAK THAT UP AND SPREAD IT OUT SO IT MELTS MORE EVENLY.

THAT'S THE WAY TO DEAL WITH IT WHEN THE SNOW IS OCCURRING ON YOUR GRASS.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU, LOREN.

ALL RIGHT, SARAH.

WINTER.

THIS IS A MILLS COUNTY, IOWA VIEWER.

THEY THINK IT'S RABBIT DAMAGE AND, OF COURSE, WE'LL LET DENNIS WEIGH IN ON THAT ONE, TOO.

BUT THIS IS A -- THE QUESTION REALLY IS, IS THIS SO MUCH DAMAGE ON THIS PLANT THAT THIS PLANT WILL NOT RECOVER?

OR WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

>> SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH BARK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CHEWED OFF ON EACH OF THESE STEMS.

AND YOU COULD JUST BE A LITTLE PATIENT AND SEE IF ANY OF THOSE SECTIONS OF STEMS LEAF OUT.

IF NOT -- IF THE FAIRLY SMALL AMOUNT OF BARK HAS BEEN CHEWED AWAY, THE STEM MAY BE ABLE TO SEAL THAT OVER AND RECOVER.

BUT, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO REMOVE ALL OF THESE STEMS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE THE CHEWING DAMAGE ON THEM RIGHT NOW, YOU DO STILL SEEM TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD GROUP OF STEMS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS SHRUB THAT COULD THEN REGENERATE, AND THEN GROW AND REDEVELOP A NICE SHRUB FROM THAT.

SO IF YOU DO HAVE TO PRUNE ALL OF THESE STEMS OUT, THERE IS STILL POTENTIAL THAT THAT SHRUB COULD REGROW AND STILL BE A GOOD PART OF YOUR LANDSCAPE.

I WOULD SUGGEST THOUGH THAT YOU WOULD BE MUCH BETTER GROWING CONDITIONS IF YOU REMOVE THE LANDSCAPE FABRIC AND THE ROCK.

THE PLANT WOULD DO MUCH, MUCH BETTER IF YOU HAD WOOD CHIP MULCH AROUND THE BASE.

>> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, SARAH.

YOUR NEXT TWO ARE -- COULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN LIKE SNOW MOLD, LOTS OF PEOPLE SENT THEM IN.

THEY'’VE NOTICED THE FORSYTHIA ARE BLOOMING SPARSELY, ONLY NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANT.

THEIR THEORY IS THAT THE SNOW COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANT PROTECTED IN THE 31 BELOW TEMPS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROZE.

THEY'RE WONDERING IF THEY'RE RIGHT.

>> SO THE SHRUBS IN THIS PICTURE LOOK TO ME ACTUALLY AS IF THE SHRUB WAS PRUNED LAST FALL.

WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THEY PROBABLY REMOVED A LOT OF THE FLOWER BUDS WHEN THEY DID THAT PRUNING IN THE FALL.

AND THAT MAY BE WHY THIS PLANT IS SO SPARSE.

THE PREVIOUS PICTURE THOUGH WHERE THE FLOWERS WERE ONLY AT THE BASE, THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE POSSIBLY SOME COLD TEMPERATURE INJURY, BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COLD TOLERANCE OF VEGETATIVE LEAVE OF LEAF BUDS AND FLOWER EARBUDS AND FLOWER BUDS TEND TO BE LESS COLD HARDY.

IT COULD BE THAT THIS PORTION OF THE SHRUB WAS ACTUALLY UNDER THE SNOW AND THOSE FLOWER BUDS WERE PROTECTED ENOUGH THAT THEY SURVIVED AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BLOOMING THIS SPRING.

>> THANK YOU, SARAH.

>> WE'’VE ALREADY STARTED ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS FOR THE SEASON, BUT WE THOUGHT WE'’D TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO WELCOME YOU PROPERLY TO OUR PROGRAM.

LET'’S TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT'’S COMING UP ON BACKYARD FARMER THIS SEASON.

♪ >> WELCOME TO 69TH SEASON OF BACKYARD FARMER.

AFTER LAST YEAR WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE HELPING ALL OF YOU IN THE LANDSCAPE WORLD, ESPECIALLY YOU 16 MILLION NEW GARDENERS FROM LAST YEAR.

WE WANT TO KEEP YOU IN THE FOLD, GIVE YOU ALL THAT GREAT INFORMATION SO IF YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR OWN SWISS CHARD, INSTEAD OF BUYING IT IN THE GROCERY STORE, YOU WILL KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRODUCTS THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL AS WE VENTURE OUT INTO SPRING OF 2021.

♪ >> IT CAN BE REALLY OVERWHELMING IF YOU WALK INTO A GARDEN CENTER AND YOU'RE NEW TO THE GARDENING WORLD AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT BECAUSE OF ALL THESE PRODUCTS, MANY OF THEM NEW, AS WELL.

SO YOU LOOK AT THE SOIL, THE TOPSOIL OR THE SOIL MIXES THAT ARE FOR A CONTAINER OR TO GO OUT IN THE LANDSCAPE ITSELF.

OF COURSE, TOOLS TO A GARDENER ARE JUST LIKE WALKING INTO A HARDWARE STORE.

WE CAN SPEND HOURS JUST PICKING OUT THE RIGHT PRUNING SAW.

AND WE THEN HAVE THE SEEDS, THE GRASS SEED, THE SEED ITSELF, ALL THE PLANTS AND THEN THE ACCOUTREMENTS THAT GO WITH A GARDEN, WATERING CANS, EVEN THOSE GARDEN GNOMES.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AS WE MOVE TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND SEE HOW PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, ENJOY THE GARDENING WORLD AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS.

♪ >> A GARDEN IS A PROMISE OF THINGS TO COME AND THAT IS NEVER MORE TRUE THAN IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN WHERE WE HAVE ALL THESE GREAT PLOTS OF LAND, WITH PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GROWING FOR THE COMING SEASON.

WE HEAR SO MANY STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE GARDENING AT THEIR MOTHER'S KNEES OR GRANDPARENT'S KNEES, AND THEN CARRYING THAT ONTO OTHER GENERATIONS.

SO JUST IMAGINE HERE THE RICHNESS OF THE EDUCATION, ACTUALLY THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO EAT, OR GROW, OR PREPARE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND EVERYTHING YOU CAN LEARN AS YOU'RE WORKING IN YOUR OWN PLOT, GROWING YOUR FOOD FOR YOUR FAMILY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GARDEN TO ACTUALLY ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS.

YOU CAN DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AND WONDERFUL AS PLAYING OUTSIDE, GOING TO A PARK, ENJOYING A PICNIC, ENGAGING WITH FRIENDS AT A COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND WHEN YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS IN THAT GARDEN OR THAT LANDSCAPE, OR THAT GREAT OUTDOORS, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET AHOLD OF THE "“BACKYARD FARMERS."

WE ARE MORE THAN WILLING, READY, AND ABLE TO ANSWER ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

♪ >> OF COURSE, DURING THE SEASON THERE IS REALLY NO PLACE WE WOULD RATHER BE THAN HEARING FROM YOU AND HELPING YOU MAKE THINGS BEAUTIFUL AROUND YOUR HOME, MAKING SURE THAT VEGETABLE GARDEN GIVES YOU ANOTHER BUMPER CROP THIS YEAR.

ALL RIGHT, SO I THINK YOU HAVE ONE THAT IS A HEAD SCRATCHER HERE, MATT.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO SENT IN SOMETHING THAT VOLUNTEERED IN THEIR YARD.

AND THEY WONDER WHAT IT IS.

>> YEAH, I'M GOING TO SAY I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY "“APRIL FOOLS"” AFTER THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS ONE IS.

I LOOKED -- I SWEAR I'VE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE AS WELL, BUT I CANNOT COME UP WITH WHAT EXACTLY, WHAT FAMILY IT BELONGS TO OR WHAT IT IS.

IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A CORAL BELL, SOME SORT OF BROADLEAF.

SO IT COULD BE EVEN YOU KNOW AN ORNAMENTAL THAT IS DESIRED BUT I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE.

>> IT'S NOT ORNAMENTAL.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?

>> LIKE YOU, I KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I THINK WE CAN MAYBE BRING IN A SAMPLE A LITTLE LATER.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP OR I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT MORE AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS ONE ACTUALLY IS.

SORRY FOR THAT.

>> I THINK MAYBE WE OUGHT TO HAVE A LITTLE PRIZE SHEET THIS YEAR FOR VIEWERS WHO WE HAVE TO SAY WE DON'T KNOW.

>> PHONE A FRIEND MAYBE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> EXACTLY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, MATT.

OKAY.

SO YOUR NEXT ONES ARE -- YOUR MOST FAVORITE OF TREES, LOREN, ALTHOUGH YOU BROUGHT IN -- OH, I'M SORRY, MATT.

YOU'’VE GOT ONE MORE.

SO, I'LL BET YOU KNOW THIS.

>> THIS ONE IS A LITTLE EASIER BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT MANY MORE TIMES AND IT'S PRETTY COMMON.

SPEEDWELL OR CORN SPEEDWELL.

AND THIS ONE IS A WINTER ANNUAL, AS WELL, SO IT GERMINATED LAST FALL.

AND IT'S PRETTY LOW GROWING.

IT HAS PRETTY SMALL LEAFLETS AND PRETTY THEN THESE PRETTY BLUE FLOWERS ON IT SO IT'S ONE THAT IS GOING TO GET TOO LATE TO CONTROL PRETTY SOON, AS WELL, SO TREATING IT EARLY, OR IN THE FALL IS THE BEST TIME AND MOST BROADLEAF HERBICIDES CONTAINING 2,4-D WILL CONTROL IT, AS WELL.

>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT ALL OVER IN OUR BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO USE 2,4-D UP THERE.

>> IT COMES OUT PRETTY EASY, TOO.

>> YEAH.

>> IT HAS A PRETTY SHALLOW ROOT SYSTEM AND IT ALMOST JUST SCRAPES AWAY WITH EVEN A RAKE, YOU CAN KIND OF TAKE THEM OUT OF THERE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, MATT.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

>> GOOD.

>> WITH TREES.

>> LOVE TREES.

>> THIS IS A CLARINDA, IOWA VIEWER WHO HAS SENT US SOME OLDER SPRUCE.

THEY WERE STARTING TO LOSE NEEDLES.

SEEMS LIKE THE BRANCHES WERE DYING.

ALSO NOTICED ANOTHER ONE NEIGHBORING THIS SPRUCE WAS DOING THE SAME THING.

>> YEAH, SO WHEN WE GET LARGER OLDER TREES, A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE SEE IN THEM AND IT'S HARD TO TELL, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY FROM THE PICTURE BUT MANY TIMES THESE ARE THE RESULT OF SOME SORT OF A CANKER THAT IS OCCURRING ON THESE WHERE THE WHOLE BRANCH DIES OUT.

MY GUESS WOULD BE IF YOU COULD GET CLOSER YOU MAY SEE ON SOME OF THESE SOME OF THE SAP, SOME PITCH ACTUALLY ON THE BRANCHES, OR SOME SWELLING IN AN AREA ON THE BRANCH.

A TYPICAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THESE WOULD BE JUST TO BASICALLY PRUNE OUT ALL THE DEAD, JUST LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ON THE JUNIPERS EARLIER.

BUT REALLY DIFFICULT IN ANY TREE TO REALLY MANAGE A CANKER DISEASE.

THAT'S A REALLY HARD ONE.

TRYING TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOT ADEQUATE MOISTURE.

DROUGHT CAN FAVOR CANKERS.

SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT YOU CAN DO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE GROUND TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE TREE IS IN GOOD HEALTH.

OTHER THAN THAT, REALLY PRUNING OUT AND ASSESSING TO SEE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A REASONABLE APPEARING TREE BY DOING THAT.

>> WELL, AN OLDER ALWAYS... >> THAT'S -- EVERYTHING HAS A LIFESPAN.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO, WE LOVE OUR TREES, BUT SOMETIMES THEY GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO START DECLINING AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT NATURALLY OCCUR.

>> RIGHT.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS ACTUALLY IN LINCOLN.

AND THIS IS TOP LIMBS ALSO, BUT THIS IS ONLY A 15-YEAR-OLD GIVE OR TAKE BLUE SPRUCE.

HE SAYS THE REST OF THE TREE LOOKS HEALTHY AS DOES EVERYTHING ELSE, THE OTHER TREES, IN THE AREA.

>> SO IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE HERE THE WAY IT LOOKS.

IF ALL THE OTHER TREES ARE GOOD AND IT'S JUST ONE, THIS WOULD PROBABLY GO TO A CANKER SCENARIO, AS WELL.

CANKERS CAN IMPACT THAT TREE AT ANY TIME.

TYPICALLY WHAT WE'LL SEE THOUGH IS IN THAT TEN-YEAR MARK AND OLDER ON TREES, I TEND TO SEE WITH MORE CANKER ISSUES.

BUT WHERE IT IS A SECTION OF THE TREE, A LARGE PORTION, AGAIN, I WOULD LOOK FOR THAT.

IF IT'S IN THE TOP OF THE TREE, IF IT'S EARLY ENOUGH AND YOU CAN RETRAIN TO TRY TO GET A MAIN LEADER TO COME OUT, THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT NOTHING -- I REALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE TREE IN GOOD HEALTH WITH ADEQUATE MOISTURE AND THEN ASSESSING TO SEE IF YOU CAN PRUNE THAT OUT AND GET A NEW LEADER.

>> ALRIGHT, THANKS, LOREN.

SARAH, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT HAS TO DO WITH A HYDRANGEA THAT IS STAKED ON A STANDARD.

THIS IS A PAPILLION VIEWER.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN -- HE WANTS TO KNOW WHEN HE CAN TRANSPLANT THIS AND WHAT DETAILS SHOULD BE -- HE BE AWARE OF.

AND IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THIS HAS BEEN IN THE GROUND A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME.

>> YEAH.

SO, I WOULD WAIT UNTIL WE'RE WELL PAST FROST.

SO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO SUGGEST YOU WAIT UNTIL THE EARLY PART OF MAY TO DIG THIS PLANT UP.

IN FACT, I MIGHT EVEN WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE FIRST NEW LITTLE SHOOTS STARTING TO COME OUT ON THE STEMS.

AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO PREPARE THAT SOIL IN THE NEW SITE WHERE IT'S GOING.

AND I WOULD DO SOME GOOD SOIL AMENDMENT, ADD SOME COMPOST, SOME ORGANIC MATTER, PHYSICALLY LOOSEN UP THAT SOIL WITH SOME DIGGING, SOME DOUBLE DIGGING, TO KIND OF REALLY LOOSEN UP THAT SOIL AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THE ROOTS TO GET ESTABLISHED, AND THEN GO AHEAD AND MOVE IT.

AND I WOULD NOT PUT IT IN A BED WITH LANDSCAPING ROCK AGAIN.

I WOULD PUT IT IN A LANDSCAPE AREA WHERE YOU CAN JUST PUT WOOD CHIP MULCH DOWN.

IT WILL PERFORM MUCH BETTER, IF IT DOESN'T HAVE LANDSCAPE FABRIC AND ROCK OVER THE ROOT SYSTEM.

AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT YOU GIVE IT GOOD CARE THIS SUMMER.

NOT SO MUCH FERTILIZER.

IT DOESN'’T REALLY NEED FERTILIZER.

IT JUST NEEDS WATER AND REGULAR ATTENTION TO WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE DRY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T DRY OUT.

AND HOPEFULLY THEN IT WILL RE-ESTABLISH IN A NEW LOCATION.

>> SARAH, DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD STAKE THAT?

>> PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA, BECAUSE DEFINITELY.

AND I GUESS THE OTHER THING I HAD MEANT TO SAY TOO IS THE BIGGER THE ROOT BALL THAT YOU CAN DIG UP OF THIS, THE BETTER.

BECAUSE THE MORE ROOTS THAT THIS PLANT HAS TO RE-ESTABLISH IN THE NEW LOCATION THE BETTER IT'S GOING TO DO.

DIG A BIG ROOT BALL, MOVE IT TO AN AREA THAT YOU'’VE WELL PREPARED THE SOIL.

STAKING IS PROBABLY NOT A BAD IDEA AT LEAST FOR A YEAR UNTIL THE ROOT IS ESTABLISHED AND IT CAN HOLD ITSELF IN THE SOIL.

AND THEN SOME GOOD CARE THIS SUMMER AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL TAKE OFF AND DO WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FOLLOW OUR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW WE ALWAYS TAKE TIME OUT TO TELL YOU WHAT'’S HAPPENING IN THE BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN.

TERRI JAMES IS RETURNING TO GIVE US A WEEKLY UPDATE ON OUR PREPARATION, PLANTING, GROWING, AND HARVESTING OUT AT OUR GARDEN.

HERE SHE IS TO START THE SEASON.

♪ >> WELCOME TO THE BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN 2021!

WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO START A NEW SEASON OUT IN THE BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN.

REMEMBER LAST YEAR WE GOT TO EXTEND OUR TIME OUT HERE?

SO YOU GOT TO KIND OF SEE HOW WE FINISHED UP THE GARDEN IN THE FALL BY PULLING SOME OF THE PLANTS OUT, WORKING THAT SOIL UP.

BUT NOW WE HAVE PLANTS IN OUR RAISED BEDS THAT HAVE STARTED.

HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN ANYTHING COME UP YET, BUT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THAT.

BUT OUR GREENHOUSE IS SO FULL.

SINCE MID JANUARY WE'VE BEEN SOWING SEEDS AND MOVING PLANTS UP IN THE LARGER CONTAINERS.

WE'D TAKEN CUTTINGS LAST FALL, SO WE'RE REALLY ADDING TO OUR GARDEN AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT HERE.

WE'RE EVEN IMPROVING ON OUR DISTRIBUTION GARDEN.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT FUN SEASON, SO STOP BY THE BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN THIS SUMMER AND CHECK IT OUT!

♪ >>> THERE ISN'T MUCH TO LOOK AT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW EXCEPT SOME BEAUTIFUL BULBS, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO CHECK US OUT ALL SEASON LONG IN THE BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN.

MATT, WE HAVE TIME FOR A QUESTION MAYBE BEFORE BREAK.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOSEGRASS AND QUACKGRASS AND HOW DO I GET RID OF EITHER OR BOTH.

>> OKAY.

GOOSEGRASS IS AN ANNUAL WEED THAT GENERALLY GERMINATES AROUND JUNE.

SO IT'S LATER THAN CRABGRASS.

AND IT WILL HAVE THAT LIKE THREE LOBES OF SEED ON TOP AND IT'S KIND OF A PROSTRATE GROWING, KIND OF HAS A WHITE CENTER, SO GOOSEGRASS IS AN ANNUAL.

AND QUACKGRASS IS A PERENNIAL GRASS AND IT ACTUALLY GROWS-- IT ACTUALLY GREENS UP FIRST.

SO RIGHT NOW IT'S GREEN AND IT'S GROWING, BUT ONE WAY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS REALLY DOESN'T HAVE THE SEED HEADS LIKE THAT, AND IT'S A PERENNIAL, SO IT'S NOT PRODUCING SEED LIKE AN ANNUAL WOULD.

AND, IT'S PRETTY PERSISTENT IN THE LAWN AND IT WILL SPREAD BY RHIZOMES UNDER THE GROUND AND TAKE OVER THE AREA.

SO IT'S A PERENNIAL AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO CONTROL OTHER THAN SELECTIVE -- NONSELECTIVE MEASURES LIKE GLYPHOSATE.

THAT'’S REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN ANNUAL.

YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT PRE-EMERGENTLY, AND YOU WANT TO GET THAT BEFORE IT STARTS SPREADING INTO THE LAWN.

>> SO, HOW EXACTLY DID ONE END UP BEING A GOOSE AND THE OTHER BEING A QUACK?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT CAME APART.

>> ONE HONKS AND ONE QUACKS.

>> YEAH, THAT MUST BE IT, BUT THEY'RE BOTH A PAIN IN THE BUTT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE NEED TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK.

WE DO HOPE YOU'LL STAY WITH US AS THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME ON BACKYARD FARMER RIGHT AFTER THESE MESSAGES.

♪ ♪ >> WELCOME BACK TO BACKYARD FARMER.

COMING UP LATER, WE'’LL HEAR FROM AL DUTCHER ABOUT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE WEATHER THIS GROWING SEASON.

REMEMBER, WE AREN'’T TAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS TONIGHT, BUT YOU CAN STILL SEND US THOSE PICTURES AND E-MAILS TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

RIGHT NOW IT'’S TIME FOR THE FIRST LIGHTNING ROUND.

SARAH, ARE YOU READY?

>> YOU BET.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A VIEWER WHO HAS A 13-YEAR-OLD YELLOW MAGNOLIA.

IT IS SPROUTING FROM THE ROOT STOCK.

WHEN CAN SHE PRUNE OFF THOSE SUCKERS?

>> I GUESS I WOULD -- IF YOU'RE CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME WINTER DAMAGE I WOULD GIVE IT MORE TIME.

I WOULD WAIT UNTIL CLOSER TO THE END OF APRIL, MAYBE TWO OR THREE MORE WEEKS, AND THEN PRUNE OUT ANYTHING THAT HAS WINTER KILLED.

I AM AFRAID TO TELL YOU TO PRUNE THOSE SUCKERS OUT RIGHT NOW IF THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT IS SURVIVING.

>> ALRIGHT.

WE HAVE A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST WOOD TO USE FOR BUILDING RAISED BEDS.

>> YOU WANT THE USE ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN EITHER NATURALLY ROT RESISTANT LIKE CEDAR OR REDWOOD, OR ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN TREATED WITH COPPER, A COPPER PRESERVATIVE WOULD BE YOUR BEST CHOICE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT POTATOES?

THIS IS A COZAD VIEWER.

>> SO POTATOES ARE PRETTY COLD TOLERANT AND YOU KNOW THE OLD FARMER'S ALMANAC IS GOOD FRIDAY.

YOU WANT THE SOIL TEMPERATURES TO BE ABOUT 45 TO 50 DEGREES.

SO YOU COULD EITHER CHECK YOUR SOIL TEMPERATURES YOURSELF OR YOU CAN GO TO CROPWATCH.UNL.EDU AND THERE IS A MAP UPDATED EVERY WEEK THAT GIVES AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES FOR YOUR AREA.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

YOU READY, LOREN?

LIKE WHAT THIS YEAR?

>> I DON'’T KNOW.

>> NO LUNCHMEAT INVOLVED?

>> NO LUNCHMEAT THIS YEAR.

WE'LL THINK ABOUT THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, OKAY.

YOUR FIRST ONE HERE IS FROM A VIEWER WHO SAYS THEIR APRICOT AND PEACH TREES ARE ALMOST READY TO FLOWER.

IS IT TOO LATE FOR ANY SPRAY SCHEDULE FOR ANY FUNGAL DISEASES?

>> IT'S NOT TOO LATE.

ACTUALLY YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD, SO RIGHT AT BUD EMERGENCE TYPICALLY WITH FUNGICIDES IS WHEN WE WOULD START TARGETING SOME OF OUR FOLIAR DISEASES THAT WE COULD SEE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO SAYS IF THEY RAKE UP THE TURF WHERE THE SNOW MOLD WAS BAD, CAN THEY COMPOST THE RAKINGS?

>> YES.

>> THIS IS A NORTH PLATTE VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHEN TO TREAT FOR THOSE PINE NEEDLE DISEASES THAT WE TALK ABOUT AND WITH WHAT.

>> MANY TIMES RIGHT AROUND DEPENDING ON -- WELL, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS.

I'’M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL TIME.

TYPICALLY, SOME OF THEM START AROUND HALF NEEDLE, CANDLE NEEDLE ELONGATION.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A MURDOCK VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER IT'S TIME TO TREAT FOR CEDAR APPLE RUST IN APPLES.

>> NO, NOT YET.

WHEN YOU START TO SEE THE GALLS ON JUNIPERS, THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN START TREATING AND YOU HAVE LEAVES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HAD BLIGHT IN LILACS LAST YEAR.

SHOULD YOU TREAT NOW?

>> THE BLIGHT IN THE LILAC I'M ASSUMING IS GOING TO BE POWDERY MILDEW, AND IS MOST COMMON AND I'M GOING TO SAY.

NO REASON TO TREAT MAYBE LATER YOU COULD LOOK AT POSSIBLY A SULFUR PRODUCT IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO CONTROL IT LATER IN THE YEAR.

>> THANK YOU, LOREN.

YOU READY, MATT?

>> YEAH, I SUPPOSE.

>> THE ENTHUSIASM IS RESOUNDING.

>> IT AIN'T GOING TO BE HARD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A LORETTO VIEWER, WHICH IS BOONE COUNTY.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN TO OVERSEED BLUEGRASS OR FESCUE.

>> ANYTIME NOW IS GOOD TO OVERSEED.

THE EARLIER THE BETTER SO WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO THE WET PERIOD.

>> THIS IS A COLUMBUS VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE BEST RATIO OF NITROGEN, PHOSPHOROUS, AND POTASSIUM FOR FESCUE.

>> GENERALLY, PHOSPHOROUS AND POTASSIUM, DEPENDING ON A SOIL TEST, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU NEED.

SO I WOULD LEAN HIGHER ON THE NITROGEN SIDE WITH MODERATE PHOSPHOROUS AND POTASSIUM JUST TO CARRY IT ALONG.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT A PRE-EMERGENT THAT THEY CAN USE WHEN THE NEW SEED IS DOWN.

>> PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE WHEN THE SEED IS DOWN?

SO, MESOTRIONE WHICH IS TENACITY OR QUINCLORAC WORK BOTH ON COLD SEASON GRASSES ALONG WITH TUPERSAN WHICH IS SIDURON.

>> ALL RIGHT.

IT -- PEOPLE ARE ALSO ASKING NOW CAN THEY PUT THE PRE-EMERGE DOWN EARLY SINCE IT'S WARMED UP, AND WILL THEY HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ONE LATER.

>> IF YOU PUT IT DOWN NOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO A SECOND APP IN LET'S SAY MIDDLE OF JUNE, BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING IT OUT PRETTY EARLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT MONTH, IF IT'S GOING TO STAY WARM AND HOT.

YOU'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE AN APP BECAUSE THAT PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE ISN'T GOING TO LAST THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

>> ALRIGHT, NICE JOB.

LOOKS LIKE LOREN WON THE PRIZE.

>> READY AS WORM ON A HOOK.

>> THERE WE GO.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> GOT IT.

THAT WILL BE MY COME UP THIS YEAR.

WE'LL SEE WHAT WE COME UP WITH.

>> SARAH, WHAT ARE OUR PLANTS OF THE WEEK?

>> THIS PRETTY LITTLE PINKISH FLOWER IN THE FRONT THIS IS A LENTEN ROSE AND OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR MOST EARLY SPRING BLOOMING PERENNIALS.

LENTEN ROSE -- THE FOLIAGE IS ACTUALLY EVERGREEN SO IT STAYS GREENISH ALL WINTER LONG.

AND YOU'LL FIND THEM IN THESE BEAUTIFUL KIND OF LIGHT PINK MAUVE GREEN SHADES.

THERE IS ALSO WHITE, AND EVEN SOME DARKER REALLY DARK MAROON COLORS.

BUT A REALLY, REALLY PRETTY PERENNIAL FOR THE EARLY SPRING GARDEN.

THINK OF IT AS A WILD FLOWER, A WOODLAND WILD FLOWER TYPE OF PLANT.

IT LIKES FAIRLY GOOD ORGANIC SOIL IN THE MIDSUMMER.

IT MAY GO DORMANT, BUT PROVIDE IT WITH SOME AFTERNOON SHADE IF POSSIBLE, AND IT WILL BE A NICE EARLY BLOOMING PLANT FOR YOU.

THE WHITE FLOWERS HERE, THIS IS NANKING CHERRY.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE PLANTS IN OUR CHERRY FAMILY.

BEAUTIFUL WHITE FLOWERS IN THE SPRING, AND THEY'LL BE A BERRY THAT WILL COME ON LATER IN THE SEASON.

LOREN WAS TELLING US BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED HOW MUCH HE LIKES TO HARVEST THE NANKING CHERRIES AND MAKE A NANKING CHERRY SYRUP OUT OF THEM.

IF YOU DON'T GET THE BERRIES, THE BIRDS WILL.

THEY LIKE TO EAT THE BERRIES AS MUCH AS WE DO.

>> EXCELLENT.

AND WE DO HAVE THE NANKING CHERRY IN OUR BACKYARD FARMER GARDEN.

>> GREAT.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A LENTEN ROSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT QUITE SHADY ENOUGH FOR THAT ONE OUT THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ALL.

LET'S GO TO PICTURES NEXT.

LET'S SEE.

MATT, THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW IS THERE A WAY TO GET RID OF STAR OF BETHLEHEM BESIDES PULLING AND DIGGING OUT THE BULBS.

>> THERE IS, BUT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE MUCH OF IT IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO DIG THEM OUT BUT IF YOU DO HAVE A LAWN INFESTATION THAT'S PRETTY MUCH TAKEN OVER THE WHOLE LAWN, 2,4D HAS BEEN KNOWN TO WORK ON IT.

YOU WANT TO WAIT UNTIL SOIL TEMPS OR AIR TEMPS ARE AROUND 50 DEGREES JUST SO THE CHEMICAL CAN WORK PROPERLY.

OBVIOUSLY, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU'’RE SPRAYING AROUND IT.

ANOTHER PRODUCT SULFENTRAZONE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO WORK ON STAR OF BETHLEHEM, USUALLY IT TAKES THE APP NOW.

IT'S MOST VULNERABLE WHEN THIS STUFF IS JUST LUSH GROWTH, NEW GROWTH IN THE SPRING.

AND THEN AGAIN IN THE FALL IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST TWO YEARS, THOUGH TO GET RID OF THIS.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A ONE-YEAR PROCESS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THEM ALL.

>> AND IT DOES SEED ITSELF INTO OTHER LOCATIONS IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.

>> A THICK HEALTHY LAWN IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING AND KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT TALLER MOWING HEIGHT AND IT'S GOING TO HELP CROWD OUT THAT PLANT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'’RE TREATING.

THAT'’S GOING TO HELP, AS WELL.

>> AND YOUR NEXT ONE HERE IS THIS IS A LONG TIME LINCOLN VIEWER WHO SAYS THIS IS GROWING IN ALL SORTS OF SPOTS IN THE TURF AND IN OTHER AREAS, MOSTLY IN THE SHADE.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO THEY GET RID OF IT?

>> GROUND IVY, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PURPLE IN THAT PICTURE, AND IT DOES LIKE THE SHADE AND THIN TURF.

SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET RID OF IT, HAVE A PLAN TO GET SOME SHADE TOLERANT TURF IN THAT AREA SO THAT YOU CAN HELP PREVENT IT FROM COMING BACK BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SEED IN THE SOIL FROM THAT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

AS WELL AND IT DOES SPREAD BY SEED AND ALSO BY STONE SO IT WILL JUST CRAWL ACROSS THE LAWN, SO YOUR BEST TIME IS IN THE FALL BUT NOW IF YOU HAVE TO TREAT IT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS, USUALLY ABOUT THAT FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS APART, WITH A THREE-WAY HERBICIDE.

TRICLOPYR IS THE KEY IN THAT ONE.

IT WORKS THE BEST.

>> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MATT.

ALL RIGHT, LOREN.

THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

AND SHE HAS ONE QUESTION THAT REALLY WILL BE HELD FOR OUR ENTOMOLOGIST, BUT THEN WE'’VE GOT THIS QUESTION, WHICH IS WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON ON THIS?

THIS IS HER FLOWERING PEAR.

SHE HAD THIS LAST YEAR AS DID PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH IN EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT TO TREAT IT WITH AND WHEN.

>> OKAY.

SO THIS IS I BELIEVE THIS IS RUST ON PEAR.

AND OUR RUST ON PEAR I'M TRYING TO THINK WHEN THAT CYCLES OUT EXACTLY ON TO TELL YOU THE TIMING ON THAT.

AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE RIGHT NOW.

THAT ONE COMES -- CYCLES -- ANYONE?

>> ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT PETAL FALL?

>> PETAL FALL?

>> WHEN YOU WOULD START THE APPLICATIONS.

>> START THE APPLICATION AT PETAL FALL FOR THAT ONE?

OKAY.

>> YEAH.

THEY REALLY GOT HAMMERED LAST YEAR.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, THAT ONE WOULD CYCLE THE SAME AS OUR CEDAR APPLE RUST, RUST ON PEAR, SO THAT WOULD BE AT THE TIMING LIKE YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT WITH APPLES.

SO OKAY.

>> SO ONE MORE REASON MAYBE NOT TO PLANT THE PEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> COULD NOT PLANT THE PEAR OR NOT PLANT THE JUNIPERS.

>> COULD NOT PLANT EITHER ONE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WE HAD A PRETTY WET SPRING.

LONG, COOL WET SPRING WHICH, I THINK, REALLY FAVORED INFECTIONS.

MAYBE IT WILL BE DRIER THIS YEAR IT WON'’T BE QUITE AS BAD, BUT WHO KNOWS.

>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

THIS IS THE SAME VIEWER.

THIS IS DWARF WING EUONYMUS.

SHE HAD THIS ON HER DWARF WING EUONYMUS LAST YEAR.

ALL OVER EVERYTHING.

AND SHE WONDERS WHAT THIS ONE IS, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

>> OKAY.

AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL ON THIS, I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE POWDERY MILDEW ROAD.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND TYPICALLY WITH POWDERY MILDEW I DON'T REALLY RECOMMEND FUNGICIDES IN GENERAL.

IN THAT SITUATION.

IF IT GETS REALLY SEVERE, POWDERLY MILDEWS TEND TO OCCUR LATER IN THE SEASON IS WHEN WE TEND TO SEE THEM.

AND SO IN THAT CASE I DON'T THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND ANYTHING.

IF THEY GO DOWN THAT ROAD, POWDERY MILDEWS CAN BE MANAGED WITH ACTUALLY JUST SPRAYING THE BUSH WITH WATER CAN HELP, BECAUSE FREE MOISTURE IMPACTS THE INFECTION CYCLE.

THE OTHER IS SOME OF THE SULFUR PRODUCTS.

SULFUR-BASED FUNGICIDES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, LOREN.

ALL RIGHT.

SARAH, A COUPLE OF TREE ISSUES FOR YOU.

THE FIRST IS A RED MAPLE, IN OMAHA.

PLANTED EIGHT TO TEN YEARS AGO.

THE TREE THEY SENT ANOTHER PICTURE WAS A LITTLE DARK OF THE WHOLE TREE.

THE TREE LOOKS HEALTHY BUT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING LEAKING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE TRUNK AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM A COUPLE OF BRANCHES, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT FAR UP IN THE TREE THAT PERHAPS HAD BROKEN OR SOMETHING.

>> THIS JUST LOOKS LIKE SAP TO ME.

MAPLES ARE PRONE TO LEAKING SAP IN THE EARLY SPRING, IF THEY'RE PRUNED IN THE FALL, OR IF THERE IS SOME DAMAGE TO A BRANCH.

IF THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO THE BARK UP ABOVE WHERE THIS LEAKING IS STARTING, IT'S PROBABLY JUST SAP.

NOT REALLY TOO SERIOUS.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT THE TREE TO LOSE THIS SAP.

IF THOSE BRANCHES ARE DAMAGED THOUGH, IF THEY GOT BROKEN IN A STORM OR SOMETHING, YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE GOOD CLEAN CUTS WHERE THOSE BRANCHES WERE DAMAGED, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THAT YOU CAN DO.

BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU NEED TO DO DIRECTLY TO ADDRESS THIS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

THIS IS A VIEWER IN RURAL DWIGHT, NEBRASKA.

SHE IS WONDERING WHAT MADE THESE HOLES IN THEIR COTTONWOOD.

THE TREE IS ONLY ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD AND SHE IS WONDERING WHETHER SHE OUGHT TO CUT IT DOWN AND START OVER.

>> YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'M GOING TO SAY "“APRIL FOOLS"” ON THIS ONE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE CLOSER UP PICTURE OF THIS SO WE COULD SEE IF THERE WERE TOOTH MARKS OR IF THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME BORING IN THE WOOD THAT WOULD INDICATE SOME KIND OF WOOD BORE.

BUT THE HOLES ARE TOO BIG REALLY FOR ANY WOOD BORE THAT I CAN THINK OF.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THIS IS.

I WOULD WAIT TO SEE HOW THE TREE LEAFS OUT.

IF IT LEAFS OUT WELL, HAS A GOOD LEAF CANOPY AT THE END OF SPRING, IF THE TREE IS NOT IN IMMINENT DANGER IF IT WERE TO FALL TO A HOUSE OR AN IMPORTANT STRUCTURE, I WOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND LET IT STAND AND SEE IF THE TREES CAN SEAL OVER THESE WOUNDED AREAS.

IF YOU WANT TO SEND US A CLOSER UP PICTURE, MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.

>> THANK YOU, SARAH.

AND I KNOW THE COTTON-LESS COTTONWOODS ARE SOMETIMES KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF THEY'RE NOT COTTON-LESS NECESSARILY FOR VERY LONG AND THEY ALSO CANKER.

>> ALL OF THE WILLOWS IN THE COTTONWOODS ARE VERY PRONE TO CANKERS.

>> EXACTLY.

I DON'’T HAVE TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THE COLD SNAP THAT CAME THROUGH AND DUMPED RECORD LOADS OF SNOW ON US A MONTH AGO.

IF YOU'’RE WONDERING WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN THE COMING MONTHS, HERE'’S UNL ASSOCIATE STATE CLIMATOLOGIST AL DUTCHER.

♪ >> HELLO, FOLKS.

WELL, IT'S BEEN QUITE A WILD YEAR.

WE WENT THROUGH A DROUGHT LAST SUMMER, CONCERN ABOUT THAT DROUGHT GETTING MORE INTENSE AS WE WENT THROUGH THE WINTER PERIOD ONLY TO SEE A VERY ACTIVE STORM PATTERN BEGIN TO DEVELOP AS WE GOT PAST CHRISTMAS, AND REALLY INTENSIFIED AS WE GOT TO THE END OF JANUARY.

THEN WE SEEN THE ARCTIC AIR THAT CAME IN WITH TEMPERATURES THAT WERE FROM 25 TO 40 BELOW ZERO, DEPENDING ON LOCATION.

AND WE FOLLOWED IT UP WITH TWO MAJOR PRECIPITATION EVENTS DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH THAT DROPPED ANYWHERE IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA SIX TO 12 INCHES OF MOISTURE WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO SIX TIMES WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT.

WE GOT VERY WET CONDITIONS AT THE SURFACE.

ONCE YOU GO TO NORTH AND WEST OF THERE THEY WEREN'T SO LUCKY IN TERMS OF PRECIPITATION AND MISSED OUT ON MANY OF THOSE EARLIER EVENTS SO WE GOT A LOT DRIER CONDITIONS DEEPER IN THE PROFILE.

THE BIGGEST CONCERN GOING FORWARD IS THAT WE NEED TO SEE DRYING IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA SO WE CAN GET OUR SOILS FIT TO GO IN THERE AND START CULTIVATING.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NEBRASKA.

SO, FROM THE PREDICTION CENTER STANDPOINT THEY'RE EXPECTING WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

AND CARRYING THAT DRYNESS UP IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND NORTHERN PLAINS AND THEN BRINGING IT SOUTHWARD DURING THE SUMMER.

FROM MY STANDPOINT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVE PATTERN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING, I THINK WILL BE A TREND THROUGH THE SPRING PERIOD.

THESE WET CONDITIONS ARE PROBABLY HERE TO STAY.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST KEY ISSUES FOR YOU IS TO BE ABLE TO GET PLANTED WITHOUT DOING A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THOSE VERY WET SOILS.

GIVE IT A COUPLE DAYS OF HIGH WINDS AND THINGS WILL BE FINE.

BUT OVERALL, I THINK WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER SHAPE GOING INTO THIS PLANTING SEASON THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR.

THE ONLY BIG ITEM OF CONCERN IS SOME OF THE RESIDUAL IMPACTS FROM THE VERY COLD CONDITIONS THAT WE'’VE SEEN DURING FEBRUARY AND THE IMPACT THEY MAY HAVE HAD ON PLANTS OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY YOUR STONE CROPS WHICH USUALLY START TO DETERIORATE RATHER RAPIDLY ONCE WE GET TEMPERATURES BELOW 25 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, SO OVERALL, THOSE ARE THAT ARE IMPACTED MOST BY THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ARE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER TIME GETTING CONDITIONS TO DRY OUT BUT OVERALL, YOU GOT A LOT BETTER SOIL MOISTURE.

BOTTOM LINE IS THOUGH WE'LL GET PRECIPITATION EVENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE'’RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THOSE SAME WET CONDITIONS SO BE AWARE OF DISEASES THAT MIGHT OCCUR UNDER THESE VERY WET CONDITIONS.

AND THE HUMIDITY IS GOING TO GO UP ONCE WE SEE THE TEMPERATURES RISE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.

FOR WESTERN NEBRASKA, MIGHT WANT TO TAKE MORE PROACTIVE MEASURES.

YOU'RE STILL FACING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

YOU HAVEN'T UNDONE THE DROUGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SEE A COUPLE MORE HEAVY PRECIPITATION EVENTS BEFORE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE MAY BE SEEING THE BACKSIDE OF THIS DROUGHT.

BUT OVERALL, OUTLOOKS GOING FORWARD FROM A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE INDICATES YOU ARE GOING TO SEE MORE DROUGHT PROBLEMS AS YOU GO THROUGH THE GOOD PORTION OF THIS GROWING SEASON.

>> THANKS TO AL FOR GIVING US THAT PEEK AT WHAT'S TO COME.

ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE WE ALWAYS LIKE THE PEEK.

SOMETIMES, SURPRISE IS BETTER THAN PLANNING AHEAD, MAYBE SO MATT, YOUR NEXT ONE IS AN INTERESTING -- IT'S A WEED ONE.

IT'S IN GARDENS.

BUT THIS IS A PLATTSMOUTH VIEWER, AND HE WANTS TO USE SOME SORT OF A HERBICIDE TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP HIS VEGETABLE GARDEN OF MOSTLY THE PERENNIAL WEEDS.

HE DOES PLANT TOMATOES, PEPPERS GREEN BEANS, RADISHES, CUCUMBERS AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HE SHOULD USE AND THEN IS THERE A WINDOW THAT HE NEEDS TO WAIT.

>> SO LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, MOST OF WHAT'S IN THESE GARDENS IS WINTER ANNUAL WEEDS, SO PENNYCRESS.

THERE'’S SOME HENBANE IN THERE.

MAYBE SOME DOWNY BROME.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO GET -- IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE OVER THE GARDEN NOW.

I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO START GROWING BUT RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME JUST TO ACTUALLY TILL THESE OR LIGHTLY HOE THEM TO GET THOSE WEEDS OUT OF THERE.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S THICK ENOUGH TO WARRANT A SPRAY.

I WOULD PASS THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO TALK ABOUT ON THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO USE ANY TYPE OF SPRAY ON THIS AREA.

I WOULD JUST SAY GO IN THERE AND TILL IT AND IT WOULD BE READY TO GO FOR SPRING PLANTING.

>> AND IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE VERY SMALL RAISED BEDS.

WE DON'T KNOW THE SIZE EITHER.

>> YES.

>> SO THAT'S A GOOD COMMENT.

THANKS, MATT.

>> SKIP THE SPRAY AND HOE THEM OUT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

LOREN, THIS IS A STRANGE FUNGUS AMONG US, AND THIS PERSON FOUND THIS FUNGUS WHEN THEY WERE TRANSPLANTING SOME SHRUBS.

THEY'’D SUCKERED IN A VERY SHADY, VERY WET SPOT AGAINST A BUILDING.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.

IS IT HARMFUL, WILL IT RETURN?

AND IT'S SORT OF RUBBERY OR GELATINOUS.

>> AND ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE KIM, I'M NOT SURE.

SO I'LL USE MY APRIL FOOLS CARD ON THIS ONE.

BUT I'M REALLY NOT SURE.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MOST LIKELY MANY OF OUR DIFFERENT FUNGI I AT ARE NUISANCE FUNGI THAT GROW IN MULCH AREAS WILL RETURN.

SO MY FORECAST WOULD BE IT WILL RETURN.

BUT I HAVE TO DO MORE LOOKING ON THIS ONE.

I'M NOT CERTAIN ON IT.

I THOUGHT AT FIRST MAYBE IT WAS DRIED UP GNAW STALK, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT.

I'M NOT SURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> I'’M SORRY.

I HAVE TO GET A SAMPLE, TAKE A LOOK AND COME BACK.

>> EXACTLY.

IF THE SAMPLE IS STILL THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, LOREN.

ALL RIGHT.

SARAH, THIS IS A VIEWER WHO HAS A BIG FRONT LAWN QUESTION.

SHE DID KILL THE TURF ON PURPOSE, AND SHE WANTS TO PUT IN PLANTS.

SHE REALLY DOESN'T -- SHE HAS A LOT OF HEAT.

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TRY TO KEEP THE TURF ALIVE.

SHE HAS GOT DEEP TUNNELS UNDER THE GRASS, SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A DENNIS THING.

BUT SHE WONDERS WHETHER SHE SHOULD RUN A TILLER OVER THE DEAD TURF AND CONDITION THE SOIL ON THE STEEP SLOPE, OR WHETHER SHE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND JUST PLANT INTO IT, AND IF SO THEN WHAT ELSE DOES SHE DO TO A, HOLD THE SLOPE AND B, WILL THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER LONG TERM MANAGEMENT ESPECIALLY OF WHATEVER CRITTERS ARE KIND OF RUNNING AROUND IN THERE.

>> SO NO, I WOULD NOT TILL IT BEFORE YOU PLANT.

IF YOU'’VE KILLED THE GRASS, IF YOU SPRAYED ROUNDUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO KILL THE GRASS, THEN THE GRASS EVEN THOUGH IT'S DEAD IS STILL FUNCTIONING TO HOLD THE SOIL AND HOLD THE SLOPE.

THE ROOTS ARE STILL THERE.

THEY'RE STILL HOLDING THAT SOIL IN PLACE.

SO IF YOU TILL IT YOU'RE GOING TO DISRUPT ALL OF THAT AND THEN YOU'’RE GOING TO OPEN YOURSELF UP TO EROSION ISSUES.

SO, WHAT I WOULD DO IS JUST GO AHEAD AND LAY OUT YOUR PLANTING PLAN WITH YOUR SHRUBS OR PERENNIALS, WHATEVER YOU PLAN TO PUT IN THAT AREA, PLANT THEM DIRECTLY THROUGH THE DEAD GRASS.

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DOING A LOT OF SOIL AMENDMENT BECAUSE IT'S BETTER IF YOU ALLOW THE PLANTS TO TRY TO GROW RIGHT INTO THE NATIVE SOIL AND NOT DO A LOT OF THE SOIL AMENDMENT.

IF YOU CAN'T AMEND THE WHOLE AREA, YOU KNOW?

SO DIG THE NICE WIDE HOLE THAT WE RECOMMEND, TWO TO THREE TIMES THE WIDTH, JUST THE DEPTH OF THE ROOT BALL THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

GO RIGHT INTO THE EXISTING DEAD GRASS.

WHEN YOU'RE ALL DONE WITH YOUR PLANTING PUT MULCH OVER THE TOP OF IT, A GOOD LAYER OF MULCH.

AS YOU DO YOUR DIGGING YOU'RE GOING TO COLLAPSE SOME OF THOSE TUNNELS AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THE TUNNELS THAT ARE IN THE PLANTING BED AREA.

DENNIS CAN TALK LATER ABOUT WHAT CRITTER MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE TUNNELS AND HOW YOU WOULD CONTROL THEM, BUT THAT IS WHAT I WOULD DO FOR GETTING THIS AREA PLANTED.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

OKAY.

MATT, NO MORE PICTURES RIGHT NOW, BUT LOTS OF QUESTIONS STILL.

SO THIS VIEWER IS WONDERING THE PROCESS FOR AERATION AND DO YOU AERATE BEFORE YOU SEED?

DO YOU AERATE AFTER YOU SEED?

DO YOU HAVE TO AERATE IN THE SPRING AT ALL?

>> I WOULD SAY DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU HAVE FOR A LAWN, IF IT IS A COMPACTED AREA OR A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA, COMPACTION IS HAPPENING SO AERATION IS GOOD ANYTIME.

FALL IS GENERALLY A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE WINTER CYCLE THEN.

NOW IS JUST AS GOOD A TIME IF YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT, WAIT FOR THAT LAWN TO GREEN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT BEFORE YOU GO IN THERE AND INTENSIVELY AERATE.

SO THEN, IF YOU ARE AERATING, SEEDING AFTER WOULD BE BEST SO YOU'RE DROPPING THE SEED ON TOP AND IT'S FALLING INTO THOSE HOLES.

IT DOES WORK BOTH WAYS IF YOU'RE AERATING BEFORE OR AFTER YOU GET SOME IN THE HOLES BUT AFTER IS BETTER.

>> AND THEN ACTUALLY THE SAME VIEWER WONDERED DO YOU PULL THE CORES OR DO YOU JUST DRIVE THE CORES DOWN?

>> MOST AIR FIRES DO PULL CORES, AND THAT IS BASICALLY YOU KNOW CHANGING A LITTLE BIT OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE SOIL.

YOU'RE BRINGING SOME OF THAT SOIL ON TOP AND YOU'’RE ALLOWING AIR SPACE, POROUS SPACE BELOW SO WATER AND NUTRIENTS CAN GET DOWN SO IT IS A GOOD CYCLE TO REGENERATE SOME OF THAT.

>> ALRIGHT, EXCELLENT.

THANKS, MATT.

THIS IS A WEATHER-RELATED QUESTION THAT ACTUALLY CAME IN, SO IT'S TIMELY WITH AL DUTCHER.

AND THE PEOPLE ARE WONDERING NOW SINCE WE'VE HAD 31 BELOW AND ALL THESE TERRIBLE TEMPERATURES AND NOW WE'RE GETTING 85, WHAT MIGHT YOU PREDICT, OH PATHOLOGIST, ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OR LESS... >> DO I HAVE TO BE AS ACCURATE AS THE WEATHER GUYS?

>> YES, MORE OR LESS DISEASE?

ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW -- WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT ON THAT?

>> A FEW THINGS ON THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CYCLES AND TEMPERATURES CAN DEFINITELY IMPACT THE ABILITY OF AN ORGANISM TO OVERWINTER.

THAT SAID, THE WAY WE STORE PATHOGENS LONG TERM IS PUT THEM INTO A MINUS 80 FREEZER MANY TIMES.

SO MINUS 31 DIDN'T REALLY HURT OUR PATHOGEN POPULATION IN ANY WAY.

SO NO REDUCTION BY THAT.

BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE ABILITY IF THINGS WARM UP AND DEBRIS BREAKS DOWN IN SOIL, OR IF PEOPLE WOULD HAVE INCORPORATED LET'S SAY THEY WORK THEIR GARDEN SPOT AND THAT DEBRIS IS BREAKING DOWN, THAT'S BREAKING DOWN THE HOUSE WHERE THOSE PATHOGENS CAN LIVE IN MANY TIMES.

AND SO THAT CAN HELP, AS WELL.

SO WARMER SOIL TEMPERATURES IN THE WINTER MONTHS COULD LEAD TO MORE BREAKDOWN OF THE PLANT MATERIAL.

BUT THE COLDER TEMPERATURES COULD HELP MAINTAIN THE PATHOGEN.

SO IF ALL OF OUR VIEWERS WILL TAKE A COIN AND FLIP IT, REALLY NO INDICATION THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND ANYTHING TO CHANGE.

IF WE GET THAT MOISTURE IN THE SPRING, WE'LL HAVE THE SPRING PROBLEMS.

IF IT STAYS DRY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE AS MUCH SCAB EARLY ON, NOT GOING TO SEE THESE TYPES OF CONSISTENT FOLIAR DISEASES.

IN ANY EVENT, REALLY DIFFICULT TO FORECAST THAT ONE FOR THE SEASON.

>> SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE TELLING PEOPLE TO WATCH BACKYARD FARMER.

>> WELL, THAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SARAH, LET'S SEE.

THIS VIEWER IS ASKING ABOUT WEED MANAGEMENT.

AND SHE SAYS A FRIEND HAS USED BLACK PLASTIC IN HER VINE GARDEN.

MAYBE THAT'S VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

SHE LAYS DOWN THE PLASTIC, CUTS HOLES FOR THE HILL, SO IT IS VINES OF SOME, PUMPKINS MAYBE.

IN THE FALL, SHE TAKES OFF THE PLASTIC.

SHE TILLS THE SOIL.

NEXT YEAR, SHE ROTATES.

THE PLANTS -- ROW PLANTS IN THE AREA SO THE PLASTIC IS USED EVERY OTHER YEAR IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GARDEN.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS AS A WEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IN A VEGETABLE GARDEN?

ANY PROS OR CONDITIONS?

>> USING PLASTIC IS A STANDARD STRATEGY THAT COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE PRODUCERS WILL USE IN THEIR FIELDS AND THEY DON'T REUSE THE PLASTIC FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

THEY GET RID OF THAT PLASTIC SO IT'S ONLY PUT DOWN ONCE.

BUT YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A HEAVIER THICKER MIL PLASTIC AND IT DOES LAST FOR MORE THAN A SINGLE SEASON, I DON'T -- I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WOULD BE A REAL SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OR ANYTHING IN DISEASE PATHOGENS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IF YOU WERE TO REUSE IT IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE GARDEN.

BUT THE PLASTIC MULCHES DO HELP A LOT WITH WOOD CONTROL.

IF THAT'S THE MAIN CONCERN HERE, IS CONTROLLING THE WEEDS, THEN YES, PLASTIC MULCH SHOULD BE PRETTY HELPFUL AT HELPING YOU KEEP THOSE UNDER CONTROL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

MATT, YOUR NEXT ONE IS A -- THIS IS FROM HARTINGTON.

THEY HAVE CLOVER AND CREEPING JENNY, NOT CREEPING CHARLIE, IN A STRAWBERRY BED, SO WE'RE BROADLEAF TO BROADLEAF.

AND THEY'RE WONDERING HOW TO CONTROL THE WEEDS IN THAT SITUATION.

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE HAND PULLING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PRODUCT THAT SEGREGATES BETWEEN STRAWBERRIES AND THE WEEDS, THE CLOVER.

THE OTHER THING WOULD BE TO DO A HEAVIER MULCH AROUND THEM TO TRY AND SNUFF OUT THE WEEDS AND THAT WOULD BE -- >> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE A STRAWBERRY PLANT AND THEY LET IT GO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THE PLANTING BECOMES UNPRODUCTIVE.

IF IT'S REALLY HEAVILY INFESTED WITH CREEPING JENNY, THEY MAY JUST WANT TO KILL THAT BED, START A NEW PLANTING, WHERE THEY CAN GET A BETTER CONTROL ON THE WEEDS.

>> AND THEY DID MENTION-- >> JUST A THOUGHT.

>> AND THEY DID MENTION PERHAPS DIGGING THE STRAWBERRY PLANTS AND THEN KILLING AND THEN REPLANTING.

>> REPLANTING IN THE SAME AREA AFTER TILLING?

MIGHT WORK, YEAH.

>> DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY USE PROBABLY FOR THEIR HERBICIDE.

>> YEAH.

>> IF THEY'RE GOING TO USE A HERBICIDE.

IT MIGHT BE BETTER JUST TO BUY NEW PLANTS AND START OVER BECAUSE THERE ARE VIRUSES THAT STRAWBERRIES CAN GET FROM THE SOIL AND OTHER DISEASES LIKE RED STELE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY -- THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE BETTER OFF TO JUST START WITH NEW PLANTS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, GUYS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR BACKYARD FARMER TONIGHT.

WE'’RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE OFF TO ANOTHER GREAT START.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO CONTRIBUTED QUESTIONS AND PICTURES, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT SORT OF STUMPED US, AND TO OUR PANEL FOR HELPING YOU FIND THE ANSWERS TO THE OTHERS.

NEXT TIME ON BACKYARD FARMER WE'’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM RANDY WOLF OF CAMPBELL'’S NURSERY ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE TRIED TO KEEP UP WITH SUPPLY AND DEMAND DURING THE PANDEMIC.

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

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