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

TONIGHT ON "BACKYARD FARMER" WE'LL GET SOME SPRING TURF TIPS AND SEE HOW THE GARDEN CENTERS ARE KEEPING UP WITH SUPPLIES.

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

HAVE >> HELLO AGAIN AND WELCOME TO "BACKYARD FARMER."

I'M YOUR HOST, KIM TODD.

WE'RE HAPPY YOU COULD JOIN US FOR THE NEXT HOUR OF ANSWERING THOSE GARDENING QUESTIONS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION AND A PICTURE TO ONE OF OUR FUTURE SHOWS JUST SEND US AN EMAIL TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

WE DO NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE OUR OUTSIDE THE STATE.

GIVE US AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN AND TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR QUESTION.

AND A FEW GOOD PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM REALLY ALSO HELP US GIVE YOU A BETTER ANSWER.

ALSO, BE SURE TO KEEP UP WITH "BACKYARD FARMER" DURING THE WEEK ON THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS: YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, ALL THOSE GOOD PLACES.

LET'S START WITH SAMPLES.

JODY, YOU BROUGHT AN ICE CREAM CARTON AND SOMETHING TUBULAR >> YES.

SO, WHAT I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE TODAY ARE THE LIVES OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE INSECTS, THE SOLITARY BEE AND THE LEAFCUTTER BEE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SEEN COMMERCIAL BEE HOUSES OR BEE HOTELS THAT PEOPLE MAKE ON THEIR OWN, AND SO THIS DISPLAY IS KIND OF LIKE RECYCLED ITEMS AND THINGS YOU CAN USE FOR EXISTING CAVITIES, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE SOLITARY BEES WILL NEST IN THINGS THAT ARE LIKE TUNNELS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.

AND THEY HAVE TO BE A CERTAIN DIAMETER, AND A CERTAIN DEPTH.

SO IT DEPENDS I GUESS EACH SOLITARY BEE THAT NESTS IN THESE CAVITIES IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE NESTING, AND WHAT MATERIALS THEY'RE USING.

SO THIS TUBULAR OBJECT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE TUBES, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS CURIOUS WHAT HAPPENS.

RIGHT NOW THEY OVERWINTER IN ONE OF THESE TUNNELS.

SO THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS.

YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND SO THESE ARE EACH DIFFERENT CELLS THAT THE BEE IS DEVELOPING IN.

SO RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE STILL A LARVAE BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THE BEE, SO THIS IS MY -- LET'S JUST SAY THIS IS MY LEAFCUTTER BEE IN AN EMPTY TUBE, WOULD COLLECT LEAVES OR WHATEVER NESTING MATERIAL, GET INSIDE THE TUBE, PUT IT IN THERE, THEN GO AND COLLECT POLLEN, LAY AN EGG, AND SEAL UP THAT WITH THE NESTING MATERIAL.

THIS COULD BE PETALS, LEAVES, WOOL, MUD, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF BEE.

WHEN THESE ARE ALL FILLED -- THEY'LL ACTUALLY -- THIS IS THE ACTUAL SIZE OF EACH OF THOSE CELLS.

SO ONE OF THESE TUBES HERE THE NEST CAN HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT DEVELOPING BEES.

BUT WE -- WHEN WE'RE MAKING THEM OURSELVES, WE WANT THEM TO BE A CERTAIN DEPTH BECAUSE THE MOTHER BEE IS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SEX OF HER OFFSPRING, SO SHE PUTS THE FEMALES AT THE BACK AND THE MALES UP AT THE FRONT BECAUSE THEY'RE DISPENSABLE IF THERE'S PREDATORS.

AND IN THE SPRING -- I KNOW.

IT'S APPALLING.

THE MALES WILL EMERGE FIRST, SO THEY WILL CHEW THEIR WAY OUT AND THE MALES WILL EMERGE AND WAIT FOR THE FEMALES AT THE BACK AND THEN MATE AND THEY WILL START THE NEW COLONY OR THEIR NEW NESTS, AND THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU FINALLY GET THE LEAFCUTTER BEES THERE THEY'LL STAY THERE IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE FOOD FOR THEM, AND SAFE NESTING PLACES FOR THEM.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

AND SO WHEN WE GET OUR VERY FIRST LEAFCUTTER BEE QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF HOLES IN THE ROSE LEAVES WE'RE GOING TO REMIND PEOPLE THEY'RE GOOD GUYS.

COOL.

NOT SO GOOD A GUY, ROCH.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

>> NO, AND TIS THE SEASON.

WE BUST UP OPEN IN THE SPRING AND EVERYONE GETETREALLY EXCITED, BUT WINTER ANNUALS ARE A WEED THAT ACTUALLY DON'T GROW DURING THE WINTER.

THEY GERMINATE IN THE FALL, MUCH LIKE WINTER WHEAT AND THROUGHOUT WESTERN SOUTHERN NEBRASKA, AND THEN THEY EITHER SIT AS A ROSETTE OR A VERY SMALL PLANT THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, AND THEY COME OUT IN THE SPRING AND COME ON WITH A VENGEANCE.

THIS IS HENBIT, ONE OF OUR REAL COMMON ONES.

THEY ARE ANNUALS BUT THEY POP IN THE FALL, AND THEN FINISH THEIR LIFE CYCLE IN THE SPRING.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

THEY GROW FASTER THAN THE LAWN.

THEY GROW IN THE LANDSCAPE BED.

IF YOU'RE GETTING READY TO GET YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN READY, JOHN, OF COURSE, YOU START SEEING THEM IN THERE.

AND YOU GO BY SOME FIELDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT DON'T PRACTICE MINIMUM TILLAGE, THEY'RE JUST PURPLE.

AND IT'S A GORGEOUS LOOK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE A TON OF SEED IN THE GROUND.

THIS HAPPENS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY SO IT HAS A SQUARE STEM, A VERY CHARACTERISTIC TUBULAR -- TUBULAR DUDE.

THAT MUST BE THE WORD OF THE NIGHT.

BUT A TRUMPET-SHAPED FLOWER AT THE END, AND THEY CAN BE VERY, VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE RELATIVELY EASY TO CONTROL.

THE BAD NEWS IS THEY SHOULD BE CONTROLLED IN THE FALL, WITH A PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE, PREEN COMPOUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHICH IS NOT WHEN WE TYPICALLY SAY TO PUT A PRE-EMERGENT DOWN.

FOR THE WINTER ANNUALS LIKE HENBIT AND CHICKWEED AND OTHERS IT'S BETTER TO CONTROL IN THE SPRING.

CONTROLLING THEM NOW ACTUALLY CAUSES A METABOLIC DISORDER, AND THEY PRODUCE MORE SEEDS.

SO YOU THINK YOU'RE GETTING THEM AND THEY BURN DOWN AND YOU'RE REALL YHAPPY AND NEXT YEAR THEY'RE -- ALL THEIR OFFSPRING ARE THERE WITH FRIENDS.

TRY NOT TO CONTROL THEM TOO AGGRESSIVELY.

THEY CAN BE HAND PULLED, BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SET SEED, BUT ANY CHEMICAL APPLICATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS REALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU, ROCH.

JOHN, THE SAMPLE IS BIGGER THAN WE ARE.

>> RIGHT.

SO THIS IS A FRIEND OF MINE THAT SITS IN THE CORNER OF MY HOME OFFICE.

SO WE KNOW THAT VEGETABLE GARDENS THERE HAS BEEN A BIG CRAZE.

ALSO IN THE GARDENING WORLD HOUSEPLANTS HAVE HAD A BIG CRAZE, AND THERE WASN'T A LOT OF VEGETABLES THAT I COULD SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW.

STILL A LITTLE COOL FOR THAT.

SO I THOUGHT I WOULD SHOW YOU THIS.

SO, THIS IS AN INTERESTING PLANT, BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY ONE THAT IS VERY VALUABLE THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE.

SO I ACTUALLY INHERITED IT.

I SORT OF RESCUED IT.

AND YOU CAN SEE THIS VARIEGATION ON THE LEAVES.

THIS IS A MONSTERA ALBO SO IT'S A TROPICAL VINE PLANT.

AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AND WAS SHARING IT WITH PEOPLE ONLINE AND THEY ALL WANTED TO BUY PARTS OF IT.

AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY.

AND SO I ACTUALLY SOLD -- I CUT OFF SOME LEAVES FROM THE TOP.

YOU CAN SEE THIS NEW GROWTH COMING ON HERE.

THAT'S AFTER I CUT OFF.

AND I SOLD FIVE LEAVES, SOLD FIVE LEAVES WITH PART OF STEM ON THERE BECAUSE OF THAT VARIEGATION AND I MADE $875 FROM THOSE FIVE LEAVES.

SO IF I SOLD THIS WHOLE PLANT IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH OVER A THOUSAND BUCKS, IF I DID THEM LEAF BY LEAF I COULD PROBABLY MAKE MORE.

AND THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT.

THERE ARE FIVE NEW BRAND-NEW HOUSEPLANT SHOPS IN OMAHA ALONE, LIKE MOM AND POP SMALL -- THERE WAS ONE THAT OPENED THIS WEEK BY ONE OF THE GARDEN CENTERS.

>> WOW.

>> AND SO HOUSEPLANTS ARE HOT.

THE PRICES ARE GOING UP.

AND IT'S CRAZY TO SEE ESPECIALLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, LIKE MILLENNIALS AND YOUNGER ARE GOING HOUSEPLANT CRAZY.

AND SO THIS IS MY RETIREMENT PLAN RIGHT HERE.

MAYBE A YACHT, I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL SEE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT DOES GET SPECIAL TREATMENT.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CAMERAS AND AUTOMATION BEFORE, SO THIS HAS A SENSOR THAT LINKS TO MY PHONE.

IT TELLS ME WHEN IT NEEDS WATER AND WHEN IT NEEDS FERTILIZER AND THAT KIND STUFF.

I FIGURED I WOULD SPLURGE ON MY LITTLE PLANT FRIEND THERE.

>> I THINK INSTEAD YOU NEED A RINGOORBELL BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE KNOW IT'S IN YOUR OFFICE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE VERY LONG.

>> OH, WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ALL.

ROCH, YOU GET -- JODY YOU GET THE FIRST SET OF QUESTIONS.

THIS IS FROM NICKERSON.

THIS IS -- THIS IS A VIEWER WHO UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAS A HIVE THAT HAS DIED.

SHE WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO CLEAN IT TO PREPARE FOR, YOU KNOW, DOING -- GETTING A QUEEN, DOING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SHE SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE THAT WERE IN THE HIVES SEEM TO HAVE DIED WHILE THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOBS.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK HERE?

>> OKAY.

SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT A HONEY BEE SPECIALIST.

THERE IS A -- THERE IS THE UNLB LAB WITH DR. JUDY WU-SMART WHO --THEY DO A LOT OF WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING, THEY'RE GREAT AT THAT.

BUT I DID TALK TO HER ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE AND CLEAN OUT A HIVE AND SHE SAID THAT THAT HIVE ACTUALLY DOES NOT NEED TO BE CLEANED OUT.

THOSE COMBS ARE GOOD THE WAY YOU ARE.

IF YOU PUT IN A NEW COLONY THEY'RE AMAZING AND THEY CAN CLEAN IT UP, FIX IT UP, TIDY UP ALL THE WONKY CONES AND SHE IS GOOD TO GO.

SO IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, I WOULD RECOMMEND CALLING DR. JUDY WU-SMART AT THE UNLB LAB.

>> EXCELLENT.

THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT OUR VIEWER WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR.

>> NO IDEA, BECAUSE I NEVER SEEN THE INSIDE OF A DEAD HIVE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ROCH, YOU HAVE SEVERAL LAWN QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN WELL IMAGINE.

THE FIRST IS GRETNA.

THIS VIEWER SAYS THEY HAVE COMPETING GRASS TYPES, NEITHER OF WHICH ARE DOING WELL.

IF HE OVER-SEEDS, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?

AND HE IS THINKING ABOUT WAITING UNTIL FALL TO OVER-SEED.

COULD HE DO IT NOW AND HE'S ALSO SAYING HE'S BEEN KIND OF STINGY WITH HIS WATERING PROGRAM.

>> SO THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE.

IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF FESCUE AND PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF BLUEGRASS WHICH IS NOT ATYPICAL OF A LOT OF LAWNS.

PEOPLE HAD BLUEGRASS, THEY SHIFT OVER TO FESCUE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT -- TALL FESCUE AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER AND SO YOU GOT SOME DOMINATING MORE IN SOME AREAS THAN OTHERS.

THE STINGY WITH THE WATER IS THE KEY HERE, BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR COLD SEASON GRASS ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER, NEED WATER.

MOST CONSUMERS OVERWATER THEIR TURF IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE I'M GOING TO SEE BEING STINGY WITH THE WATER HAS PROBABLY CAUSED THEM THE KIND OF STAND LOSS THAT YOU SEE HERE.

THERE IS SOME OBVIOUS TRAFFIC PATTERNS THAT LOOK LIKE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT SHIFTING THEIR MOWER AND GOING DIAGONALLY IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

THERE IS SOME TRACKING GOING ON.

THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN THIS PICTURE AND WE APPRECIATE THEM SHOWING THIS.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO OVERSEED, THEN FALL IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH THE COOL SEASON GRASSES LIKE TALL FESCUE AND KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS.

YOU CAN DO IT IN THE SPRING, BUT THEN YOU FIGHT WITH THE EARLY WARMER WEATHER, AND WEEDS LIKE CRABGRASS, ET CETERA.

THERE ARE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT CONTAIN HERBICIDES THAT CAN KEEP THE CRABGRASS AND OTHER THINGS DOWN, BUT IT'S STILL NOT OUR RECOMMENDED TIME TO SEED.

THE BEST TIME TO SEED IS IN THE FALL AND THEN YOU DON'T FIGHT THOSE WEEDS.

AND ALSO, WE DON'T WANT TO BE CONTROLLING WEEDS IN THE SPRING IN AND AROUND THE GROUND BECAUSE WE HAVE TREES THAT ARE EMERGING, WE HAVE GOT GARDEN PLANTS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THESE HERBICIDES, AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO SAY WAIT UNTIL SPRING, GO IN WITH A GOOD TURF TYPE TALL FESCUE BLEND, AIRIFY IT IN A COUPLE DIRECTIONS, BROADCAST THE SEED, AND THEN DON'T BE A MISER WITH THE WATER.

AND YOU ADMITTED IT, BUT LET'S TRY TO BREAK THAT HABIT, JUST TO GET IT ESTABLISHED.

AND IN THE UPCOMING YEARS IN GRETNA, YOU MAY ONLY HAVE TO WATER THAT TWO TO THREE TIMES A YEAR BECAUSE YOU WENT WITH A FESCUE WHICH HAS A DEEP DROUGHT RESISTANT ROOT SYSTEM.

>> WHEN YOU SAY FALL, YOU MEAN MID AUGUST-ISH.

>> YEAH, FALL IS NOT OCTOBER, SORRY.

THANK YOU, KIM.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THE DAYS START TO GET SHORTER INTO AUGUST AND NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES GET A LITTLE COOLER, AND THAT'S WHEN YOU DO IT.

IT'S REALLY MID TO LATE AUGUST.

NO LATER WITH TALL FESCUE UNTIL -- NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 15TH.

YOU'VE GOT A MONTH OF A WINDOW TO GET THE GROUND READY AND GO FOR IT.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU, ROCH.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS GRAND ISLAND.

THIS IS A HARD PACKED AREA.

AND I THINK IT'S THE NEXT ONE.

NET, BECAUSE THOSE TWO KIND OF WENT TOGETHER.

THERE WE GO.

>> OUCH.

>> YES.

EXACTLY.

THIS IS GRAND ISLAND.

HARD PACKED AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

WONDER -- THEY WONDER WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH IT.

THE MAPLES, THE SILVER MAPLES, ARE 41-YEARS-OLD.

THE SOIL IS ERODING.

THEY'VE TRIED A SHADE GRASS.

THE REST OF THE YARD IS BLUEGRASS.

THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THEY COULD SOD IT OR SHOULD THEY COVER THAT AREA WITH SOIL AND START OVER AGAIN.

>> YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THE VIEWERS COMING UP WITH SUGGESTIONS BUT IN THIS CASE YOU HAVE SILVER MAPLES.

SILVER MAPLES ARE GROUND DESICCATORS.

THEY SUCK THE MOISTURE OUT.

THEY'RE SHALLOW ROOTED.

COVERING THEM UP WITH DIRT JUST MAKE THE ROOTS GROW BACK UP TO THAT LEVEL.

YOU COULD GROW A FOOT OF DIRT ON HERE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO DO THE SILVER MAPLE THAT IS 41-YEARS-OLD.

THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE.

OBVIOUSLY, THEY GET RUN OFF FROM THE SIDEWALK THERE THAT WASHES IT OUT, AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I KNOW THEY MENTIONED, I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED IT, IF NOT I REMEMBER READING IT.

THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT A MULCH UNDER THERE.

THAT DENSE OF SHADE -- I'M SURPRISED THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ANY GRASS GROWING UNDER THERE ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY IMPLIED THAT IT WAS BLUEGRASS.

THAT'S JUST BARELY SURVIVING.

THEY COULD CERTAINLY SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON SOD ONLY TO HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.

WE KNOW THAT TREES AND TURF DO NOT COMPETE WELL TOGETHER.

WHATEVER WAS PLANTED FIRST, YOU GOT A NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THEY PLANTED TURF AND THEN PEOPLE STICK TREES IN THAT THEY BOUGHT ON SALE, THOSE TREES ALWAYS SUFFER.

THE REVERSE IS ALSO TRUE, TRYING TO ESTABLISH GRASS POST ESTABLISHED SHADE DEVELOPERS LIKE SILVER MAPLE THAT ARE KNOWN TO SUCK SOILS DRY RIGHT AT THE SURFACE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THAT WATER CONSERVING, RIGHT?

THEY USE A LOT OF WATER, AND THEN THE TURF JUST NEVER HAS A CHANCE.

SO I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND SODDING THAT AND EVEN WITH THE AVERSION TO USING MULCH, UNLESS THEY HAVE A REASON TO DO TURF BECAUSE THEY HAVE KIDS PLAYING ON IT, OR WHATEVER, IT REALLY IS NOT -- EVEN A SUPER SHADE MIX IS NOT GOING TO WORK IN THAT REALLY REALLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.

I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS FOR THEM.

THE FIRST PICTURE THEY SHOWED THERE WAS LAWN STRIPING THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE SHOW.

AND I DON'T -- THAT'S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH PICTURE FOR ME TO TELL WHETHER THERE'S A CONTAMINANT IN THERE BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A LOT GOING IN THAT PICTURE AND IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE AN AERIFICATION, AND A LITTLE MORE IN FULL SUN, SOME AERIFICATION AND FERTILIZER AND KEEP AN EYE ON ANY WEEDS THAT MIGHT DEVELOP AND THEN SEND US ANOTHER PICTURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, ROCH.

ALL RIGHT.

JOHN, THIS IS A POKE, NEBRASKA VIEWER.

YOU HAVE A COUPLE PICTURES HERE.

THEY SAID AFTER THEIR EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN AND HARD WINDS FOR THREE DAYS THEY HAVE TWO-YEAR-OLD TAILORED JUNIPERS.

THEY'RE LEANING.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THEY SHOULD TRY TO STAKE THEM OR WILL THEY STRAIGHTEN THEMSELVES UP.

>> FOR THOSE, I WOULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AND TRY TO STAKE THEM, TO MOVE THEM UP.

THEY ARE TWO YEARS OLD, SO THEY SHOULD START GETTING ESTABLISHED.

THEY'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.

AND SO THEY CAN MOVE AROUND.

I ALSO NOTICED IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT THE -- SOME SORT OF RING AROUND THEM, OR THEY'RE SUNK IN A POT.

I'M NOT SURE THAT I LIKE THAT.

JUST BECAUSE THAT CAN BE REALLY RESTRICTIVE ESPECIALLY AS THE TREE GETS OLDER, AND SO THAT CAN AFFECT THEIR GROWTH.

SO I WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AS WELL, LOOK AT THEIR PLANTING.

BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY STICK THEM BACK UPRIGHT AND STAKE THEM UP AND YOU KNOW THAT MIGHT HOLD THEM FOR NEXT WIND OR IT MIGHT NOT.

>> OKAY.

THANKS, JOHN.

AND YOUR NEXT PICTURE IS A VIEWER FROM BENNINGTON.

SHE PLANTED TWO CLUMP HERITAGE BIRCH LAST YEAR, AND SHE IS WONDERING ABOUT THE SPACING OF THE TRUNKS AND THE CLUMPS, ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE TRUNK ON THIS ONE THEY'RE ONLY TWO INCHES APART ALREADY.

SO SHE IS WONDERING ABOUT A SPACER OR LEAVE IT TO NATURE, OR SHOULD SHE TAKE ONE OF THOSE OUT?

>> I WOULD PROBABLY TAKE ONE OF THOSE OUT.

SO I WOULD LOOK AT THE SHAPE OF THAT AND LOOK AT THE BASE OF THEM TO SEE HOW CLOSE THEY ARE AT THE BOTTOM.

BECAUSE AS THEY GET BIGGER, THEY'RE GOING TO GROW INTO EACH OTHER AND THAT CAN CREATE PROBLEMS.

SO LOOKING AT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SOME GOING OFF TO THE RIGHT AND SOME OFF TO THE LEFT, AND THERE IS ONE THAT SORT OF CROSSES FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT.

I THINK I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT TAKING THAT ONE OUT, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT GROWTH PATTERN, THINGS WILL CROSS OVER.

AND MAYBE ONE OR TWO OTHERS THAT I WOULD TAKE OUT.

SO YEAH, PRUNE THAT OUT.

SHAPE THAT UP AND THAT SHOULD BE NICE FOR YOU IN THE FUTURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

>> WELL, YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT ONE OF OUR MORE POPULAR TOPICS IN THE SPRING IS TURF.

PEOPLE WANT THAT GRASS TO GREEN UP, TO BE WEED FREE AND TO STAY THAT WAY ALL SEASON LONG.

SO HERE WITH A FEW SPRING TURF TIPS IS BILL KREUSER.

>> SPRING IS HERE AND WE'RE ALL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT TOO EXCITED WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR SPRING LAWN CARE.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET OUTSIDE AND START DOING THINGS TO THEIR LAWN TO HELP GET SUMMER TO BE HERE FASTER.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST THING TO DO.

FOR SPRING LAWN CARE, THE KEY WORD IS PATIENCE.

WE WANT TO LET THINGS START TO REGROW, RESUME GROWTH NATURALLY BEFORE WE START OVER-FERTILIZING, WATER, OVER-MOWING, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY TO GET OUT THERE AND WANT TO DO DIFFERENT CULTURAL PRACTICES.

BUT LET'S JUST WAIT FOR THAT GRASS TO REALLY START GROWING TO A LEVEL THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD EXPECT.

SO LET'S GET INTO SOME SPECIFICS.

MOWING.

LET'S MOW WHEN THE GRASS TELLS US WE NEED TO MOW.

IDEALLY, WE WANT TO BE MOWING TO ABOUT THREE INCHES.

SO WE LET THE GRASS GO TO ABOUT 4 1/2 INCHES AND THEN MOW.

IN THE SUMMERTIME, AN IDEAL GROWTH RATE WOULBE ONCE A WEEK.

SO YOU WANT TO BE GROWING ABOUT ONE AND A HALF NEW INCHES OF LEAVES A WEEK.

WHEN IT'S THE SPRING IT TAKES TIME FOR THOSE LEAVES TO GROW.

AND SO IT MIGHT BE TWO, THREE WEEKS BEFORE -- BETWEEN THOSE FIRST MOWINGS, AND THEN LATER IN THE SPRING THE GRASS WILL GROW LIKE CRAZY AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO MOW MORE THAN WEEKLY.

AND THAT BRINGS ME ONTO OUR NEXT POINT.

FERTILIZER.

THIS IS WHY WE DON'T WANT TO FERTILIZE TOO EARLY, BECAUSE IT WON'T DO MUCH FOR THE GRASS NOW.

IT WILL SIT IN THE SOIL, AND THEN WHEN THE GRASS IS WARM ENOUGH AND READY TO GROW, IT'S GOING TO GROW SO FAST YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR MOWING REQUIREMENTS.

NO ONE WANTS TO MOW EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRING.

YOU MIGHT THINK OKAY, WHEN SHOULD I FERTILIZE?

I NEED TO PUT MY PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE DOWN.

IF YOU NEED TO DO THAT APPLICATION, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT FERTILIZER DOWN THERE ARE PRODUCTS THAT ARE JUST THE PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDES.

OTHERWISE, YOU COULD WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

WE'RE STILL VERY EARLY IN THE PRE-EMERGENCE WINDOW, GENERALLY MID TO LATE APRIL FOR MUCH OF NEBRASKA IS A FAIRLY APPROPRIATE TIME TO MAKE THOSE APPLICATIONS.

IF YOU GO TOO EARLY, YOU MIGHT NEED TO MAKE A SECOND APPLICATION IN JUNE, BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS WON'T LAST FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER.

WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER CULTURAL PRACTICES, THINGS LIKE AERATION, THOSE CAN BE DONE BUT LET'S LET THAT GRASS START TO RESUME GROWTH.

AND THEN OTHER TYPES OF CULTURAL PRACTICES LIKE POWER RAKING, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BEAT UP THE TURF WE REALLY WANT TO BACK THAT DOWN UNTIL THAT GROWTH RATE STARTS TO PICK UP.

SO WHEN THE GROWTH RATE RAMPS UP, THEN YOU CAN START TO USE THOSE MORE AGGRESSIVE CULTIVATION PRACTICES.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IN THE SPRING.

AND IN DOING SO, YOU'RE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR REALLY HEALTHY LAWN IN 2021.

>> SO THE KEY MESSAGE IS TAKE YOUR TIME, BE PATIENT AND LET THAT GRASS GET GOING ALL BY ITSELF FOR AWHILE.

YOU WILL BE GLAD.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOWING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT GRASS MUST HAVE GROWN FAST.

>> PEOPLE GET IN A HURRY, TO START MOWING AND PUT THEIR PRE-EMERGENT OUT AND BE OVERLY AGGRESSIVE, LIKE BILL SAID.

IT IS -- YOU KNOW IF YOU MOW IT IT'S GOING TO WANT TO GROW.

>> OKAY.

I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND.

ALL RIGHT.

JODY THIS IS A VIEWER FROM LINCOLN.

SHE DISCOVERED A BUNCH OF TINY LARVAE AND WORMS.

SHE SENT US A COUPLE PICTURES.

SHE WONDERS WHAT THEY ARE.

>> OKAY.

THESE ARE ELM LEAF BEETLES, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT PART OF THE LIFE CYCLE THAN THE ADULTS.

THESE IS ACTUALLY THE PRE-PUPAE AND THERE ARE MANY PRE-PUPAE SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IT OVERWINTERS AS AN ADULT.

IT COMES OUT, LAYS EGGS, THEY HATCH, THEY EMERGE AS LARVAE, THEY FEED ON THE LEAVES AND SO THEY'LL SKELETONIZE THE LEAVES THE ADULTS WILL CREATE LITTLE SHOT HOLES.

IF YOU HAVE AN ELM TREE THAT MAY BE ABOVE WHERE YOU FOUND THESE PRE-PUPAE, THEN THEY MAY HAVE HOLES IN IT.

WHAT THEY USUALLY DO IS WHAT THEY SAY IN THE BOOKS IS THEY CRAWL DOWN THE TRUNK TO PUPAE IN THE -- AROUND THE TRUNK.

BUT THESE GUYS PROBABLY JUST FELL OUT.

IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO GET TO THE GROUND THAT WAY.

BUT THEN THEY'RE NOT CLOSE TO THE TRUNK, SO WHO KNOWS.

THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.

SO, HOPEFULLY -- WELL, THERE SHOULD BE AN ELM TREE, IT'S PROBABLY AMERICAN OR WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE?

>> SIBERIAN.

>> SIBERIAN ELM THAT ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE.

>> ALRIGHT, JODY AND YOUR NEXT ONE IS A SPIDER I.D.

FROM BELLEVUE.

THEY ALWAYS PICK THE SAME TREE.

THEY WEAVE THIS REALLY COOL WEB, GROW TO THE SIZE OF A DIME.

WHAT IS THIS?

>> WE CALL THESE SPINY ORB WEAVERS.

THEY ARE SO CUTE.

THIS IS A FEMALE SPINY ORB WEAVER.

THE GENUS IS MICRATHENA AND THAT'S FROM THE -- LIKE ATHENA, GODDESS OF ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR HER SPINNING AND WEAVING.

SO THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS SPIDER IS THAT THEY SHOULD RETURN, IF SHE HAS AN EGG SACK CLOSE BY.

IT'S USUALLY OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE WEB.

THE MALES ARE NOT AS ATTRACTIVE AS SHE IS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN THE WEB.

THEY'LL BE IN THE VEGETATION SOMEWHERE.

THE COOL ABOUT THIS SPIDER IS I THINK THIS IS A LOT OF THEM WILL WRAP THEIR PREY AND THEN BITE IT.

MICRATHENA WILL BITE IT AND THEN WRAP IT.

DID I SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY?

>> UH-HUH.

>> SHE DOES IT DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ONES.

>> AND HE DID SAY HE'S SEEN THREE OR FOUR OF THESE EVERY YEAR FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.

>> MUST BE A WOODED AREA.

I DON'T SEE THEM IN URBAN AREAS AS MUCH BUT I DO SEE THEM IN THE WOODS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

IT'S VERY COOL.

>> VERY COOL.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH.

WEEDS, THIS IS UTICA.

THIS IS A -- THESE WEEDS HAVE GIVEN THIS PERSON GRIEF FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SPREADS RAPIDLY, USUALLY GROWING AROUND SHRUBS AND TURF BUT THEN IT GOES INTO OTHER AREAS.

HE'S PULLED, HE'S SPRAYED, IT WILTS AND THEN IT COMES RIGHT BACK.

IT GETS MORE PROLIFIC.

I THINK WE HAVE -- DO WE HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THAT ONE, I THINK?

>> WE'RE ON THE SECOND ONE NOW.

WE WENT THROUGH THEM.

SO THAT'S CHICKWEED OR COMMON CHICKWEED, EXCUSE ME.

THERE IS A MOUSIER CHICKWEED THAT IS NOT REAL COMMON IN NEBRASKA, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A PERENNIAL.

WE DON'T SEE IT MUCH, THANK GOD, BECAUSE UP IN MICHIGAN WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL IT CAN BE MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE.

BUT JUST AS THEY DESCRIBE, IT TENDS TAKE -- NOT A LOT OF MULCH IN THAT GROUND, SO YOU PROBABLY COULD HAVE DONE A JOB OF WEED CONTROL.

IT'S A WINTER ANNUAL LIKE THE HENBIT WE SHOWED YOU EARLIER, SO IT GERMINATES IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR.

IT'S THERE AS A REALLY SMALL PLANT, THEN IT OVERWINTERS AND THEN IT POPS RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GOING TO GET READY TO FLOWER.

I THINK I CAN SEE SMALL BUDS ON THERE.

IT WILL COME OUT WITH A WHITE FLOWER AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE CAPSULES CAN PRODUCE ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO 150 SEEDS.

I WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO BE THE STUDENT THAT HAD TO COUNT THOSE BUT REGARDLESS THEY'LL BE 70 TO 100, 200 FLOWERS ON THAT THING.

SO EVERY TIME YOU DON'T CONTROL IT OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, THEN YOU POP OUT MORE SEED.

ONCE AGAIN WINTER ANNUALS ARE BEST CONTROLLED IN THE FALL WITH A PRE-EMERGENCE HERBICIDE.

THEY INDICATED THIS WAS IN PRIMARILY LANDSCAPE BEDS, IS THAT WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IT?

THAT SAID, YOU CERTAINLY WANT TO CONSIDER USING A PRODUCT LIKE PREEN IN THE FALL.

THAT WON'T HARM YOUR LATER PLANTINGS IN THE SPRING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN IN LANDSCAPE BEDS.

IF YOU GOT MOSTLY PERENNIALS AND SHRUBS YOU CAN DEFINITELY USE THAT WALL TO WALL IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, SPRING ONCE AGAIN NOW IS NOT RECOMMENDED, BECAUSE OF NUMBER ONE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE.

YOU AGGRAVATE THE PLANT, IT GETS VERY UPSET AND PRODUCES MORE OFFSPRING AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EMERGING PLANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INJURED BY A BROADLEAF HERBICIDE APPLICATION.

NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO NOW.

BE PATIENT, GET SOME MORE MULCH DOWN, BECAUSE THAT'S A PRETTY WEAK MULCH BATCH THERE AND MULCH UNDERNEATH THE ORNAMENTALS.

ALSO CONSIDER USING A STANDARD PRE-EMERGENT IN THE FALL, IN THE LAWN, AS WELL IF IT'S MOVED INTO THE LAWN.

>> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ROCH.

YOUR NEXT ONE IS THIS WEED SPRUNG UP AROUND THE BARE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING, AND IT'S GROWN FAST TO FILL IN ALL THE SPACE.

IT'S ALSO IN THE LAWN.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS AND HOW TO GET RID OF IT.

>> THIS IS --.

>> A COUPLE PICTURES ON THIS ONE.

>> THERE IS ANOTHER ONE.

THERE, AS WELL.

THIS IS PENNYCRESS.

IT MUST BE WINTER ANNUAL NIGHT ON "BACKYARD FARMER" BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO A WINTER ANNUAL.

YOU DON'T SEE THE FLOWER OF THE PROLIFIC FLOWER PRODUCTION THAT YOU DO WITH SAY THE HENBIT WE SHOWED YOU INITIALLY AS MY SAMPLE OR WITH THE CHICKWEED THAT WE JUST SHOWED YOU THAT IS ALSO IN THIS AREA, BUT THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF OBVIOUSLY, HAS A LOT OF ANNUALS.

IT'S A ROSETTE RIGHT NOW, THEN IT'S GOING TO POP THIS REAL LONG STALK.

THAT IS GOING TO DISBURSE THE SEED ALL OVER.

YOU SEE, IT'S NOT AS DENSE AS THE CHICKWEED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE SEED DISPERSAL, BUT IT ALSO IS VERY AGGRESSIVE IN SHADE OUT LAWN AND THE AREA.

THAT'S A PRETTY DRY PIECE OF GROUND.

YOU LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, RIGHT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CRACKS IN THE SOIL, SO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET READY TO PLANT WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO PLANT OR PROPAGATE THOSE YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A LITTLE BIT OF MOISTURE, THOSE FREEZE CRACKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE BY NOW CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WE HAD, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS A FALL APPLICATION OF PREEN IN THE LANDSCAPE BED OR SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THE TURF BED, BUT IT'S FALL AS OPPOSED TO SPRING.

>> THANK YOU, ROCH.

>> YOU ALMOST SAID DIRT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING OUT THE SQUARE JAR.

>> ALL RIGHT, JOHN.

THIS IS A RAVENNA VIEWER.

>> DID I SAY IT, JOHN?

I DON'T THINK I DID.

>> SHE STARTED HER TOMATOES FROM SEED F F FIRST TIME.

THEY'RE TALL.

THEY'RE SPINDLY, THEY'RE LEANING OVER.

SHE WONDERS WHAT TO DO TO GET THEM TO STAND UP STRAIGHT.

SHE DID USE A HEAT MAT.

SHE DID STOP AFTER THEY CAME UP.

>> RIGHT.

YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THESE ARE TINY LITTLE BABIES.

LIKE, THESE ARE JUST FRESH OUT OF THE SEED, AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE REALLY TINY AND SPINDLY LIKE THAT UNTIL THEY GET SOME GROWTH ON THEM.

AND YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.

SO MOST PEOPLE THEY USE THE HEAT MAT AND THEY LEAVE THE SEEDS ON THERE.

BUT ACTUALLY AFTER THEY'RE UP LIKE THIS, YOU WANT TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE HEAT BECAUSE THAT SLOWS DOWN THE GROWTH AND GIVES THEM A STRONGER GROWTH.

IF YOU LEAVE THEM ON THE HEAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET REALLY LEGGY AND SPINDLY.

THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF LIGHT.

SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A REALLY, REALLY BRIGHT SUNNY WINDOW WITH LIKE SIX TO EIGHT HOURS OF DIRECT LIGHT, YOU'LL WANT TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF LIGHT FOR THEM, EIGHT, TEN, 12 HOURS OF A GOOD PLANT LIGHT.

BUT REALLY, THOSE ARE JUST TEENY TINY LITTLE BABIES.

JUST LIKE LITTLE BABIES THEY CAN'T SUPPORT THEMSELVES, SO THEY'LL GET STRONGER AS TIME GOES BY.

>> AND DON'T OVERWATER.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

OVERWATERING IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH OF ANY CONTAINER PLANT.

>> EXCELLENT.

>> INCLUDING SEEDLINGS.

>> THANK YOU, JOHN.

WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME VERY NICE WEATHER LAST WEEK THAT DID ALLOW US TO GET SOME COOL SEASON CROPS GOING IN OUR GARDEN.

IT'S TIME NOW TO HEAR FROM TERRI JAMES FOR AN UPDATE FOR THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN.

>> THIS WEEK IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" IT HAS BEEN A BUSY WEEK, BOTH OUTDOORS AND INDOORS.

MORE OF OUR SEEDS HAVE GROWN BIG ENOUGH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THEM UP INTO THE NEXT SIZE CONTAINER, SO WE'RE GETTING READY AND GETTING THOSE LITTLE BABY SEEDS READY TO PLANT LATER IN MAY, IN OUR GARDEN.

WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME GREAT WORK OUTSIDE.

WE'VE STARTED EDGING ALL OF OUR LANDSCAPE BEDS.

THAT REALLY HELPS DEFINE YOUR BED AND GIVES YOU THAT REAL DEFINITION BETWEEN THE PATH AND THE BED.

WE ALSO GOT OUR POTATOES PLANTED, SO WE HAVE OUR SEED POTATOES THAT ARE READY IN OUR GARDEN.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE EXCITED WHEN THOSE START POPPING UP OUT OF THE GARDEN GROWING AND BEING ABLE TO HARVEST THOSE LATER THIS SUMMER.

AND WE STARTED THE SECOND SET OF PLANTING FOR OUR COOL SEASON CROPS.

SO WE PUT MORE PEAS IN, SOME MORE LETTUCES IN, SOME MORE RADISHES IN.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF AGGER SOME OF THAT GROWING AND BE ABLE TO KIND OF EXTEND THAT.

SO STOP BY THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN AND CHECK IT OUT.

>> THE TULIPS REALLY PUT ON A SHOW THIS WEEK, ALSO.

IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE HAVE SOME OTHER ORNAMENTALS POPPING WITH COLOR.

IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.

COMING UP WE'LL HAVE THE LIGHTNING ROUND AND THE PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

THERE'S MORE "BACKYARD FARMER" COMING YOUR WAY RIGHT AFTER THESE MESSAGES.

>> WELCOME BACK TO "BACKYARD FARMER"!

COMING UP LATER, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT HOW THE GARDEN CENTERS KEPT UP WITH SUPPLY AND DEMAND DURING THE PANDEMIC.

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

RIGHT NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE LIGHTNING ROUND!

AND I THINK MAYBE NO LIGHTNING OUTSIDE FINALLY.

>> RIGHT.

>> JOHN, ARE YOU READY?

>> BORN READY.

>> OKAY.

WE HAVE A VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER SHE CAN PLANT HER POTATOES IN OLD TIRES OR IS THAT TOXIC?

>> I WOULDN'T DO IT.

IT CAN GIVE OFF TOXIC STUFF.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A -- >> KEEP GOING, COME ON.

SPEED IT UP.

>> WE HAVE AN ORD VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER THEY CAN USE WOOD ASH FROM THEIR WOOD STOVE ON ASPARAGUS BEDS AND WHEN TO DO THAT.

>> NO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HOW ABOUT ROUNDUP ON THE ASPARAGUS BED?

>> YOU CAN DO THAT BEFORE THE ASPARAGUS EMERGES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A BOELUS, NEBRASKA VIEWER WHO IS MOVING FROM NEBRASKA TO TENNESSEE.

SHE WANTS TO TAKE ALL OF HER VERY OLD IRIS.

WHEN DOES SHE DO THAT?

>> YOU CAN DIG THEM UP WHENEVER THEY'RE DORMANT.

SO BEFORE THEY COME UP OR AFTER THEY DIE BACK.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO PLANT GLADIOLAS AND DAHLIAS OR IS IT TOO EARLY.

>> IT'S STILL A LITTLE EARLY.

WAIT A FEW WEEKS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A HOLDREGE VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER THEY CAN USE PREEN IN A STRAWBERRY BED TO TAKE CARE OF CRABGRASS.

>> NO.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> OR READ THE LABELS.

>> PASS.

PASS.

>> SOME OF THE PREEN PRODUCTS ARE LABELED FOR STRAWBERRIES.

>> YOU GET THAT ONE FROM JOHN.

THAT'S A SUBTRACTION POINT.

>> OR I GET A BONUS SINCE YOU TOOK LIKE 20 MINUTES TO GIVE ME ONE QUESTION.

>> YOU MADE US LAUGH.

THAT'S ON YOU, BUD.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ROCH, ARE YOU READY?

>> SURE.

>> THIS IS A WILBER VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN USE A CRABGRASS PREVENTIVE ON BUFFALOGRASS.

>> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A COZAD VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE THE OLD TOPS OF BUFFALOGRASS FROM THE NEW GROWTH AND CAN YOU MOW SHORT BASICALLY.

>> YOU CAN ACTUALLY MOW IT DOWN SHORT, NOT RIGHT NOW BUT IN ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS RIGHT WHEN IT STARTS TO GREEN UP.

YOU CAN MOW DOWN SHORT TO GET THE TOP GROWTH OFF, NOT SCALPED TO THE GROUND, BUT RATHER THAN MOW IT AT 3 1/2, FOUR INCHES, YOU CAN MOW IT AT TWO.

>> HOW MANY STEPS SHOULD THERE REALLY BE IN A LAWN STEP PROGRAM?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE VIEWER WHAT KIND OF LAWN DO THEY WANT.

THE FOUR STEP PROGRAM PRODUCES THE VERY EMERALD, VERY TRADITIONAL, ENGLISH GARDEN TYPE LAWN BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO NOT TOLERATE -- NOT HAVE THAT LEVEL OF QUALITY THEN A ONE STEP OR TWO STEP PROGRAM COULD BE EQUALLY VALUABLE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

BERMUDA GRASAS HOW DO YOU GET RID OF IT?

>> MOVE.

>> ELABORATE.

>> IT'S ROUNDUP AND SPRAY AND THEN ROUNDUP AND SPRAY AND THEN ROUNDUP AND SPRAY AND THEN YOU'RE STILL NOT GOING TO GET RID OF IT.

>> SO THEN MOVE.

>> THEN MOVE.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> (WHISPERS)HE DISTRACTED YOU.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

JOHN HAS YOU OFF YOUR GAME.

>> IT'S CALLED STRATEGY.

>> OKAY.

>> TO WIN THIS NONEXISTENT TROPHY.

>> JODY, IGNORE WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE.

ARE YOU READY?

>> YES.

>> THIS IS A VIEWER WHO HAS A RAISED BED AND AN ANT COLONY HAS NESTED IN IT.

SHE WANTS TO MOVE THE COLONY CAREFULLY.

IS THAT POSSIBLE?

>> NO.

>> I LIKE THESE QUESTIONS.

>> THIS IS A VIEWER WHO SAYS THEY HAVE TINY WHITE INSECTS IN THEIR HOUSEPLANTS AND SHE USED MOSQUITO BITS SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT DIDN'T DO ANY GOOD.

>> MOSQUITO BITS WILL ONLY WORK FOR FLY LARVAE.

IF IT'S FUNGUS GNATS, IT WILL WORK.

IF IT'S NOT FUNGUS GNATS, IT WON'T WORK.

>> IS THERE A SYSTEMIC TREATMENT FOR JAPANESE BEETLES THAT CAN BE PUT DOWN NOW SO THEY'RE NOT SO BAD NEXT YEAR.

>> I WOULDN'T DO IT NOW, BUT THERE IS.

IT'S ACTIVE INGREDIENT IMIDACLOPRID BUT READ THE LABEL.

>> BECAUSE --?

>> BECAUSE YOU CAN'T USE IT ON LINDENS.

>> EXCELLENT.

THIS IS AN URBAN GARDENER WHO LOVES MILKWEED, BUTTERFLY MILKWEED AND OTHERS BUT HATES THE APHIDS.

IS THERE ANYTHING THEY CAN DO THAT IS NOT CHEMICAL BASED TO CONTROL THE APHIDS?

>> SPRAY IT WITH THE HOSE LIKE EVERY DAY, BECAUSE THEY WILL JUST KEEP COMING BACK.

>> ALL RIGHT.

A BROWNVILLE VIEWER HAS WHITE PINES THAT HAVE WHITE STUFF ON THE NEEDLES.

WHAT DO YOU USE AND WHEN?

>> IT COULD BE PINE NEEDLE SCALE.

WHEN THERE'S THE CRAWLERS.

>> OKAY.

PERFECT.

NICE JOB, ALL.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A LITTLE DISTRACTION.

JOHN.

>> I DIDN'T DISTRACT JODY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

PLANT -- >> THE CONE OF SILENCE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

>> FOR OUR PLANTS OF THE WEEK, WE HAVE SOME PRAIRIE SMOKE HERE.

IT'S A LOVELY NATIVE.

I'LL PULL THAT OUT SO YOU CAN SEE THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS WE COME UP.

FLOWERS IN THREES, INTERESTING PLANTS, TYPICALLY HAVE NUMBERS OF THREE, FOURS OR FIVES THAT THEY FLOWER AND HAVE FLOWER PARTS.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

IF YOU CAN COUNT TO THREE, FOUR OR FIVE.

>> YOU'VE GOT IT MADE?

>> YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.

SO SMOKE IS THE SEED HEAD.

IT SORT OF LOOKS LIKE THAT HAZY PURPLE COLOR BUT REALLY LOOK LIKE SMOKE WHEN -- AFTER IT FLOWERS AND YOU GOT THE SEEDS.

AND THE LOBE, THE LEAVES HAVE REALLY, REALLY FINE HAIRS.

THAT'S A NATIVE FULL SUN TO PART SHADE PLANT.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE -- MUKDENIA, RIGHT?

CORRECT, RIGHT?

SHE HAS TO FEED ME THESE ANSWERS BECAUSE I'M THE VEGETABLE PERSON AND I -- YOU KNOW.

>> IT'S NOT A VEGETABLE.

>> RIGHT.

I WON'T TRY TO EAT IT.

IT COULD BE TOXIC.

WHO KNOWS.

THIS IS A CLUMP FORMING PLANT, PARTIAL TO FULL SHADE.

OBVIOUSLY EARLY FLOWERING BECAUSE IT'S EARLY APRIL.

AND WE'VE GOT FLOWERS.

THE NICE LITTLE WHITE FLOWERS HERE.

AND IT HAS A DEEP RED FALL COLOR.

AND SO THAT'S A -- TWO OF OUR PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

THEY HAVE NICE -- THEY'RE NICE NOW.

THEY'LL BE EVEN NICER LATER ON.

>> EXACTLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT, JODY, QUESTIONS.

THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER THAT SAYS THEIR MAGNOLIA HAD THOSE LARGE SCALES LAST YEAR AND WHILE IT BLOOMED THIS SPRING THE BARK IS BLACK.

DO YOU TREAT FOR THE SCALES NOW AND WITH WHAT?

AND THEN YOU GOT A SECOND PICTURE FROM A VIEWER WHO HAS A MAGNOLIA IN A PRETTY BAD LOCATION PROBABLY.

SOUTHWEST SIDE, NEW CONSTRUCTION, POOR SOIL.

WOULD THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SCALE INSECTS?

>> YEAH.

SO YEAH.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS ON THAT PLANT WILL MAKE IT MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE INSECT DAMAGE, DISEASE.

IF YOU COULD MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT PLACE WHERE IT HAS SOME SHADE, SOME PART OF THE TIME, AND MAYBE BETTER SOIL.

BUT THE SCALE INSECTS, I THINK IT WAS ON THE LAST SHOW IN OCTOBER, AND IN THAT TIME WAS THE TIME TO TREAT LIKE SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, FOR THE CRAWLERS.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE VIEWER TREATED FOR THE CRAWLERS AT THAT TIME.

AND IF YOU DID, THAT'S GOOD.

YOU WANT TO KEEP AN EYE OUT.

BUT THAT -- THE BLACK BARK THAT'S FROM THE CITY MOLD THAT DEVELOPS BECAUSE THE SOFT SCALES RELEASE HONEYDEW AND GET STICKY AND MOLD GETS THERE.

YOU CAN TRY TO SCRUB THAT OFF.

TODAY, I WAS WORKING ON THE MAGNOLIAS HERE,.

THEY WERE COVERED LAST YEAR.

THE DORMANT OIL WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO USE THAT BEFORE BUD BREAK AND SINCE THEY'VE ALREADY FLOWERED, THE NEXT OPTION YOU CAN USE IS A SYSTEMIC, BUT I WOULD DO THAT AFTER ALL THE PEDALS DROP SO YOU DO NOT CAUSE ANY HARM TO POLLINATORS.

>> EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU, JODY.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU HAVE THREE PICTURES FROM MULTIPLE VIEWERS OF WHAT IS THIS TAN GRASS?

SORT OF WIRY, IT SEEMS TO SPREAD REALLY FAST.

THERE WAS ONE PATCH LAST YEAR, NOW IT'S EVERY PLACE.

THE VIEWER IS NEXT TO A PARK AND THEY DON'T MOW ALONG THE PATH.

IT FLOPS IN THOSE PLACES.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WILL IT GREEN UP OR SHOULD THEY GET RID OF IT?

THIS IS FROM BLAIR.

>> THIS IS NIMBLEWILL.

IT'S A WARM SEASON GRASS, LIKE EARLIER IN THE SPEED ROUND WE TALKED ABOUT, BERMUDA GRASS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A CONTROL FOR NIMBLEWILL.

AND IT'S -- YOU KNOW IT'S -- YOU'RE GOING TO GET STICKER SHOCK WHEN YOU GO ONLINE TO GET THE PRODUCT.

IT'S CALLED MESOTRIONE OR "“MEE-ZO-TRIONE.

"” THAT PRODUCT IS VERY GOOD ON THIS.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TWO TO THREE APPLICATIONS IN THE SPRING, FOLLOWED BY RIGHT AFTER IT GREENS UP AND THEN TWO TO THREE IN LATE SUMMER.

AND YOU SHOULD GET ABOUT 95% CONTROL.

WHEN YOU BUY THE PRODUCT, DON'T FREAK OUT BECAUSE OF COST.

YOU DON'T PUT IT DOWN AT A VERY HIGH RATE, SO THEREFORE YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.

THERE IS ALSO A PRODUCT FROM THE SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO COMPANY THAT HAS MESOTRIONE IN IT THAT IS USED AS A STARTER FERTILIZER AND WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO USE THIS ON NIMBLEWILL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEY END UP PUTTING ON ABOUT EIGHT POUS OF NITROGEN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE IT HAS NITROGEN AS PART OF THE CARRIER, SO THAT IS STRONGLY NOT RECOMMENDED BECAUSE YOUR LAWN DOESN'T NEED EIGHT POUNDS.

IT BARELY NEEDS TWO- 2 ½ IN A NORMAL YEAR.

SO CLEARLY STAY WAY FROM THAT.

THAT'S A GREAT STARTER PRODUCT FOR A COOL SEASON NEW LAWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S NOT A GREAT PRODUCT FOR TRYING TO CONTROL IT.

SO MESOTRIONE OR TENACITY IS THE TRADE NAME OF THE SYNGENTA PRODUCT, AVAILABLE ONLINE.

YOU WON'T SEE IT.

SOME OF THE CO-OPS WILL CARRY IT, WILL ORDER IT FOR YOU, BUT GENERALLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND IT IN YOUR LOCAL GARDEN STORE AND DEFINITELY NOT IN YOUR BOX STORES.

>>> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, ROCH.

JOHN, THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER.

THEY HAVE GOLDEN PRIVET AND BOXWOOD, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

THEY GET MORNING SUN AND AFTERNOON SHADE.

SEVERAL OF THE BOXWOODS LOOK LIKE THIS, AND ONLY A FEW BRANCHES ON THE SECOND ONE ON THE GOLDEN PRIVET HAVE ANY FOLIAGE AT ALL.

SHOULD THEY BE PRUNED?

THEY'RE OVER TEN YEARS OLD.

THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE GREAT.

THEY DID GET PLENTY OF WATER.

IS THIS --WHAT IS THIS?

>> EVEN THOUGH THEY GOT PLENTY OF WATER IT LOOKS LIKE WINTER DAMAGE WHICH IS MOST OFTEN CAUSED BY DRYING OUT.

THE WINTER AIR IS DRY, AND THE WIND BLOWS, AND SO WE STILL GET THAT.

SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN WHEN WE HAVE WARM WINTER DAYS, THINGS WARM UP, AND IT USES ALL THE WATER.

AND SO FOR WHAT'S WINTER DAMAGED ON THOSE -- THE BOXWOOD, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD WANT TO PRUNE THAT OUT.

WHAT THIS ONE HERE THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT TO SEE WHAT YOU WOULD PRUNE, BUT YOU KNOW IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF THE TWIGS AND THEY SNAP RATHER THAN BEND, IT'S A GONER.

AND SO YOU WOULD WANT TO PRUNE THAT BACK OR YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE HAVING THIS CONSTANTLY YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO DO THERE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND YOU HAVE A THIRD ONE, AND THIS IS A MIDTOWN OMAHA VIEWER.

THEY PLANTED THE DWARF ALBERTA SPRUCE IN SEPTEMBER, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE.

THEY'RE LOOKING LIKE THIS.

THEY WERE WATERED REGULARLY AND THEY USED AN ANTI-DESICCANT IN THE WINTER.

>> STILL THIS IS WINTER DAMAGE.

THAT REALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU THERE.

AND YOU KNOW, REALLY IT'S A CRAPSHOOT.

WHAT -- WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERGREENS LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT ANYTIME THE ENTIRE BRANCH TURNS BROWN THERE IS NOTHING EVER GOING TO COME BACK OUT OF IT.

SO YOU -- IF YOU PRUNE OFF ALL THE BROWN AND YOU SEE SOMETHING WEIRDLY SHAPED AND YOU DON'T LIKE IT ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN LOVE WITH.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THESE GUYS GROW VERY SLOWLY.

AND SO ALL THAT DAMAGE IS TAKEN OFF SEVERAL YEARS OF GROWTH, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A TINY LITTLE PLANT AND TAKE A LOT LONGER TO GET UP TO ANY SIZE.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

YOU CAN PRUNE IT OUT AND SEE WHERE IT GOES, BUT YOU PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO BE THE HAPPY WITH THAT IN THE LONG TERM.

>> EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

LAST YEAR WAS ROUGH ON A LOT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

THE GARDEN CENTER INDUSTRY WAS PARTICULARLY HARD HIT DUE TO THE INFLUX OF MILLIONS OF NEW GARDENERS AND A SHORTAGE OF QUARANTINED WORKERS.

SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT THIS SEASON?

HERE'S RANDY WOLF FROM CAMPBELL'S NURSERY HERE IN LINCOLN TO TALK ABOUT PANDEMIC GARDENING SUPPLIES.

>> COME SPRINGTIME, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN THE GARDEN CENTER LOOKING AT A LARGE SELECTION OF PLANTS, MANY OF WHICH YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE HOME AND PLANT IN YOUR GARDEN.

WHAT YOU DON'T ALWAYS REALIZE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS THIS TAKES SOME TIME TO GET THIS PLANT TO THE GARDEN CENTER.

WE ORDER OUR SUPPLIES IN JULY, THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

THESE THINGS START COMING IN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

SOME PLANTS ARE COMING IN IN THE FALL.

SOME IN THE EARLY IN THE SPRING, OR EVEN LATE WINTER.

ALL THIS HAS TO BE PLANNED OUT.

IF WE DON'T PLAN CORRECTLY, WE'RE SHORT ON SOIL, WE'RE SHORT ON POTS, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING PAST THOSE MISTAKES.

SO WE'RE VERY FASTIDIOUS ABOUT OUR PLANNING AND TRYING TO HAVE EVERYTHING HERE.

SOME THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL ARE TRANSPORTATION.

SOMETIMES WE NEED A TRUCK LOAD OF SOIL AND WE CAN'T FIND A TRUCK TO GET IT HERE.

OTHER TIMES WE HAVE WEATHER THAT CAN GIVE US PROBLEMS.

WE'VE HAD TRUCKLOADS OF PLANTS HELD UP BECAUSE OF SNOWSTORMS RECENTLY.

WE'VE HAD PLANTS THAT HAVE STAYED TOO LONG ON TRUCKS THAT WERE UNHEATED AND WERE A TOTAL LOSS.

THOSE HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

SO ALL THIS IS PART OF GETTING THEM TO NEBRASKA.

THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS BEFORE THEY COME TO YOU AND YOU CAN TAKE THEM HOME AND ENJOY THEM IN YOUR GARDEN.

SO A LOT OF PRE-PLANNING, A LOT OF HARD WORK GOES INTO ALL THIS.

THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A PROBLEM MORE WITH THE HARD GOOD SIDE WHERE WE'RE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE PLASTIC MATERIALS THAT WE WANT, OR PACKAGING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.

SOMETIMES THE PRODUCT IS THERE, BUT IT'S JUST -- THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IT BOXED UP AND TO US.

SO THAT HAS BECOME A PROBLEM.

THE OTHER PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND LABOR.

BUT THE FLIP SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC COIN IS THAT IT INCREASED A LOT OF GARDENERS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TIME AT HOME, AND WE SURE HOPE THAT A LOT OF THEM ENJOYED THEIR GARDENING EXPERIENCES LAST YEAR SO THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH THAT THIS YEAR.

WE WILL SEE PLANT SHORTAGES, IT'S MY BELIEF THAT WE WILL.

WE'RE FINDING THAT SOME VARIETIES ARE HARD TO FIND.

WE'RE FINDING THAT SOME VARIETIES WE CAN GET BUT NOT IN THE SIZE THAT WE WANT, SO WE END UP GOING WITH SMALLER PLANTS AND GROWING THEM LONGER OR GETTING LARGER PLANTS THAT END UP COSTING US MORE.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IS OUR SUPPLIERS ARE TELLING US THEY NEED OUR ORDERS A LOT FURTHER IN ADVANCE THAN THEY USED TO.

SO WE ARE ACTUALLY ORDERING FOR 2022 AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

>> AND HOPEFULLY ALL OF US AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET WHATEVER YOU NEED FOR YOUR BEDS AND THOSE VEGETABLE GARDENS.

IT REALLY WAS PRETTY SKIMPY LAST YEAR.

HAD TO MAKE DO OR MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, JODY, LAST PICTURES.

THIS IS SUTTON, NEBRASKA.

THESE LITTLE DUDES ARE TINY AS THE TIP OF A PEN.

HOW TO KILL THEM AND WHAT TO KEEP THEM FROM RETURNING, SO I THINK YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES.

>> AND I HAVE THESE LITTLE DUDES AT HOME, TOO.

AND SO I'LL TELL YOU A TRICK.

BUT THESE ARE CLOVER MITES AND WE CAN TELL THEY'RE CLOVER MITES BECAUSE THEY HAVE EIGHT LEGS AND THEY'RE FOUR LEGS ARE LIKE WAY LONGER THAN THE REST.

AND THEY OVERWINTER PRETTY MUCH PROBABLY IN THE SIDING OR CLOSE TO THE HOUSE AND WHEN IT WARMED UP THEY STARTED GETTING ACTIVE AGAIN.

THEY ACCIDENTALLY GET INTO HOMES.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE LONG IN THERE, BUT THEY'RE ENOUGH TO ANNOY US.

PEOPLE SMASH THEM.

THEY LEAVE STREAKS.

THEY STAIN.

PEOPLE GET MAD AND THEY CALL ME.

BUT THEY FEED ON PLANTS.

AND EVIDENTLY THE MORE FERTILIZATION IN THE TURF, THE MORE CLOVER MITES YOU MAY HAVE.

WHEN THEY GET IN THE HOUSE, JUST VACUUM THEM.

YOU WANT TO USE THE ATTACHMENT THAT HAS A LITTLE BRUSH ON THE WINDOWSILL AND THEN I USE LITTLE GLUE BOARDS.

DON'T USE GOOD SCISSORS.

USE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T MIND GETTING STICKY.

YOU PUT THAT UP AGAINST THE CRACK IN THE WINDOWSILL BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A SMALL LITTLE MITE THAT YOU CAN'T SEAL THEM OUT.

AND THEY GET STUCK TO THAT.

I CHECK IT EVERY DAY AND THERE IS MORE EVERY DAY.

BUT AFTER A FEW WEEKS THEY'RE GONE.

AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK IN THE FALL A LITTLE BIT.

THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE YEAR.

THEY'RE NONEXISTENT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT I DO.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SPRAY OUTSIDE YOU CAN, BUT IT -- YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REPEATEDLY SPRAY WHEN YOU SEE THEM WHICH WILL BE EVERY WEEK.

>> ALRIGHT, THANKS.

>> OR JUST DON'T FERTILIZE THE TURF OR RIP THE TURF OUT.

>> AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE LIKE -- HAVE NO TURF CLOSE TO ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN TWO FEET OF YOUR HOME.

>> WHO INVITED YOU?

[ LAUGHTER ] >> SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT REALISTIC AND IT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO.

>> ALL RIGHT, JODY, NOW YOU HAVE A TREE QUESTION.

WHICH IS FROM OXFORD, NEBRASKA.

THIS IS A SYCAMORE.

AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THESE HOLES.

>> PROBABLY A WOODPECKER.

IF YOU'VE GOT WOODPECKER DAMAGE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AN INSECT.

SO IF THERE'S INSECT DAMAGE, IT'S USUALLY A WEAK TREE.

AND I JUST KNOW FROM MY HORTICULTURE FRIENDS THAT YOU PROBABLY SHOULD -- IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE ROCK AND PUT IN SOME WOOD MULCH AND MONITOR THE CANOPY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT -- WHAT THE TREE LOOKS LIKE OVERALL.

BUT YOU CAN KEEP IT AND JUST TRY TO MAINTAIN IT.

BUT YOU KNOW, HAVE IT -- HAVE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT SO IT CAN BE A HAPPY AND HAPPIER TREE.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

OKAY.

ROCH --.

>> IT'LL BE A HAPPY LITTLE TREE WITH HOLES IN IT.

>> THIS IS A FALL CITY VIEWER.

THEY BOUGHT THIS OLD PROPERTY.

THEY'RE SAYING IT HAS SOME SORT OF CLUMPY GRASS, MAYBE A FESCUE.

MOSTLY IT'S CLOVER AND DANDELIONS.

HOW CAN THEY GET RID OF THE WEEDS TO PLANT GOOD GRASS?

APPARENTLY THE WHOLE STRIP LOOKS LIKE THIS.

>> THIS IS -- IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO MOVE INTO A NEW PROPERTY AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF THE LAWN AND ACCORDING TO THE JOHN THEY SHOULDN'T.

BUT ANYWAY, REGARDLESS.

>> I SEE A LOT OF CLOVER MITES IN THERE.

>> BUT IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START OVER FROM SCRATCH.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON HERE.

THAT IS A CLUMP TYPE FESCUE THAT THEY WANT TO ERADICATE.

THEY COULD SPEND THE SUMMER ROTOTILLING IT UP AND SPOT SPRAYING IT BUT GO IN THERE AND AGGRESSIVELY SPRAY IT OUT.

IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO IT, SOD WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO IN SPRING INSTALLATION.

IF THEY'RE WILLING TO BE PATIENT AND JUST MOW THE WEEDS OFF, THEN GO WITH SOME EARLY -- LATE SUMMER TREATMENTS, SPRAY IT WITH ROUNDUP A COUPLE TIMES, AND THEN COME IN AND OVERSEED OR RESEED ACTUALLY INTO THE NEW PLANTING BED.

IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, TURF TYPE TALL FESCUE IN THAT AREA WOULD BE GOOD.

SOME OF THE TURF TYPE TALL FESCUE ALSO COMES BLENDED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLUEGRASS JUST TO GIVE IT SOME BINDER, AND THAT SORT OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE TREND RIGHT NOW, IS A TURF TALL FESCUE AS THE DOMINANT GRASS, BUT BLUEGRASS IS IN THERE TO BIND OR IN CASE WE GET WINTER KILL, WHICH CAN OCCUR WITH TALL FESCUE THEN CERTAINLY THE BLUEGRASS DOES NOT WINTER KILL UNDER NEBRASKA CONDITIONS AND IT CAN FILL IN THOSE SPOTS.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST.

IT'S GOING TO BE EITHER THEY CAN HIRE A COMPANY OR A LANDSCAPING COMPANY COME IN AND DO THAT AND TAKE CARE OF IT AND SOD IT, WOULD BE THE QUICKEST INSTANT LAWN KIND OF THING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF THEY WANTED TO DO IT THEMSELVES IT WOULD BE MORE PROTRACTED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, SPRAYING IT DOWN AND ERADICATING THE WEEDS WITH A NONSELECTIVE AND THEN COMING BACK IN WITH THE DESIRED GRASS SPECIES AND SEED IN THE FALL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, ROCH.

ALL RIGHT, JOHN.

THIS IS AN ASHTRAY, IN ITHACA.

ASH IN THE FRONT YARD.

THERE IS ONLY ONE BRANCH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE TREE AND IT HAS A COUPLE PRETTY LARGE HOLES IN IT.

YEP.

THEY'RE CONCERNED IF THEY REMOVE THE BRANCH IT WILL LEAVE THE TREE UNBALANCED, SO THEY'RE WONDERING IF THEY SHOULD TAKE THE BRANCH OR TAKE THE TREE.

>> SO THEY'RE DEFINITELY RIGHT THAT HAVING NO BRANCHES ON THAT ONE SIDE OF THE TREE DEFINITELY UNBALANCES IT AND YOU SAID THE MAGIC WORD, ASH.

AS OUR ENTOMOLOGIST FRIENDS WILL TELL US ABOUT EMERALD ASH BORER BASICALLY ASH TREES ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT.

I -- I MIGHT HEAR DIFFERENTLY FROM MY OTHER HORTICULTURIST FRIENDS BECAUSE I KNOW SOME THAT WANT TO SAVE ALL ASH TREES AT WHATEVER COST.

I WOULD SAY THIS TREE IS ON ITS WAY OUT AND YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE IT OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME SORT OF TREATMENT ON IT THAT'S GOING TO BE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO JUST SAVE IT.

I WOULD INVEST THAT AND JUST RIP THE BAND-AID OFF.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

AND YOUR NEXT SET IS ALSO A CAN THIS TREE BE SAVED.

THIS IS IN OMAHA.

THIS IS AN OLD CANADIAN RED CHERRY AND IT IS A BIG ONE.

NOW HAS SOME NEW DAMAGE, SMALL HOLES THAT MAY BE FROM A WOODPECKER, TREE IS 18 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

IT'S BEEN -- THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF BLACK KNOT IN IT.

THEY'VE TRIMMED IT A LOT.

THEY WONDER CAN IT BE SAVED, CAN IT BE TREATED, OR IS THIS ANOTHER ONE THAT NEEDS TO GO TO THE WOOD PILE?

>> I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER ONE.

IF YOU SEE ALL THAT CRACKING THERE AND THEN YOU SEE UNDERNEATH THERE IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE THAT LIGHT COLORED WOOD, THAT LOOKS LIKE DEAD TO ME.

AND WE HAVE THE WOODPECKER DAMAGE, WHICH I SEE THERE, SO THERE HAS BEEN INSECTS IN THERE.

I THINK JUST SO MANY PROBLEMS HERE, YOU JUST NEED TO REMOVE IT AND START OVER BECAUSE YOU'RE -- THIS TREE IS NEVER GOING TO BE HAPPY HERE AND NEVER GOING TO DO WELL.

>> I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER EVEN HEARD OF A CANADA RED CHERRY THAT BIG, SO THEY'VE HAD A GOOD LONG LIFE OUT OF THAT ONE.

>> AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE OR THINK ABOUT TREES HAVE A NATURAL LIFESPAN AND SOMETHING THAT BIG HAS BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, AND IT'S TIME TO LET GO.

JUST RELEASE IT INTO THE ETHER AND START AGAIN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

JODY, YOU WERE FINISHED WITH PICTURES BUT WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE THAT IS PROBABLY ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS.

WE HAD A VERY STRANGE WINTER IN NEBRASKA.

>> MM-HMM.

>> 31 BELOW IN SOME LOCATIONS OR LOWER.

SO THEY'RE WONDERING WHAT SORT OF DAMAGE THAT DID FOR ESPECIALLY OUR BUTTERFLY AND OUR POLLINATOR POPULATIONS.

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT THAT, YET OR IS IT TOO LATE?

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE POLLINATORS.

I KNOW THAT BAGWORMS MAY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD NEWS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LETHAL TEMPERATURE FOR THAT AND WE HIT THAT ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

IT HAS TO BE NEGATIVE 0.

DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR 24 HOURS, SO EVERY 36 HOURS WE HIT.

>> NICE.

>> DEPENDING ON WHERE THOSE BAGWORMS WERE, WE COULD HAVE LESS OF THEM, WHICH IS GOOD.

>> UH-HUH.

SO WE'LL WAIT AND SEE ON THE BUTTERFLIES.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THE ONES THAT MIGRATE ...THEY ESCAPE.

>> THEY KEPT THEM NICE AND WARM IN MEXICO.

>> WE THINK.

>> THEY'VE GOT OTHER THINGS AHEAD OF THEM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GOOD.

ROCH, THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING ONE.

THIS IS FROM PUEBLO, IN COLORADO.

AND GETS HOT AND WINDY, OF COURSE.

HE MADE UP HIS MIND REALLY TO PLANT A NEW LAWN, 20,000 SQUARE FEET.

HE THINKS HE'S LEANING TOWARDS SUNDANCER, BUFFALOGRASS, AND ZENITH ZOYSIA, 12,000 SQUARE FEET FOR ONE, 6500 FOR THE OTHER.

HE'S GOT EVERYTHING ALL PREPARED.

HE KNOWS HIS PH.

HE HAS UNDERGROUND SPRINKLERS, BUT HE'S WONDERING THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE GETS SHADED THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

WHICH WOULD BE BETTER THERE?

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO PLANT BOTH BUFFALO AND ZOYSIA TOGETHER?

WILL IT LOOK OKAY?

>> THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY DONE THEIR HOMEWORK.

ZENITH IS A SEEDED ZOYSIA GRASS THAT ADAPTED TO PUEBLO, COLORADO.

AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE PEOPLE VIEWING FROM COLORADO.

THE BLEND -- LET'S START WITH THE BLENDING OF THE TWO TOGETHER.

THAT WOULD BE TECHNICALLY CALLED A MIXTURE OF TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES.

WHAT INTRIGUES ME IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE DO KNOW WHEN WE BLEND OR MIX BLUEGRASS WITH FESCUE, WHEN WE GET INTO THE HEAVIER SHADE THE FESCUE DOMINATES, AND WHEN WE'RE IN THE FORM OF FULL SUN THE BLUEGRASS DOMINATES.

IN THIS CASE ZOYSIA GRASS, WHICH HAS A VERY SLOW GROWING POTENTIAL, BUT GOOD SHADE TOLERANCE, MIGHT DOMINATE IN THAT HEAVIER SHADE ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE THAT IS PROBABLY ONLY GETTING FOUR TO SIX HOURS OF SUNLIGHT ON AN AVERAGE PUEBLO, COLORADO DAY.

I'M INTRIGUED WITH THAT IDEA.

THEY ARE SIMILAR IN TEXTURE, SIMILAR IN COLOR, SO THEY PROBABLY WOULD MIX RELATIVELY EASY TOGETHER, OR BE COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER.

BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE DOING THAT, AND I'M GOING TO ASSURE THE ZOYSIA NUTS WILL SAY NO, DON'T MIX IT WITH BUFFALO, AND THE BUFFALO PEOPLE WOULD SAY DO-- DON'T DO IT, AS WELL.

BUT I'M THINKING THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE PERSON HAS DONE ALL THEIR HOMEWORK, THEY'RE READY.

THEY MENTIONED THEY HAVE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

BOTH OF THOSE GRASSES WILL DO FINE, EVEN IN PUEBLO WITH ITS PROBABLY AT ABOUT SEVEN TO EIGHT INCHES A YEAR.

EVEN IN THAT CASE, I'M GOING TO SAY THEY PROBABLY NEED TO BACK OFF THE WATER ONCE THEY GET IT ESTABLISHED AND JUST USE THAT AS REMEDY OR RESCUE TREATMENT WHEN THEY GET INTO THE DROUGHTY PERIOD THAT SOUTHERN COLORADO IS TYPICAL OF.

I LOVE THAT IDEA.

I HOPE THE VIEWER KEEPS US POSTED AS TO HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR THEM.

>> I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

JOHN, A LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTION HERE FROM YORK.

THEY HAD A NEW DRAIN FIELD PUT IN UP NEXT TO THE GARDEN.

HOW FAR AWAY SHOULD THEY PUT THEIR VEGETABLE GARDEN FROM A LEECH FIELD OR A DRAIN FIELD?

>> YOU WANT A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY FROM THERE FOR FOOD SAFETY REASONS.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT, BUT I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 30, 40, 50 FEET AWAY FROM THAT DRAIN FIELD BECAUSE THAT CAN GO OUT FAR INTO THE GROUND.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

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

WE ARE REALLY HAPPY TO BE OFF TO ANOTHER GREAT START, OBVIOUSLY.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO CONTRIBUTED QUESTIONS AND PICTURES, AND TO OUR PANEL FOR HELPING YOU FIND THOSE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

NEXT TIME ON "BACKYARD FARMER," WE'LL BE GOING BACK TO OUR POND IN THE KEIM HALL COURTYARD FOR A LITTLE CLEANING.

WE'LL HEAR SOME TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU KEEP THAT POND CLEAR AND CLEAN ALL SEASON LONG.

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

CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS, LLC.

WWW.CAPTIONSOLUTIONS.COM ♪♪