>>> "BACKYARD FARMER" IS A COPRODUCTION OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND NEBRASKA EXTENSION.

COMING UP ON "BACKYARD FARMER," WE WILL START THE 72ND SEASON WITH TIPS TO SUBMITTING PICTURES TO THE SHOW AND ANSWERING YOUR GARDENING QUESTIONS.

WELCOME TO ANOTHER SEASON OF "BACKYARD FARMER.” ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER SEASON OF "BACKYARD FARMER.” WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE BACK AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AGAIN AS WE ANSWER YOUR GARDENING QUESTIONS.

WE ARE STILL TAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS THIS YEAR, SO IF YOU NEED SOME HELP WITH YOUR SPRING GARDENING PLANS, GIVE US A CALL AT 1-800-676-5446.

THOSE GREAT PHONE VOLUNTEERS WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU.

IF YOU HAVE PICTURES TO SHARE AND THEY CAN WAIT FOR A FUTURE SHOW, SEND US THOSE EMAILS TO BYF AT UNL.EDU.

WE DO NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, WE DO NEED TO KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT YOUR ISSUE OR YOUR QUESTION OR YOUR PROBLEM.

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK US OUT ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND MAKE SURE YOU ALSO LIKE OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.

YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT ARE SET LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT TONIGHT.

THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE BROADCASTING LIVE FROM THE RON HALL STUDIO WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE SPACE INCLUDING UPGRADED LIGHTING, MODERN SCENIC ELEMENTS AND A BRAND-NEW LOOK FOR SHOWS LIKE "BACKYARD FARMER" AND "BIG RED WRAP-UP.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDIO RENOVATIONS AND THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT, VISIT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/IMAGINE.

AND THAT WILL REALLY BE WAY COOL.

WE CAN'T DECIDE IF WE LOOK LIKE THE JETSONS OR WHAT?

SOMETHING ELSE.

JUST NOT LIKE THIS.

SO I GUESS WE HAVE TO MODERNIZE OURSELVES.

WE'RE ALSO CHANGING A LOT OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO THINGS THIS SEASON SO THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT A SHOOT FROM THE HIP TONIGHT BUT WE'LL SEE HOW IT HAPPENS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO START RIGHT IN WITH QUESTIONS.

AND SO JODY, YOU GET THE VERY FIRST QUESTION OF THE 72ND YEAR.

ARE YOU READY?

>> YES, I AM.

>> ABSOLUTELY, YOU BETTER BE.

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS A VIEWER WHO SAYS THEY HAVE BLACK LACE ELDERBERRIES IN A PART SHADE MOIST LOCATION IN OMAHA.

THEY GOT PRUNED ABOUT A MONTH AGO BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF DEAD IN THEM, WHICH IS CLASSIC ELDERBERRY.

THEY'RE WONDERING IF THESE HOLES WERE THE CAUSE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO KEEP IT FROM SPREADING AND I THINK WE HAVE THREE PICS ON THIS ONE.

>> YEAH, SO THIS LOOKS LIKE AN ELDERBERRY BOAR, WHICH IS A BEETLE.

AND IT IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL BEETLE IF YOU SEE THEM AND THEY DO COME OUT AND THEY FEED WHEN THE PLANT IS IN BLOOM, SO THEY ARE A DARK BLUE METALLIC AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A YELLOW BAND RIGHT BY THE BASE OF THE WINGS AND THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TREAT THOUGH BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST FEEDING ON THE LEAVES, BUT THE FEMALES WILL LAY THE EGGS ON THE STEM AND THE LARVAE WILL COME OUT AND BORE INTO THE SHOOTS AND THEN GET DOWN INTO THE ROOTS.

SO WHAT YOU DID BY PRUNING THEM OUT IS THE BEST THING TO DO.

PRUNE THAT OUT AND BURN IT SO THEY DON'T GET BACK IN THERE.

OTHERWISE, AFTER THE BLOOMS FALL, YOU CAN TREAT WITH PYRETHRITE, SOMETHING THAT'S LABELED FOR THAT.

JUST MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE LABEL.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS JODY.

AND THOSE ARE BIG AND BEAUTIFUL AND DEADLY.

ALL RIGHT, YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

SIX-YEAR-OLD PEACH TREE AND HERE IS WHAT THE TRUNK LOOKED LIKE MAYBE THEY WERE SAYING ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.

THEY WANT TO KNOW IS THIS BORES IN THERE AND THEN WILL THEY SPREAD TO OTHER PEACHES?

>> SO THIS CAN BE BORE.

THOSE SYMPTOMS LOOK LIKE A BORE.

SO THERE IS PROBABLY A HOLE UNDER THERE, SAP DRIPPING OUT.

GUMOSIS IS WHAT WE SEE A LOT ON PEACH TREES.

IF YOU DON'T WANT IT TO SPREAD, YOU CAN TREAT AND SPRAY THE BARK.

THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS LABELED FOR THE FRUIT TREES.

THIS IS ALSO COMMON WITH OTHER STONE FRUIT LIKE PLUMS AND CHERRIES.

THAT'S A STONE FRUIT, RIGHT.

SO -- AND THE BEST TIME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TREAT FOR THAT IS GOING TO BE IN JULY THOUGH AND THAT IS WHEN THE ADULT -- AND IT IS A MOTH ACTUALLY, THIS BORE.

IT LOOKS LIKE A WASP.

IT'S A CLEAR WINGED MOTH.

AND SHE LAYS EGGS DOWN AGAIN AT THE BASE OF THE TREE.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TREAT CLOSER TO JULY WHEN THOSE EGGS ARE BEING LAID BECAUSE IT IS EASIER TO GET TO THE SMALLER LARVAE AND THEN TREAT AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE LABEL IF IT'S GOT TO BE LATER IN JULY AND THEN IN AUGUST.

>> AND THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A FORMER PEACH TREE ANYWAY.

>> I DO HAVE A FORMER PEACH TREE AND I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, THAT IS NOT A VARIETY, AUDIENCE.

THAT'S -- THAT'S DEAD.

ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOU HAVE ONE PICTURE ON THIS ONE.

THIS ONE -- I THINK THIS IS OMAHA.

HE GETS THIS WONDERFUL GREEN STRIPE IN HIS LAWN EVERY SINGLE YEAR, HE HAS NOT DONE FERTILIZER OR ANYTHING.

WHAT DO WE THINK THIS IS?

>> WELL WE SEE THAT WHEN THE GROUND IS DISTURBED FOR SOME REASON, MAYBE THEY WOULD PUTTING IN A FIBER OPTIC LINE OR A WATER LINE OR ANY OTHER THING AND WHEN THAT SOIL IS LOOSENED UP, THEN THE MORE AIR GETS INTO THE ROOTS AND THE ROOTS GREEN UP FASTER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT, SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

THE CLIENT INDICATED THAT THEY DON'T PUT ANY FERTILIZER ON.

IF YOU WANT TO MASK THAT OR IF YOU JUST LIKE TO KIND OF THE WONDERY OF IT HAPPENING EVERY YEAR, CERTAINLY THAT LAWN LOOKS LIKE IT COULD USE A LITTLE BIT OF FERTILIZER, AND DON'T OVERDO IT, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO MASK IT A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME FERTILIZER.

BUT I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING WAS TRENCHED INTO THE GROUND PROBABLY WITH THE POLAR SO IT MADE A LITTLE NARROW STRIP.

AND IT TURNS GREEN LIKE THAT.

IT'S PRETTY INTRIGUING AND PERPLEXING.

IT IS NOT ALIENS AND IT IS NOT A DEAD SNAKE.

>> COULD THEY OVER SEED WITH A NEWER VARIETY THAT WOULD BE GREEN OR -- >> WELL, IF THEY GOT ONE THAT WAS MORE GREEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BLUE GRASSES OR ONE OF THE FESCUES, MAYBE.

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN OLDER BLUEGRASS LAWN, PERHAPS IT IS TALL FESCUE.

BUT CERTAINLY, THAT IS ONE IDEA, BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT THEY REALLY NEED THAT.

THAT LAWN LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BENEFIT FROM A LITTLE FERTILITY.

AND IF THE CLIENT DOESN'T WANT TO MOW, THEN THEY COULD JUST TELL THEIR NEIGHBORS IT IS SOMETHING MORE EXOTIC THAN AN AIR RATED, ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS ABANDON THE LAWN.

>> OKAY, GREAT.

YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THE NEXT ONE.

THIS ONE COMES TO US FROM SAC CITY, IOWA.

AND SHE SAYS SHE HAS THIS GRASSY WEED IN HER IRIS BED AND IRIS IS OBVIOUSLY IN BOTH THE MULCH AND KIND OF A ROCK MULCH.

SHE SAYS IT HAS A VERY VIGOROUS ROOT SYSTEM AND WHAT IS IT AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET RID OF IT?

>> THANKS TO THE VIEWER FOR MENTIONING THE ROOT SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT WAS A HELPFUL IDENTIFICATION, PLUS THE PICTURES WERE GOOD ENOUGH THAT I COULD SEE THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DOWNY BROME.

SO I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT'S SMOOTH BROME, WHICH IS A PERENNIAL AND IT HAS A REAL AGGRESSIVE AS THEY SAID ROOT SYSTEM WITH LOTS OF RHYZOMES.

IT'S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DIG THAT UP AS ESTABLISHED AS IT IS.

SO I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WOULD BE A LESSON IN FUTILITY, BUT WHAT THEY MAY WANT TO DO IS CONSIDER A PRODUCT LIKE GRASS BE GONE, YOU KNOW, REAL COLORFUL NAME, OR GRASS BEATER OR THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, GRASS GETTER.

THESE ARE ALL AVAILABLE AT THE VARIOUS GARDEN STORES AND BOX STORES.

AND YOU SPRAY THOSE ON, THE IRIS ARE NOT HARMED.

AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS ESPECIALLY WITH SOMETHING LIKE SMOOTH BROME BUT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS ROCH.

AMY, YOU HAVE ONE HERE FROM A VIEWER, A GOOD VIEWER WHO LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE ROCHS, BUT THE QUESTION IS THIS APPEARS KIND OF THIS OVAL LOOKING DARKER GREEN SPOT IN THEIR LAWN.

THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS.

IT SEEMS TO COME BACK EVERY YEAR AND IS VISIBLE ALL YEAR LONG.

ANY IDEA WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE?

>> SO WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW THINGS OFF AIR.

AND THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO LEAN TOWARD IS THAT IT POTENTIALLY BEING FAIRY RING.

WHICH IS A FUNGUS THAT'S IN THE SOIL, BUT THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS, WE ARE LEANING AWAY FROM FAIRY RING.

FAIRY RING, TYPICALLY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT GREEN OVAL OR RING SHAPE ALL YEAR LONG.

THE OTHER TRICK IS IF WE LOOKING AT FAIRY RING, WE SHOULD SEE MUSHROOMS GROWING OUT OF THERE.

EVEN IF YOU'RE MOWING IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, THOSE MUSHROOMS ONLY TAKE A COUPLE DAYS TO POP OUT OF THE GROUND AND BE VISIBLE.

SO THAT WOULD BE ONE BIG QUESTION I HAVE, ARE YOU SEEING ANY MUSHROOMS?

IF YOU ARE SEEING MUSHROOMS AND WE ARE DEFINITELY DEALING WITH FAIRY RING, AND WITH MANAGEMENT OF FAIRY RING, THE BEST OPTION IS TO OVERSEED WITH RESISTANT VARIETIES AND THAT WILL TAKE OVER.

IF IT IS NOT FAIRY RING, WE ARE GOING TO END UP WITH THE EXACT SAME SITUATION THAT ROCH TALKED ABOUT.

MOST LIKELY SOMETHING WAS TRENCHED IN, ARIATION WISE.

AND SO, WE WOULD WANT TO FERTILIZE TO MASK THAT GREEN, AND BRING UP THE HEALTH OF THAT REST OF THE TURF IN THAT LAWN.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS AMY.

YOUR NEXT ONE HERE IS THIS SHOWED UP AFTER THE LAST RAIN IN LINCOLN.

IT IS IN A SHADY LOCATION BUT IT'S REALLY PATCHY.

WHAT IS IT AND IS IT HARMFUL?

>> OH, THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL NEMESIS OF POWDERY MILDEW.

SO POWDERY MILDEW CAN DEVELOP ON PRETTY MUCH ANY OF OUR PLANT SPECIES.

THIS IS -- IS IT TURF OR WAS IT IRIS?

IT IS TURF.

>> YEP.

>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE ON THE SHADED AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY SO WE'RE NOT GETTING AS MUCH AIRFLOW.

OVERALL, POWDERY MILDEW WILL NOT KILL YOUR TURF, BUT IT ISN'T AS PLEASANT TO LOOK AT.

THERE ARE RESISTANT VARIETIES BUT A LOT OF TIMES I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MORE OF AIR MANAGEMENT.

HOW DO WE GET MORE AIR IN THERE SO THE POWDERY MILDEW ISN'T ABLE TO GET ESTABLISHED?

YOU CAN ALSO DO DIRECT BLASTS OF WATER, IT DOESN'T LIKE FREE WATER ON THE LEAF.

BUT THEN YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO OTHER DISEASE ISSUES WITH THAT WATER.

OR THE OTHER OPTION IS IF YOU SEE THIS CONTINUOUSLY IN THOSE SHADED AREAS OF THE LAWN THAT WE MAYBE WANT TO TRANSITION INTO MORE OF A LANDSCAPE BED AND PUT SHADE LOVING PLANTS THERE VERSUS TURF SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE POWDERY MILDEW SITUATION.

I SIT BETWEEN TWO OF THEM -- ROCK'S GONNA TELL ME IT NEEDS TO STAY TURF, ELIZABETH'S GOING TO SAY LET'S MOVE IT ON OVER TO LANDSCAPE BED SO IT'S REALLY UP TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH.

>> ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, YOUR FIRST ONE COMES TO US FROM OMAHA.

IT'S A SWAMP WHITE OAK PLANTED IN 2018, IT'S A SOUTH EXPOSURE.

THE TREE IS HEALTHY, THEY FERTILIZE IT.

SHE SAYS IT DOES NOT HAVE A CENTRAL LEADER, SHE WONDERING SHOULD THEY GO AHEAD AND ESTABLISH ONE OR LET IT BE, LET IT BE?

>> IF YOU CAN SAFELY REACH ONE OF THOSE BRANCHES, YES, WE COULD TURN IT INTO A TREE WITH A CENTRAL LEADER.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A FORK IN THERE AND SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD TAKE THE WEAKER OF THE TWO AND WE WOULD HEAD BACK.

WE WOULD ONLY CUT A PORTION OF THAT OFF AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE WOULD CUT A LITTLE MORE OFF AND SLOWLY WE WOULD HAVE IT TO THE POINT WHERE WE ONLY HAVE ONE CENTRAL LEADER.

IF IT IS NOT SAFE FOR YOU TO DO SO, AS LONG AS THERE ISN'T A REALLY NARROW BRANCHING ANGLE THE TREE IS GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT WANTS TO DO AND IT'LL BE FINE.

IT'S AN OAK.

IT'S GONNA GROW REALLY SLOW.

SO IF IT'S SAFE DO IT.

IF NOT IT'S FINE.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, ELIZABETH.

YOU HAVE ONE PICTURE ON THIS LAST ONE.

THIS IS A HARLAN, IOWA VIEWER.

IT'S A DOUGLAS FIR SAPLING THAT HE HAS BEEN KEEPING IN HIS WINDOW.

HE WONDERS WHY HE'S NOT GETTING ANY FRAGRANCE FROM IT BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THIS IS THE SECOND MOST FRAGRANT TREE AFTER BALSAM FIR.

>> SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO THESE EVERGREENS THEY ARE SUN LOVERS.

SO I CAN TELL FROM THAT PHOTO THAT THAT TREE ISN'T GETTING QUITE THE SUN THAT IT WANTS.

IT'S STRETCHING, IT'S REACHING FOR THAT WINDOW BECAUSE IT NEEDS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SUN.

AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST.

SECONDLY A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE GONNA GET THAT FRAGRANCE WHENEVER IT HAS BEEN WOUNDED OR CUT OR THE NEEDLES HAVE BEEN CRUSHED.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WALK BY ANY DOUGLAS FIRS AND BE CAUGHT OFF-GUARD WITH THEIR SCENT.

SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF MECHANICAL DAMAGE TO IT TO GET THAT FRAGRANCE.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ELIZABETH.

WELL, WE HAVE SOME GREAT THINGS PLANNED FOR YOU THIS YEAR AND WE DO HOPE YOU WILL STAY WITH US AS WE ROLL WITH THE CHANGES.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AND WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT IS COMING YOUR WAY FOR SEASON 72.

♪ ♪ >>> WE'VE ALREADY ANSWERED A COUPLE OF YOUR QUESTIONS ON “BACKYARD FARMER” BUT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ALL THE EXCITING THINGS WE HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU THIS SEASON.

WE'LL BE CONCENTRATING ON HELPING YOU TURN YOUR LANDSCAPE INTO SOMETHING MORE EDIBLE WHETHER IT'S VEGETABLE OR TREES.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT POLLINATORS AND PERHAPS TURNING SOME OF YOUR TURF INTO PRAIRIE SPECIES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON THIS SEASON OF “BACKYARD FARMER.” ♪ >> WE HOPE YOU TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE MAGNIFICENT TREES IF YOU HAVE ANY.

WE'LL HELP YOU CHOOSE NEW ONES IF YOU DON'T, AND OF COURSE ALL THOSE SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS AND GREAT PLANTS THAT REALLY HELP THE ENVIRONMENT MAKE YOU A HAPPIER PERSON.

♪ >> MAYBE YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR OWN PLANTS FROM SEED OR CERTAINLY BUY THEM FROM GOOD SOURCES.

WE CAN HELP YOU MAKE THE GREAT DECISIONS TO GET THE RIGHT PLANTS FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE.

♪ >> BEHIND ME IS THE “BACKYARD FARMER” GARDEN AND WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE TALK ABOUT ON THE SHOW.

WE GROW VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS, OF COURSE THE ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS ARE IN THAT END OF THE GARDEN, AND TERRI WILL BE RETURNING AS USUAL TO GIVE US THAT “GARDEN MINUTE” EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

♪ >> WE WANT TO GET BACK TO ANSWERING MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT A REALLY EXCITING REMINDER THAT WE HAVE HUGE CHANGES COMING THIS YEAR JUST LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT AND EVERYTHING IN IT CHANGES, SO DO WE.

SO STAY TUNED TO “BACKYARD FARMER,” YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SHOW.

♪ >> YOU KNOW, “BACKYARD FARMER” IS COMMITTED TO HELP YOU GROW YOUR OWN FOOD, KEEPING UP WITH THE LATEST GARDENING TRENDS AND OF COURSE, HELPING YOU FIND THOSE SOLUTIONS TO YOUR GARDEN PROBLEMS.

STICK WITH US THIS YEAR AND YOU WILL HEAR ALL OF THIS AND WE'LL ALL GROW TOGETHER!

ALL RIGHT, QUESTIONS.

JODY, YOUR NEXT ONE, YOU HAVE ONE PICTURE.

THIS CAME TO US FROM CALIFORNIA.

SAN DIEGO.

AND IT'S A LITTLE WHITE SHELL-SHAPED OBJECT.

IS IT AN INSECT COCOON?

AND IT IS ATTACHED TO A PASSIONFRUIT VINE.

>> IT IS NOT AN INSECT COCOON, BUT IT IS AN INSECT.

SO THAT IS A WAXED SCALE.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE IN REAL LIFE.

BUT THANKS FOR SENDING THAT FROM CALIFORNIA.

IT LOOKS LIKE A BARNACLE SCALE AND IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR SCALE, I WOULD REACH OUT TO UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXTENSION AND SEE WHAT THEY MAY HAVE TO SAY.

I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF THOSE AND THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE INVASIVE SO THEY WOULD KNOW WHEN THE CRAWLER STAGE IS.

BUT IF YOU JUST SEE THE ONE YOU CAN PICK THAT OFF.

IF YOU DO END UP SEEING, LIKE -- DEFOLIATION OR DIE BACK OF YOUR PLAN THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY WANT TO TREAT THAT.

AND YOU CAN TREAT WITH A PYRETHROID OR, I DON'T KNOW -- HORTICULTURAL OIL WHEN THOSE CRAWLERS ARE PRESENT.

BUT THAT'S A PRETTY COOL LOOKING THING.

>> IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK REAL.

ALL RIGHT, YOU HAVE ONE PICTURE ON THE NEXT ONE.

EXCUSE ME.

THIS IS A THANKSGIVING CACTUS.

SHE'S HAD IT 22 YEARS.

THIS IS FROM MADRID, NEBRASKA.

STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT DROPPING LEAVES, CHANGED LOCATION.

THE LEAVES LOOK LIKE THE PICTURE BUT THEY'RE NOT STICKY.

NO WEBS BUT THIS SORT OF LOOKS LIKE INSECT DAMAGE.

AND THEN AMY, YOU GET IT AFTER ROCH ANSWERS A QUESTION.

>> WELL, IT -- I MEAN, SOME OF THE COLORATION COULD LOOK LIKE SPIDER MITE.

BUT IF YOU'VE HAD IT FOR 22 YEARS THEN YOU PROBABLY WOULD EITHER SEE THE SPIDER MITES OR THE WEBBING AND THAT WOULD BE CONTROLLED BY SOME SORT OF INSECTICIDE IN THE POT THAT YOU CAN DO TO TREAT THAT.

OTHERWISE I WOULD JUST REALLY LOOK INTO WHAT THANKSGIVING CACTI NEED TO LIVE HEALTHY LIVES.

SO, YEAH.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT ONE THAT DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT AT THE OFFICE.

>> THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WINDOWS IN YOUR OFFICE.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> TRUE.

>> SO THERE MAY BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL REASON.

THERE IS NOT SPIDER MITES.

>> ALL RIGHT, ROCH, YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THIS NEXT ONE.

THIS IS A REVENA VIEWER.

HE WORKED ON PULLING, DIGGING AND SPRAYING THIS WEED ALL LAST SUMMER BUT HERE IT IS AGAIN.

HE DID USE ROUNDUP LAST YEAR.

HELP, IS IT TAKING TAKING OVER THE YARD.

>> THIS IS GROUND IVY.

INTRIGUINGLY ENOUGH SOME PEOPLE WILL MISIDENTIFY IT AS HENBIT BECAUSE HENBIT IS A WINTER ANNUAL AND THEY FLOWER PROLIFICALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THE HENBIT HAS A TRUMPET-SHAPED FLOWER AT THE END OF LEAF, WHERE AS IF YOU LOOK HERE IN THE SECOND PICTURE THE FLOWERS ARE DOWN IN THE AXELS.

DOWN IN THE CROTCH OF THE LEAF TIP STEM.

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S HOW YOU TELL THEM APART.

THEY'RE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE MINT FAMILY.

GROUND IVY HAS A MORE PUNGENT ODOR TO IT RATHER THAN HEMBIT AND IT'S UNPLEASANT TO SOME PEOPLE.

ROUNDUP IS NOT A REAL EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR GROUND IVY BUT SOMETHING CONTAINING TRICLOPYR AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT WILL DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB ON GROUND IVY.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT BECAUSE IT'S GOT AGGRESSIVE RUNNERS AND IT CAN PRETTY MUCH TAKE OVER A SPACE.

BUT IF IT'S NOT IN A LANDSCAPE BED WHERE THERE ARE OTHER BROAD-LEAF WEEDS, IF IT'S IN A LAWN OR IN A MULCH BED I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST USING SOMETHING LIKE TRICLOPYR.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, ROCH.

YOU HAVE THREE PICTURES ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS REALLY ODD.

THIS IS DAKOTA CITY.

THIS WEED IS TAKING OVER THE LAWN AND IT IS GROUND-HUGGING AND HAS TURNED BLACK-BROWN.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES SHE GET RID OF IT?

>> THESE ARE THE SKELETON OF PROSTRATE KNOTWEED.

>> OKAY.

AND IT DIES IN THE WINTER AS THE VIEWER DESCRIBED IN HER NOTE TO US.

AND IT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF WOODY GROWTH TO IT AND THAT'S GONNA BE GERMINATING.

I THINK THAT ONE WAS ACTUALLY SENT IN FEBRUARY EARLIER IN THE SEASON SO IT'S PROBABLY ALREADY GERMINATING AND STARTING TO GET MASKED BY THE GERMINATING SEEDLINGS.

IT'S AN ANNUAL BUT -- PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE IN THE LATE FALL COULD DO A GOOD JOB ON THAT OR EARLY APPLICATIONS OR SOMETHING WITH 24D WILL DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

BUT ONCE IT'S AGGRESSIVELY GROWING IN ANOTHER MONTH OR SO BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST TO GERMINATE IT WILL BE REALLY HARD TO CONTROL.

SO JUMP ON IT NOW.

BUT THOSE ARE THE SKELETONS, WE CALL THEM WEED SKELETONS.

>> WELL, AND DAKOTA CITY PROBABLY IS BEHIND US A LITTLE WAYS I WOULD THINK BECAUSE YOU'VE MORE SNOW AND COLD UP YOUR WAY, DIDN'T YOU?

>> THEN THEY PROBABLY ARE, SURE.

>> YEAH, SO MIGHT STILL NOT BE UP AND GREEN AND GROWING LIKE IT IS IN LINCOLN.

ALL RIGHT, AMY, YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THIS NEXT ONE.

THIS ONE WAS ALSO SENT TO THE WINTER.

SHE FOUND A VERY LARGE FUNGUS ON HER WALK.

SHE HAS NEVER SEEN ONE THIS LARGE AND SHE SAW THIS IN FEBRUARY SO SHE'S WONDERING WHAT IT IS.

SHE WEARS A WOMAN'S SIZE 12 SHOE FOR SIZE REFERENCE.

>> IT'S A REALLY BIG MUSHROOM AND I REALLY STRUGGLED ON WHAT -- TO ME IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE HEN OF THE WOOD A LITTLE BIT.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS ON A TREE OR WAS IT JUST ON THE GROUND?

THE OTHER BIG QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SAW IT IN FEBRUARY WHICH SEEMS A LITTLE UNUSUAL BUT WE HAVE TO STOP AND THINK.

OUR SOIL TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN WARM ALL WINTER.

YES WE HAD THE ARCTIC BLAST IN JANUARY WITH -50 BUT WE HAD SNOW COVER EVEN HERE IN LINCOLN AND SO OUR SOILS NEVER GOT REALLY COLD AND WE HAD THAT WARM PERIOD AND SO THE MUSHROOMS CAME UP AND WE'RE HAPPY AND FRUITING AWAY.

SO I WASN'T ABLE TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO KNOW WHAT YOU FOUND IT ON.

WHETHER IT'S ON A WOODY MATERIAL OR IF IT'S JUST IN THE GRASS.

THAT MAKES A DIFFENCE ON IDENTIFICATION FOR ME.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

IT IS PRETTY, THOUGH.

>> IT IS VERY PRETTY.

>> YEP.

OKAY, AMY, YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THE NEXT ONE.

THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER ALSO.

HE FOUND IT IN EARLY MARCH.

HE THOUGHT IT WAS A LARGE MUSHROOM AND PULLED IT UP AND THEN -- THREE INCHES IN DIAMETER.

HE TOOK PICTURES.

HE THINKS IT'S AN AIR POTATO WHICH IS AN AQUATIC INVASIVE.

>> IT IS NOT AN AIR POTATO, WHICH IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES IN AQUATIC AREAS AND LAST I CHECKED IN LINCOLN YOU'RE NOT SITTING IN WATER.

THIS IS ACTUALLY -- IT LOOKS LIKE A PUFFBALL.

A BABY PUFFBALL, AND THE TRICK IS YOU SAW THAT ROOT.

MOST OF OUR MUSHROOMS OR ALL OF OUR MUSHROOMS ALL START WITH SOME TYPE OF BASE LIKE THAT.

THAT'S THE MYCELIUM AND THEN IT GETS THAT STRUCTURE UNDERNEATH.

PUFFBALLS ARE REALLY NICE AND EASY TO SEE THOSE.

THE OTHER ONES ARE STINKHORNS, WILL DO THAT.

THIS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW WHEN IT GETS WARMER AND CONTINUE TO MATURE AS THE SEASON GOES ON.

SO YOU CAN DIG THEM UP AND REMOVE THEM BUT IN ALL REALITY THEY ARE NOT GONNA CAUSE ANY DAMAGE.

THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BE A PUFFBALL.

WHEN YOU MOW OVER THEM THEY'RE JUST GONNA GO POOF AND SEND OUT ALL OF THESE BLACK SPORES WHEN YOU MOW THEM, SO -- >> AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE MORE.

>> AND YOU'LL HAVE MORE.

AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO, PUFFBALLS ARE EDIBLE AND THERE'S PUFFBALL FESTIVALS IN WISCONSIN.

DON'T EAT THEM WHEN THEY'RE BLACK, EAT THEM WHEN THEY'RE WHITE.

DON'T EAT THEM WHEN THEY'RE BLACK AND POOFY.

YUCK.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE EATING DUST.

>> YEAH, NO, YOU DO IT WHEN THEY'RE WHITE AND FLESHY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ELIZABETH, YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THIS FIRST ONE.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO HAS A -- THIS IS A THREE-YEAR-OLD PEAR.

HE'S FROM OMAHA.

HE DOES BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE PRUNED.

HE HAS ATTACHED PICTURES.

I DID ASK HIM ABOUT THE TP.

AND THAT WAS THE NET TO HOLD THE SQUIRRELS FROM ANNIHILATING THE PEAR TREE.

SO HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO PRUNE.

>> SO FIRST AND FOREMOST WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRUNING OUR FRUIT TREES WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ESPECIALLY WITH PEARS THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CENTRAL LEADER.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY THAT ARE BECOMING CO-DOMINANT STEMS WE WANT TO DO A HEADING BACK CUT AND TAKE ONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT STILL LEAVE IT ATTACHED BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A FAIRLY SMALL TREE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT REMOVING MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF THE CANOPY AT ANY One POINT IN TIME.

AFTER WE GET THE CENTRAL LEADER THEN WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE LATERAL BRANCHES KIND OF SPREAD OUT LIKE A SPOKE ON A TREE ONCE THOSE ARE THERE.

AND THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REMOVING ANY WATER SPROUTS WHICH ARE GOING BACK UP STRAIGHT OR BRANCHES GOING BACK INTO THE CANOPY.

OUR BRANCHES THAT ARE NOT GOING TO HELP THE TREE OVERALL.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T PRUNE TOO MUCH TOO QUICKLY ON A YOUNG TREE, ESPECIALLY A PEAR BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA MAKE THOSE WATER SPROUTS AND SUCKERS COME ON.

BUT JUST START WITH THOSE FEW STEPS FIRST AND THEN WE WILL KIND OF SLOWLY TAKE IT FROM THERE.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ELIZABETH.

YOU HAVE TWO PICTURES ON THE NEXT ONE.

THIS IS IN BETWEEN PAPILLION AND GRETNA.

WE HAVE A SPOUSAL ISSUE HERE.

HER HUSBAND REMOVED A LARGE BRANCH FROM THE APPLE TREE AND THE CUT STARTED TO VEER INTO THE MAIN TRUNK.

SHE STOPPED HIM AS SOON AS SHE SAW IT.

DID HE KILL THE TREE?

OR SHOULD HE KILL IT?

>> HE DIDN'T KILL THE TREE BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THE TREE HAD SOME AGE ON IT.

LOOKS LIKE A POTENTIALLY HAD SOME CO-DOMINANT LEADERS, MAYBE SOME INCLUDED BARK ON THERE.

SO I MEAN ALL YOU CAN DO IS REALLY WATCH AND WAIT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WOUND STAYS OPEN TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE DON'T WANT TO PAINT IT OR TAR IT OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

IF THE TREE'S IN OVERALL GOOD HEALTH WE SHOULDN'T SEE ANY ISSUES FROM IT.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IF IT'S AN OLDER TREE DON'T BE SURPRISED IF IT'S NOT GONNA SEAL OVER THOSE WOUNDS.

SO ALL'S WE CAN DO NOW -- WATCH, WAIT.

SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I'M NOT GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT DISPUTE.

>> WELL AND IT DID LOOK LIKE THE ONE CUT WAS AN OLDER KIND OF, NOT A VERY GOOD CUT IN THAT TREE SO, OH WELL.

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAPPY TO INTRODUCE A NEW FEATURE TO OUR SHOW.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A WEATHER FORECAST FOR EACH WEEK TO HELP YOU PLAN OUT YOUR SCHEDULE FOR IMPORTANT TASKS LIKE WATERING AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO DO IN THE LANDSCAPE.

SO HERE IS GANNON RUSH FROM UNL'S HIGH PLAINS REGIONAL CLIMATE CENTER TO TELL US WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEK.

>>> THANKS, KIM.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

LOOKING AT THE HIGHS FOR THIS UPCOMING THE STATE SHOULD EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM LOW 50s TO THE MID-70s.

THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BEFORE WE KIND OF COOL OFF NEXT WEEK.

ACROSS THE STATE THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES WE FOUND OUT WEST PREDOMINATELY IN THE NORTH PLATTE, McCOOK AND SCOTTSBLUFF AREAS.

THE ENTIRE STATE SHOULD EXPECT SOME SOME FORM OF PRECIPITATION THIS WEEK, WHETHER THAT BE RAIN OR SNOW.

THIS WILL OCCUR ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED BETWEEN NORFOLK AND LINCOLN AND OUT WEST NORTH OF SCOTTSBLUFF.

THE PANHANDLE COULD SEE SOME FORM OF SNOW, WHILE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE COULD SEE THUNDERSTORMS.

IF THUNDERSTORMS DO OCCUR EXPECT LOCALIZED AMOUNTS THAT ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT IS SHOW ON THE SCREEN.

SOIL TEMPERATURES FOR THE STATE ARE RELATIVELY MILD, IN THE MID-40s ALL THE WAY UP TO THE LOW 50s.

THEY WILL PROBABLY STAY THE SAME FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS UNTIL WE HAVE A WARM-UP WHICH IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND THAT'S YOUR WEEKLY FORECAST OF THE WEATHER.

BACK TO YOU, KIM.

>> THANKS, GANNON, AND WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE ON BOARD TO HELP US WITH THE FORECAST.

WE HAVE MUCH MORE IN STORE FOR YOU, OF COURSE, ON “BACKYARD FARMER.” STICK AROUND AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THESE MESSAGES.

♪ ♪ ♪ [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] [Up-lifting Music] ♪ >>> WELCOME BACK TO “BACKYARD FARMER.” COMING UP LATER IN THE SHOW, WE'LL GET SOME TIPS ON PRE-EMERGENTS THIS SPRING.

AND YOU CAN STILL PHONE IN YOUR QUESTIONS TO 1-800-676-5446 OR SEND US THPSE PICTURES AND E-MAILS TO BYF@UNL.EDU.

RIGHT NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE LIGHTNING ROUND.

ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, YOU'RE UP FIRST.

YOU READY?

>> YOU BET.

>> OKIE-DOKERS.

WE HAVE SOME VIEWERS WHO HAVE TULIPS UP BUT THEY JUST HAVE A LEAF OR TWO, ARE THEY GOING TO FLOWER?

AND IF SO WHEN?

OR SHOULD THEY DIG THEM, THROW THEM AWAY, OR START OVER?

>> THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO FLOWER.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK AND SEE IF THEY NEED TO BE THINNED OUT OR START OVER.

>> WE HAVE A NORTH PLATTE VIEWER WHO IS WONDERING IS IT TIME TO PLANT PEAS, LETTUCE, ANY OF LEAFY SORTS OF THINGS.

>> YEAS, PEAS CAN GO ON THE GROUND IN MARCH.

SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE PLANTED.

SOME OF THE LETTUCES WE GOT TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

>> OK, IF YOU HAVE SNOW ON THE GROUND YOU MIGHT WANT TO HOLD OFF.

>> YEAH, NOT IN THE SNOW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A CREIGHTON VIEWER FROM HICKMAN WHO WONDERS ABOUT PRUNING SPIRAEAS NOW.

>> AS LONG AS THEY HAVEN'T STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF GROWTH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND YOU CAN REJUVINATE PRUNE TO THE GROUND IF YOU NEED TO.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE ALSO HAVE A BURWELL VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER TAYLOR JUNIPER IS AN OKAY VERTICAL EVERGREEN TO USE?

>> YES.

>> WE HAVE AN OMAHA VIEWER WHO IS WONDERING ABOUT SOURCING A RED BUD FROM WILD STOCK, NORTH OF OMAHA.

IS THAT A BETTER IDEA THAN GOING SOUTH FOR ONE?

>> GOING NORTH IS BETTER.

[ LIGHTNING STRIKE ] YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HEARTY STOCK AND IT'S GONNA BE BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE OUR CONDITIONS.

>> EXCELLENT, NICE JOB.

OKAY, AMY.

>> YEAH, LET'S GO.

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION FROM SYRACUSE.

IS THERE A WAY TO KNOW IF TOMATO PLANTS PURCHASED WERE GROWN FROM VIRUS INDEXED SEED?

THEY HAD ISSUES LAST YEAR.

>> THEY MIGHT BE ON THE TAG IF THEY HAVE RESISTANCE TO THOSE VIRUSES DEPENDING ON THE VARIETY.

BUT OTHERWISE, PROBABLY NOT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS VIEWER DIDN'T SAY WHERE THEY'RE FROM, BUT THEY HAVE ARBORVITAE THAT ARE SHOWING SOME DEAD SPOTS IN THEM.

IS THERE A DISEASE OF ARBORVITAE OR JUST LIKELY WINTER KILL.

>> ARBORVITAE IS MOSTLY LIKELY WINTER KILL.

THEY DON'T LIKE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS HERE VERY WELL.

PRUNE THEM OUT.

>> ARE WE SEEING CEDAR APPLE YET?

AND THIS IS A VIEWER FROM LINCOLN WHO SAYS THE CRAB APPLES ARE STARTING TO FLOWER.

SHOULD THEY SPRAY?

>> IF YOU'RE IN LINCOLN AND YOUR CRAB APPLES ARE STARTING TO SPRAY, YES, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD PUT THOSE APPLICATIONS ON.

YOU THREW ME OFF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I STILL HAVE SNOW.

SO, I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THIS VIEWER IN NORFORK THREW MOLDY CARROTS AND POTATOES INTO THE COMPOST.

WILL IT EFFECT THE PLANTS THAT THEY PUT THE COMPOST ON THE GARDEN.

>> NOPE, WON'T EFFECT IT AT ALL AS LONG AS YOUR COMPOST IS GETTING UP TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURES.

[ LIGHTNING STRIKE ] >> ALL RIGHT.

NICE JOB.

OKAY, ROCK, YOU READY?

>> SURE.

>> THAT WAS REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC.

>> SURE!

>> WE HAVE A PIERCE VIEWER WHO SAYS THEIR LAWN IS OVERRUN BY SANDBURS.

"IS THERE'S A PREMERGE FOR SANDBURS AND IF SO, WHAT AND WHEN?"

>> SO THERE'S A PREMERGE FOR SANDBUR.

MOST OF THE PRE-EMERGENTS WILL WORK.

PROBABLY A PENDIMETHALIN BASED ONES, LIKE A SCOTTS-HALTS PRODUCT.

THAT'S NOT AN ENDORSEMENT.

SIMPLY ONE THAT CARRIES PENDIMETHALIN.

OR A BARRICADE ONE OR PRODIAMINE ONE, BOTH OF THOSE WILL WORK.

IT GERMINATES LATER THAN CRABGRASS SO WE'RE GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GETTING OVERLY ANXIOUS.

WE ARE STILL ABOUT TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM OPTIMAL TIMING FOR CRABGRASS.

GO ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH AND YOU'LL HAVE MUCH BETTER CONTROL OF SANDBUR.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A VIEWER WHO WONDERS WHETHER THEY SHOULD AERATE BEFORE OR AFTER THEY SEED THEIR LAWN.

>> BEFORE BECAUSE WE MAKE THIS GREAT LITTLE HOLE AS A GERMINATION CHAMBER AND THE SEED FALLS IN THERE AND IT'S PROTECTED WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO MOW.

>> THIS ONE WANTS TO KNOW HOW SOON AFTER ESTABLISHING A NEW LAWN FROM SEED CAN YOU AERATE.

>> GENERALLY, YOU'RE NOT AERATE IN THE FIRST YEAR 'CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY CULTIVATED IT UP AND YOU DON'T HAVE A THATCH OR A COMPACTION PROBLEM YET.

SO, YOU GENERALLY WILL WAIT A YEAR.

>> OKAY.

ANOTHER ONE, ANNUAL RYE.

YOU NEED TO TILL OR KILL BEFORE YOU SEED.

[ LIGHTNING STRIKE ] >> IF YOU LET IT SEED, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM.

SO YOU WANNA EITHER SPRAY IT OUT AND SEED INTO IT IF YOU'RE USING IT AS A NURSE CROP OR MOW IT DOWN REALLY SHORT.

>> OKAY, NICE JOB.

IT WAS LIGHTNING ROUND.

>> YOU ASK REALLY HARD QUESTIONS AND I'M OLD.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT, JODY, ARE YOU READY?

>> YES.

>> SO A GRETNA VIEWER, THE PENDING CICADA EMERGENCY.

IS IT GOING TO BE HERE AND WHEN?

>> IT'S NOT GONNA BE HERE.

SO, I DON'T KNOW WHEN.

ARBORS GONNA BE HERE IN 2032.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HOW ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE DARKLING BEETLE?

IS THAT SOMETHING WE SEE HERE BECAUSE THIS VIEWER WANTS TO FEED BIRDS LIVE THINGS?

>> YEAH, IT IS KIND OF LIKE A MEALWARM SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY REALLY WANT THE BEETLE BUT THE LARVAE ARE GOOD.

SOMETIMES THOSE BIRD SEEDS HAVE FEEDER LARVAE IN THEM.

>> THIS IS A HICKMAN VIEWER WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT TO PUT ON THE PEACHES ON AN ACREAGE TO KEEP THE BUGS OFF, SO WE ASSUME THAT'S JAPANESE BEETLES PROBABLY ON THE PEACHES THEMSELVES.

>> YEAH UNLESS THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT APHIDS OR ANY OF THOSE OTHER THINGS TOO.

>> I THINK IT'S THE PEACHES.

>> I MEAN, THERE IS A SPRAY SCHEDULE THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT IT.

THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BOOKS.

>> OKAY, WE ARE GETTING CALLS ABOUT GRUBS AND LAWNS NOW.

[ LIGHTNING STRIKE ] YES?

NO?

>> TO TREAT FOR GRUBS?

>> YES.

>> ARE THE EVEN UP AND ACTIVE?

NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

>> JODY, WE HAD 5-4-3 AND IF YOU ONLY ANSWERED 2 IT WOULD'VE BEEN A PERFECT NUMERIC SEQUENCE BUT YOU HAD TO ANSWER THREE.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE RETURN TO THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN TO GROW THOSE VEGETABLES, ORNAMENTALS, FRUITS AND LOVELY PLANTS IN CONTAINERS.

FOR OUR FIRST LOOK THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA RETURN TO THE GREENHOUSE TO SEE WHAT'S BEING PLANNED.

HERE'S TERRI JAMES TO TELL US MORE.

♪ >>> WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK IN THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR.

SO, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO 2024 AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GREAT, EXCITING THINGS.

AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR PLANS GOING.

WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF SEEDS TO GET STARTED.

REMEMBER, WE'RE NOT REALLY STARTING SOME OF THOSE WARM SEASON CROPS LIKE TOMATOES AND PEPPERS BASICALLY UNTIL RIGHT NOW.

SO, YOU CAN SEE OUR PRODUCTION IS UP AND GOING.

WE'VE GOT THINGS ON HEAT MATS.

WE ALREADY HAVE SOME STUFF UP AND WE HAVE DIVIDED THEM.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

DON'T FORGET WE'RE AN ALL-AMERICAN SELECTION DISPLAY GARDEN.

SO STOP BY THIS SUMMER AND CHECK OUT ALL THOSE NEW 2024 WINNERS.

WE'LL ALSO BE SHOWCASING THEM THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

SO MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THE "BACKYARD FARMER" GARDEN MINUTE EACH WEEK.

♪ >> THANKS TERRI, AND I'M CERTAIN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER GREAT SEASON AGAIN.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET THOSE PLANTS IN THE GROUND.

THERE'S NOT MUCH OUT THERE NOW.

WE DO INVITE YOU TO VISIT ONCE OUR PLANTS GET GOING AGAIN.

BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT THERE ARE ALREADY PLANTS SPRINGING UP, HERE'S ELIZABETH WITH OUR PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

>> YES, AND WE'VE GOT SOME LOVELY SPRING BLOOMERS.

I CAN'T TALK.

BUT I MEAN, ONE OF THE COLORS THAT WE HAVE A VERY HARD TIME IN THE GARDEN FINDING IS SOMETHING BLUE.

SO THE ONE IN THE FRONT, VIRGINIA BLUEBELLS, WHAT IT IS, IS THE BUDS COME OUT AND THEY ARE PINK AND THEN THEY TURN BLUE.

NOW, THE FUN PART ABOUT THIS PLANT IS YES IT DOES SELF SEED BUT IT'S NOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S SUPER AGGRESSIVE AND WE HAVE TO CONTROL IT.

IT'S GONNA PROBABLY GET ABOUT 18 INCHES TALL MAYBE IN THE SHADE A LITTLE TALLER, BUT THE COOL PART THAT I THINK ABOUT THIS PLANT IS IT GOES SUMMER DORMANT.

SO, WHAT IT DOES IS IT COMES UP IN THE SPRING, LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES AWAY FOR THE SUMMER.

THE OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE IN HERE ARE GOING TO BE OUR LOVELY DAFFODILS.

NOW, DAFFODILS ARE ONE OF THE ONES, THEY ARE A BULB.

THEY ARE VERY CONSISTENT RE-BLOOMER, UNLESS THEY ARE GETTING TOO CROWDED.

SO IF YOU HAVE DAFFODILS THAT ARE NOT BLOOMING VERY WELL YOU MAY NEED TO GO IN AND THIN THOSE BULBS OUT, KIND OF SPACE THEM OUT AGAIN, AND THEN REJUVENATE THAT BED.

BUT TWO VERY LOVELY SPRING FLOWERS RIGHT NOW.

>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU ELIZABETH.

ALL RIGHT.

ONE PICK ON THIS NEXT ONE FOR YOU, JODY, THIS IS FROM WESTERN OTOE COUNTY.

FOUND THIS CREATURE AND HE WAS ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF LONG A QUARTER OF AN INCH LONG AT THE WINGS AND THEN THE PICTURES --WHAT IS THIS?

>> THIS IS AN ICHNEUMONIDAE WASP.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE PARASITOID WASPS.

SO, IT DEVELOPED INSIDE THE BODY OF A CATERPILLAR LIKELY OR IT COULD HAVE GOT IN FROM OUTSIDE.

WELL, IT STILL WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED INSIDE ANOTHER INSECT BUT IT GOES TO LIGHT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARASITOID WASPS.

TOTALLY NORMAL, IF YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM THEY'RE PROBABLY TAKING CARE OF SOME KIND OF PEST THAT MAY BE IN ONE OF THE POTS THAT YOU BROUGHT IN FOR THE WINTER.

>> EXCELLENT, ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A CENTRAL CITY NEBRASKA VIEWER.

WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

THEY STARTED SEEING THEM AGAIN IN THE WINTER ON THE FURNITURE.

>> OKAY, THE QUESTION I HAD WAS IS THIS INDOORS IN THE FURNITURE?

>> MM-HMM.

>> OKAY, THIS IS CALLED A LONGHORN BEETLE OR A CERAMBYCID, A WOOD BORER.

SO VERY SIMILAR TO THE ELDERBERRY BORER.

GOT LONG ANTENAE.

SO, I'M NOT SURE WHICH SPECIES THIS IS BUT I WOULD THINK THAT IT IS COMING OUT OF FIRE WORD SO THEY WILL I GUESS IN FAST DEADWOOD.

SO IF YOU GOT EXTRA FIRE WORD THAT'S INSIDE TAKE THOSE OUTSIDE AND JUST RELEASED THE ONES THAT ARE COMING OUT.

>> ALL RIGHT .

>> 'CAUSE THAT IS NOT NORMAL TO BE FURNITURE.

>> OKAY, WE HAVE THREE PICTURES ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT POISON HEMLOCK AND SHE'S WONDERING HOW TO MANAGE IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHICKENS AND DOGS AND KIDS AND SHE WANTS TO GET RID OF IT QUICKLY.

>> SO FIRST THING, MAKE SURE IT'S POISON HEMLOCK.

AND I THINK THEY DID A GOOD JOB IN SOME OF THEIR PICTURES.

YOU CAN SEE IT CLOSE UP BECAUSE YOU KNOW AS IT MATURES IT WILL GET PURPLE AND RED SPOTS ON IT BUT ALSO IS NOT HAIRY.

THE STEMS ARE NOT HAIRY BUT THE ONES -- IF ITS GOT HAIRY STEMS THEN YOU KNOW IT'S NOT POISON HEMLOCK.

IT'S PROBABLY WILD CARROT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE KNOW IT'S POISON HEMLOCK.

IF IT IS THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF BAD GOING ON IN THIS PATCH, RIGHT?

ALL PARTS ARE POISONOUS.

ANIMALS CAN INGEST IT AND IF YOU INGEST IT, IT CAN BE TOXIC EVEN TO HUMANS AND ACTUALLY KIDS USE THE HOLLOW STEMS 'CAUSE IT HAS HOLLOW STEMS AT ONE POINT IN TIME TO MAKE WHISTLES AND THEY WOULD HAVE IT IN THEIR MOUTH AND GET SICK AS WELL.

SHE MENTIONED DIGGING.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY DIG IT, BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE HEAVILY PROTECTED, RUBBER GLOVES THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AND THEN YOU CAN DISPOSE OF IT, WRAP IT IN A PLASTIC BAG AND DISPOSE OF IT IN YOUR GARBAGE.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO SPRAY IT.

THE ONLY TROUBLE WITH SPRAYING IS THAT IT STILL GOT TOXINS IN IT, EVEN AFTER IT'S BEEN SPRAYED.

SO, IF THE DOG OR THE CHICKENS GOT IN THEN THERE COULD BE SOME PROBLEMS.

SO, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF SPRAYING.

THERE ARE CHEMICALS THAT WILL WORK ON IT.

ROUND UP OR AROUND COMBINATION IS WELL KNOWN.

BUT WITH THOSE ANIMALS, I'D BE REALLY SURE TO DO ERADICATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BY HAND DIGGING AND DISPOSING OF THAT AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE WELL PROTECTED WHEN YOU DO IT.

>> ALL RIGHT, ROCK.

YOU HAVE ONE PICTURE.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO HAS A PRARIE IN OUR LAND AND SHE DISTURBED THE SOIL.

SHE'S GOT A LOT OF SEEDS THAT ARE PLANTS THAT ARE GOOD.

SHE'S WONDERING WHAT THIS IS?

>> THIS LOOKS LIKE A SEEDLING SHEPHERD'S PURSE TO ME.

SHEPHERD'S PURSE IS A WINTER ANNUAL PROLIFIC PRODUCER OF SEED.

YOU KNOW, OVER WINTERS AS A ROSETTE AND THEN IT COMES UP AND THEY'LL A PRETTY NASTY PROLIFIC SEED PRODUCER THAT IS STOCKS UP.

SO I WOULD CONSIDER KEEPING THOSE MODE OR EVEN PULLING THEM UP IF YOU CAN IF THEY'RE NOT TOO BAD, BUT THAT IS SHEPHERDS PURSE I AM PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

IF NOTHING ELSE, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT IT'S ONE OF THE WINTER ANNUALS.

SO YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT THEM AS A DESIRABLE SPECIES.

THEY'RE PROLIFIC SEEDERS AND THEY CAN BE MARGINALLY INVASIVE.

>> AMY, BACK TO THE CACTUS FOR MADRID.

YOUR TURN.

THIS ONE AGAIN SHOWED SOME REALLY STRANGE THINGS ON LEAF DROP IN KIND OF THERE YOU CAN REALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH KIND OF THE JOINTS WHERE THOSE ARE ATTACHED.

>> SO, I WAS LEANING TOWARD THAT THIS IS POTENTIALLY BOTRYTIS BLIGHT.

BOTRYTIS CAN OCCUR ON MANY, MANY PLANTS.

AND WHEN WE HAVE HUMAN ENVIRONMENTS IS WHERE WILL WE SEE BOTRYTIS.

SO THE QUESTION I'M GONNA HAVE WITH YOUR THANKSGIVING'S CACTUS WAS IT NEAR A HUMIDIFIER THIS WINTER THAT COULD HAVE INCREASE RELATIVE HUMIDITY AROUND IT.

THE BIGGEST THING FOR IT IS AS LONG AS WE CONTROL THE HUMIDITY, THE BOTRYTIS BLIGHT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.

IF YOU'RE HAVING REALLY MAJOR CONCERNS WITH IT YOU COULD SEND A SAMPLE INTO KYLE FOR HIM TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT UNDERNEATH THE MICROSCOPE TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE TO REALLY IDENTIFY IF IT'S BOTRYTIS OR IS THERE ANOTHER DISEASE GOING ON THERE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, AMY.

THIS IS A LOUP CITY VIEWER FOR THIS PICTURE.

SHE HAS AN EGG MASS, OR SHE'S SAYINH AN EGG MASS ON A LIME SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY INSIDE.

IT IS 30-YEAR-OLD LIME, NOT AN EGG MASS.

>> IT IS NOT AN EGG MASS.

IT'S A SPOT OF SOME SORT.

I DID DO A LITTLE BIT INVESTIGATION ONLINE.

I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT LIME DISEASES.

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF FUNGAL DISEASES THAT CAN DEVELOP ON LIMES BUT THERE'S ALSO A CALCIUM DISORDER THAT WILL GIVE YOU LIKE A STAR-SHAPED LEGION ON IT AND FROM THE PICTURE I COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS REALLY STAR-SHAPED.

I DON'T WANT TO LEAD YOU DOWN A TRACK OF YOU NEEDING TO TREAT IT WITH A FUNGICIDE.

IF IT'S JUST ONE LEAF I WOULD JUST REMOVE THAT LEAF.

BUT IF YOU'RE HAVING IT ON MULTIPLE LEAVES, THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE AGAIN THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEND INTO KYLE TO MAKE SURE IS IT ACTUALLY SPORULTING OR COULD IT BE THAT CALCIUM ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON THAT WE COULD CORRECT WITH NUTRIENTS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, AMY.

TWO PICTURES FOR YOU ELIZABETH ON THIS ONE.

THIS ONE COMES TO US FROM OMAHA.

SHE LEFT A BIG POT UPSIDE DOWN ON TOP OF A DAFFODIL AND IT CAME UP HALF CHARTREUSE AND HALF GREEN.

SHE'S WONDERING, GOSH, IS THAT GOING TO GREEN UP AND TURN INTO A DAFFODIL?

>> AS SOON AS IT EXPOSED TO LIGHT, YES, THE CHLOROPHYLL WILL START WORKING AND IT WILL START TO TURN GREEN AND IT'S GONNA PROBABLY BLOOM.

IT'S A DAFFODIL.

THEY'RE PRETTY TOUGH.

SO YUP, IT'S PROBABLY FIXED ITSELF ALREADY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS ONE MORE PICTURE.

SO THIS ONE IS AN AUTUMN BLAZE MAPLE ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD.

HE JUST NOTICED THIS LONG THIN SPLIT, WONDERING HOW CONCERNED HE SHOULD BE.

THIS IS OMAHA.

>> SO MORE THAN LIKELY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS FROST CRACK.

IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ON THE SOUTH OR WEST FACING SIDE.

IT HAPPENS A LOT ON THESE SMOOTH BARKED TREES LIKE MAPLE.

THE ONLY THING WE CAN REALLY DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS MAKE SURE THE TREE IS IN OVERALL GOOD HEALTH.

SO MAKING SURE IT GETS ABOUT AN INCH OF SUPPLEMENTAL MOISTURE A WEEK.

WE AVOID FERTILIZATION.

WE LEAVE IT OPEN TO ENVIRONMENT.

ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT TRUNK LOOKS LIKE, WHERE IT ENTERS THE GROUND.

IF WE DON'T HAVE A NICE ROOT FLARE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY IT COULD BE REPERCUSSIONS OF IT BEING PLANTED TOO DEEP.

SO THAT WOULD BE ONE QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE.

>> GREAT.

THANK YOU, ELIZABETH.

WELL YOU KNOW I TOLD EARLIER THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PRE EMERGENTS, THAT'S NEXT WEEK.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME TIPS ON SENDING PICTURES IN TO THE PROGRAM.

♪ >> SUBMITTING A GOOD PICTURE TO "BACKYARD FARMER" IS CRITICAL TO HELPING US HELP YOU GET THE ANSWERS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

HERE'S A FEW BASIC TIPS TO TAKING AND SUBMITTING GOOD PICTURES TO THE SHOW.

MOST CELL PHONES HAVE A CAMERA, WHICH MEANS TAKING PICTURES SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.

BUT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT THE PICTURE, MAKE SURE IT'S IN FOCUS AND FRAMED UP TO THE ISSUE YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT.

AVOID ALTERING THE PICTURE YOU TOOK BY USING FILTERS OR CROPPING.

IF THE PICTURE NEEDS ADJUSTMENT, OUR STAFF WILL DO THAT PRIOR TO AIRING.

WIDE SHOTS ARE OKAY TO SHOW SOMETHING GOING ON IN A LANDSCAPE, BUT CLOSEUP PICTURES OF AN INSECT, OR DISEASE PROBLEM OR A WEED WILL HELP US IDENTIFY THE ISSUE.

IT'S ALSO GOOD TO INCLUDE A RULER OR SOME OTHER IDENTIFIABLE OBJECT IN THE PICTURE, SO WE CAN GET A GOOD IDEA OF THE SCALE.

WHEN SUBMITTING GIVE US AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR QUESTION AND DON'T FORGET TO TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE.

WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SEND US A PICTURE, ATTACH THEM TO AN EMAIL AND SEND THEM TO BYF@UNL.EDU OR USE THE FACEBOOK MESSENGER APP.

FINALLY, ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND WE GET HUNDREDS OF SUBMISSIONS EACH WEEK.

MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER EVERYONE'S QUESTION ON THE AIR.

♪ WE DO HOPE YOU DO TAKE THOSE TIPS IN MIND AND SEND US SOME GREAT PICTURES THIS SEASON.

IT MAKES THIS EASIER FOR US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE PRE EMERGENT TIPS NEXT WEEK WHEN IT'S CLOSER TO TIME.

ALL RIGHT WE HAVE TIME FOR A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.

JODY, THIS IS ONE PICTURE.

WE WENT BACK AND FORTH, LITTLE MOUNDS ON A FARMLAND.

THOUSANDS OF THEM.

CLUMPY MOUNDS OF DIRT.

OVER A 3/16 INCH HOLE THAT GOES FOUR INCHES DOWN.

WHAT TO DO OTHER THAN WAIT FOR DENNIS NEXT WEEK?

>> WAIT FOR DENNIS NEXT WEEK.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

>> WELL WE THOUGHT WORMS OR CRAWDADS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.

>> RIGHT.

WE'LL WAIT FOR DENNIS.

>> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT, YOU'VE GOT THREE PICTURES ON THE NEXT ONE.

THIS IS FROM WESTERN OTOE COUNTY.

HE FOUND THIS, HE'S CALLING THEM WHITEY.

I COULDN'T TELL IF HE WAS JUST EMERGING AS HIS WINGS ALMOST APPEARED MOIST.

HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SUNLIGHT.

HE DIDN'T FLY.

ABOUT AN INCH LONG -- HE TOOK SOME REALLY GOOD PICTURES OF THIS.

SO WE HAVE THREE PICTURES OF THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CREATURE.

>> REALLY CUTE.

THIS IS A VIRGINIAN TIGER MOTH AND IT PROBABLY DID JUST EMERGE.

SO THEY PUPATE THROUGH THE WINTER.

YOU KNOW THE YELLOW WOOLY BEARS?

THOSE LITTLE CATERPILLARS THAT ARE REALLY FUZZY AND BRISTLY, THAT'S WHAT THEY TURN INTO.

>> REALLY?

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, I CAN'T REMEMBER SEEING A YELLOW WOOLY BEAR FOR A LONG TIME.

>> WELL THE YELLOW WOOLY BEAR COULD BE YELLOW, COULD BE BROWNISH.

AND THEY EAT ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE REALLY LOW TO GROUND, SO YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THEM IN THE FALL AND THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

>> NICE.

OKAY, THE NEXT ONE HERE, I THINK THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER.

VERY OLD SCOTCH PINE, HAS THESE MASSES.

PITCH MASSES ON THE TRUNK.

THEY'RE WONDERING IF THIS WOULD BE AN INSECT.

CAN THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

>> YEAH, SO THIS IS CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF ZIMMERMAN PINE MOTH.

SO RIGHT NOW, ABOUT NOW, IT'S APRIL, RIGHT?

SO, THIS IS WHEN THE LARVAE BECOME ACTIVE AND CRAWL OUT AND INTO THE TREE.

SO RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME TO TREAT.

ANOTHER TIME TO TREAT WOULD BE AUGUST, BECAUSE THE LARVA WILL GO IN AND FEED AND YOU CAN'T GET TO THEM.

SO IN AUGUST IS WHEN THE MOTH COMES OUT AND LAYS EGGS.

THERE ARE THINGS LABELED FOR TREATMENT.

IT'S A TRUNK SPRAY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE PYRETHRIN -- YOU CAN USE THAT ONE AS WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT, HATE TO LOSE A BIG TREE LIKE THAT.

OKAY, THREE PICKS FOR YOU, ROCH ON THIS ONE.

OOPS I LIED.

JUST ONE.

[ LAUGHTER ] JUST ONE ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS AGAIN OUR VIEWER WHO HAS THE PRAIRIE LAND.

WONDERING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE TO IDENTIFY.

AT THAT NRD LAND.

DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS ONE IS?

>> YEAH THIS IS DAME'S ROCKET.

WHICH IS A COMMON MIXTURE AND WILDFLOWER MIXTURE.

IT'S NOT NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA.

IT'S NATIVE TO EURASIA.

BUT IT CAME HERE IN LIKE THE 1600s.

SO IT'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.

IT'S KIND OF SHOW LITTLE BIENNIAL OR SHORT-LIVED PERENNIAL.

IT'S GOT A REALLY PRETTY FLOWER ON IT, IT WAS USED IN ROADSIDE MIXES.

I USE TO SEE IT ALONG THE HIGHWAY A LOT IN NEBRASKA.

ALONG THE INTERSTATE.

PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKED WHAT IT WAS.

IT'S A KEEPER IF YOU LIKE ITS APPEARANCE.

JUST REALIZE IT DOES PRODUCE A LOT OF SEED AND IT CAN BE KIND OF BULLY SOMETIMES, DEPENDING UPON THE SITUATION IN YOUR BED.

SO JUST BE AWARE OF THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

TWO PICS ON THE NEXT ONE.

THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER WHO IS ASKING, WHAT HAPPENED?

THE LAWN DOES THIS EVERY YEAR.

>> YEAH, QUIT MOWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

THOSE ARE MOWER TRACKS.

YOU COMPACT THE SOIL, COMPACTED SOIL WARMS UP QUICKER.

SO IT TURNS GREEN FASTER.

SO JUST ALTER THAT MOWING PATTERN.

OR CONSIDER RUNNING AN AERATOR ACROSS THAT LAWN A COUPLE TIMES THIS SPRING.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND TWO PICS ON THIS ONE ALSO.

THIS IS A VIEWER THAT HAD MAJOR CONSTRUCTION DONE ON THE HOUSE AND THE FIRST ONE IS APPARENTLY THE DIRT WITH ALL THE ACORNS FROM TWO HUGE OAKS.

AND THEN FINE GRATING ENDED UP LOOKING LIKE THE NEXT ONE, AND HE'S WONDERING IF THIS IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR LAYING DOWN SEED.

AND WILL THE ACORNS BE A PROBLEM?

>> LET'S ANSWER THE FIRST PART, BASICALLY THAT'S A GREAT SEED BED.

IT'S GOOD FOR GETTING THE SEED IN.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO COVER THE SEED WITH SOMETHING OR DRILL THE SEED IN.

SO COVER IT WITH MULCH.

I THINK YOU DID THAT THIS LAST WEEK.

>> YEAH.

>> WITH YOUR SON'S YARD.

BUT YOU WANT TO COVER IT OR DO SOMETHING WITH THAT AND KEEP IT WET.

BUT THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SEED BED.

THE OAK THINGS THEMSELVES, EXCEPT FOR BEING A PROJECTILE WHEN YOU DO MOW -- WHEN GETTING SHOT AROUND, BECAUSE THEY'LL DRY OUT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT OAK SEEDLINGS CAN UP IN A YARD AND THEY DON'T TOLERATE MOWING AT ALL.

RIGHT?

SO WE JUST MOW THEM.

DON'T NEED ANY HERBICIDE, YOU DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT.

YOU DON'T WANT TO AGGRESSIVELY USE HERBICIDES IN A YOUNG LAWN ANYWAYS.

SO GREAT SEED BED.

GOOD TO THEM, GET THE SEED IN THE GROUND AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE OAK SEEDLINGS.

>> AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD THEY WATER IT?

>> THEY SHOULD BE WATERING THAT, IF IT'S REALLY WARM, SOMETIMES TWO TO THREE TIMES A DAY.

>> FOR A LONG TIME, SHORT TIME?

>> NO, NO, THREE TO FIVE MINUTES JUST TO GET THE SURFACE WET.

UNTIL IT GERMINATES.

ONCE IT POPS, BACK OFF TO MAYBE ONE TIME A DAY, AND THEN OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS YOU'RE ONLY ON ONE OR TWO.

THREE TIMES A WEEK.

THEN WHEN IT'S GOT A ROOT SYSTEM ON IT WHERE YOU CAN'T PULL IT OUT OF THE GROUND READILY YOU CAN BACK OFF TO ABOUT ONCE A WEEK.

>> GREAT, THANKS.

ALL RIGHT, AMY, TWO PICTURES ON THIS ON.

THIS IS A LINCOLN VIEWER, YOU CAN SEE WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HERE.

MY CANADA RED CHOKE CHERRY HAS THESE BLACK THINGS IN IT.

THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING LARGER.

>> THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL FRIEND, BLACK KNOT.

A FUNGUS VERY COMMON IN ALL OF STONE FRUITS.

THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST PRUNE IT OUT.

THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING.

JUST PRUNE IT OUT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT NASTY BLACKNESS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ONE PICTURE ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS AN OMAHA VIEWER, HE NOTICED HIS TREE LOOKED DEAD AT THE TOP.

HIS SPRUCE.

HE THOUGHT IT GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE MOVING DOWN THE TREE.

WHAT IS THIS?

>> THIS IS THAT DREADED SE OF CYTOSPORA CANKER, THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE IN SPRUCE.

FUNGAL INFECTION THAT OCCURRED THROUGH A WOUND.

WHETHER IT'S INSECT OR HAIL DAMAGE, AND IT PLUGS UP ALL THE VASCULAR SYSTEM, SO WATER AND NUTRIENTS CAN'T MOVE INTO THAT TREE.

IT DOES EVENTUALLY MOVE ITS WAY DOWN.

SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW SOON YOU WANT TO REMOVE THAT TREE.

THE TREE WILL DECLINE AND CONTINUE TO DECLINE AND DIE EVENTUALLY.

SO IT'S UP TO YOU ON HOW SOON YOU WANT TO REMOVE THAT AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW TREE THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS AMY.

YOU HAVE ONE MORE, THIS IS A VIEWER WHO HAS RED TWIG DOGWOOD.

JUST SENT ONE PICTURE, BUT THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE HEDGE OF THESE.

IS THIS CANKER AND WHAT DO THEY DO ABOUT IT?

>> THIS IS 110% CANKER AND RIGHT NOW IT'S A GREAT TIME -- ANY CANES THAT ARE SHOWING THAT, WE'RE GOING TO PRUNE THEM OUT AND REMOVE THEM.

DOGWOOD IS ONE OF THOSE WE COULD PRUNE PRETTY HEAVILY AND IT'S STILL GOING TO BE FINE.

>> ALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

ELIZABETH, THREE PICTURES ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS A BLAIR VIEWER, HAS A 25 YEAR OLD YEW HEDGE.

HE FAITHFULLY PRUNES, BUT NOW THEY'RE LARGER.

HE'S WONDERING IF HE CAN CUT THEM BACK.

ESSENTIALLY REMOVING ALL THE GREEN NEEDLES AT ONE TIME WITHOUT KILLING THEM, AND THEN FORCING NEW VEGETATION TO GROW.

>> SO NORMALLY WE DON'T RECOMMEND REJUVENATION PRUNING ON OUR YEWS.

CAN IT BE DONE?

YES.

DO WE RECOMMEND IT?

NO.

BECAUSE IF WE PRUNE IT SO HEAVILY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS YOU'RE HOPING AND CROSSING YOUR FINGERS THAT THOSE BUDS DOWN ON THE WOODY PORTION ARE GOING TO BREAK.

THERE'S NO GUARANTEE WHEN YOU CUT THAT MUCH GROWTH OFF, IT'S GOING TO BREAK BUD.

AND FOR TWO, IT'S GOING TO STRESS THOSE SHRUBS AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR THEM TO COMPLETELY RECOVER.

SO YOU CAN PRUNE THEM LIKE HE'S BEEN DOING TWICE A YEAR.

PRUNING THEM BACK TO MAINTAIN THAT SIZE.

BUT WE REALLY DON'T RECOMMEND REJUVENATION PRUNING BACK TO 18 OR 24, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ELIZABETH.

YOU HAVE, EXCUSE ME, ONE PICTURE ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO PLANTED NINE SEEDLINGS AND THEN -- SHE'S FROM FREEMONT.

THIS WINTER AN ANIMAL ATE PRACTICALLY ALL THE NEEDLES OFF THESE.

ARE THEY DEAD?

>> NOT YET.

I DON'T HAVE MUCH FAITH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MUCH OF A RECOVERY.

THE ONLY HOPE FOR NEW GROWTH IS GOING TO ANY NEW CANDLES THAT IT PUTS ON.

SO IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE A LION'S TAIL, OR IT'S GOING TO BE NOTHING AND THEN A POOF ON THE END.

SO THEY COULD LEAVE THEM IN A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT BE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WHEN THEY ARE ALL GROWN UP.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT, QUICKLY ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS A VIEWER WHO IS ALWAYS FIGHTING WEEDS IN THE GARDEN.

AND THEY'RE WONDERING IS THERE IS A COVER CROP THEY CAN GROW ALONGSIDE THE VEGETABLES DURING THE GROWING SEASON?

SO WHAT THAT'S CALLED IS A LIVING MULCH.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS YOU CAN DO.

YOU CAN USE SOME OF THE CLOVERS.

WHETHER THAT BE THE RED CLOVER OR SOME OF THE OTHER CLOVERS OUT THERE.

OTHER THINGS LIKE BUCKWHEAT OR I DO KNOW OF SOME COMMERCIAL PRODUCERS.

WHAT THEY DO IS THEY PLANT RHYE.

LET THE RHYE COME UP AND THEN KNOCK IT DOWN AND THEN THAT ACTS LIKE A MULCH AS WELL.

SO THERE ARE LOT OF OPTIONS FOR A LIVING MULCH IN THE GARDEN.

REALIZE YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO WATER IT QUITE A BIT.

THEY'RE GOING TO STEAL SOME OF THE MOISTURE FROM YOUR VEGETABLE CROP.

BUT IT WILL HELP TO SHADE AND KEEP THE WEEDS DOWN.

>> AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, VIEWERS THAT WAS A PICTURE OF OUR COVER CROP.

AND THAT WAS OATS THAT WERE SUPPOSE TO DIE THIS WINTER AND THEY DIDN'T DO IT.

[ LAUGHTER ] JODY WE DID GET SOMETHING BACK IN QUICKLY, THAT WE'LL ANSWER JUST THIS ONE QUESTION.

IT'S A LINCOLN VIEWER.

ARE CHIGGERS OUT NOW?

WE HAVE 20 SECONDS.

>> NO.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> SO CONDITIONS, TOO COLD?

>> YES.

>> WAY TOO COLD.

>> YES.

>> EIGHT SECONDS.

>> WELL -- [ LAUGHTER ] I ALWAYS THINK LIKE JULY 4th.

>> IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT WE ARE ALL OUT OF TIME FOR TONIGHT'S SHOW.

IT DOES FEEL SO GOOD TO KICK OFF ANOTHER SEASON.

ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW FORMAT.

THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND THANKS TO OUR PANELISTS FOR ANOTHER GREAT SHOW.

HELPING US ON THE PHONES THIS EVENING WE HAD JOHN, GARRY BELL AND NEBRASKA EXTENSION EDUCATOR TERRY JAMES.

NEXT TIME ON "BACKYARD FARMER" WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT GETTING YOUR SOIL READY FOR THE SEASON.

JEFF COLBERTSON WILL HELP YOU WITH SOME TIMELY SOIL PREP TIPS, TO GIVE THAT GARDEN A BETTER CHANCE AT SUCCESS.

SO GOOD NIGHT, GOOD GARDENING.

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

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