1 00:00:00,868 --> 00:00:02,202 - Hi, thanks for joining us for 2 00:00:02,202 --> 00:00:04,404 The Family Plot, Gardening in the Mid-South. 3 00:00:04,404 --> 00:00:06,640 I'm Chris Cooper. It's getting hot. 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:07,841 We're gonna talk about how 5 00:00:07,841 --> 00:00:10,043 to keep your lawn happy all summer. 6 00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:12,346 Also ants can bug you at a picnic, 7 00:00:12,346 --> 00:00:14,548 but fire ants can ruin your day. 8 00:00:14,548 --> 00:00:16,717 We're gonna talk about how to control them. 9 00:00:16,717 --> 00:00:18,552 That's just ahead on The Family Plot, 10 00:00:18,552 --> 00:00:20,087 Gardening in the Mid-South. 11 00:00:20,654 --> 00:00:22,723 - [Voiceover] Production funding for The Family Plot, 12 00:00:22,723 --> 00:00:25,425 Gardening in the Mid-South is provided by 13 00:00:26,093 --> 00:00:28,395 Good Winds Landscape and Garden Center 14 00:00:28,395 --> 00:00:31,398 in Germantown since 1943 and continuing 15 00:00:31,398 --> 00:00:34,001 to offer its plants for successful gardening 16 00:00:34,001 --> 00:00:37,137 with seven greenhouses and three acres of plants, 17 00:00:37,137 --> 00:00:39,940 plus comprehensive landscape services. 18 00:00:41,375 --> 00:00:43,377 International Paper Foundation. 19 00:00:44,511 --> 00:00:49,283 The WKNO Production Fund, the WKNO Endowment Fund, 20 00:00:49,283 --> 00:00:52,386 and by viewers like you. Thank you. 21 00:00:52,653 --> 00:00:57,558 (cheerful music) 22 00:01:01,962 --> 00:01:04,498 - Welcome to the Family Plot, I'm Chris Cooper. 23 00:01:04,498 --> 00:01:06,266 Joining me today is Booker T. Lee. 24 00:01:06,266 --> 00:01:07,434 - Glad to be here. 25 00:01:07,434 --> 00:01:08,802 - [Chris] Booker is an Extension Agent 26 00:01:08,802 --> 00:01:10,370 right here in Shelby County, and Mr. D is with us. 27 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:11,572 - Hello. 28 00:01:11,572 --> 00:01:13,040 - [Chris] Thanks for joining me, fellas. 29 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:14,374 - [Booker] Glad to be here. - [Chris] This is gonna be fun. 30 00:01:14,374 --> 00:01:15,909 - It's good, always. 31 00:01:15,909 --> 00:01:18,879 - Alright Booker, we have our lawn care guide with us, 32 00:01:18,879 --> 00:01:20,380 - Lawn care (laughs) 33 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:23,050 so we're gonna talk about good ol' summer lawn care. 34 00:01:23,050 --> 00:01:24,217 And Booker we have a couple questions 35 00:01:24,217 --> 00:01:25,452 for you. - OK. 36 00:01:25,452 --> 00:01:27,955 - So, number one, which is a common question: 37 00:01:27,955 --> 00:01:31,425 what is the most common diseases in lawns right now? 38 00:01:31,425 --> 00:01:32,626 - This time of the year we'll see 39 00:01:32,626 --> 00:01:34,695 a lot of diseases in our lawns this time. 40 00:01:34,695 --> 00:01:36,363 Number one is probably brown patches. 41 00:01:36,363 --> 00:01:38,598 We see a lot of brown patches on our lawn. 42 00:01:38,598 --> 00:01:40,400 It's caused by hot and humid weather, 43 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,136 and we've done had some hot and humid weather today. 44 00:01:43,136 --> 00:01:44,938 And also you can give it too many nitrogen fertilizer. 45 00:01:44,938 --> 00:01:46,440 - [Chris] Okay. - [Booker] So you want to hold back 46 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,041 on your nitrogen fertilizer when you see brown patches. 47 00:01:48,041 --> 00:01:51,378 And also compact soil. Aerate that soil. 48 00:01:51,378 --> 00:01:53,814 And I did that to my soil last year 49 00:01:53,814 --> 00:01:56,616 and that made a big difference in the lawn diseases. 50 00:01:56,616 --> 00:01:58,919 'Cause I did have a brown patch 51 00:01:58,919 --> 00:02:01,221 and they just spreading dead spots. 52 00:02:01,221 --> 00:02:02,456 Cutting your grass too short. 53 00:02:02,456 --> 00:02:03,690 Now it's time to start cutting that grass, 54 00:02:03,690 --> 00:02:05,826 you don't want to cut it too short. 55 00:02:05,826 --> 00:02:07,728 Mow the lawn, grass needs to be two to three inches tall. 56 00:02:07,728 --> 00:02:09,129 - [Chris] OK. 57 00:02:09,129 --> 00:02:12,899 - And also, disease on your lawn, bag that grass. 58 00:02:12,899 --> 00:02:14,768 Sometimes they'll leave a little tidbit on the lawn, 59 00:02:14,768 --> 00:02:16,970 but now when you've got disease, bag that grass. 60 00:02:16,970 --> 00:02:19,106 - [Chris] Right. You don't want that to spread, right? 61 00:02:19,106 --> 00:02:20,807 - And next is powdery mildew. 62 00:02:20,807 --> 00:02:22,309 You see a lot of powdery mildew 63 00:02:22,309 --> 00:02:25,278 when the grass stay wet a long time, poor air circulation, 64 00:02:25,278 --> 00:02:27,581 you see that grass begin to turn white. 65 00:02:27,581 --> 00:02:30,550 That's called powdery mildew. Most in cool season 66 00:02:30,550 --> 00:02:31,952 grass, you'll see that a lot of times. 67 00:02:31,952 --> 00:02:33,720 And also again, avoid high nitrogen fertilizer. 68 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,155 - [Chris] Okay. 69 00:02:35,155 --> 00:02:36,857 - [Booker] And grass on the trees can cause that too. 70 00:02:36,857 --> 00:02:38,425 Water early in the morning-time. 71 00:02:38,425 --> 00:02:41,261 Let that grass dry off before nighttime. 72 00:02:41,261 --> 00:02:43,130 Another thing is fairy ring. 73 00:02:43,130 --> 00:02:46,233 And this come when you have a lot of dead stump or something 74 00:02:46,233 --> 00:02:49,870 in the lawn, and it'll be getting ready to rot out. 75 00:02:49,870 --> 00:02:51,338 - [Chris] Okay. 76 00:02:51,338 --> 00:02:52,773 - That's called fairy ring and you'll see a lot of time 77 00:02:52,773 --> 00:02:55,642 after rain, where that little mushroom in your soil 78 00:02:55,642 --> 00:02:56,943 start popping up, - [Chis] I seen that. 79 00:02:56,943 --> 00:02:58,879 - I have that, Chris. 80 00:02:58,879 --> 00:03:00,781 (laughter) - [Chris] You'll admit that? 81 00:03:00,781 --> 00:03:03,984 - I have a tree in my lawn, I had it removed 82 00:03:03,984 --> 00:03:06,953 and every time it rain, you'll see little mushroom come up. 83 00:03:06,953 --> 00:03:10,357 It not hurting anything, just there, they'll go away. 84 00:03:10,357 --> 00:03:13,026 Once everything rot and decay, you'll see it go away. 85 00:03:13,026 --> 00:03:14,461 - [Chris] Okay. 86 00:03:14,461 --> 00:03:15,762 - [Booker] Then you know you'll see a dollar spot. 87 00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:17,631 And dollar spot caused by poor drainage. 88 00:03:17,631 --> 00:03:20,200 We do have a lot of soil that drain poorly now. 89 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,436 If water stand after the rain, you're probably 90 00:03:22,436 --> 00:03:24,938 gonna start seeing dollar spot begin to pop up. 91 00:03:24,938 --> 00:03:26,173 Check the soil pH. 92 00:03:26,173 --> 00:03:30,043 You want that soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. 93 00:03:30,043 --> 00:03:32,279 - And only way you can do that is by what? A soil test. 94 00:03:32,279 --> 00:03:34,381 You cannot go out there and guess at it, 95 00:03:34,381 --> 00:03:36,483 and also cut the grass at recommend height. 96 00:03:36,483 --> 00:03:39,286 Don't cut it too low, now. I cut my grass low twice. 97 00:03:39,286 --> 00:03:41,521 And then when I do those first couple cutting, 98 00:03:41,521 --> 00:03:44,357 then I let my mower up and keep it at the right height. 99 00:03:44,357 --> 00:03:45,725 And another thing is make sure we water 100 00:03:45,725 --> 00:03:47,527 our grass early in the morning time. 101 00:03:47,527 --> 00:03:50,864 Give that grass time enough to dry off before nightfall. 102 00:03:50,864 --> 00:03:53,500 Two things do that and a lot of times disease 103 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:54,935 can become trouble by culture practice. 104 00:03:54,935 --> 00:03:56,536 You don't want to start adding 105 00:03:56,536 --> 00:03:58,472 a lot of chemicals to your lawn. 106 00:03:58,472 --> 00:04:00,540 First thing we do, what can I spray 107 00:04:00,540 --> 00:04:01,942 on my lawn and get rid of it? 108 00:04:01,942 --> 00:04:03,810 If you keep spraying chemicals on there, 109 00:04:03,810 --> 00:04:05,378 it's gonna come back again this year. 110 00:04:05,378 --> 00:04:07,147 What you wanna try to find the problem, 111 00:04:07,147 --> 00:04:08,448 see what's wrong with the problem, 112 00:04:08,448 --> 00:04:10,016 then try to correct the problem, 113 00:04:10,016 --> 00:04:12,652 then you'll have less diseases on there. 114 00:04:12,652 --> 00:04:15,388 But high humidity, over-watering, 115 00:04:15,388 --> 00:04:17,090 and another thing we get diseases on our lawn 116 00:04:17,090 --> 00:04:20,026 is we cutting our grass with a dull mower blade. 117 00:04:20,026 --> 00:04:21,895 When did you have the mower blade sharpened? 118 00:04:21,895 --> 00:04:24,030 Sharpen that mower blade. Keep that blade sharp. 119 00:04:24,030 --> 00:04:25,832 I sharpen mine at least two or three times 120 00:04:25,832 --> 00:04:27,400 during the growing season to make sure 121 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,970 that I have a good sharp cut. 122 00:04:29,970 --> 00:04:32,739 Another thing is cut your grass in different directions. 123 00:04:32,739 --> 00:04:33,974 You need to try to go in different 124 00:04:33,974 --> 00:04:37,944 directions and make sure that grass stands up. 125 00:04:37,944 --> 00:04:40,947 You goin' the same way, you layin' that grass down. 126 00:04:40,947 --> 00:04:42,482 I had a lady call me that one time saying, 127 00:04:42,482 --> 00:04:45,051 "My grass is turning brown all the time when I just cut it." 128 00:04:45,051 --> 00:04:46,553 And I say, "Well, look at that." 129 00:04:46,553 --> 00:04:48,088 I said, "When did you have your lawn mower blade sharpened?" 130 00:04:48,088 --> 00:04:49,289 She said, "I never have." 131 00:04:49,289 --> 00:04:50,724 (Chris laughs) 132 00:04:50,724 --> 00:04:52,792 It was beating it down, it wasn't cutting it down. 133 00:04:52,792 --> 00:04:54,561 - [Chris] No clean cut, right? - [Booker] - No clean cut. 134 00:04:54,561 --> 00:04:56,029 Now if you're gonna aerate your lawn, 135 00:04:56,029 --> 00:04:59,132 you got warm season grass, you got cool season grass. 136 00:04:59,132 --> 00:05:02,269 You aerate it when the grass begin to come out and grow. 137 00:05:02,269 --> 00:05:04,638 Now you (mumbles) right now, but I would 138 00:05:04,638 --> 00:05:06,940 try to do it in the evening time now. 139 00:05:06,940 --> 00:05:09,409 I don't want (mumbles) hot weather 140 00:05:09,409 --> 00:05:11,478 all during the day right here, 141 00:05:11,478 --> 00:05:13,713 or give it a cool off period at night. 142 00:05:13,713 --> 00:05:15,515 But aerate it, you'll see a big 143 00:05:15,515 --> 00:05:17,317 difference in your lawn thinking there. 144 00:05:17,317 --> 00:05:18,618 - [Chris] Okay. Let me ask you this. 145 00:05:18,618 --> 00:05:20,153 So can a fungus kill your grass? 146 00:05:20,153 --> 00:05:21,354 Is that a possibility? 147 00:05:21,354 --> 00:05:22,656 - Over a period of time it will. 148 00:05:22,656 --> 00:05:24,758 You're gonna have over two or three years. 149 00:05:24,758 --> 00:05:27,027 You know like spring dead spot? 150 00:05:27,027 --> 00:05:29,996 You have it during the year but during that growing season, 151 00:05:29,996 --> 00:05:32,399 it'll go back in there, it'll get covered up. 152 00:05:32,399 --> 00:05:34,100 But if you let them get larger and larger, 153 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:36,469 if you don't do something to control that problem, 154 00:05:36,469 --> 00:05:38,705 it eventually will kill your grass. 155 00:05:38,705 --> 00:05:40,640 - [Chris] Mm-hmm. Okay, now look, 156 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:42,108 there's somebody out there watching and they're like, 157 00:05:42,108 --> 00:05:44,377 "Okay, Booker, we understand your cultural practices, 158 00:05:44,377 --> 00:05:46,780 "but I just want something to kill it." 159 00:05:46,780 --> 00:05:47,948 So what can they use to actually 160 00:05:47,948 --> 00:05:49,749 control some of the lawn diseases? 161 00:05:49,749 --> 00:05:51,284 - A lot of thing they might want to know 162 00:05:51,284 --> 00:05:53,486 what disease they have first. - [Chris] Okay, that's right. 163 00:05:53,486 --> 00:05:54,688 - You know, you've got spring dead spot, 164 00:05:54,688 --> 00:05:56,623 you got brown patch, it's a different 165 00:05:56,623 --> 00:05:58,825 fungicide to control that. 166 00:05:58,825 --> 00:06:00,193 The best thing to do is check with one 167 00:06:00,193 --> 00:06:01,695 of your hardware stores and see. 168 00:06:01,695 --> 00:06:02,896 Until you know what disease you have, you don't know. 169 00:06:02,896 --> 00:06:04,164 You can bring it by the office, 170 00:06:04,164 --> 00:06:05,532 we'll look at it for you and tell you. 171 00:06:05,532 --> 00:06:07,000 Then you go by the hardware store 172 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,836 and get your fungicide to control that disease on there. 173 00:06:09,836 --> 00:06:11,371 But that's your most important thing: 174 00:06:11,371 --> 00:06:13,707 know what disease you have, got a different 175 00:06:13,707 --> 00:06:15,242 control for your different diseases. 176 00:06:15,242 --> 00:06:17,043 - [Chris] Okay. So-- - [Booker] And, so. 177 00:06:17,043 --> 00:06:19,779 A lot of people wanna know will it affect my Bermuda grass, 178 00:06:19,779 --> 00:06:21,248 will it affect my Zoysia grass, 179 00:06:21,248 --> 00:06:22,749 fungus mostly affect a lot of grasses. 180 00:06:22,749 --> 00:06:25,085 You will see it on that. - [Chris] Okay. 181 00:06:25,085 --> 00:06:27,454 So why do I have moss on my lawn? 182 00:06:27,454 --> 00:06:28,688 That's a common question. 183 00:06:28,688 --> 00:06:31,024 - People like moss. (laughs) 184 00:06:31,024 --> 00:06:33,093 I like moss, I don't have moss but I seen 185 00:06:33,093 --> 00:06:34,427 a lady that's got a lot of moss 186 00:06:34,427 --> 00:06:37,130 on her grass, she water her moss like she 187 00:06:37,130 --> 00:06:39,099 take care of her grass in the shade. 188 00:06:39,099 --> 00:06:41,534 A lot of the time you have moss on your lawn is really, 189 00:06:41,534 --> 00:06:43,603 you have compact soil, could have 190 00:06:43,603 --> 00:06:46,506 poor drainage, and normally it's in shade. 191 00:06:46,506 --> 00:06:48,074 You see a lot of the time in shade. 192 00:06:48,074 --> 00:06:50,644 It normally water kinda stand when it rain. 193 00:06:50,644 --> 00:06:53,413 You don't drain fast, it'll kinda stay there 194 00:06:53,413 --> 00:06:54,581 and then all of a sudden you see 195 00:06:54,581 --> 00:06:56,049 that moss begin to grow in there. 196 00:06:56,049 --> 00:07:00,387 But mostly in a shady location. On a shady tree. 197 00:07:00,387 --> 00:07:01,888 It's probably got poor drainage 198 00:07:01,888 --> 00:07:04,691 and poor drainage really, really big on that moss. 199 00:07:04,691 --> 00:07:06,393 But moss, it look really good. 200 00:07:06,393 --> 00:07:07,727 - [Chris] It looks nice. - [Booker] Some people 201 00:07:07,727 --> 00:07:09,296 suggested to let the moss take over 202 00:07:09,296 --> 00:07:11,531 and just grow where it grow, don't try to control it there. 203 00:07:11,531 --> 00:07:14,000 But you need to aerate it, check the soil pH, 204 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:15,368 sometimes it's be on the acid side 205 00:07:15,368 --> 00:07:16,736 and you need to check the soil pH, 206 00:07:16,736 --> 00:07:18,305 you might need to raise the soil pH some. 207 00:07:18,305 --> 00:07:20,840 - [Chris] Right. - [Booker] Need to get it in there. 208 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,342 - [Chris] Yeah, moss looks good. 209 00:07:22,342 --> 00:07:24,077 You take the leaves off, Diane Mogi's 210 00:07:24,077 --> 00:07:28,815 place has nice moss there, so a lot of people like it. 211 00:07:28,815 --> 00:07:30,517 - Yeah, we went down to Alabama and this lady, 212 00:07:30,517 --> 00:07:31,985 that's all she had in her backyard, just moss 213 00:07:31,985 --> 00:07:34,087 and she have a sprinkler system on her moss. 214 00:07:34,087 --> 00:07:36,256 Water that moss, keep it looking good. 215 00:07:36,256 --> 00:07:37,991 - [Chris] Sure looked good, huh? - [Booker] It sure looked good. 216 00:07:37,991 --> 00:07:39,159 Again, one thing about moss, you won't have 217 00:07:39,159 --> 00:07:41,161 no other disease probably get into it. 218 00:07:41,161 --> 00:07:42,595 - [Chris] Yeah, probably so. - [Booker] This could be 219 00:07:42,595 --> 00:07:44,731 a problem if you hadn't growing moss in there. 220 00:07:44,731 --> 00:07:46,366 - [Chris] Okay. Let me ask you about winter kill. 221 00:07:46,366 --> 00:07:47,600 So, I'm sure you got a lotta questions 222 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,103 at the office this year about winter kill. 223 00:07:50,103 --> 00:07:51,871 Why are we seeing so many cases with the winter kill? 224 00:07:51,871 --> 00:07:54,541 Specifically have to do with the cold winter 225 00:07:54,541 --> 00:07:56,009 we had? - [Booker] Do with the weather. 226 00:07:56,009 --> 00:07:57,410 - You know, a lot of times you see a lot of winter kill, 227 00:07:57,410 --> 00:08:00,380 normally it's where you got a low area in your yard, 228 00:08:00,380 --> 00:08:03,249 and then when it rain, gets cold, that water kinda 229 00:08:03,249 --> 00:08:05,552 stay there a long period of time, a long one. 230 00:08:05,552 --> 00:08:06,753 'Cause I've seen, I had winter kill 231 00:08:06,753 --> 00:08:10,323 and where my house faced it, everybody else, 232 00:08:10,323 --> 00:08:12,158 snow and ice were gone, I had mine 233 00:08:12,158 --> 00:08:14,094 about two or three days on there still. 234 00:08:14,094 --> 00:08:15,995 So that's why over a period of time, 235 00:08:15,995 --> 00:08:18,164 you'll see that winter kill beginning to happening there. 236 00:08:18,164 --> 00:08:19,632 So, the best thing to do for winter kill 237 00:08:19,632 --> 00:08:22,001 is once the grass start coming out real good, 238 00:08:22,001 --> 00:08:24,537 get you rake and rake all that dead grass outta there 239 00:08:24,537 --> 00:08:27,374 and just clean it up real good, and that Bermuda grass 240 00:08:27,374 --> 00:08:29,142 will come back and spread over that. 241 00:08:29,142 --> 00:08:31,411 Zoysia grass take some time to get over there. 242 00:08:31,411 --> 00:08:32,979 You got a big spot in your Zoysia grass, 243 00:08:32,979 --> 00:08:34,247 you might have to re-sod it some. 244 00:08:34,247 --> 00:08:35,982 - [Chris] Okay. And real quickly, Booker, 245 00:08:35,982 --> 00:08:37,917 when is a good time to have your soil tested? 246 00:08:37,917 --> 00:08:40,220 - Well, any time-- - [Chris] Any time? 247 00:08:40,220 --> 00:08:42,655 - Any time you can have your soil tested and everything. 248 00:08:42,655 --> 00:08:45,525 But the ideal time is in the fall of the year. 249 00:08:45,525 --> 00:08:47,260 'Cause if you need to add lime to it, 250 00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:50,263 you can come in and add lime to it during that time. 251 00:08:50,263 --> 00:08:51,464 By the time your grass begin 252 00:08:51,464 --> 00:08:53,666 to start needing it, it's already there. 253 00:08:53,666 --> 00:08:55,769 Now, on your soil pH, it's gonna take some time 254 00:08:55,769 --> 00:08:57,337 before you get a different reading. 255 00:08:57,337 --> 00:09:00,273 You know, you put it down, you put it down in this spot, 256 00:09:00,273 --> 00:09:03,276 you might see the same thing for at least about six months, 257 00:09:03,276 --> 00:09:07,347 often the need don't start getting into your reading. 258 00:09:07,347 --> 00:09:09,616 But it will help anyway still though. 259 00:09:09,616 --> 00:09:11,751 And lime is the most important thing 260 00:09:11,751 --> 00:09:14,421 on your lawn grasses because it regulate 261 00:09:14,421 --> 00:09:16,756 all the other fertilizer that you put down. 262 00:09:16,756 --> 00:09:18,691 It won't be taken up by the plant. 263 00:09:18,691 --> 00:09:19,893 - Alright, well there you have it 264 00:09:19,893 --> 00:09:21,895 from our lawn guy, Mr. Booker T. Lee. 265 00:09:21,895 --> 00:09:23,062 Thanks for the information, Booker. 266 00:09:24,597 --> 00:09:26,433 There are number of gardening events 267 00:09:26,433 --> 00:09:28,635 going on in the next couple of weeks. 268 00:09:28,635 --> 00:09:30,804 Here are just a few that might interest you. 269 00:09:30,804 --> 00:09:35,809 (cheerful music) 270 00:09:50,223 --> 00:09:53,093 - Alright, Mr. D. Ants and fire ants. 271 00:09:53,093 --> 00:09:55,295 We don't want them to ruin our picnics. 272 00:09:55,295 --> 00:09:56,763 - They can do it. 273 00:09:56,763 --> 00:09:58,598 - [Chris] They can do it. - [Mr. D] They can do it quickly. 274 00:10:00,300 --> 00:10:05,305 You know, fire ants are pretty much everywhere in our area. 275 00:10:06,039 --> 00:10:08,641 I don't know how far north they go. 276 00:10:08,641 --> 00:10:11,811 Probably, I live in Lauderdale County 277 00:10:11,811 --> 00:10:13,112 and I don't have them up there. 278 00:10:13,112 --> 00:10:14,514 - [Chris] Really? - [Mr. D] I do not. 279 00:10:14,514 --> 00:10:18,485 I know Tipton and everywhere south of Tipton County, 280 00:10:18,485 --> 00:10:20,420 Tennessee and the central part 281 00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:23,490 of west Tennessee pretty much and south we've got them, 282 00:10:23,490 --> 00:10:27,026 but still, the old stand-by method 283 00:10:27,026 --> 00:10:29,896 on fire ant control is using the Texas two-step. 284 00:10:29,896 --> 00:10:31,865 (laughing) 285 00:10:31,865 --> 00:10:35,335 And that's simply putting a bait out 286 00:10:35,335 --> 00:10:39,639 and make sure if you got a bait left over from last year, 287 00:10:39,639 --> 00:10:40,974 you need to check and make sure that 288 00:10:40,974 --> 00:10:42,842 the ants will feed on that bait 289 00:10:42,842 --> 00:10:44,444 and the way to do that is just put 290 00:10:44,444 --> 00:10:48,014 some of it down beside a fire ant mound 291 00:10:48,014 --> 00:10:49,949 and sit there and watch it and see if they 292 00:10:49,949 --> 00:10:52,819 will go out and start feeding on it. 293 00:10:52,819 --> 00:10:54,888 Because most of the baits, the base 294 00:10:54,888 --> 00:10:58,758 is a milk base or some kinda oil base 295 00:10:58,758 --> 00:11:01,127 or something like that, and it can go bad, 296 00:11:01,127 --> 00:11:03,830 it can get rancid, and it might get 297 00:11:03,830 --> 00:11:06,299 to the point where it doesn't attract the fire ants. 298 00:11:06,299 --> 00:11:08,902 So the baits need to be fresh enough 299 00:11:08,902 --> 00:11:10,870 that they will attract the fire ants. 300 00:11:10,870 --> 00:11:12,071 And you need to put the bait out 301 00:11:12,071 --> 00:11:14,340 when the ants are actively foraging. 302 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:17,043 So you know, in the afternoon, 303 00:11:17,043 --> 00:11:19,379 there's no need to put it out right before sundown 304 00:11:19,379 --> 00:11:23,082 because they're not gonna be actively foraging at night. 305 00:11:23,082 --> 00:11:25,752 - [Chris] How far from the mound do you put the bait down? 306 00:11:25,752 --> 00:11:27,353 That's usually the question that we get. 307 00:11:27,353 --> 00:11:28,755 - [Mr. D] I wouldn't put it, I definitely 308 00:11:28,755 --> 00:11:30,023 wouldn't put it on the mound. 309 00:11:30,023 --> 00:11:32,392 Those entrance and exit holes for the fire ants 310 00:11:32,392 --> 00:11:37,330 are out two or three feet from the mound, so you know, 311 00:11:37,330 --> 00:11:40,099 if you've got a lot of fire ants, I'd just broadcast it. 312 00:11:40,099 --> 00:11:41,534 Just scatter it around your yard. 313 00:11:41,534 --> 00:11:43,670 They're gonna go to it, they're gonna find it. 314 00:11:43,670 --> 00:11:46,873 And what you're hoping that they will do, 315 00:11:46,873 --> 00:11:49,742 you know the fire ant can't eat that bait. 316 00:11:49,742 --> 00:11:51,277 Worker's not gonna eat that bait. 317 00:11:51,277 --> 00:11:55,448 He has a sieve and he can't swallow solid food. 318 00:11:55,448 --> 00:11:57,584 The worker fire, I say he, it's a she. 319 00:11:57,584 --> 00:12:01,321 She can't swallow that solid food so she will take it 320 00:12:01,321 --> 00:12:06,292 to fourth or fifth instar larvae is the only stage 321 00:12:07,060 --> 00:12:10,063 of the fire ant that can eat solid food. 322 00:12:10,063 --> 00:12:12,332 That larvae will eat that food 323 00:12:12,332 --> 00:12:15,535 and then it will regurgitate it into a pouch. 324 00:12:15,535 --> 00:12:18,805 A little pouch, turn it into a liquid basically 325 00:12:18,805 --> 00:12:22,242 and then the worker fire ants will take that liquid, 326 00:12:22,242 --> 00:12:23,610 they will feed off that liquid, 327 00:12:23,610 --> 00:12:25,712 they will take that liquid to the queen 328 00:12:25,712 --> 00:12:28,681 and so this is a process that will take 329 00:12:28,681 --> 00:12:31,417 eight to ten weeks to kill the queen. 330 00:12:31,417 --> 00:12:36,422 And after that happens, then go out there. 331 00:12:36,956 --> 00:12:38,992 Eight to ten weeks to kill the colony 332 00:12:38,992 --> 00:12:42,228 because the worker fire ant can live nine or ten weeks. 333 00:12:42,228 --> 00:12:43,429 Two or three weeks after you put 334 00:12:43,429 --> 00:12:45,665 the bait out, put a contact kill. 335 00:12:45,665 --> 00:12:48,601 Go out there with a contact insecticide and spray. 336 00:12:48,601 --> 00:12:50,203 And the reason you're doing that is hopefully 337 00:12:50,203 --> 00:12:51,437 within that two or three weeks, 338 00:12:51,437 --> 00:12:53,706 you've gotten the queen, taken the queen out. 339 00:12:53,706 --> 00:12:56,643 The workers live, like I said, eight or nine, 340 00:12:56,643 --> 00:12:59,912 ten weeks and if you kill the queen, 341 00:12:59,912 --> 00:13:03,116 you'll still have workers running around there for weeks. 342 00:13:03,116 --> 00:13:04,751 So do the contact killer after that. 343 00:13:04,751 --> 00:13:06,552 So that's the Texas two-step method. 344 00:13:06,552 --> 00:13:08,388 And the reason it's called the Texas two-step 345 00:13:08,388 --> 00:13:09,355 has nothing to do with the dance. 346 00:13:09,355 --> 00:13:11,157 (laughing) 347 00:13:11,157 --> 00:13:13,159 It was developed by Texas A&M University. 348 00:13:13,159 --> 00:13:16,629 They developed that system, but there are a bunch of baits. 349 00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:20,867 I've got a list of probably 10 or 15 baits here. 350 00:13:20,867 --> 00:13:22,301 - [Chris] And these are just the baits. 351 00:13:22,301 --> 00:13:27,240 - That are recommended and then on the contact killers, 352 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,042 there are a lot contact killers out there 353 00:13:29,042 --> 00:13:32,045 that have imported fire ants on the label. 354 00:13:32,045 --> 00:13:33,446 Just follow the label. 355 00:13:33,446 --> 00:13:34,647 - [Chris] Yeah, let's name some of those baits. 356 00:13:34,647 --> 00:13:36,182 - Okay, the baits we've got Extinguish, 357 00:13:36,182 --> 00:13:40,453 Distance, Award II, PT Ascend, 358 00:13:40,453 --> 00:13:44,724 Spetracide Fire Ant Killer Plus Preventer Bait, 359 00:13:44,724 --> 00:13:49,228 Advion Fire Ant Bait, Garden Tech Over n' Out, 360 00:13:49,228 --> 00:13:54,233 Amdro Fire Ant Bait, Siesta, Extinguish Plus, 361 00:13:54,667 --> 00:13:56,836 and then the Spinosad baits such as 362 00:13:56,836 --> 00:14:00,239 Ferti-Lome and Southern Ag Payback. 363 00:14:00,239 --> 00:14:03,009 And those are some examples of baits 364 00:14:03,009 --> 00:14:05,078 that are out there that will work. 365 00:14:05,078 --> 00:14:08,715 And then the contact killers are the ones with pyrethrins... 366 00:14:10,483 --> 00:14:12,752 synthetic pyrethroids, several of those 367 00:14:12,752 --> 00:14:16,756 that will, bifenthrin and esfenvalerate, 368 00:14:16,756 --> 00:14:19,425 all of those that will do the job for you. 369 00:14:19,425 --> 00:14:21,294 - [Chris] Make sure they read the label on there too, right? 370 00:14:21,294 --> 00:14:22,495 - [Mr. D] Make sure you read the label. - [Chris] 'Cause when using 371 00:14:22,495 --> 00:14:23,763 the contact, right, you gonna pour that 372 00:14:23,763 --> 00:14:26,099 right on the mound itself, right? 373 00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:29,202 - The drenches you pour right on the mound 374 00:14:30,403 --> 00:14:31,738 and that's a good way to do it. 375 00:14:31,738 --> 00:14:33,206 Mix it in a five-gallon bucket 376 00:14:33,206 --> 00:14:34,407 according to label directions. 377 00:14:34,407 --> 00:14:35,742 That way you don't even have to use a spray, 378 00:14:35,742 --> 00:14:38,211 just drench the mound because the workers 379 00:14:38,211 --> 00:14:40,012 always return to the mound. 380 00:14:40,012 --> 00:14:42,548 But keep in mind, if you do a real good job 381 00:14:42,548 --> 00:14:45,985 of controlling fire ants, when that queen 382 00:14:45,985 --> 00:14:48,521 does her mating flight, she looks 383 00:14:48,521 --> 00:14:50,089 for an area that doesn't have fire ants. 384 00:14:50,089 --> 00:14:51,591 - [Chris] Come on. 385 00:14:51,591 --> 00:14:54,427 - She doesn't like a lot of competition and she will land 386 00:14:54,427 --> 00:14:57,663 in a fire ant-free area and create a new mound. 387 00:14:57,663 --> 00:14:59,432 So it's not something that you can do once 388 00:14:59,432 --> 00:15:00,700 and think that you're finished with. 389 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,136 It's kind of an on-going deal. 390 00:15:04,637 --> 00:15:06,639 You know you're gonna have a picnic in August? 391 00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:08,074 - [Booker] Yep. - [Mr. D] Booker? 392 00:15:08,074 --> 00:15:11,444 I'd go out there, start about three or four weeks 393 00:15:11,444 --> 00:15:14,847 before that and hopefully you'll be free during that picnic. 394 00:15:14,847 --> 00:15:16,649 - [Booker] Though we see a lot of the time, 395 00:15:16,649 --> 00:15:19,585 out in the field pasture park, people mowing, 396 00:15:19,585 --> 00:15:22,421 they hit the mound, they kinda spread out. 397 00:15:22,421 --> 00:15:24,991 And that's how you see them in field pasture. 398 00:15:24,991 --> 00:15:27,527 - [Mr. D] Most of these baits that I mentioned 399 00:15:27,527 --> 00:15:30,329 are also good for other ants. 400 00:15:30,329 --> 00:15:33,065 They'll take out other ants that are out there. 401 00:15:34,333 --> 00:15:35,635 So if you've got other ants that 402 00:15:35,635 --> 00:15:37,270 are creating problems for you, 403 00:15:37,270 --> 00:15:41,841 I would go with the baits for you. 404 00:15:41,841 --> 00:15:45,478 But you don't have to go with the two-step method. 405 00:15:45,478 --> 00:15:49,215 (laughing) Just the baits will take the colony out. 406 00:15:49,215 --> 00:15:51,184 - [Chris] You probably will be doing the Texas two-step 407 00:15:51,184 --> 00:15:54,153 if you get bitten by some of these ants, I'm sure. 408 00:15:54,153 --> 00:15:56,055 - [Mr. D] Fire ants, they'll make you do it. 409 00:15:56,055 --> 00:15:59,025 - [Chris] They'll make you do the jig, no doubt about that. 410 00:15:59,025 --> 00:16:01,894 Let me ask you this 'cause we get this question a lot so. 411 00:16:01,894 --> 00:16:05,164 You see some fire ant mounds that are real tall 412 00:16:05,164 --> 00:16:08,367 and some that are real low to the ground, why's that? 413 00:16:08,367 --> 00:16:09,569 - [Mr. D] Well, the purpose of that 414 00:16:09,569 --> 00:16:13,739 fire ant mound is to pretty much regulate 415 00:16:13,739 --> 00:16:17,176 the temperature and humidity for the brood. 416 00:16:17,176 --> 00:16:22,181 And during conditions that are wet and cool, 417 00:16:22,682 --> 00:16:25,918 those mounds will usually be higher 418 00:16:25,918 --> 00:16:29,922 to try to get the brood, the young larvae, 419 00:16:29,922 --> 00:16:32,992 out of the real damp conditions. 420 00:16:32,992 --> 00:16:35,194 You're gonna see, with this hot weather 421 00:16:35,194 --> 00:16:36,629 and dry weather that we're having, 422 00:16:36,629 --> 00:16:38,631 the mounds are gonna almost disappear 423 00:16:38,631 --> 00:16:41,334 because they're going deep in order 424 00:16:41,334 --> 00:16:44,604 to get cooler, more moist conditions. 425 00:16:44,604 --> 00:16:47,006 - [Chris] How deep? How deep you think? 426 00:16:47,006 --> 00:16:50,443 - You know, six, eight inches, ten inches, you know. 427 00:16:50,443 --> 00:16:51,510 You can find them. 428 00:16:51,510 --> 00:16:52,845 - Wow. (laughing) 429 00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:54,113 - Digging around, you'll find them. 430 00:16:54,113 --> 00:16:55,581 - And they'll find you. 431 00:16:55,581 --> 00:16:57,750 - They're not that deep, but they don't have to have them up 432 00:16:57,750 --> 00:17:02,355 above the soil line to keep them dry. 433 00:17:03,389 --> 00:17:07,693 And I say keep them dry, but they do require some moisture. 434 00:17:07,693 --> 00:17:09,929 So when it gets real dry, they're going down. 435 00:17:09,929 --> 00:17:12,899 They like a little humid, but they don't 436 00:17:12,899 --> 00:17:14,500 like it too wet, they don't like it too dry. 437 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:15,701 Kinda like me and you. 438 00:17:15,701 --> 00:17:16,936 (laughing) - That's right, that's right. 439 00:17:17,904 --> 00:17:19,305 So it's humidity, how about that? 440 00:17:19,305 --> 00:17:21,741 That's smart. Wow. 441 00:17:21,741 --> 00:17:23,843 - Pretty sharp critters to be so small. 442 00:17:23,843 --> 00:17:24,977 And they pack a punch. 443 00:17:24,977 --> 00:17:26,145 - Dang, might need to go to check 444 00:17:26,145 --> 00:17:27,813 our park before we have our picnic. 445 00:17:27,813 --> 00:17:29,849 Make sure we have no fire ants out there. 446 00:17:29,849 --> 00:17:31,050 - Check 'em out. 447 00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:32,485 - But you have kids that are playing around 448 00:17:32,485 --> 00:17:33,486 they don't know 'em, they might just run into 'em, 449 00:17:33,486 --> 00:17:35,054 get into 'em before you know it. 450 00:17:35,054 --> 00:17:37,256 - [Mr. D] That's where you see most of the problems, 451 00:17:37,256 --> 00:17:39,292 where you have people that aren't familiar with fire ants. 452 00:17:39,292 --> 00:17:41,060 I know the first time my daughter found fire ants, 453 00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:43,596 I lived in an area where we didn't have 'em 454 00:17:43,596 --> 00:17:46,132 and we were in an area that had 'em 455 00:17:46,132 --> 00:17:47,533 and she's standing on a mound going, 456 00:17:47,533 --> 00:17:49,535 "What are all these little things?" 457 00:17:49,535 --> 00:17:51,837 Because fire ants take a solemn oath when they're small. 458 00:17:51,837 --> 00:17:53,806 Baby fire ants take a solemn oath, 459 00:17:53,806 --> 00:17:55,741 they will not sting until everybody's ready. 460 00:17:55,741 --> 00:17:57,143 - [Chris] Oh my goodness. 461 00:17:57,143 --> 00:17:58,444 So they'll cover you up and then... 462 00:17:58,444 --> 00:18:00,146 (snaps) - [Booker] One time. 463 00:18:00,146 --> 00:18:01,681 - [Mr. D.] They hit you all at once. - [Booker] They hit me right now. 464 00:18:01,681 --> 00:18:02,882 - [Mr. D] Now fortunately, we got 'em off my daughter 465 00:18:02,882 --> 00:18:04,517 before they got to that point, you know? 466 00:18:04,517 --> 00:18:06,118 So if you don't know what you're doing, 467 00:18:06,118 --> 00:18:08,688 you're not used to 'em, then you get in trouble. 468 00:18:08,688 --> 00:18:11,991 But people, a large percent of the population 469 00:18:11,991 --> 00:18:14,060 of the US lives in areas that are infested 470 00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:17,863 with fire ants and they survive nicely. 471 00:18:17,863 --> 00:18:19,598 - [Chris] Wow. So do they have an automatic? 472 00:18:19,598 --> 00:18:21,133 Is it one sting or? 473 00:18:21,133 --> 00:18:22,902 - [Mr. D] They've got automatic. - [Chris] They've got automatic. 474 00:18:22,902 --> 00:18:25,037 - They can hit you, they have an automatic. 475 00:18:25,037 --> 00:18:26,672 Bam, bam, bam. Keep stinging. 476 00:18:26,672 --> 00:18:27,840 - Alright, thanks for that 477 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:29,008 information about those fire ants. 478 00:18:29,008 --> 00:18:30,409 - [Booker] Oh yeah. - [Chris] Oh boy. 479 00:18:30,409 --> 00:18:32,278 Alright, here's our Q and A session and Booker, 480 00:18:32,278 --> 00:18:33,679 you open it, alright? - [Booker] Okay, then. 481 00:18:33,679 --> 00:18:36,382 So here's our first viewer email, 482 00:18:36,382 --> 00:18:38,617 from Miss Theresa, she writes, 483 00:18:38,617 --> 00:18:42,054 "My purple leaf plum tree bloomed this spring, 484 00:18:42,054 --> 00:18:45,124 "but now there are no leaves on it. 485 00:18:45,124 --> 00:18:49,295 "Can I save it or should I cut it down?" 486 00:18:50,329 --> 00:18:51,597 What do y'all think? 487 00:18:52,264 --> 00:18:53,833 - Could be bores in there (mumbles) 488 00:18:53,833 --> 00:18:55,768 - Yeah, I would look at the bark, 489 00:18:55,768 --> 00:18:57,003 look at the trunk of that tree 490 00:18:57,003 --> 00:19:00,272 and see if you see any gum, sap, 491 00:19:00,272 --> 00:19:01,974 coming out. - [Chris] Oozing out. 492 00:19:01,974 --> 00:19:04,577 - Because probably if you've got a, if you have 493 00:19:04,577 --> 00:19:06,545 a peach, plum, or nectarine in this area, 494 00:19:06,545 --> 00:19:08,247 you're gonna get peach tree bores 495 00:19:08,247 --> 00:19:11,984 if you don't go with a preventative insecticide spray. 496 00:19:11,984 --> 00:19:13,619 And you've gotta be pretty lucky to hit that 497 00:19:14,387 --> 00:19:19,291 as that adult moth is flying around laying eggs. 498 00:19:20,626 --> 00:19:23,029 The peach tree bore is devastating. 499 00:19:23,029 --> 00:19:26,399 It's a devastating insect, they get in the trunk 500 00:19:26,399 --> 00:19:29,568 of the trees and disrupts the cambium layer 501 00:19:29,568 --> 00:19:32,838 and it causes them throw their leaves off. 502 00:19:32,838 --> 00:19:35,408 It causes them to die. It'll kill the tree. 503 00:19:35,408 --> 00:19:37,510 But peaches, plums, and nectarines, 504 00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:41,947 both the ornamental type and the fruit-bearing types, 505 00:19:41,947 --> 00:19:43,783 are susceptible to that, that's why 506 00:19:43,783 --> 00:19:44,950 I don't have any in my landscape. 507 00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:46,352 - [Chris] Yeah, you exactly right. 508 00:19:46,352 --> 00:19:48,788 And purple leaf plums have problems with bores. 509 00:19:48,788 --> 00:19:49,955 - [Mr. D] With bores. 510 00:19:49,955 --> 00:19:52,024 - They're short-lived trees as it is. 511 00:19:52,024 --> 00:19:53,359 But then you get these bores in there 512 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,027 and they will actually disrupt 513 00:19:55,027 --> 00:19:57,496 the movement of water and nutrients 514 00:19:57,496 --> 00:20:00,566 throughout the plant, so there you have it. 515 00:20:00,566 --> 00:20:01,834 - [Booker] Yeah, I have one in my yard too 516 00:20:01,834 --> 00:20:03,836 and the same thing, bores get in. 517 00:20:03,836 --> 00:20:06,839 And over a period of time, all the leaves were gone. 518 00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:08,874 So it will do that to that tree. 519 00:20:08,874 --> 00:20:10,576 - [Mr. D] This time of the year, 520 00:20:10,576 --> 00:20:12,044 if you don't have any leaves on your 521 00:20:12,044 --> 00:20:14,880 purple leaf plum, I'd say take it out. 522 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,315 - [Booker] Cut it out? (laughs) One cut. 523 00:20:16,315 --> 00:20:17,750 - [Chris] One pruning cut. - [Booker] One pruning cut. 524 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:20,019 - [Mr. D] It's called severe-- - [Chris] Severe prune. 525 00:20:20,019 --> 00:20:21,654 - Take it down to the ground. 526 00:20:21,654 --> 00:20:23,055 - That's the best thing you can do for it. 527 00:20:23,055 --> 00:20:24,690 - Right at the bottom, don't even worry about it. 528 00:20:24,690 --> 00:20:27,293 So there you go, hope that helps you out, Miss Theresa. 529 00:20:27,293 --> 00:20:29,895 Alright, here's our next question, thanks for your email. 530 00:20:29,895 --> 00:20:33,165 "I am having a problem with large earthworms 531 00:20:33,165 --> 00:20:35,768 "in my garage and on my driveway. 532 00:20:35,768 --> 00:20:37,736 "What can I do? I need help. 533 00:20:37,736 --> 00:20:39,772 "I have a lawn service and they treat it 534 00:20:39,772 --> 00:20:42,041 "with grub spray, no improvement. 535 00:20:42,041 --> 00:20:45,344 "Any suggestions, ideas, would be greatly appreciated. 536 00:20:45,344 --> 00:20:48,047 "Thanks for your help, Miss Esther." 537 00:20:50,649 --> 00:20:51,884 Don't know if I'll be trying to get rid 538 00:20:51,884 --> 00:20:53,819 of those earthworms, Mr. D? 539 00:20:53,819 --> 00:20:55,154 So what do you think? 540 00:20:55,154 --> 00:20:56,822 - If you got earthworms, that indicates 541 00:20:56,822 --> 00:20:58,591 that you've got a healthy-- 542 00:20:58,591 --> 00:21:00,025 - [Booker] Good soil. - [Chris] I think so. 543 00:21:00,025 --> 00:21:01,927 - You got organic matter and I understand 544 00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:04,663 why the grub worm insecticide didn't kill the earthworm, 545 00:21:04,663 --> 00:21:07,767 because grub worms aren't earthworms. 546 00:21:07,767 --> 00:21:09,068 Earthworms aren't grub worms. 547 00:21:09,068 --> 00:21:12,138 Grub worms feed on plant material 548 00:21:12,138 --> 00:21:15,441 and roots and things like that. 549 00:21:15,441 --> 00:21:18,644 Earthworms are feeding on organic matter. 550 00:21:19,912 --> 00:21:21,380 What do earthworms feed on? 551 00:21:22,615 --> 00:21:26,785 They're just a hollow tube. I guess we are too in a way. 552 00:21:26,785 --> 00:21:29,155 You put stuff in and it goes out. 553 00:21:29,155 --> 00:21:31,857 But they don't feed on the same things. 554 00:21:31,857 --> 00:21:33,526 - [Chris] Plant matter of course. 555 00:21:33,526 --> 00:21:35,594 - They don't feed on the same things. 556 00:21:35,594 --> 00:21:39,865 They aerate your lawn, they add organic matter, 557 00:21:39,865 --> 00:21:41,767 their aerate your soil, they add 558 00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:44,904 organic matter to your soil, they're just a indicator 559 00:21:44,904 --> 00:21:48,207 of a healthy ecosystem in your soil 560 00:21:48,207 --> 00:21:50,109 and I would not try to be getting rid of them. 561 00:21:50,109 --> 00:21:52,778 I know that it's irritating, when you step on one 562 00:21:52,778 --> 00:21:54,880 and you're bare-footed as you're stepping 563 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,449 out of your garage, but keep your broom handy 564 00:21:57,449 --> 00:21:59,151 and just kinda sweep 'em out of the way 565 00:21:59,151 --> 00:22:02,721 and I wouldn't try to get rid of 'em. 566 00:22:02,721 --> 00:22:04,056 - No, I put 'em back in the lawn. 567 00:22:04,056 --> 00:22:05,357 You know, especially now it's so hot, 568 00:22:05,357 --> 00:22:07,259 going across the concrete, help them out, 569 00:22:07,259 --> 00:22:08,460 put them back in the lawn. 570 00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:10,095 - Catch 'em and take a kid fishing. 571 00:22:10,095 --> 00:22:11,330 How about that? - [Booker] Bait night. 572 00:22:11,330 --> 00:22:13,432 - Brim love 'em. Yeah, they're great bait. 573 00:22:14,266 --> 00:22:17,469 If you've got that many, you don't even have to dig for 'em. 574 00:22:17,469 --> 00:22:21,273 You can sell fish bait, picking 'em up off the ground. 575 00:22:21,273 --> 00:22:22,708 - [Chris] What do you think, Booker? 576 00:22:22,708 --> 00:22:24,109 - [Booker] You see 'em, you have a rain, you have 577 00:22:24,109 --> 00:22:25,811 a heavy rain you'll see them come out of the ground. 578 00:22:25,811 --> 00:22:28,214 I see them all the time on my sidewalk (mumbles) 579 00:22:28,214 --> 00:22:30,416 I try to put 'em back in there, I don't wanna just kill 'em. 580 00:22:30,416 --> 00:22:32,418 They're doing some good in your soil. 581 00:22:32,418 --> 00:22:33,919 They really keeping it aerated some too 582 00:22:33,919 --> 00:22:35,221 because they moving through the soil. 583 00:22:35,221 --> 00:22:36,722 So try not to kill 'em. 584 00:22:36,722 --> 00:22:39,358 - [Chris] Earthworms, I call 'em little tillers. 585 00:22:39,358 --> 00:22:40,659 They're you're friends in the garden. 586 00:22:40,659 --> 00:22:41,594 They're your beneficials. 587 00:22:41,594 --> 00:22:42,795 - [Booker] Yeah, they're going 588 00:22:42,795 --> 00:22:43,729 through the garden, having a good time. 589 00:22:43,729 --> 00:22:44,964 - [Chris] Yeah, and they produce 590 00:22:44,964 --> 00:22:46,165 that black gold which is earthworm casting 591 00:22:46,165 --> 00:22:47,900 which you can use in your flowerbeds 592 00:22:47,900 --> 00:22:49,468 and things like that, so I would not 593 00:22:49,468 --> 00:22:52,404 try to get rid of my earthworms. 594 00:22:52,404 --> 00:22:54,039 I definitely would not do that, Miss Esther, 595 00:22:54,039 --> 00:22:56,008 so I hope that helps you out. 596 00:22:56,008 --> 00:22:57,710 Alright, here's our next question: 597 00:22:57,710 --> 00:23:00,746 "My banana pepper plant has brown 598 00:23:00,746 --> 00:23:03,649 "and black spots all over the leaves. 599 00:23:03,649 --> 00:23:05,017 "What is causing that?" 600 00:23:05,017 --> 00:23:07,620 And again, this is the banana pepper plant. 601 00:23:07,620 --> 00:23:11,457 Brown and black spots on the leaves specifically. 602 00:23:11,457 --> 00:23:13,859 - The only thing that I saw that matches 603 00:23:13,859 --> 00:23:16,695 that description is the bacterial spot. 604 00:23:16,695 --> 00:23:21,433 I kinda look down through the diseases in the red book again 605 00:23:24,036 --> 00:23:27,006 and fixed copper mixed with mancozeb. 606 00:23:28,507 --> 00:23:29,942 - [Chris] So copper-based fungicide. 607 00:23:29,942 --> 00:23:32,945 - A copper-based fungicide should give you some relief. 608 00:23:32,945 --> 00:23:36,015 I do notice that some varieties of pepper 609 00:23:36,015 --> 00:23:37,983 are resistant to bacterial spot 610 00:23:37,983 --> 00:23:39,918 and you might wanna check that out 611 00:23:39,918 --> 00:23:42,488 and hopefully, I don't know how many peppers, 612 00:23:42,488 --> 00:23:45,057 you said is it one banana pepper? 613 00:23:45,057 --> 00:23:46,225 - [Chris] We don't know how many. 614 00:23:46,225 --> 00:23:48,327 - You might wanna check next time, 615 00:23:48,327 --> 00:23:50,996 or it's not too late to plant a banana pepper now, 616 00:23:50,996 --> 00:23:53,232 to try to find one that has 617 00:23:53,232 --> 00:23:54,700 some resistance to bacterial spot. 618 00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:56,101 - Resistant varieties are always are always out there. 619 00:23:56,101 --> 00:23:58,103 - That's better than having to spray all the time. 620 00:23:58,103 --> 00:23:59,605 - Right. 621 00:24:01,206 --> 00:24:03,042 If you got that problem, also, 622 00:24:03,042 --> 00:24:05,678 this is some cultural practices. 623 00:24:05,678 --> 00:24:10,249 Don't pick our peppers or mess with them 624 00:24:10,249 --> 00:24:12,685 while they're wet because you can spread, 625 00:24:12,685 --> 00:24:15,521 it's bacterial, so you can spread it 626 00:24:15,521 --> 00:24:20,526 and that's just one little thing you might wanna try. 627 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:22,962 - [Booker] And another thing, 628 00:24:22,962 --> 00:24:25,798 pepper and tomato get the same diseases. 629 00:24:25,798 --> 00:24:28,901 Rotating the garden, that's one of the good things. 630 00:24:28,901 --> 00:24:30,969 Don't plant where you had your tomatoes. 631 00:24:30,969 --> 00:24:33,072 Put them somewhere else in your garden next year. 632 00:24:33,072 --> 00:24:37,576 The disease might get on that plant. So I'd rotate them. 633 00:24:37,576 --> 00:24:39,178 Probably about next three years 634 00:24:39,178 --> 00:24:40,879 before I can do that same spot again. 635 00:24:40,879 --> 00:24:42,981 Move them around in your vegetable garden. 636 00:24:42,981 --> 00:24:45,317 - Okay, rotation, crop rotation of course, 637 00:24:45,317 --> 00:24:48,454 resistant varieties, and cultural practices. 638 00:24:48,454 --> 00:24:50,189 I think you should always mulch 639 00:24:50,189 --> 00:24:52,191 around your vegetables too. 640 00:24:52,191 --> 00:24:54,693 Cut down on the splashing effect. 641 00:24:54,693 --> 00:24:58,998 Alright? Well, Mr. D, Booker, we're out of time. Thank you. 642 00:25:00,366 --> 00:25:02,801 Remember, we love to hear from you. 643 00:25:02,801 --> 00:25:06,872 Send us a letter or an email with your gardening questions. 644 00:25:06,872 --> 00:25:11,844 Send your email to family plot at W-K-N-O dot org. 645 00:25:11,844 --> 00:25:14,346 The mailing address is Family Plot, 646 00:25:14,346 --> 00:25:18,217 7151 Cherry Farms Road, 647 00:25:18,217 --> 00:25:22,187 Cordova, Tennessee, 38016. 648 00:25:22,187 --> 00:25:24,923 That's all we have time for today, thanks for watching. 649 00:25:24,923 --> 00:25:27,259 I'm Chris Cooper, be sure to join us next time for 650 00:25:27,259 --> 00:25:29,661 The Family Plot, Gardening in the Mid-South. 651 00:25:29,661 --> 00:25:31,029 Be safe. 652 00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:36,035 (cheerful music) 653 00:25:57,256 --> 00:25:58,557 - [Voiceover] Production funding for 654 00:25:58,557 --> 00:26:00,492 The Family Plot, Gardening in the Mid-South 655 00:26:00,492 --> 00:26:04,730 is provided by Good Winds Landscape and Garden Center 656 00:26:04,730 --> 00:26:08,467 in Germantown since 1943 and continuing to offer 657 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:10,569 its plants for successful gardening 658 00:26:10,569 --> 00:26:12,638 with seven greenhouses and three acres 659 00:26:12,638 --> 00:26:16,241 of plants, plus comprehensive landscape services. 660 00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:19,912 International Paper Foundation. 661 00:26:21,113 --> 00:26:25,551 the WKNO Production Fund, the WKNO Endowment Fund, 662 00:26:25,551 --> 00:26:29,551 and by viewers like you. 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