WEBVTT 00:00.367 --> 00:03.036 - Hi, thanks for joining us for The Family Plot: 00:03.036 --> 00:04.204 Gardening in the Mid-South. 00:04.204 --> 00:05.439 I'm Chris Cooper. 00:05.439 --> 00:07.774  Fall and winter   will be here soon. 00:07.774 --> 00:11.545  Today, we will talk about what   to do to get your lawn ready. 00:11.545 --> 00:14.915  Also, there are several ways   to propagate your plants. 00:14.915 --> 00:17.117  We'll take a look at   using seeds and cuttings 00:17.117 --> 00:18.585  to get new plants. 00:18.585 --> 00:20.420  That's just ahead   on The Family Plot: 00:20.420 --> 00:22.356  Gardening in the Mid-South. 00:22.356 --> 00:23.657 - (female announcer)  Production funding for 00:23.657 --> 00:25.659  The Family Plot:   Gardening in the Mid-South 00:25.659 --> 00:27.594  is provided by 00:27.594 --> 00:29.997  the WKNO Production Fund, 00:29.997 --> 00:32.232  the WKNO Endowment Fund, 00:32.232 --> 00:35.702  and by viewers like   you, thank you. 00:35.702 --> 00:38.805 [upbeat country music] 00:45.679 --> 00:47.915 - Welcome to The Family Plot, I'm Chris Cooper. 00:47.915 --> 00:49.883 Joining me today is Mr. Booker T. Leigh. 00:49.883 --> 00:52.219 Booker's a UT Extension Agent here in Shelby County. 00:52.219 --> 00:54.321 And Ms. Kim Rucker will be joining us later. 00:54.321 --> 00:55.555 - Okay. 00:55.555 --> 00:56.790 - Thank you for being here today. 00:56.790 --> 00:57.724 - Man, always good to do your show. 00:57.724 --> 00:58.926 I mean, I just really enjoy it, 00:58.926 --> 01:00.160 and this is great for havin' me on here. 01:00.160 --> 01:01.361 Thanks for havin' me on the show. 01:01.361 --> 01:02.896 - Oh, anytime you're our lawn expert, 01:02.896 --> 01:04.097 so we're gonna come to you for these lawn questions, 01:04.097 --> 01:04.765 right? - I appreciate that then. 01:04.765 --> 01:05.999 Thank you. 01:05.999 --> 01:07.467 - So let's talk a little bit about 01:07.467 --> 01:08.669 getting your lawn ready for the fall and the winter. 01:08.669 --> 01:09.870 - May be that time of year again, 01:09.870 --> 01:10.804 and where we're already gettin' a phone call 01:10.804 --> 01:12.272 from people on their lawn. 01:12.272 --> 01:13.807 And the most important thing they're askin' now, 01:13.807 --> 01:16.643 "How low should I cut my grass durin' the fall of the year?" 01:16.643 --> 01:17.844 And I will tell them all the time, 01:17.844 --> 01:19.446 you don't wanna cut it too low. 01:19.446 --> 01:21.048 You wanna maintain the same height 01:21.048 --> 01:23.250 that you were cuttin' it durin' the regular season. 01:23.250 --> 01:24.751 'Cause if you cut it too low, 01:24.751 --> 01:26.653 and we have another winter like we did this year 01:26.653 --> 01:28.221 and that ice and snow get on there, 01:28.221 --> 01:29.489 - Right. - It can be damagin'. 01:29.489 --> 01:30.724 - Oh wow. - It can be damaged. 01:30.724 --> 01:31.892 You can damage your grass in there. 01:31.892 --> 01:33.393 But you wanna maintain same height. 01:33.393 --> 01:35.595 And this is a good time now to get your soil tested 01:35.595 --> 01:36.830 - Mm-hmm. - You know, 01:36.830 --> 01:38.065 in the fall of the year, get it tested 01:38.065 --> 01:39.533 'cause if you need to add any lime to it, 01:39.533 --> 01:41.268 and anything you need to add to it, 01:41.268 --> 01:42.803 like, especially phosphorous-potassium. 01:42.803 --> 01:44.471 You know, people think that, 01:44.471 --> 01:45.505 they still, them roots are still active. 01:45.505 --> 01:47.207 - Right, still growing. 01:47.207 --> 01:48.475 - Durin' the fall of the year. 01:48.475 --> 01:50.444 but the top part, it's not growin'. 01:50.444 --> 01:52.412 - Right. - Because of the weather. 01:52.412 --> 01:53.647 But you get that soil tested, 01:53.647 --> 01:54.681 and you need to add any lime to that, now, 01:54.681 --> 01:55.882 you can do that now, 01:55.882 --> 01:56.683 and by the time your grass start back 01:56.683 --> 01:57.918 in the spring next year, 01:57.918 --> 01:59.386 the lime is already there and ready to go. 01:59.386 --> 02:00.754 You cut down a lot of problems, 02:00.754 --> 02:02.289 but don't cut it too low. 02:02.289 --> 02:03.123 - Yeah. - Don't cut it too low. 02:03.123 --> 02:04.091 Get your soil tested. 02:04.091 --> 02:05.592 - Yeah, get your soil tested. 02:05.592 --> 02:06.827 - Of course to go to your local extension office. 02:06.827 --> 02:07.761 - Call your local extension office 02:07.761 --> 02:08.996 if there a problem in there, 02:08.996 --> 02:10.230 and do that, see. - Right, right. 02:10.230 --> 02:11.698 - And so they need to do it to the end there. 02:11.698 --> 02:13.233 Another thing we don't realize though, you know, 02:13.233 --> 02:15.502 and it never happen probably a lot of times, 02:15.502 --> 02:18.338 we go through a real dry, dry, dry winter, 02:18.338 --> 02:19.539 especially in the early part, 02:19.539 --> 02:20.907 you need to add a little water to your lawn, 02:20.907 --> 02:22.209 might need to water it. 02:22.209 --> 02:23.210 Not like doing it in the summertime, 02:23.210 --> 02:24.511 but you need to add some water 02:24.511 --> 02:26.013 to keep those roots with some moisture. 02:26.013 --> 02:27.280 They're very, they're still active under the ground, 02:27.280 --> 02:28.515 and you just don't see what's going on. 02:28.515 --> 02:29.883 - Right. - But they're still active. 02:29.883 --> 02:31.551 - Still growing. - They're still doing that. 02:31.551 --> 02:33.086 But that's a good point, you need to get that lawn ready, 02:33.086 --> 02:34.855 if you wanna have it to come back strong next year. 02:34.855 --> 02:37.524 - Okay. So I have a few questions for you 02:37.524 --> 02:38.892 about getting that lawn ready 02:38.892 --> 02:40.293 for the fall and winter. - Okay. 02:40.293 --> 02:42.896 - Is it necessary to fertilize your lawn in the fall? 02:42.896 --> 02:44.064 I know you talked a little bit about it, 02:44.064 --> 02:45.298 but is it necessary? 02:45.298 --> 02:46.933 - It is necessary if you're needin' it. 02:46.933 --> 02:48.268 Like I said though, 02:48.268 --> 02:50.270 You don't wanna give it no nitrogen fertilizer 02:50.270 --> 02:51.405 in the fall of the year, 02:51.405 --> 02:52.839 especially warm-season grass. 02:52.839 --> 02:54.374 You wanna give them, at least, phosphorous-potassium. 02:54.374 --> 02:56.043 That is good to do that in the fall of the year, 02:56.043 --> 02:57.511 because you do that. - Right. 02:57.511 --> 02:59.012 Now if you've got a cool-season grass beginning to grow now, 02:59.012 --> 03:01.615 then you might want to fertilize it in the fall of the year 03:01.615 --> 03:02.549 in there. - All right. 03:02.549 --> 03:03.884 - But your warm-season grass, 03:03.884 --> 03:05.752 hold back on your nitrogen fertilizer. 03:05.752 --> 03:07.254 If you give it some nitrogen fertilizer, 03:07.254 --> 03:08.588 it could start to grow. 03:08.588 --> 03:09.523 And when it starting to grow in there, 03:09.523 --> 03:11.491 then we have a real cold spell, 03:11.491 --> 03:12.959 it can damage that grass. - Right. 03:12.959 --> 03:14.294 - So you don't wanna do damage to that grass there. 03:14.294 --> 03:16.329 But hold back on your nitrogen, 03:16.329 --> 03:17.864 but give it some phosphorous potassium, if needed. 03:17.864 --> 03:20.500 And also check that soil pH for to add that lime to that 03:20.500 --> 03:21.968 because the lime is very important. 03:21.968 --> 03:23.737 If you don't have that lime right, correct on there, 03:23.737 --> 03:27.107 a lot of times, all the other nutrients you add to the soil, 03:27.107 --> 03:28.508 it's not gonna be taken up by the plant. 03:28.508 --> 03:29.476 - Right. 03:29.476 --> 03:30.977 - So you wanna do that in there. 03:30.977 --> 03:32.245 And like I said, fall is best time to do that for it. 03:32.245 --> 03:33.780 Then it's ready to go in the springtime. 03:33.780 --> 03:34.748 - Ready to go in the spring. - When they come out of there, 03:34.748 --> 03:35.982 that grass is ready to go. 03:35.982 --> 03:37.284 It's healthy, says, "Hey, I'm ready to go now. 03:37.284 --> 03:38.218 [Chris laughs] "Let me come out this dormancy 03:38.218 --> 03:39.786 and get up. Let me grow." 03:39.786 --> 03:42.055 - Good and green. - Look good and green. 03:42.055 --> 03:43.890 "I'm ready to go in there." 03:43.890 --> 03:45.425 - All right, so this next question 03:45.425 --> 03:47.594 is the question I know we get a lot at the extension office. 03:47.594 --> 03:50.397 "When should I put down a pre-emerge herbicide 03:50.397 --> 03:51.665 on my lawn?" 03:51.665 --> 03:53.567 - A pre-emerge, now, pre- meaning before. 03:53.567 --> 03:55.435 - Right. - You know, in there. 03:55.435 --> 03:56.770 For your warm-season grass, 03:56.770 --> 03:57.771 you wanna put it down in, like, 03:57.771 --> 03:59.372 in the fall of the year. - Okay. 03:59.372 --> 04:02.342 - And pre-, it's gonna keep the seed from even germinatin'. 04:02.342 --> 04:03.276 - Right. - You know, 04:03.276 --> 04:04.411 you wanna do that in there. 04:04.411 --> 04:05.812 And puttin' a pre-emerge herbicide down, 04:05.812 --> 04:07.848 you need to get a complete cover. 04:07.848 --> 04:09.349 - Okay. - You need to get 04:09.349 --> 04:10.250 a complete cover, and you need to go both directions. 04:10.250 --> 04:11.585  - Right.   - If it says half 04:11.585 --> 04:13.453  it say 50 pounds here,   put 25 pounds that way, 04:13.453 --> 04:14.654  and 25 pounds that way.   - Right. 04:14.654 --> 04:15.922  - For you get a   good cover in there. 04:15.922 --> 04:18.058  Then come back again   probably in March. 04:18.058 --> 04:19.726  - Okay, right.   - Put another pre-emerge down, 04:19.726 --> 04:21.695 and that's to try and get some of those summer weeds 04:21.695 --> 04:23.563 out in your lawn. - Right. 04:23.563 --> 04:25.265 - And most pre-emerge herbicides are gonna come, 04:25.265 --> 04:26.800 like, in a granule. - Okay. 04:26.800 --> 04:28.768 - It's gonna need to be activated in by rain water 04:28.768 --> 04:30.270 or some type of irrigation. 04:30.270 --> 04:31.171 - Okay so you do water it? - Over a period of time. 04:31.171 --> 04:32.672 Yeah. - All right. 04:32.672 --> 04:33.907 - It'll be, it should be on the label, if you irrigate in, 04:33.907 --> 04:35.242 some kind of, in that way in there. 04:35.242 --> 04:36.343 - Okay. - But pre-emerge, 04:36.343 --> 04:37.277 very important though. - Yes it is. 04:37.277 --> 04:38.545 - Get that pre-emerge dow, 04:38.545 --> 04:39.713 you'll control a lot of those summer weeds 04:39.713 --> 04:40.680 from comin' and germinatin' 04:40.680 --> 04:41.982 in there. - Right. 04:41.982 --> 04:43.250 - If many of them get through, 04:43.250 --> 04:44.117 you use a post-emerge herbicide at the end. 04:44.117 --> 04:45.385 - Right, right. - Mm-hm. 04:45.385 --> 04:46.453 - Or if you can't just pull it out. 04:46.453 --> 04:47.621 [both laugh] 04:47.621 --> 04:48.889 - Yeah, pull it out of there. 04:48.889 --> 04:50.123 - If it's not much of it, just pull it out. 04:50.123 --> 04:51.591 - Just pull it out there. 04:51.591 --> 04:52.826 Then when you pull it up, try to get that whole, 04:52.826 --> 04:54.327 that root system. - Right. Right. 04:54.327 --> 04:55.595 - Gotta get the root system. - Try to get that root system. 04:55.595 --> 04:56.830 Yeah, you don't wanna break it off in there. 04:56.830 --> 04:57.964 - Do read and follow the label though, 04:57.964 --> 04:59.299 for pre-emerge herbicides, for sure, 04:59.299 --> 05:01.101 and post-emerge herbicides. - Read, mm-hmm. 05:01.101 --> 05:02.602 - All right, so the next question is this, 05:02.602 --> 05:06.273 "How low should I cut my warm season grasses for winter?" 05:06.273 --> 05:07.741 - Well you need, like I said, only 05:07.741 --> 05:09.209 to maintain the same height that you had 'em before. 05:09.209 --> 05:10.477 Yeah, maintain the same height. 05:10.477 --> 05:11.811 ou don't wanna cut it too low in there, 05:11.811 --> 05:13.280 about the same height. 05:13.280 --> 05:15.715 Like for Bermuda grass and zoysia grass, 05:15.715 --> 05:17.984 about two and a half to three inches tall in there. 05:17.984 --> 05:19.352 You wanna do that. - Okay. 05:19.352 --> 05:21.087 Just cut it tight. 05:21.087 --> 05:22.622 And a lot of people mow their lawn, 05:22.622 --> 05:24.124 they think that if they cut it real low, 05:24.124 --> 05:25.592 maybe think it's gonna look better during the winter time, 05:25.592 --> 05:27.394 and they want it to look good, but you really can be 05:27.394 --> 05:28.895 damaging your lawn. - Sure. 05:28.895 --> 05:30.964 - In there, 'cause you don't want that. 05:30.964 --> 05:32.032 Like I said, when we had that ice and snow, 05:32.032 --> 05:33.567 like we did this year, 05:33.567 --> 05:35.135 it can get on there and then damage that grass in there. 05:35.135 --> 05:38.171 Like I said, a good thing to do on your lawn is, 05:38.171 --> 05:40.740 when you have a big rain, walk around that lawn. 05:40.740 --> 05:41.841 - Right. - Walk around that lawn. 05:41.841 --> 05:43.443 Just see how everything look. 05:43.443 --> 05:45.045 See if you got any water standing. 05:45.045 --> 05:46.513 You might not notice that 'cause, 05:46.513 --> 05:48.281 by the time it finish rainin', just just see 'cause, 05:48.281 --> 05:49.449 you don't want it standing too long. 05:49.449 --> 05:50.383 - Right. - You want that 05:50.383 --> 05:51.618 go on and drain off there. 05:51.618 --> 05:52.519 - Okay, no, that makes sense. That makes sense. 05:52.519 --> 05:53.920 So let me ask you about 05:53.920 --> 05:55.589 the fescue grass. - Okay. 05:55.589 --> 05:57.857 - So how tall should we, you know, 05:57.857 --> 05:59.326 maintain our fescue grasses? 05:59.326 --> 06:01.628 - Well normally it's growing in the fall of the year. 06:01.628 --> 06:03.029 - Right. 06:03.029 --> 06:04.197 - You wanna keep it somewhere about three inches tall. 06:04.197 --> 06:05.532 - Okay. - Three inches tall in there. 06:07.100 --> 06:09.269 Then sometimes you might cut that often, 06:09.269 --> 06:11.071 like that, because, man, they grow real fast. 06:11.071 --> 06:12.205 - Oh yeah. - That fescues, 06:12.205 --> 06:13.406 your fescue grass. 06:13.406 --> 06:16.142 You do have some Kentucky bluegrass, 06:16.142 --> 06:17.611 and it would be looking good too, 06:17.611 --> 06:19.312 you need to cut that, too, about three inches tall in there. 06:19.312 --> 06:20.814 - Okay. - In there, so, in there. 06:20.814 --> 06:23.483 So yeah, you need to keep that grass the right height, 06:23.483 --> 06:25.752 and then you can fight off a lot of problems with that. 06:25.752 --> 06:27.153 - Right, right. 06:27.153 --> 06:28.855 All right, so this next question is about soil testing. 06:28.855 --> 06:30.357 - Okay. - We talked a little bit 06:30.357 --> 06:31.958 about soil testing, so again, it's just important, right? 06:31.958 --> 06:33.093 - This is just important though, 06:33.093 --> 06:34.628 in there for the pH of the soil, 06:34.628 --> 06:35.562 in there. - Right. 06:35.562 --> 06:36.796 - That's most important for it. 06:36.796 --> 06:38.231 And also the uptake of all the other nutrients 06:38.231 --> 06:39.466 that we have in the soil. 06:39.466 --> 06:41.201 You don't want it to die in there. 06:41.201 --> 06:42.335 And a lot of time people say, 06:42.335 --> 06:43.837 "Man, my grass not doing good. 06:43.837 --> 06:45.472 What's wrong with my grass? It's not doing good," 06:45.472 --> 06:46.373 in there. - Right. 06:46.373 --> 06:47.607 - "It's not growin'. 06:47.607 --> 06:48.842 "I passed fertilizer to it and everything." 06:48.842 --> 06:49.776 You need to have that soil tested. 06:49.776 --> 06:51.144 And a lot of times, nowhere. 06:52.812 --> 06:54.681 And a lot of times you can get the pH too high. 06:54.681 --> 06:55.949 - Oh yeah. - You know, you can. 06:55.949 --> 06:57.150 And you get it too high and still 06:57.150 --> 06:58.285 that'd do the same effect that having it 06:58.285 --> 06:59.419 just bein' too low. - Right. 06:59.419 --> 07:00.954 - And what we recommend doing then, 07:00.954 --> 07:02.822 and you have some thinkin' some kind of lawn service, 07:02.822 --> 07:04.057 something like that. 07:04.057 --> 07:05.325 Sometimes have them test your soil, okay, 07:05.325 --> 07:07.661 just to see what the pH runnin' in there. 07:07.661 --> 07:09.195 So you wanna know that. 07:09.195 --> 07:10.730 That's the most important thing in your grass there. 07:10.730 --> 07:13.266 - Okay, and again, what's a good pH for your lawn grass? 07:13.266 --> 07:16.503 - For most lawn grasses we have, it is between 6.0 07:16.503 --> 07:17.337  and 6.5.   - Okay. 07:18.471 --> 07:19.706  - Like I said, like that, 07:19.706 --> 07:21.508  you cannot know that   by lookin' at it. 07:21.508 --> 07:22.742  - Nah. 07:22.742 --> 07:23.777 - Like, I thought, man, I thought mine 07:23.777 --> 07:25.245 was right, one time. 07:25.245 --> 07:27.280 And I thought it was right then I had it tested, 07:27.280 --> 07:28.915 and it wasn't, like, it was low. 07:28.915 --> 07:30.116 - All right. All right. 07:30.116 --> 07:31.484 - It wasn't too low, but it was low. 07:31.484 --> 07:33.119 I need to add some lime to it. 07:33.119 --> 07:34.387 And another thing, 07:34.387 --> 07:35.555 you don't need to test your soil every year. 07:35.555 --> 07:36.489 - Right, yeah, of course. 07:36.489 --> 07:37.791 - About every three years 07:37.791 --> 07:39.259 is a good time to have that tested. 07:39.259 --> 07:41.261 Okay, it'll stay the same for about three years. 07:41.261 --> 07:42.495 Then you might wanna come out and test again 07:42.495 --> 07:43.963 in three years, in there. - Right. 07:43.963 --> 07:45.732 - And you know, you can call your extension service 07:45.732 --> 07:48.968 for a soil box and information on how to get that tested, 07:48.968 --> 07:50.503 in there. - Right, right, right. 07:50.503 --> 07:51.638 'Cause then we have a great soil lab here in Tennessee. 07:51.638 --> 07:53.640 - Great soil lab. - With Dr. Robert Florence. 07:53.640 --> 07:54.841 He does an excellent job there. 07:54.841 --> 07:56.943 - And the price is not that bad. 07:56.943 --> 07:58.845 I'd rather pay $15 and get it tested 07:58.845 --> 08:01.781 than putting, throwing money out there, 08:01.781 --> 08:03.049 and it not doing any good. 08:03.049 --> 08:04.317 - All right, good point, good point. 08:04.317 --> 08:05.819 All right, so our next question is, 08:05.819 --> 08:08.054 "Do we get diseases on our grasses during the winter?" 08:08.054 --> 08:09.556 What about that? - Well, sometimes we, 08:09.556 --> 08:11.024 we take them from our warm seasons 08:11.024 --> 08:12.492 and we take them over into the winter, 08:12.492 --> 08:13.960 if we don't have any control though. 08:13.960 --> 08:15.195 They we're still on your lawn, 08:15.195 --> 08:16.863 when you don't control the grass. 08:16.863 --> 08:18.698 You just don't hardly see 'em in the winter time, 08:18.698 --> 08:20.667 because the grass is dormant. - Okay. 08:20.667 --> 08:22.369 - It's in dormancy. 08:22.369 --> 08:25.171 And sometimes, with you fescue lawn, 08:25.171 --> 08:27.640  you might get some brown   patches sometime in there, 08:27.640 --> 08:30.410  and you might just look   through that and see it. 08:30.410 --> 08:33.713  You might see some   brown patches in there, 08:33.713 --> 08:35.915 and normally you'll see that on your fescue grass. 08:35.915 --> 08:38.218 And very few on Kentucky bluegrass 08:38.218 --> 08:39.686 you might see that. - Okay. 08:39.686 --> 08:40.754 - You wouldn't see that-- - But it is possible? 08:40.754 --> 08:42.255 - It's possible, it's possible. 08:42.255 --> 08:43.256 Because they're growin' then, and you can see it. 08:43.256 --> 08:44.691 It'll be visible to the eye then. 08:44.691 --> 08:47.127 But normally your warm-season grass is kind of dormant, 08:47.127 --> 08:51.364 and because it's brown, so you can't hardly tell, 08:51.364 --> 08:53.366 But you would know you have some in there, 08:53.366 --> 08:54.768 in the springtime, last year, 08:54.768 --> 08:56.002 and sometimes if you ain't do nothing with 'em, 08:56.002 --> 08:57.537 so then they'll carry over in there. 08:57.537 --> 08:59.239 - And they carry over, okay. - Mm-hm. Yep. 08:59.239 --> 09:01.141 - Wow, so, good tips, right, 09:01.141 --> 09:03.576 on getting your lawn prepared for the fall and winter. 09:03.576 --> 09:05.278 - Getting ready for fall, but you're really tryin' 09:05.278 --> 09:06.546 to get it ready for next spring. 09:06.546 --> 09:08.014 - Right. - Then you need to be thinking 09:08.014 --> 09:09.382 of doing the things now to get it ready for next spring, 09:09.382 --> 09:10.617 in there, yeah. - Okay. 09:10.617 --> 09:11.651 - You take care of that grass now. 09:11.651 --> 09:12.919 - Take care of that grass, man. 09:12.919 --> 09:13.586 Well we appreciate that information. 09:13.586 --> 09:14.988 Thank you much. 09:14.988 --> 09:15.955 - Thank you for having me. [Chris chuckling] 09:15.955 --> 09:17.557 I enjoyed it. 09:17.557 --> 09:20.060 [upbeat country music] 09:22.829 --> 09:24.164 - Let's talk a little bit about 09:24.164 --> 09:28.034 this summer annual grass weed. 09:28.034 --> 09:29.969 This is goose grass. 09:29.969 --> 09:32.939 Goose grass is related to crab grass. 09:32.939 --> 09:34.908 It loves compact soils 09:34.908 --> 09:37.777 and also loves soils that are poorly drained. 09:37.777 --> 09:40.413 You definitely want to remove this weed 09:40.413 --> 09:42.515 before it actually starts to go to seed. 09:42.515 --> 09:43.983 And as you can see, now, 09:43.983 --> 09:46.019 it is starting to go to seed, 09:46.019 --> 09:49.189 because it is an annual grass weed. 09:49.189 --> 09:50.857 So here's a couple of things that you could do. 09:50.857 --> 09:52.926 One use a pre-emerge. 09:52.926 --> 09:54.894  Dimension will be   a good pre-emerge 09:54.894 --> 09:56.496  to control goose grass, 09:56.496 --> 09:58.665  And you wanna put that down   of course in the spring, 09:58.665 --> 10:00.033  then again in the summer. 10:00.033 --> 10:01.501  And since this weed   is already here, 10:01.501 --> 10:04.604  how about a post   emergent herbicide? 10:04.604 --> 10:08.441  You can use something   like quinclorac. 10:08.441 --> 10:09.776  That's the active ingredient. 10:09.776 --> 10:12.612 So again, goose grass, make sure you get it up, 10:12.612 --> 10:15.281 because, if you don't and you wait too late, 10:15.281 --> 10:17.517 it will go to seed, and guess what? 10:17.517 --> 10:19.319 It will be back next year. 10:19.319 --> 10:22.322 [upbeat country music] 10:22.322 --> 10:23.590 - Alright Kim. 10:23.590 --> 10:24.591 We're gonna talk about propagation. 10:24.591 --> 10:26.292 So here's the first question. 10:26.292 --> 10:29.596 What is propagation, and why do we need to propagate? 10:30.997 --> 10:33.700 - Well propagation, if you're like most gardeners, 10:33.700 --> 10:35.602 once you get the gardening fever, 10:35.602 --> 10:38.171 you just want to acquire more and more plants. 10:39.906 --> 10:41.374 And, when you learn to propagate, 10:41.374 --> 10:43.276 it's a skill set that you learn. 10:43.276 --> 10:45.445 Plus it's a way to get new plants, 10:45.445 --> 10:46.779 without-- - Okay. 10:46.779 --> 10:48.481 - It's economical. - Okay. 10:48.481 --> 10:50.183 All right, so you want to get us started, 10:50.183 --> 10:51.451 on some of your practices? - Sure. 10:51.451 --> 10:53.386 There are several ways to propagate. 10:54.821 --> 10:57.957 The easiest, to me, one of the easiest, is to seed. 10:57.957 --> 11:00.093 It's very economical. 11:00.093 --> 11:03.563 It's a quick fix. You get plants fairly quickly. 11:03.563 --> 11:05.298 A lot of people are interested 11:05.298 --> 11:07.934 in vegetable gardening now. - Sure. 11:07.934 --> 11:11.671 - So it's very easy to seed your vegetables. 11:11.671 --> 11:13.907 There are basically two types of seeding, 11:14.974 --> 11:17.577 direct seeding, or in situ, 11:17.577 --> 11:20.813 which means you take your seeds, you go out in the yard, 11:20.813 --> 11:23.483 and you plant them in your prepared bed. 11:25.084 --> 11:27.820 A lot of your vegetables, you can do that way. 11:27.820 --> 11:30.957 Especially if they have, the plant is gonna have a taproot, 11:30.957 --> 11:32.959 those don't usually transplant real well, 11:32.959 --> 11:34.794 so you want to start those outside. 11:36.362 --> 11:38.464 The other is indirect seeding, 11:39.766 --> 11:41.200 and usually, what that involves 11:41.200 --> 11:44.137 is seeding into a container of some sort, 11:44.137 --> 11:46.205 and then you, usually, end up transplanting, 11:46.205 --> 11:49.008 at least once or twice, before you actually move it 11:49.008 --> 11:51.811 into the spot where you are going to grow it on. 11:52.712 --> 11:55.548 We do a lot of indirect seeding 11:55.548 --> 11:56.649 at the Dixon. - Okay. 11:58.117 --> 12:01.588 - And so basically, what I do with the indirect seeding is, 12:01.588 --> 12:03.456 this is our seeding tray, 12:05.058 --> 12:06.326 and I've got little cells. 12:06.326 --> 12:07.927 We put a special mix in there. 12:07.927 --> 12:11.064 It's basically just a soil mix. It's a little looser. 12:11.064 --> 12:14.500 And we put one seed per cell. - Okay. 12:14.500 --> 12:15.702 - And that's just, 12:17.670 --> 12:19.339 because it's easier to transplant, 12:19.339 --> 12:20.707 so you don't have to divide 'em. 12:20.707 --> 12:21.541 - Okay, makes sense. 12:21.541 --> 12:23.042 - And we do quite a few. 12:23.042 --> 12:24.777 And usually, the seeds we're using, 12:24.777 --> 12:26.879 the germination rate is really high, 12:26.879 --> 12:29.482 so we know, if we need 40 plants, 12:29.482 --> 12:32.885 and I seed 42 seeds, I'm gonna get at least 40 plants. 12:32.885 --> 12:34.153 - Okay. - A lot of that 12:34.153 --> 12:35.221 depends on your germination rate. 12:36.422 --> 12:37.690 - Let me ask you this before you keep going. 12:37.690 --> 12:40.059 So can the homeowner get the seed trays? 12:40.059 --> 12:41.594 Where can they purchase them? - Oh yes, you can. 12:41.594 --> 12:44.364 A lot of times you'll see 'em in the big box stores, 12:44.364 --> 12:46.065 and they come in a big flat. 12:46.065 --> 12:48.935 This has actually been cut in half. 12:48.935 --> 12:51.337 And then it'll have a dome on the top. 12:51.337 --> 12:54.273 Sometimes they'll already have the soil in 'em, 12:54.273 --> 12:57.043 and it'll have a little tray that holds water on the bottom. 12:57.043 --> 12:58.378 That's what this tray is for. 12:58.378 --> 13:01.080 We actually seed into dry mix, 13:02.248 --> 13:04.150 and then pour warm water onto the tray, 13:04.150 --> 13:05.718 and let it soak up from the bottom. 13:05.718 --> 13:07.654 You don't want to water on top of this, 13:07.654 --> 13:09.389 because your seed's gonna wash out. 13:10.957 --> 13:12.492 - That's good to know. - That's good, yeah. 13:12.492 --> 13:13.960 - That's good to know, yes. - That's real good to know. 13:13.960 --> 13:15.628 - Once they get this, these are some seedlings. 13:15.628 --> 13:18.698 It's Aquilegia or columbine that we seeded, 13:18.698 --> 13:20.800 and these were actually seeded, 13:23.102 --> 13:25.705 on January 23rd. - Okay. 13:25.705 --> 13:29.409 - But these are, we call these plugs, and what we do, 13:29.409 --> 13:32.645 once they get their second set of true leaves. 13:32.645 --> 13:33.446 - Okay. 13:34.914 --> 13:37.283 - What we do is we just kind of squeeze it like this, 13:37.283 --> 13:40.420 and then I usually take a bamboo stick, 13:40.420 --> 13:43.990 and you just poke up the bottom, 13:43.990 --> 13:45.191 and it just pops out. - You got all the tricks. 13:45.191 --> 13:46.859 - And there's your plug. - I can handle that. 13:46.859 --> 13:48.461 - Sorry, I'm makin' a mess. - Oh, that's all right. 13:48.461 --> 13:50.863 - And then you just move that to the next size pot, 13:50.863 --> 13:52.131 and you grow 'em on. 13:52.131 --> 13:55.101 That's actually the pink flowers down there. 13:55.101 --> 13:57.070 Those actually, the seed is 13:57.070 --> 13:58.905 about the size of a grain of pepper. 13:58.905 --> 14:00.339 It's very tiny. - Wow, small. 14:00.339 --> 14:02.442 - And then in 12 to 14 weeks, 14:02.442 --> 14:03.876 that's what I have. - Okay. 14:03.876 --> 14:06.713 - So, and that's another important thing with seeding. 14:06.713 --> 14:08.881 You need to decide when you want your plant, 14:08.881 --> 14:11.417 and then count back the number of weeks 14:11.417 --> 14:13.186 that it tells you on the package 14:13.186 --> 14:15.621 that it takes for the plant to get that size. 14:15.621 --> 14:16.856 - Okay. - So with the, 14:16.856 --> 14:20.793 the snapdragon there, we actually seed those. 14:20.793 --> 14:22.729 We want 'em about the 1st of February, 14:22.729 --> 14:25.064 so I count back 12 to 14 weeks, 14:25.064 --> 14:27.934 and that's usually the end of October, 1st of November. 14:27.934 --> 14:29.869 That's when I seed it. - Okay. 14:29.869 --> 14:31.704 - Usually a month later I can up-pot it 14:31.704 --> 14:34.607 to the first small pot, 14:34.607 --> 14:36.509 and then we move 'em into the big gallons. 14:36.509 --> 14:39.846 And then we, it's very important for us for timing, 14:39.846 --> 14:41.748 because I want the flowers 14:41.748 --> 14:43.816 for the arrangements in the museum, 14:43.816 --> 14:45.852 so I have to have 'em on a certain schedule. 14:45.852 --> 14:47.687 - It's pretty neat. Now can we get to the cuttings? 14:47.687 --> 14:49.055 - Yes. - Okay. 14:49.055 --> 14:51.090 - On the cuttings, there's several ways 14:51.090 --> 14:53.025 to vegetatively propagate something, 14:53.025 --> 14:55.762 which basically, with that, you're gonna get 14:55.762 --> 14:57.864 the identical plant that you're working with. 14:57.864 --> 14:59.098 - Okay. 14:59.098 --> 15:00.767 - And there are several ways to do this. 15:00.767 --> 15:05.605 You can do stem cuttings with herbaceous plants, 15:05.605 --> 15:08.274 and that's real good for your annuals. 15:08.274 --> 15:10.676 My mom always kept coleus in the window sill. 15:10.676 --> 15:13.346 She would save 'em from the season before, 15:13.346 --> 15:16.916 and you just take a cutting, and, what I do is-- 15:16.916 --> 15:18.251 We call this the mother plant. 15:18.251 --> 15:19.452 - Okay. [all laughing] 15:19.452 --> 15:20.787 - And we keep several of these, 15:20.787 --> 15:22.255 and then we take cuttings off of it. 15:22.255 --> 15:23.790 But you just find a stem, 15:23.790 --> 15:25.758 and you want it not real flexible. 15:25.758 --> 15:27.160 That means it's the newer growth. 15:27.160 --> 15:29.428 But you want to get it back just a little bit 15:29.428 --> 15:31.397 to where it's not real stiff. - Okay. 15:31.397 --> 15:36.135 - And what I usually do, you can take it off here, 15:36.135 --> 15:39.305 and you'll usually hear, as much as feel, a little snap. 15:39.305 --> 15:40.540 [plant snaps] 15:40.540 --> 15:41.541 - Wow, okay. - And you can do it that way. 15:42.975 --> 15:45.044 It's really best to cut, 'cause you end up tearin'. 15:45.044 --> 15:48.447 But the next, it's really very easy to do this. 15:48.447 --> 15:50.616 You can either root it by dipping it in hormone, 15:50.616 --> 15:53.019 and then sticking it in soil or with these, 15:53.019 --> 15:54.387 I like to start 'em in water. 15:54.387 --> 15:56.055 It's just easier. It's quicker. 15:56.055 --> 15:57.290 But you just take your leaves 15:57.290 --> 15:58.658 and strip 'em off. - Okay. 15:58.658 --> 16:01.460 - And then you want several leaf nodes, 16:01.460 --> 16:05.398 one, two, three down into the water or into the soil. 16:05.398 --> 16:07.166 - Okay. - So that's what... 16:07.166 --> 16:09.669 And then this is what you get in about 16:11.304 --> 16:12.839 two weeks. - Well how about that. 16:12.839 --> 16:13.806 - Two weeks? - And then you just stick-- 16:13.806 --> 16:14.740 Two weeks. - Yeah. 16:14.740 --> 16:15.575 - And that's just in water. 16:15.575 --> 16:16.843 - That's just in water. 16:16.843 --> 16:17.877 We usually set it in a window sill, 16:17.877 --> 16:19.111 where it gets indirect light, 16:19.111 --> 16:21.414 good light, but indirect light. 16:21.414 --> 16:23.449 And then we just pop those 16:23.449 --> 16:26.619 into a soil mix. - Okay. 16:26.619 --> 16:30.723 - The other, that's a kind of an herbaceous. 16:30.723 --> 16:34.427 There's also semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. 16:34.427 --> 16:36.863 The boxwood, we don't do a lot of those. 16:36.863 --> 16:39.131 We do it more for demonstration and, just, 16:39.131 --> 16:40.700 what we call playin'. [Chris laughs] 16:40.700 --> 16:42.301 But you usually use 16:43.669 --> 16:46.005 the past year's growth, 16:46.005 --> 16:47.907 and what you do is, you find a stem, that's, 16:47.907 --> 16:50.543 the same thing, not real hard, 16:50.543 --> 16:53.779 or it's somewhat woody, but, you know, 16:53.779 --> 16:56.048 it's not like this major stem here. 16:56.048 --> 16:58.751 But what you do is, you just cut it off. 16:58.751 --> 17:00.152 - Okay. 17:00.152 --> 17:01.587 - Use good clean clippers. [branch snipping] 17:01.587 --> 17:04.323 I like to clean 'em in between with alcohol. 17:04.323 --> 17:06.125 - Okay, and we wanna make sure we get a clean cut as well. 17:06.125 --> 17:07.393 - A clean cut, right. - Okay. 17:07.393 --> 17:09.061 - And then you do the same thing. 17:09.061 --> 17:11.130 You want to take your leaves off, 17:11.130 --> 17:13.332 and you want several nodes. 17:13.332 --> 17:15.501 And then, what I like to do with hardwood 17:15.501 --> 17:17.436 or semi-hardwood cuttings, 17:17.436 --> 17:20.239 and a lot of these depend on the time of the year. 17:20.239 --> 17:22.475 Usually May, June, July, 17:22.475 --> 17:24.777 you've had that first flush of new growth, 17:24.777 --> 17:27.313 and it starting to get a little bit hard. 17:27.313 --> 17:28.581 It's not quite so tender. 17:28.581 --> 17:31.217 And then I just take a rooting hormone. 17:31.217 --> 17:33.119 There's also liquids you can use. 17:33.119 --> 17:34.287 You can buy 'em anywhere. 17:34.287 --> 17:35.488 This is kind of 17:35.488 --> 17:36.289 professional strength. - So the homeowner 17:36.289 --> 17:37.757 can readily get that? 17:37.757 --> 17:39.659 - There's one called Root Tone that you can find 17:39.659 --> 17:41.327 at most any garden center. - Okay, from any garden... 17:41.327 --> 17:43.963 - So what you do, I don't like to dip into that, 17:43.963 --> 17:45.598 because, if this is diseased, 17:45.598 --> 17:46.732 you're gonna contaminate 17:46.732 --> 17:48.000 your whole container. - Makes sense. 17:48.000 --> 17:49.669 - So what I do is pour it into a little cup, 17:49.669 --> 17:52.605 and you can, it's not necessary to wet this, 17:52.605 --> 17:53.906 because it's gonna stick. 17:53.906 --> 17:55.641 It's just a real fine powder. [softly tapping] 17:55.641 --> 17:59.478 And I put it in there and knock the excess off. 17:59.478 --> 18:03.182 And then what I've done, I've got potting mix in there, 18:03.182 --> 18:06.652 And then I generally put a small layer of sand, 18:06.652 --> 18:08.087 and then I put more potting mix, 18:08.087 --> 18:09.956 and then you can just poke it in there. 18:09.956 --> 18:11.624 - Okay. Now what is the sand for? 18:13.059 --> 18:17.763 - The roots seem to grow off that, into that fairly easily. 18:18.898 --> 18:19.832 Plus it kind of holds a little moisture. 18:19.832 --> 18:21.067 - Okay, that makes sense. 18:21.067 --> 18:23.769 - And then, this is kind of short, but [laughs] 18:23.769 --> 18:25.371 he's in there. - It's peepin' out there. 18:25.371 --> 18:27.173 - It's peekin, I can see it. - He's peeking in there. 18:27.173 --> 18:28.374 Generally what I will do is 18:28.374 --> 18:31.177 water it once really well after that, 18:31.177 --> 18:34.814 and then we have a mist house which keeps the humidity up, 18:34.814 --> 18:37.750 but most homeowners don't have their own mist house. 18:37.750 --> 18:40.219 So you can put it in a Ziploc bag and seal it, 18:40.219 --> 18:42.588 and put it in good indirect light, 18:42.588 --> 18:44.290 and then that'll kind of keep it moist. 18:44.290 --> 18:48.094 And usually they root in, in maybe two to three months. 18:48.094 --> 18:49.562 [cheerful guitar music] 18:49.562 --> 18:51.964 - Okay, we appreciate that awesome demonstration. 18:51.964 --> 18:53.566 I'm pretty sure the homeowners are gonna love that as well. 18:53.566 --> 18:55.201 So thank you much. - You're welcome. 18:55.201 --> 18:59.005 [gentle country music] 18:59.005 --> 19:01.574 - Squash vine borers can be devastating in the home garden 19:01.574 --> 19:03.643 to pumpkins and other squash plants. 19:03.643 --> 19:06.779  The borer boroughs into the   stem, girdles the plant, 19:06.779 --> 19:09.015  and the whole thing   just wilts and dies. 19:09.015 --> 19:10.383  And there's not much   you can do about it, 19:10.383 --> 19:12.551  once the borer   is in the plant. 19:12.551 --> 19:13.986 To stop the squash vine borer, 19:13.986 --> 19:16.756 you have to kill it before it enters the plant. 19:16.756 --> 19:18.891 So, if you choose to go the chemical route, 19:18.891 --> 19:22.061 I have here a bifenthrin and zeta-cypermethrin. 19:22.061 --> 19:26.365 So take your spray and direct it to the base of the plants. 19:26.365 --> 19:29.602 You don't need to spray the leaves or the flowers, 19:29.602 --> 19:32.271 just the bottom three feet of the vine itself, 19:32.271 --> 19:36.042 'cause that's where the squash vine borer will lay its eggs. 19:36.042 --> 19:37.843 You wanna spray in the evening, 19:37.843 --> 19:40.046  because, in the morning,   the pollinators are active, 19:40.046 --> 19:41.280  and the flowers are open. 19:42.715 --> 19:44.483 Always make sure you read and follow the label direction, 19:44.483 --> 19:46.685 including protective clothing. 19:46.685 --> 19:48.988 This particular chemical says I need to wear gloves 19:48.988 --> 19:50.923 and a long-sleeve shirt and long pants. 19:52.958 --> 19:55.528 And you wanna repeat the spray every week 19:55.528 --> 19:57.696 while the squash vine borers are active, 19:57.696 --> 20:00.266 and that should keep the squash vine borers 20:00.266 --> 20:01.901 out of your squash. 20:01.901 --> 20:05.805 [gentle country music] 20:05.805 --> 20:07.006 - All right, here's our Q and A segment. 20:07.006 --> 20:08.174 You ready? - I'm ready? 20:08.174 --> 20:09.442 - Some great questions here. 20:09.442 --> 20:11.644 - Always a good question here, always comin' in. 20:11.644 --> 20:13.813 - Here's our first viewer email. 20:13.813 --> 20:15.347  "I have vinca that is trying 20:15.347 --> 20:17.817  "to take over my   whole garden bed. 20:17.817 --> 20:20.319  "I have let it grow   for about 15 years. 20:20.319 --> 20:22.421  "It is now layers   and layers of vines 20:22.421 --> 20:25.324  "and rising higher and   higher around my plants. 20:25.324 --> 20:27.493  "Will glyphosate   kill this weed? 20:27.493 --> 20:29.528  "If so, when should   it be applied? 20:29.528 --> 20:32.064  "If not, can you suggest   something that will curb 20:32.064 --> 20:34.266  "or kill this growth? 20:34.266 --> 20:37.269  Thanks in advance." Patsy   from Lexington, Kentucky. 20:37.269 --> 20:40.873 So we're trying to see if glyphosate will kill this weed. 20:40.873 --> 20:41.807 What do you think? 20:41.807 --> 20:42.741 - Glyphosate will kill it. 20:42.741 --> 20:44.276 It will kill the weed in there, 20:44.276 --> 20:45.478 and you gotta spray it at the right time of the year 20:45.478 --> 20:46.946 and make sure the temperature is right. 20:46.946 --> 20:49.415 To kill it, you need to get a good coverage on that, 20:49.415 --> 20:51.117 when you spray it on there. 20:51.117 --> 20:52.618 And another thing, when you're usin' glyphosate, 20:52.618 --> 20:53.886 any kind of herbicide or somethin', 20:53.886 --> 20:55.988 always read and follow the label directions. 20:55.988 --> 20:58.157 If you're gonna spray it in you flower bed, 20:58.157 --> 20:59.425 you need to be very careful when you're sprayin' 20:59.425 --> 21:02.528 to make sure the wind is not high or not blowin', 21:02.528 --> 21:04.029 'cause it will drift. 21:04.029 --> 21:07.233 Whatever glyphosate get on, it's gonna kill it, you know, 21:07.233 --> 21:09.068 so you need to be very careful in there. 21:09.068 --> 21:10.536 Then she obviously, like I say, 21:10.536 --> 21:13.572 well she can get some black bags to put over there, 21:13.572 --> 21:15.841 and try to cover it out and smother it out. 21:15.841 --> 21:18.477 But if you're gonna spray chemicals on that, 21:18.477 --> 21:21.347 best thing to do is, if you can, cut it, 21:21.347 --> 21:23.549 and then let it start to get some new growth on there. 21:23.549 --> 21:25.151 A lot of time it'll kill better. 21:25.151 --> 21:26.685 - Right. - On that tender growth. 21:26.685 --> 21:27.920 - Right, and it'd be best to do that in the spring 21:27.920 --> 21:29.255 when it's actively growing. 21:29.255 --> 21:31.023 - Active growing, yeah, mm-hm. - Right, right. 21:31.023 --> 21:33.726 But yeah, spray when it is young and actively growing. 21:33.726 --> 21:35.861 Read and follow the label, Ms. Patsy. 21:35.861 --> 21:37.096 You'll be fine. - Yeah. 21:37.096 --> 21:38.964 - Thank you much. We appreciate that. 21:38.964 --> 21:41.100 Here's our next viewer email. 21:41.100 --> 21:44.103  "How can I make my   Bermuda lawn thicker?" 21:44.103 --> 21:47.573  This is from Ken, so he wants   to make the Bermuda thicker. 21:47.573 --> 21:49.475  - Well, like I said,  [Chris chuckles] 21:49.475 --> 21:50.943 You got that big turf in there, 21:50.943 --> 21:52.878 well that big grass looks really good in there. 21:52.878 --> 21:54.647 One thing that you're cuttin' at the right height. 21:54.647 --> 21:56.448 You cut it at the right height and you fertilize it, 21:56.448 --> 21:57.650 get the right amount of fertilizer, 21:57.650 --> 22:00.052 and your waterin' it in there. 22:00.052 --> 22:03.656 When you cut it a lot, sometimes it'll thicken up more, 22:03.656 --> 22:05.457 but a healthy turf is gonna do that, you know. 22:05.457 --> 22:07.226 To make it thicker, you got to get it right, 22:07.226 --> 22:08.894 gettin' the right amount of water. 22:08.894 --> 22:10.629 You cut it the right height, and everything, 22:10.629 --> 22:11.931 and all the nutrients good in there. 22:11.931 --> 22:13.832 Your pH is good, your phosphate good, 22:13.832 --> 22:15.367 and potassium is good, 22:15.367 --> 22:17.970 that grass will get thicker in there, when you do that. 22:17.970 --> 22:20.773 And no, you don't wanna give it too much, especially, 22:20.773 --> 22:23.475 too much phosphate-potassium fertilizer, probably. 22:23.475 --> 22:25.611 That can build up in the soil. 22:25.611 --> 22:27.880 But, normally, a nitrogen fertilizer leaches it's way out. 22:27.880 --> 22:30.349 It'll come in and do what it, do it's job, 22:30.349 --> 22:32.518 turn it green and make it grow and leach its way out. 22:32.518 --> 22:34.253 And that way will make your grass thicker in there, 22:34.253 --> 22:36.755 the good cultural practice, and then do that. 22:36.755 --> 22:40.259 And like I say, I cut mine twice a week, 22:40.259 --> 22:41.093 and that helped it. [Chris chuckling] 22:41.093 --> 22:42.428 That make it grow, 22:42.428 --> 22:44.496 and that make it thicken up some more in there. 22:44.496 --> 22:47.700 A weak grass, a weak grass, they're not gonna. 22:47.700 --> 22:49.168 They're not gonna thicken up. 22:49.168 --> 22:50.869 That's under stress. It's not gonna thicken up, likely. 22:50.869 --> 22:52.571 You'll see you'll have thin spots in there. 22:52.571 --> 22:55.307 - Right, so cultural practices are important, 22:55.307 --> 22:57.843 and we wanna make sure that Bermuda has 22:57.843 --> 22:59.778 full sunlight. - Full sun, yeah. 22:59.778 --> 23:01.747 - Right, full sunlight. - Full sunlight, yeah. 23:01.747 --> 23:03.182 - That's what it likes, no shade. 23:03.182 --> 23:04.617 Because, of course-- - I had that problem too, 23:04.617 --> 23:05.451 in my grass. - A real problem. 23:05.451 --> 23:06.952 - I had a tree in there, 23:06.952 --> 23:08.487 and the grass begin to thin out under that tree because. 23:08.487 --> 23:11.190 As the tree get older, it'd lay more shade get in there, 23:11.190 --> 23:12.558 the Bermuda grass is gonna thin out. 23:12.558 --> 23:15.094 - Right, so give it full sunlight. 23:15.094 --> 23:16.295 - Full sunlight. - All right. 23:16.295 --> 23:17.329 - So there you have it, Mr. Ken. 23:17.329 --> 23:18.931 We appreciate that question. 23:18.931 --> 23:20.966 Here's our next viewer email. 23:20.966 --> 23:23.903  "My oak tree has been   looking bad this year. 23:23.903 --> 23:27.239  "There have been rounded   brown spots on the leaves. 23:27.239 --> 23:29.341  "Many inside branches   have no leaves, 23:29.341 --> 23:32.912  "and, this morning, I found   these critters munching away. 23:32.912 --> 23:34.079  "What's going on? 23:34.079 --> 23:35.914  "Should I have it sprayed? 23:35.914 --> 23:38.450  Thank you,"    Paula in Bartlett. 23:38.450 --> 23:39.918  So you know, first of all, 23:39.918 --> 23:41.787 had a lot of fungal diseases on our trees this year, 23:41.787 --> 23:45.024 because of the early spring rains and the cool temperature. 23:45.024 --> 23:46.525 Okay? - Mm-hm. 23:46.525 --> 23:50.296 - Secondly, the critters, yellow-necked caterpillars. 23:50.296 --> 23:51.830 - Caterpillar, okay. 23:51.830 --> 23:54.466  - Of course they're gonna   be feeding on the foliage 23:54.466 --> 23:55.934  of the tree.   - on the foliage. 23:55.934 --> 23:58.971  - The Oak tree will be able   to maintain its growth, 23:58.971 --> 24:00.839  even though   it's being eaten on. 24:00.839 --> 24:02.574  - Yeah.   - So I wouldn't consider that 24:02.574 --> 24:03.809  to be a major problem. 24:03.809 --> 24:06.812  But if you will like to   have the tree sprayed, 24:06.812 --> 24:09.315 I would contact a certified arborist 24:09.315 --> 24:10.649 to come out and spray that tree. 24:10.649 --> 24:12.151 - Yeah. - They have products. 24:12.151 --> 24:15.387 Bt will probably be one of the products that they will use 24:15.387 --> 24:18.223 to control the yellow-necked caterpillar. 24:18.223 --> 24:20.459 So keep those trees as healthy as possible, 24:20.459 --> 24:23.095 because, if they're stressed, then here comes what? 24:23.095 --> 24:25.631 The fungal diseases and the caterpillars. 24:25.631 --> 24:27.032 - And those dead limbs in there too. 24:27.032 --> 24:28.500 All that'll cause a problem in there. 24:28.500 --> 24:29.702 You need to prune those out of there and everything. 24:29.702 --> 24:31.203 And if you think you've got a fungal disease 24:31.203 --> 24:32.638 on those dead limbs, 24:32.638 --> 24:33.639 you might wanna sterilize your prunin' shears 24:33.639 --> 24:35.140 after each cut. - Sure, sure. 24:35.140 --> 24:37.076 But yeah, we were talkin' about your large trees. 24:37.076 --> 24:38.477 - Large trees, yeah. - Large trees, 24:38.477 --> 24:39.945 certified arborist. - Certified arborist, yeah. 24:39.945 --> 24:42.247 - Will assess the plant health. 24:42.247 --> 24:44.550 So thank you for that question, Ms. Paula. 24:44.550 --> 24:46.952 Here's our next viewer email. 24:46.952 --> 24:49.088  "Can the clippings I   collected from my lawn 24:49.088 --> 24:52.558  "be used for a mulch   or in my compost pile? 24:52.558 --> 24:54.259  What if I sprayed my lawn?" 24:54.259 --> 24:56.328  And this is Mary. 24:56.328 --> 24:58.230 - If you sprayed your lawn with any kind of chemical. 24:58.230 --> 24:59.465 - Okay. 24:59.465 --> 25:01.066 - And then let those clippin' in there, 25:01.066 --> 25:02.000 you need to make sure you make 25:02.000 --> 25:03.936 at least three cuttings on there 25:03.936 --> 25:05.604 before you start usin' those clippings, 25:05.604 --> 25:07.973 especially in your and your compost pile, 25:07.973 --> 25:09.308 especially if you're gonna use that compost pile 25:09.308 --> 25:10.809 in your vegetable garden, 25:10.809 --> 25:13.112 you need to make sure you make at least three cuttin' 25:13.112 --> 25:14.580 on there before you do that. 25:14.580 --> 25:17.249 Then all the chemicals and things should be gone. 25:17.249 --> 25:20.586 Then make sure you had that compost pile to heat up 25:20.586 --> 25:22.054 to a certain temperature in there, 25:22.054 --> 25:24.156 and try to kill all the stuff out of there in there. 25:24.156 --> 25:26.725 But, if you're gonna use those clippin' 25:26.725 --> 25:29.361 in your vegetable garden, do those three cuttin'. 25:29.361 --> 25:30.796 - Right, do those three cuttings. 25:30.796 --> 25:32.231 - Be cuttin' on that before you start doin' it. 25:32.231 --> 25:33.532 And make sure you heat it up good, 25:33.532 --> 25:34.933 and how you make it heat up, you have to turn that. 25:34.933 --> 25:36.268 It'll cause you to work to do that there, 25:36.268 --> 25:39.138 to turn that compost pile in there. 25:39.138 --> 25:41.106 And I did a compost pile, [Chris chuckles] 25:41.106 --> 25:44.343 and you turn it and get it to heat up in there, 25:44.343 --> 25:45.811 and that that'll kill a lot of those spores 25:45.811 --> 25:48.480 and things in there, all of that still in there. 25:48.480 --> 25:50.082 But there bein' three cutting's the most important thing, 25:50.082 --> 25:52.050 though, mm-hm. - Okay, three cuttings. 25:52.050 --> 25:52.985 - But it can be used though. 25:52.985 --> 25:54.286 It'll be good organic material. 25:54.286 --> 25:55.854 - Okay, so it can be used as a mulch, 25:55.854 --> 25:56.789 and it can be used in the compost pile. 25:56.789 --> 25:58.090 - The compost pile, yeah. 25:58.090 --> 25:59.458 Once you've had three cuttings on there, 25:59.458 --> 26:00.426 you should have all the chemical out of there. 26:00.426 --> 26:01.693 - Okay. 26:01.693 --> 26:02.795 Yeah, just make sure you keep it turned, 26:02.795 --> 26:04.029 like you mentioned. - Oh yeah. 26:04.029 --> 26:05.597 - And it has to be aerated and watered 26:05.597 --> 26:06.698 as well. - Watered, yeah. [laughs] 26:06.698 --> 26:07.933 - Right, so it can heat up, 26:07.933 --> 26:10.602 but we're talking 120 to about 140, 50 degrees. 26:10.602 --> 26:12.604 - Warm, yeah, it's gotta get hot down in there. 26:12.604 --> 26:14.473 It's gotta get hot, most of it. 26:14.473 --> 26:16.542 - All right, so Mary, hope that helps you out. 26:16.542 --> 26:17.476 - Hope so, yeah, that in there. 26:17.476 --> 26:18.811 - All right, we appreciate that. 26:18.811 --> 26:20.078 It's fun as always. 26:20.078 --> 26:21.380 - Always fun, always good to be on here. 26:21.380 --> 26:23.649 I thank you again. - Thank you much. 26:23.649 --> 26:26.151  Remember we love   to hear from you. 26:26.151 --> 26:27.853  Send us an email or letter. 26:27.853 --> 26:31.490  The email address is   familyplot@wkno.org. 26:31.490 --> 26:33.459  And the mailing   address is Family Plot, 26:33.459 --> 26:38.997  7151 Cherry Farms Road   Cordova, Tennessee 38016. 26:38.997 --> 26:42.334  Or you can go online to   FamilyPlotGarden.com. 26:43.502 --> 26:44.837 That's all we have time for today. 26:44.837 --> 26:46.238 Thanks for joining us. 26:46.238 --> 26:47.639 If you want to learn more about 26:47.639 --> 26:49.675 anything we talked about today, 26:49.675 --> 26:52.511 head on over to FamilyPlotGarden.com. 26:52.511 --> 26:54.513 We have over a thousand videos 26:54.513 --> 26:56.348 on all sorts of gardening topics, 26:56.348 --> 26:59.651 including fall lawn care and rooting cuttings. 26:59.651 --> 27:01.119 Be sure to join us next week for 27:01.119 --> 27:03.989 the Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South. 27:03.989 --> 27:05.224 Be safe. 27:05.224 --> 27:08.994 [upbeat country music] 27:17.870 --> 27:19.872 [acoustic guitar chords]