Green Side Up

University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Richard Hentschel discusses winter wildlife in the backyard. When you feed the birds throughout the winter, gardeners should expect to see other kinds of wildlife visiting, including the four-legged type from voles and ground squirrels up to racoons in size. Even if there is no obvious source of food, you can expect to see evidence of visitors to the yard. Late fall, squirrels will visit to uncover food they previously buried in garden beds and the lawn, and raccoons will routinely have a route they establish in search of food that may include your yard.

This week, Richard Hentschel, host of GSU, discusses our extended fall garden and bed cleanup in 2020. Unusually good weather has provided gardeners yet another opportunity to get caught up on tasks. Besides the usual cutting back of perennials, those garden weeds also can be dealt with before the cold weather arrives. A key to good weed management is separating the weed seeds from the vegetative plant parts so as not to generate a future seed bank from the compost pile or bin.

Richard Hentschel, host of GSU, tackles a hot topic – firewood. Differences in moisture content, wood density, and how firewood is stored, all make a big difference in how much enjoyment you get from the fireplace in the home, or even from an outdoor firepit. Another tip: never bring firewood indoors if you cannot burn it in less than a week so any insects hanging out on or in the firewood will not become an indoor nuisance.

GSU’s Richard Hentschel sends a strong reminder about getting our houseplants in long before frosty and freezing weather moves in. Houseplants need some inspection and care before being brought indoors. Disease is not nearly as important as checking for insects, both on the foliage and in the pots and containers. Timing also is critical for acclimation to indoor conditions.

University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Richard Hentschel talks about how weather influences fungal foliar disease outbreaks. Many foliar diseases infected our plants back in early to late spring and are now really obvious, having fully developed. Getting to know the lifecycle of some of the more common diseases that impact our ornamental plants and lawns can give us a heads up on how to handle them in 2021.

This week’s podcast addresses the changes naturally occurring as the growing season shifts toward fall. Tree and shrub foliage can move from that nice shiny green to a duller solid green, and fall colors can begin to show up. Perennials can see a color change, often times to just a yellow with some reds. Our warm weather vegetables will really begin to slow without the heat. Cool and cold weather crops will continue to grow into very cool temps, or even a frost or light freeze. Plus, our insects are looking for a warm place to overwinter, which changes where you may see them.

Richard Hentschel, host of Green Side Up, talks about repairing lawns damaged by the summer weather and timing for seeding your lawn. Mid-August through the first week in September is a good window in northern Illinois. Richard also explains grass blends or combinations of species as a mix to increase disease resistance or drought tolerance.

GSU host Richard Hentschel gets into the expectations after rains return, and the good and bad that can happen in the yard and garden. All our plants, trees, shrubs, evergreens, flowers and vegetables really get a boost. Plants get that good green color back, and flowers happen more consistently. On the flip side, weeds will germinate and disease may get started and or spread more easily.