Hello, and thanks for joining us for another episode of Mid American gardener.

I'm your host, Tinisha Spain, and tonight we've got a special one hour show that we're bringing you.

And we'll be joined by some of our friends from marketing and fundraising, to talk about how you can be a friend to our show and help us continue to keep growing.

You see what I did they're Joining me in studio are two of our panelists who are going to answer your questions and teach us a little bit about gardening today.

We've got Phil and Kay in the house, but let's have them introduce themselves and tell you a little bit more about their specialty.

So Phil, we'll start with you.

Hi, I'm Phil Nixon.

I'm a retired entomologist with the University of Illinois Extension.

entomologist means I'm a bug expert.

So if it crawls with at least six legs, I usually know a little bit about it.

And be glad to, to answer those types of questions.

Awesome.

All right.

Okay.

Okay.

I'm Kay Carnes.

I'm a Champaign County Master Gardener.

And my areas are herbs and vegetables and gardening in general generalist, right.

All right.

Okay.

So let's get in and start talking about some of the goodies that you guys have brought.

So we're getting into spring, not quite there yet.

But I have seen a couple of insects.

So I think we're getting there.

Right?

I always say that, that insects and flowers are a better harbinger of spring than Robins are so interesting, because Robins stay in this area around so a few of them so you can find a Robin in the middle of a snowstorm in January.

But you're not going to find spring insects that stupid.

At least not here.

So which ones can we expect to see first, which ones wake up first, let's just get prepared?

Well, one of the things that we tend to see a lot are our dance flies, which, which is kind of a first bug I want to talk about.

And and they are, they're going to they're going to come out their larvae are going to be feeding primarily they're predatory on our small critters that feed on decaying organic material.

And so they are more numerous when we have when we have damp springs and and so on.

And most insects don't develop at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

And so things have to warm up a little bit and get to go into where some some average temperatures are approaching that level.

And then things will start to develop grow.

And in this case with the with with larvae, which are kind of like little white maggots about a quarter of an inch long, that are really nondescript or clear.

Actually, a lot of them are kind of Claridge looking.

And they're down in debris and and they're going to pupate form cocoons, and then come out as adult flies.

And the adult flies have a very interesting habit in that they tend to fly in swarms, and most of us will associate large swarms of hovering gnats, we would call them in the spring and those are actually called most of them are almost almost all of them are usually dance flies fly so hard to remember that now.

And these swarms are really quite large, they're typically a couple of feet across and three or four feet, elongated top to bottom.

And they will form just just a cloud and, and they tend to show up in the morning or in the evening.

And they like to be out because the larvae like damp conditions, so do the adults to a certain extent.

And the interesting thing about these is that is there's a real purpose for those in their lifecycle.

In these are meeting swarms, and depending on the species, the dance flies are in the family empathy.

EMP IDE.

And, and again, the adult flies are primarily predatory on other insects.

And but but when you're forming these swarms, depending on the species, they may be all males, they may be all females, they may be a mixture of males and females.

But it is kind of the the idea of, of I'm out here and I'm and I'm strutting my stuff, I'm looking for the opposite sex, and so and so obviously if you're a nice visor only about all three or four millimeters long, an eighth of an inch, something like that.

And so you know, one little fly like that flying around, you know, he may think he's tough, but when you got a couple of 1000 of them, that's something that ladies know and those swarms they just move so beautifully.

So I don't mind Watching them from afar.

But you know, when you get stuck in the middle of one, yeah, they're just all over you and swinging for your lap.

And of course, I'm usually doing this to see if I can get some see what ones looks like what they are for sure.

And usually didn't catch one or two doing that.

Because this is this is essentially what they look like when they if you really got under a microscope.

Yeah, this is not to scale.

Otherwise you'd be docked over it's senseless when one of these hits you.

But, but they are, you know, they've they've got two wings like typical typical flies, and relatively long legs.

In fact, one of the, one of the closer allied families is called a long long legged flies, fairly short antennae, and a and mouth part was looked like kind of like a little, little spike, but an that's an S to jab into their prey a little bit easier.

They feed on other insects, and they have these long, slender abdomens.

They're variously black or brown and various shades of color.

But the things that you normally notice when they're in a map and a swarm RVs wings, because the wings, as they're flying, of course, they're moving all the time.

Kind of in a in a circular motion is the way wings, insects fly.

And, and these will reflect the light, and they're commonly out when there is a little bit of light, and some sunlight.

And these things will just flash the light back associated with it.

And so when you figure that probably half or three or three quarters of them are to wrong angle A flashlight directly to you.

That means all over looks like there's a bunch, there's probably three or four times as many as you're actually seen.

And so, and and it's interesting in that, you know, not only do they and they have various mating habits, we're gonna get into sex a little bit here.

Fly sex is good sex.

Right?

The the male's will if a female is ready to mate with some species, they will just fly into the mass.

And it's potluck.

Yes, Warren.

Here I am, I'm ready.

Have at it.

And so and so one gets lucky.

You know, and, but but more commonly with most of these because these are predatory.

What they will do is that they will is that they will carry a they'll capture a an insect, a very small insect of some sort, and carry those along with them and have them at their hands.

They're hanging in there in their in their legs.

And, and sort of females will kind of pick and choose and say hey, you know you got a nice juicy fly over there.

You must be a good hunter gatherer.

Exactly.

Yeah.

strategizing.

Exactly.

I've learned so much about these swarms that we just thought were swarms.

So much going on in there.

And this is just half of it.

Wow.

Because not only of course didn't when she's eating the prey.

He's making you know, it's kind of like no bait.

Anyway.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, bait and switch.

And then there are other groups of agenda that have decided have figured out that you know, they wrap the the wrap of prey and silk so that it takes longer for to eat.

That tends to drag out the lovemaking so to speak.

And then there are others that have evolved to a point to where we just have silk without any prey.

And so it's how flashy my my little ball of silk is now attractive they are, we're never going to look at those swarms.

The same again.

And of course, this has absolutely no relationship to St. Valentine's Day.

Where guys take ladies out for dinner.

Yes, yes.

Give them just little bits of food and chocolate.

Yes, yes.

Or just something flashy, like flowers, and a card.

Nothing.

Nothing related at all.

Funny.

All right.

So we all learned something today about swarms.

And that meeting, oh, and by the way, they don't bite people.

They're just interested in the known other insects and other small critters.

So there really bad but they are kind of a harbinger of spring.

You'll see these out when on now.

We'll be looking for the swarm.

damper.

It is a more rain we have that sort of.

I know it's gonna be hard to switch topics from here.

But okay.

We had someone ask what are some nice perennials that will grow well, in shady areas.

We always talk about Hostas passes are a good one.

Do you have any other recommendations for shady spots or things that have worked well for you?

Now we have to all cool down from the swarms talk other than hosters and it's slipped my mind right now.

Yeah, Good bye.

Let's grow anywhere.

Yeah, that's a good one.

Okay, crocus's.

Okay.

We'll be a good shade.

But they don't last too long.

You know they're blooming now they just come up in the grass and they're blooming now.

But that's columbines.

Yeah, combine all kind of an edge area.

So yeah, yeah.

shady spots in your yard.

Oh, yeah.

What do you got?

Well, in the in the early spring, you'll get a lot of bluebells in shady areas, which are a native wildflower and in very spectacular.

And of course, you'll get and you'll get all of the spring wildflowers and shady areas that are kind of with the idea that, you know, before the leaves are on trees, the sun's coming down, and I'm going to take advantage of that I'm going to get up I'm going to grow up, I'm going to Rome.

And then I'm going to die out for the rest of summer and we'll see you next spring.

And so you'll get you'll get things like the the trilliums of various types and, and the crocus's that or that or I don't think native but still fits the same role.

The various types of the break, but there are many, many, many others that are better associated with it.

Star of Bethlehem, that's the one I was trying to think of.

And as long as you can keep it contained, it's very aggressive and spreading.

But and they tend to be about this tall.

And the wet leaf was about like this shape.

And you'll get little little star flowers on the top.

And if you want one that's I'm I've got an extra 10 or 15,000 next time he's got a good trade.

Is there anything blooming in your yards right now?

That's caucuses and violence?

I've seen some little you know, little wild violence growing up.

What about you anything flower?

Yeah, we had one or that's already pretty well done.

Well, I mean, I can't remember the Neva now it's over white flour.

That's, that's very early.

Snow drops.

Okay.

Ella had a yard last week full of that was a yellow, a yellow flower that was blooming and I can't remember where we're struggling today on the ultimate.

Pretty far.

Anybody can grow anywhere.

Anytime.

That's called deadline.

It's a Spring Boot.

Oh, yeah, you can get those just about creeping charlie.

It's a beautiful spring.

Just cast a nice pretty color.

And, you know, and so that's some of some of your relatives you see on the fields in, in Mid America in the spring, or spring bloom or winter annuals.

And keeping Charlie's in in that group.

There's some others for two or three other different things which I'm not remembering right now.

I shouldn't even brought it up.

All right.

Where are you going to add something?

Yeah.

Is this going to add to dandelions?

I know that people a lot of people, I think think of it as a weed.

But it's actually the leaves are edible.

And they're very good for you.

They're there.

Tark.

Down there, then you can make a tea.

Wine.

Oh.

And I also I think it was you.

We talked about this maybe last year.

That's one of the first foods that are pollinator?

Yes, exactly.

Just covered with overwintering.

The lady beetles overwinter as adults and they're out there on it.

And there's various pollinating flies and little bees and so on, that are just all over the dandelions in the spring and they're taking up so that they've got the energy to pollinate the fruit trees and everything that comes blooming soon after.

Excellent.

Okay, so don't waste your money on getting rid of the dandelions.

Leave the dandelions save the dandelions.

Okay, we're going to check in with our friend Liz and she's going to tell you about how you can be a friend to our show, and to will.

Thanks so much Tinisha and a call back to how you started the program tonight.

We've been growing with you and Mid American gardener each week since 1992.

So thanks for joining us tonight as we grow together and learn so many interesting facts.

But throughout the 30 years of Mid American gardener over the decades, the show has stayed strong to its mission of helping you in the garden, become a better gardener get your answers or get your questions answered and try new things experiment fail that is totally okay.

But in the most recent years, the show has had to evolve in part due to the endemic, but we've moved into the digital space with live broadcasts on Facebook, and Youtube as well as out in the community more often you've seen segments from the farmers market plant swamps, we've even gotten into the gardens, to see with panelists and even viewers like you and how you're managing your garden and what it looks like.

And here at Illinois public media, we continue to look to the next century, how are we going to evolve and meet you where you are and serve your needs.

And we can't do that alone.

More than 40% of our budget comes from viewers like you and your gifts.

And we are a Ford funded organization.

So you are funding the next year, the future of public media 217-244-9455 or online at willgive.org.

And we're going to head over to Tinisha.

And John.

Oh, no.

I don't know who's in charge in this space.

We'll go You won't go you youre the guest.

All right.

Well, I'm John stienbacher, I'm the Director of Development here.

And with Tinisha, I think you're all familiar with her.

We're just going to continue on with what Liz was saying that your support right now helps this program to 217-244-9455.

Or go online to willgive.org.

And become a friend of mid-American gardener and a friend of wi ll, if you're already a friend, it's a great time to renew, or perhaps your a Sustainer thank you to all our sustainers you're making monthly gifts to support this program.

And if you are a sustainer, you want to increase that gift to our spring fund drive.

You said it's almost spring, it's March, I say it's spring for fundraising purposes.

And in my shirt, it's spring.

So we're doing our spring fun drive, give us a call.

So Tinisha Yeah, 30 plus years on the air.

Yes.

And as Liz was saying, I'm just I was thinking about like in that 30 plus years, you know, obviously Illinois public media, we're big about education here.

And then think about how much information and content people have learned about not just about gardening, but about swarms of bugs and everything.

Bugs, I mean, the knowledge, they just they dropped nonstop little nuggets, these guys every week.

And I in the five years I've been here, I've learned so much.

So I can't imagine being like a viewer or someone who has watched the show over the years, and just incorporated these things into my gardening habits at home.

So I just you guys, I love what I do.

I love my job.

And I'm just so grateful that I get to do this and your help your help keeps us on the air and keeps us able to go to those farmers markets, those plant swaps, and continue to educate.

That's right.

And you can help support that right now.

217-244-9455 you can text that number text "give" to that number, or go online to willgive.org.

And you'll think about if you go to a seminar, or you take a class, how much that's going to cost.

And think about all the information you get here and all you know, for example, a gift of $7 per month, and you get the lovely Mid American gardener mug, you can be just like the panelists, you can be at home drinking your coffee and have people ask you questions about it, or $10 a month and you get this the Midwest native plant primer.

This is very popular, we've offered this as a thank you gift for a couple years now.

And Amanda in our membership department encouraged us to keep giving it because you love it.

So yeah, if you haven't gotten that yet, consider that making a gift that $10 level $15 A month will get you both.

And you'll know that each and every week when you're tuned into minigarden gardener and Tanisha that you're supporting what she loves to do, and obviously what you love to do getting your hands dirty in the garden.

Yes, and this book I can.

So native plants have have really taken off since the pandemic we're all interested in kind of repopulating our area with native plants.

And this book is perfect for that if you're trying to find little spaces in your garden yard that are shady, or maybe the soils not great.

This has everything in it that you need to build up your yard or your area with natural plants.

And this mug, I have one of these at home, I never get to use it.

Because my sons and my every time I see someone in my family, they have it.

So it's a hot commodity.

Well, you might need more than give us a call to 217-244-9455 or go online to will give.org.

And we're gonna go back to Liz just for one more minute.

It seems like Tinisha perhaps your family is very proud of what you do here at Illinois public media.

And we are so proud of what you've done with this show.

And we hope that you love how MidAmerican Gardner has evolved and continues to bring you the DIY that you need, but in different new modern ways getting on the committee giving you a chance to actually interact with Tanisha and the panelists here at Mid American gardener and we just love to be with you.

Illinois public media is here to serve the community whether it's for lifelong learning or entertainment, arts and culture.

There's a wide variety of services that we offer at no cost.

Whether you have the ability to give tonight or not this show this organization Shen these programs are for you to benefit your life to enhance your life to help you live a life that you want to live, but you can invest if you are in a position to do so in the Mid American gardener mission in Illinois public media and that connection to the community, and that lifelong learning at 217-244-9455, or online at will gift.org.

And here's some thank you gifts for our gratitude.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $7, or one time gift of $84.

We'll say thank you by sending you our special Mid American gardener mug.

Perfect for drinking coffee in the morning while you plan your day gardening.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $10 or one time gift of $120 You can select the Midwest native plant primer 225 plants for an earth friendly garden by Alan Branhagen.

It's everything you need to know to create a beautiful and beneficial Midwest garden.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $15 or one time gift of $180.

You can select the mug and the Midwest plant primer, the perfect combination to help jumpstart you and your garden this spring.

And those are some really great gifts either for you or for the gardener in your life.

So now we've moved to the brick wall set where I am going to be the student Kay is going to be the teacher.

And my peppers are going to be amazing this year.

So just to let you know, I did wash everything out.

We're supposed to wash with a nice, clean solution, a little one part bleach, I did all that at home.

So just trust me this is TV magic.

I also went ahead and filled in these little, what are we calling these things, fill these in with some seed sealed cell packs, they can start fill these up with seed starting mix.

Just a premade one here.

And so now Kay is going to walk me through how does how to successfully start some peppers.

Okay, well, Tinisha is already sorry, she got the potting mix in the packs.

And so when you put your seed in, you want to put it in pepper seeds are kind of tiny.

Yes, they are.

They're very tiny.

And you want them any seed to be a to adapt about two or three times the depth or the size of the sea.

Okay, so these are really small, so they don't need to go down very far.

So how many seeds do you put in a so I usually only put one or one or two, because you don't want too many?

Because if they all germinate, you're gonna have to go to a park net, and that hurts the root.

I've heard some people say if you're using old seeds, maybe throw in a couple extra.

Yes, that is a good rule of thumb.

Now I would smooth these out a little bit.

And then she's doing this very, very delicately just put this Yes, I feel like an incredible Hawk because I know I am not that gentle.

So this is just a chopstick but it's a great little tool for putting the seeds in so you can just press that down.

Oh, wow.

Okay.

And then this is delicate.

All right, so we're planting these and I did not wet my medium, dry.

I usually do little bit cut especially with a fresh potting soil because sometimes if you put too much water in, it'll flow it up.

Yes.

It does have the coconut core.

Yeah.

Okay.

So it'll probably sweat right?

Yeah.

So I should have wet it.

Well, yeah, I usually do, but it'll be okay.

All right, we'll make it work.

What you probably don't want to do is you just like a spray.

I problem.

Okay.

So just spray on.

Really good.

Before or after you put the seed in after you after but you see that?

Okay, I've got that.

So I put a couple in here.

And this is just a cute little spray bottle I found online.

I think mostly hairdressers use these, but it keeps you from having to squeeze the trigger quite so much.

Yeah, it does.

So we'll get these in to two seats to a so and then.

Do these need light to germinate?

No, but what they need.

I'm going to get switched over.

All right, I'll continue planting the ones they need.

Especially warm weather crops like tomatoes and peppers and eggplant is heat.

Okay.

And so I have this heat mat which just happens to be the perfect size fit under a tray.

They are there we go and it honest with a thermostat.

Oh, you've got a fancy.

Yeah, these are fancy ones.

If I can get this all on, so the the heat mat plugs into the thermostat.

There's this somewhere.

Here we go.

That's the heat maps.

So that plugs in.

Okay.

And then this is got a timer on it as well.

Ah, no, it doesn't.

But it's got a little thing you sticky in.

And that'll monitor the temperature of the soil very nice.

It's not wanting to stay because soil is not.

And you can set this for different temperatures.

Okay, and then this, this plugs into your wall socket.

And I'm sure we can find a guide or something online of the temperature or is there a kind of default temperature that you use for your added?

I'm not sure what I've got this setup for Well, you've done the work for us, we can look that part up.

You just you just want the soil to be you don't want it but we real hot, but it needs to be warm, consistently.

Now something a cool weather seed like broccoli, which I've got going on now.

And chard.

That's not an important thing, the heat temperature, okay.

But for hot weather crops if they leave that warm, and then I also have a grow light.

Once they get germinate and start growing, then you want to keep that's when you want to put light on once they germinate.

And is there anything about the height of the light or how close it needs to be?

Because I've heard you guys talk a lot about people's seedlings getting leggy because they're reaching.

Yeah, because the lights up too high.

So how close well I usually start out with a, you know, maybe a few inches six inches or so.

And as the plant grows and gets taller than you can raise that grow a lot I have you can adjust it to different heights.

Gotcha.

Another question I have is moisture.

I know that's important too.

And I I realized on a couple of shows ago I realized I was doing something wrong.

I was leaving this on and until the plants were too tall for it, but you don't need this.

Now you don't really need so let's talk about that.

What How long do you need this?

I don't use this at all.

Don't use it.

I don't use them at all.

Okay, and I just you can kind of tell when the soil is drying out.

So you trust yourself to keep the soil evenly moist?

Yes.

I don't know if I can do that.

I'm not worry.

Well, if you watch it, it's probably okay but it might get too wet and get hold and yes it does and because they need it some air circulation.

Okay.

Okay, well, I think and I can't remember which panelist it was so forgive me but I think it may have been Ella but she says once they germinate she takes the lid off because she doesn't want the dampening off or the mole to build up in there but you don't use them at all.

I don't know I don't use them.

Because with the heating mat the gravel line there they're fine I don't put the growth turn the gravel on till they start they emerge.

Okay, that gives folks a little you know, there's no one way to do anything.

That's the beauty of gardening it is it isn't everybody does things a little bit different.

What I you know advise isn't written in stone now for the ones that we've already put in here would you just simply bury them or would you take a little bit more now fine you know what just kind of push them down I would even out you know the you make it such a beautiful art.

Kay, I'm telling you like I I look really?

I was not expecting this dainty little but I like it.

I like it.

I think I might have to find a similar tool laying around the house.

You probably you can use anything that's got just don't point out.

counsel would work if you sharp what seeds have you started at home and I only started broccoli and kale, broccoli and kale.

So I season your cool season but I will be starting my peppers and tomatoes and eggplant on like a plant.

So not everybody does.

I do but it's kind of it's tough sometimes to cook it and get it to taste how you want it to if that makes sense.

Yeah, because if it's not picked at just the right time, it's going to affect how you cook with it.

How you the flavor of it.

So eggplant is tricky for me.

It depends too.

On the type of egg plan I, there are some that are long.

And kind of about this big around, and I grew them last year and they were great.

Okay.

They I really liked him a lot.

So are you growing that same kind this year?

Probably yeah.

You know, I'm not a huge eggplant person, but those, those worked really well on the, you know, you could slice them and stir fry them with other vegetables.

I, I really liked them a lot.

So if both of these seeds because we put two seeds in each, so if both germinate, is it okay to leave them together?

Or do you still try to separate, separate them when they're fairly?

Okay, don't wait till two, they're really big.

Because the longer you live together, the more the roots are going to get in touch with each other, it's true.

And if and when they're not very, I would say when they have maybe to a set or two of them real leaves.

And I would take them out, I usually use like a plastic spoon or something, and get in under and lift and bow and then gently just pull and kind of tease them apart and put them in their own, you can put them back in a bigger cell like this, or you can put them in little pots, I keep all of my nursery pots, just for this reason.

My husband loves that there's a huge stack of them for to the ceiling in the garage.

Yes, I have a small greenhouse that's full.

Do these have to be hardened off before we transplant?

Let's talk a little bit about that.

Well, it would depend on temperature.

If it's warm, you know, if it's like a when it's really warming up, they would be okay.

But it wouldn't hurt to put them out for a few days.

And then bring them in at night until they get adjusted.

And kind of keep them out of the day.

Keep them out of the sunlight that first couple of days.

Put them in a shady spot.

With peppers.

Would you just put them right out there and i i put them out.

But do you want to make sure that they don't get too hot?

Okay.

But yeah, I just did them.

Just go for it.

Hmm.

Any other tips?

As far as Is there anything else that you do from this step to the garden?

Do you feed them while they're in the cells?

Is there anything else we're missing that would help us be successful?

I water them.

But not you got to be careful not to overwater.

And that and that's easy to do.

And sometimes these I usually will moisten the soil before I put the seeds because it'll when you if you put too much water in that that will come the potting soil come up, it'll swell and come out of there.

So I would like I said earlier I think use a minister so that that doesn't happen.

Okay.

All right.

And then fertilizer or food do you feed your your starts?

No.

I think is there something there's probably something Oh, I did it look.

Yeah, see it's it enriched with plant food.

Okay, so no read the back.

Because that could have been too much if we would have used a liquid or or a small amount of fertilizer.

So this already has what we need in there.

Okay.

And if you do, I tend to use fish emulsion.

Because you can mix that with the water and it's it's a little it's more gentle some additives are really will burn out if you put too much in.

Alright, so I like the fish emulsion cuts you can kind of control a little bit more last question I have is do you and I know you'd like to make your own seed starting mix with or at least add to is there anything that you just can't live without?

vermiculite perlite peat moss?

No core core core which is ground up.

coconut shell?

Yes.

I buy those by the brick.

I know you do too.

Yeah.

I'll mix up what a brick and mix it in with the potting soil.

Okay.

That's helps keep the things even.

Okay.

All right.

Well, okay, help us get our seat started.

So hopefully we're gonna have 100% or nation.

Helpers coming out of your ears.

We'll bring him in and Sheriff, we're gonna toss it over to Liz, back in the chroma key and Liz, I'll be bringing you some peppers, apparently, hopefully, hopefully, I will happily take all the peppers, you got Tinisha because I can't grow a thing.

Even though I've been, you know, around you all just doesn't seem to be osmosis.

But I do love watching you in your new demo space.

And learning how it is that gardeners from start to finish, make the food that we eat are the beautiful flowers.

Actually what Tanisha and her team do here each and every week is a bedrock of that wi la mission back in 1922.

Life Long Learning actually was what went on to be the mission of public media as a whole because it's never too late to start something new, I need to remind myself that you're going to fail, that's okay.

I love that Tanisha is okay with us stumbling along the way.

Because it's all about continuing to learn, you're never going to know everything.

Even if you've been a gardener for years, and you've been a Mid American gardener viewer for years, you're still going to continue to learn something new here with this program, which is what makes it so special and what we hope that you'll support.

So if you're in a position to give a larger gift tonight, just sit there contemplate think about it.

What is Mid American gardener meant to you over the years, whether you've been watching this whole 30 years long, or you just found us during the pandemic or somewhere in between, I'm sure you've gotten a lot of value over through what Tanisha and the team provide.

So put $1 amount on it.

We'd love to hear from you.

244-9455 or online at willgive.org.

And back to John and Tinisha.

All right, well, Thanks, Liz.

Hi, I'm John Steinbacher.

And back with Tinisha.

And we are again asking for your support today during our spring fun drive.

Help support this program and so many more that we talked about the educational aspects we obviously have nature and Nova and great documentaries.

But also when you support today, you're also supporting great kids programming so you'll learn a lot and be pretty deep into deep breaking news.

We are going to send everyone who makes a gift and any amount tonight.

A bag of pepper, red pepper seeds.

So that's so in addition to these gifts, you can get your own you learn only if John learns how to grow peppers on television.

I didn't sign up for this.

Were you watching during the course.

Right so now you have to put it to the test and K even let us bought specials.

Yeah, I'm a very dainty chapstick.

Well, you're gonna have to be dainty.

Okay, so here we go.

Okay.

While you're talking because I now testing.

So my understanding is I'm just supposed to put one or two in each thing, but this is a large thing.

So he's really thrown me for a loop here.

wrinkle.

Okay, cool.

Now, wonderful.

Look at you.

Did we voice in the soil?

Oh, you were watching?

You are watching.

Very good.

I think you have a future.

And see, spray these down.

Okay, and in no time you're gonna have we're gonna have peppers.

Yes.

Press it down.

Right.

He's doing two to three, two to three the distance.

And these are tiny.

They are very tiny.

They're gonna be delicious.

Delicious.

Okay, look at you.

So now we need to warm it.

Surprised that I watched the show, I just I cannot believe you were paying attention to that closely.

You know what didn't go.

And if you were paying attention closely, you know That tonight, Your gift will help support this station and Mid American gardener all the great panelists we have.

So we're hoping that you'll make a gift in my demonstration of me putting myself out there to help inspire you to give.

You can do that right now at 217-244-9455 or go online to will give.org.

Of course, as we mentioned, we will send you a packet of red peppers.

So you can do it.

And you can get ready for a bountiful harvest.

Yes, we can all harvest together this summer.

You know, you just epitomize lifelong learning.

Yes, yes.

And that is actually what Illinois public media is all about.

Think go mission accomplished.

Like you've done this before.

But in all seriousness, this station is here because of you because of the viewers who have donated throughout the years.

We are over 100 years old, Mid American gardeners over 30 years old.

And that's all through your support.

We want to keep this going.

For years and years to come.

We want more generations of people to learn how to plant all kinds of great things like red peppers.

So make your support right now 217-244-9455 Or go online to will give data work.

I am so proud of you, John, you looked like an expert like you've been gardening for years.

I think Tinisha is right you do have a future in this and a future di wire right there.

And I'm going to assume if you're tuned in from an American gardener tonight, and every week you love all things DIY.

And if that's the case, I have some great news for you as a member benefit so you're Gift of $5 a month or annually $60 You're gonna get your wi ll passport, which unlocks so many great bingeable programs through the PBS app, which includes a lot of the DIY favorites from the kitchen, the gardening with whether you want to paint or perhaps it's more of the entertainment, drama, British side of things.

There's so many things you can pick from, from the PBS passport lineup, and it's just a great member benefit.

And that's wonderful.

But you also know that your gift at any level is making an impact not only for your favorite program in American gardener, but for your community as a whole because as John has been mentioning, people look to us for life long learning for education for trusted news, you're going to be providing that resource with your gift today at will give.org.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $7 or one time gift of $84.

We'll say thank you by sending you our special Mid American gardener mug.

Perfect for drinking coffee in the morning while you plan your day gardening.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $10 or one time gift of $120 You can select the Midwest native plant primer 225 plants for an earth friendly garden by Alan Branhagen.

It's everything you need to know to create a beautiful and beneficial Midwest garden.

With your ongoing monthly gift of $15 or one time gift of $180 You can select the mug and the Midwest plant primer, the perfect combination to help jumpstart you and your garden this spring.

And those are some great gifts for yourself or the gardener in your life.

Okay, we're back on the set and Phil's got an insect well kind of kind of not really a bug, okay, it was a Nightcrawler Nightcrawler.

About natural size.

And, and the nightcrawlers are another harbinger of spring or late winter as the case may be.

They're typically don't Nightcrawler will get up to about the size which is about six to eight inches, and how much they stretch out.

They weren't worms have a great way of moving back and forth the archetype of earthworm and they will come up anytime you get some, some wet weather and some some rain and so on, particularly in the spring less so later in the season.

They, they it's interesting in that they make holes that are about a quarter of an inch in diameter.

And sometimes there's debris around the hole or castings from the worm.

And other times there aren't.

But they when they are doing this, they will expand the back end of the of their tail to where it will catch and hold in the in the barrel.

And they will stretch out across a barrel.

They come up to mate and and another worm will stretch out from another from another barrel.

And they will join together at least through this wider part here called the clutter column which actually produces the cocoon for eggs.

The front part of a worm has most of the internal anatomy in it, it has a they have like five policy in vessels you call heart.

The main part of the crop and stomach are in the front part of a worm.

They have a nervous system runs ventrally the whole distance and so does the circulatory system and the gut.

But the main part of what's working is in the front part of a worm here and that's also where the openings for both male and female or forums are are hermaphroditic they have both sexes and then as the as the sheath of the Kotel him, which is mucus like moves down, picks up the eggs and then picks up the sperm from the other worm.

And they are and and fertilization occur.

This happens externally externally.

Interesting.

I know more about earthworms than I ever thought I would or really wanted to know.

But you know what a question I've always had, do they really survive if they're cut?

Or is that just an urban legend?

Only one and vorm will survive enough of it is left on.

Okay.

And, and because as you may have been, if you were listening, you know that the most important part of a worm is enough front end, front end survived not too much of it was cut off.

So in other words, if there's a little bit on the back end is gone, they will regenerate the rest of it depends on the species of worms.

There are approximately 40 species or forms in Illinois, of which 20 are introduced 20 are native.

And, you know we have we have a lot of a lot of introduced our forums in in in the US primarily because during the last glaciation which was around 10,000 years ago or so, essentially, everything that was under a mile of ice in a way of worms died out, I mean, they couldn't really fly away, they had to stick a fader.

And so they froze out and died.

And so we had all this space open for worms from Europe When settlers came over, to bring worms with, with around the soil, their plants and things of this nature.

And, and so the, so that was a factor associated with that, but, but the worms are gonna come out the the nightcrawlers, like this are deep worms, they will go down, typically very deep, a couple feet or more into the soil.

So they actually mix the topsoil, from mineral soil down and do a mixing as well as leave openings, which allow air and water to get in.

Plant roots need air as well as water.

And, and then there are other worms that live up in the soil towards the surface.

Or another group of species of worms that live in debris or deaths.

They sometimes call it on a surface and your and your red worms, which are commonly used in fishing.

Also bumblefuck Nightcrawler, and red worms are both non native worms.

They will live up in that surface material, which is why if you're trying to grow fishing worms, you just you just put them in peat moss and things of this nature.

You don't have to put them in soil because they don't know that they live in service.

Now let me ask you this.

Well, we've been talking a lot about jumping worms the past couple of years.

Any tips for gardeners on those?

And Is it as bad as we were initially talking about, you know, two years ago?

Well, the biggest concern seems to be is that is it because we don't have much in the way of a worm population in the northern half of the United States and through Canada.

Essentially, it was all wiped out to the glaciers, glaciers came down to about Central and some of them went to almost through Southern Illinois.

But this is about where the glacier stop is where we have moraines around here, moraine State Park, these like we're in the grace are stopped as they live leave debris, which is a Marine, and so and so essentially, there were no earthworms, which means that for the last 10,000 years or so whatever falls from the tree stays on the ground, nothing is there to eat it.

And so and so what happens is when you get when you and the trees have adapted to that, and when you get to jumping worms, or other which are an Asian species, this is a European, it's always a red worm, the they will tend to eat up all of this and recycle this debris were recycling and really, they eat soils, water, worms eat and get nutrients out of it.

And so in the process break things down.

And so actually what they're doing is they're using up that debris, and whether that's a real problem to the long term ecology.

It's hard to say, certainly it is from the last 10,000 years.

But the plants have been around much longer than that.

And so really, the way I look at it, although I don't know you'll ever see this written anywhere.

It's kind of a wait and see situation where and what they're finding is in forested areas that have been denuded of, of leaf litter.

Some areas, some forest areas, have some die back and others do not.

And so it's it's really hard to say what the long term significance of it is.

It's certainly different.

Whether it's works or not, it's hard to say well, I have to to be determined in the southern half United States we have forests without undercover except where you have pine plantations, slash pine and Shortleaf pine longleaf pine which are common in the south southern US, and then they and you can and gardeners will use pine straw which are essentially to drop needles and just pile up because the pine needles are so acidic that the worms can handle the live in it.

And so there's no worms there, which means fine needles build up.

So but on deciduous forest area, it's it's all eaten away better for gotcha and higher temperature just speeds up.

Breakdown.

Gotcha.

I know.

I was looking at worm moon because I always my boys and I they like to go outside at night with a flashlight and just watch the ground literally pulsating with worms kind of grosses me out but they really get into it was really neat if you put red cellophane over their flashlight or get a red light because the worms have they don't have eyes but they have sensors on the front part of their body which allows them to pick up white light but they don't pick up red light very well.

And so if a cover flashlights then they'll get to come up and look closer.

The other thing to respond to our vibration so you have to be real quiet and and step real silently okay, we've got some we've got to up our you got to we got to work up your up your worm methodology here in order to do a better job of studying these nice guys.

Excellent.

Excellent.

Okay have you seen any?

We've talked about worms a lot before but worms in the flowerbed, that's a good thing, right?

We like to see earthworms in our what is what does it tell us when we have earthworms in the soil that we're that it's healthy that because I know a lot of like with praying mantis and other insects, the absence of them can kind of point to something.

So what do earthworms tell us?

Well, that the soil gets enough moisture and 1212 Interesting.

So I will tell if which means that it's loose and it's terrible that you get water comes into the soil easily and and oxygen gets in.

It's easy with a houseplant to to understand the difference between good tilth and bad tells you guys when you pour, pour the water on to the top of soil.

And it just sits there.

You have seriously bad tell for your soil.

When it goes right down in you have nice tough gotcha notice.

But when it runs out to bottom real fast, that means you don't have real good toughness, oil either because you have too big openings to go straight through enough organic matter.

You want it to go.

You want it to go down quickly.

You don't want to come out real fast at the bottom.

All right.

Okay, that's a definition Good job.

Right?

That is that is you don't want it to immediately soak through.

But you also don't want it to just sit on top right?

Just a nice even soaking.

Yeah, if it runs up or down, it's running straight out the bottom, you got a serious problem.

You got a problem with the jumping worms, is there anything else that we still need to do, as far as being you know, cautious about sharing plants or digging up perennials?

for the home gardener, the main thing is, is, like I mentioned earlier, worms don't fly.

And they don't run real fast either.

And so you know, they're primarily going to be the jumping worms are here because of human moving them.

They are moving around, essentially by humans moving them.

And so and so when you're moving plants, certainly nurseries and garden centers are very aware of this problem.

And they're trying to keep that from happening to a great extent.

And, and but surely you're most apt to get it from, as you mentioned, other other people that you get plants from and it's just a good idea to check for them the the earthworms, but could tell them on the on jumping worms will be gray in color right here.

Okay, good to NASA way you can tell it and the rest of worm will be kind of a darker gray.

But, but that gray could tell him it's good on a on a grayish worm.

As you can see, this is the correct color for a Nightcrawler.

So they're not, they're not they get dark from the soil on them.

But they're not normally dark.

Interesting.

Again, I've learned I've learned more than I ever thought I would about worms.

Okay, we're gonna throw it back to Liz one more time in the chroma key?

Well, Tinisha, you are certainly not alone in learning so much about earthworms more than I ever thought that I could.

And that's what I love about Mid American gardener.

Because when I tune in, even though as I've mentioned, I am not gardening inclined, I'm learning something new.

It's fascinating.

It's informative, perhaps I learned a new word that I can use to impress my friends and family, whatever the case may be, when you're tuning into Mid American gardener, you're getting something out of it, and you feel like they are talking to because they're answering your questions.

It's such a great representation of the mission that we set out to actually establish in 1922, that education and access to education is truly for everyone.

That is not supposed to be an elite thing.

It's supposed to be something that we share with those in our community because it makes us all better.

And that is the heart of the public media mission.

That's the heart of the Mid American gardener mission.

And that is what you are investing in when you give us a call at 217-244-9455 You can easily text give to that very same number.

Or you can visit us online at we'll give.org And know that one Mid American gardener may be what brought you to us.

We have so many great informative programs that you also might love and gain something from frontline POV Independent Lens Independent Lens as a great program coming up in the month of March hidden letters, where women used a secret language to communicate with each other.

It's a beautiful message about tradition and how you come to terms with a situation that might have oppressed you but you use it to your advantage.

It's just a beautiful story, and one that you just aren't going to get anywhere else and public media looks to serve that void in the entertainment sphere in the news sphere.

trusted news.

We have arts and culture we have DIY and you're supporting at all 217-244-9455 in text "give" to that same number and we'll give that work.

But thank you so much for letting me join you during one of your favorites men, American gardener, both to you at home and Tanisha here in the studio tonight.

Because not only if I learned something, I hope that together we've decided that this is a mission that we want to invest in For the next century, as you know, we've just celebrated 100 years and we're already looking to the next 100 years and how we're going to evolve and change, but continue to serve the community and MidAmerican Garner, again, a great representation of that, as they have pivoted.

They've gone into the digital world with Facebook and YouTube.

You see them more at farmer's markets and plant swaps.

They're getting into your gardens, panelists, gardens, they're doing demonstrations.

They're doing demonstrations with their new demo space.

Jon's learning how to plant peppers.

It's all wonderful 217-244-9455 or online, at willgive.org and thanks again for letting me join you.

All right, Liz, thank you so much.

And I was going to ask a question about it being sort of a mild warmish winter, I saw you've got this giant mosquito out.

So it kind of couples well with that discussion.

But what do we what?

Is there any kind of cause and effect for these mild winters?

From a pest perspective?

Can I step back just to say, Oh, absolutely, we talked about jargon words didn't tell you what to do about if you did find jumping?

Well, we better discuss it.

And what you can do is you can essentially remove all the soil from the roots of the plants are getting washed the roots off.

And although you will lessen the chance of that plant surviving, by removing some root hairs in a process, you'll be able to keep many of them and then you can transplant the switch plant completely bare root and avoid the avoid the worms in the process.

Good to know good information.

Anything else that you want to add there about the jumping worms are because I'm sure you share plants.

I do.

But I've not had a problem with jumping or not seeing them.

They're not very common in Illinois.

I know Ella ended up getting them in her yard last year, and she brought some in a baggie for us to see and they were thrashing and squirming about but any any practices that you do when you're sharing plants or just washing them or Yeah, I washed the you know, the dirt off from whoever I got it from and put it in if a fresh soil and soil in the yard or I know it's you know, Okay, gotcha.

Okay.

I'm just wondering if there was any more tips to kind of stay safe or, you know, keep your plants safe out there?

Because we're gonna share?

Yes.

So, all right back to this honking back.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The point was, was that the was that when you have a mild winter mosquitoes getting this actually, actually they don't get it that big but but we do have a Culex mosquitoes that overwinter as adult mosquitoes and they will come out on a warm day you get temperatures that are that are better above say 60 degrees or 55.

You will you can get bit by a mosquito in the middle.

And it is it is a mosquito most commonly it's going to be spreading West Nile virus but the West Nile virus needs to incubate at temperatures in new highs mid to high 70s.

So, it is it is not going to be a fret transmitting the virus to you.

But, but it can, you can get bitten by some some mosquitoes or winter as eggs.

But others overwinter as adults and so you can't but but a mild winter such as what we've been having, as well will cause most of the time, insects have gone through millions of years 10s of hundreds of millions of years.

Not getting fooled real bad by mild winters.

And so they normally are going to hold back solar, the plants, the plants, the trees and shrubs particularly will have more than one set of ball buds, or one or more other meristems that can activate if you want to get technical about it.

And so if it loses the tips, due to coming out and then getting a frost or a freeze, give it a few weeks, it may take six weeks or so.

But those other lateral those other bugs will break and they will come out and typically your plant will be fine.

I'll be in a little bit shorter and a little bit Buscher.

But it'll be fine.

And the same thing goes for insects.

All of their eggs don't hatch at the same time.

They don't have them on the same basket.

And so later ones will hatch and they'll be just fine.

So not only the pest insects, but the good insects, the pretty ones, the butterflies, they'll come along and some of them will survive and they'll build up.

Excellent.

I've got some green coming up in my yard.

Tulips are coming up and a few other things.

So we're getting there.

Mosquitoes will be here before we know it.

Oh yes.

All right.

Well, thank you guys so much for coming in.

I want to say also thank you to John and Liz for coming in.

And thank you so much for watching.

We will see you next time on an American gardener.

Good night.