BENEFITS OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS EVERYDAY PENNSYLVANIA THEY THAT THE ISSUES AFFECTING YOU REVEAL EXPLAINED DISCUSSED. NOW ON WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS. HELLO, I'M SUSAN SHAPIRO. IT'S THE START OF THE GROWING SEASON HERE IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. WHETHER YOU'RE AN EXPERIENCED GARDENER OR YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED, IT CAN BE SO REWARDING TO GROW YOUR OWN FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. I'M HERE IN THE GREENHOUSE AT PENN STATE'S SOUTHEAST AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER TO TALK TO TWO MASTER GARDENERS. THEY'LL BE TELLING US ABOUT SOIL, HOW TO WATER YOUR GARDEN AND HOW TO PLAN IT. TONIGHT, WE PUT GROWING YOUR GARDEN IN FOCUS. WE'RE HERE WITH CHRISTOPHER SUGARMAN, WHO'S A MASTER GARDENER AND ALSO THE COORDINATOR OF THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND HAVING US HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR VISIT. FIRST, LET'S START WITH THE GROUND UP, LITERALLY. HOW IMPORTANT IS SOIL IN TERMS OF YOUR GARDEN? SO SOIL IS IN CREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ARE EXCITED ABOUT PLANTING AND KIND OF RUSH TO THE PLANT AND NOT NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT THE SOIL. SO THE SOIL QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE ANSWERED REALLY DEPENDS ON IF YOU'RE DOING YOUR GARDENING IN THE GROUND OR IF YOU'RE USING A RAISED BED OR IF YOU'RE USING A CONTAINER. THERE'S REALLY DIFFERENT THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EACH OF THOSE. I MUST ADMIT I DO MOSTLY CONTAINER GARDENING AND I'VE SOMETIMES NOT THROWN OUT THAT SOIL IN A NEW SEASON. THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. WELL, IT'S REALLY NOT. SO POTTING SOIL. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO USING IT IS THAT IT'S STERILE. SO THE CHANCES OF HAVING DISEASE IN YOUR SOIL THAT WOULD AFFECT YOUR WHAT YOU'RE GROWING IN IT, THEY'RE LESS. BUT THERE'S ALSO NOT AS MUCH NUTRITION UNLESS YOU BUY A POTTING SOIL THAT HAS FERTILIZER IN IT. USUALLY AFTER THE END OF THE SEASON, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO THROW IT OUT REALLY THOROUGHLY. CLEAN YOUR POT AND START FROM SCRATCH. ALL RIGHT. I'LL DO THAT THIS YEAR. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE SOME DIRT HERE. DIRT, SOIL. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE ARE JUST SORT OF A THESE ARE SOME SCRAPS, SOME WHAT WE CALL, LIKE LEAF LITTER OR ORGANIC WASTE THAT HAS NOT BROKEN DOWN IN TIME WITH IN A COMPOST PILE. THIS WILL BREAK DOWN AND IT BREAKS DOWN INTO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MUCH MORE YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS IS REALLY SOFT AND CRUMBLY. THE MOISTURE ON THIS IS REALLY RIGHT. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL HOLD THE MOISTURE, BUT NOT TOO MUCH. WHEN SOILS HAVE TOO MUCH CLAY IN THEM, THEY'LL BIND TOGETHER, WHICH YOU CAN SEE EVEN YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COLOR IN THIS SOIL. SEE HOW THIS IS REALLY HARD. IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ROOTS TO MOVE THROUGH THIS. THIS PROBABLY HAS A VERY HIGH CLAY CONTENT. THIS IS MORE THE MIXTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FIND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN YOUR GARDEN? GREAT QUESTION. SO IF YOU HAVE A VERY IF YOU HAVE A SOIL THAT HAS A LOT OF CLAY IN IT, MAYBE A YELLOW OR GRAY COLOR, YOU CAN ADD COMPOST TO IT. IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE YOUR OWN, YOU CAN PURCHASE COMPOST. SOME TOWNSHIPS WILL SELL COMPOST AS WELL. A LOT OF THE TOWNSHIPS USE THE LEAF WASTE THAT THEY PICK UP IN THE FALL, COMPOST IT AND THEN YOU CAN ADD THAT PROBABLY IN ABOUT A 5050 MIX TO VERY DIFFICULT GARDEN SOIL. I'VE HEARD THAT'S GOOD STUFF TO COMPOST YOU. IT IS. IT IS. YEP. IF YOU KNOW WHERE IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT BEFORE YOU PURCHASE IT, THAT'S BETTER. SOMETIMES COMPOST THAT'S IN BAGS WILL HAVE A HIGH AMOUNT OF YOU SEE HOW THIS HAS SOME WOODCHIPS IN IT. THIS IS JUST PROBABLY SCRAPS FROM OUR GARDEN HERE, BUT SOMETIMES COMPOST HAS A LOT OF MULCH IN IT THAT'S DECOMPOSING, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS THIS NICE CRUMBLY, YOU KNOW, THIS CRUMBLY SOIL THAT YOU SEE. SO YOU DON'T WANT THE WOOD? NOT REALLY. I MEAN, IT'S NOT THIS. IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T WORK QUITE AS WELL IN TERMS OF DRAINAGE AND IN TERMS OF NUTRITION BEING AVAILABLE TO THE PLANT. NOW, SOMETHING YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF JUMPING WORMS AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME VIDEO OF THE JUMPING WORMS. WHAT ARE THOSE? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? YEAH. SO JUMPING WORMS ARE ONE OF THE LATEST PESTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE. THEY'RE NOT EVERYWHERE IN OUR AREA, BUT WE'RE HOPING BY INFORMING PEOPLE THAT MAYBE THEY WON'T BE IN OUR AREA. THEY HAVE A VERY CHARACTERISTIC MOVEMENT. THEY KIND OF MOVE SIDE TO SIDE, ALMOST LIKE A SNAKE MOVEMENT. NORMALLY EARTHWORMS KIND OF GO IN A LONG, YOU KNOW, THEY STRETCH THEMSELVES OUT TO MOVE THE JUMPING WORMS, MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THEY ARE WHAT'S PARTICULARLY CONCERNING ABOUT THEM IS THEY'RE STILL SOLD AS BAIT FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY GO FISHING. SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS NOT USING ALL THEIR WORMS, TOSSES THEM INTO THE WOODS PERHAPS, OR A COUPLE OF THEM GET LOOSE, THEY'RE HYPER CONSUMERS OF THE LEAF LITTER ON THE FOREST FLOOR. SO THEY EAT A LOT OF THE LEAF LITTER, WHICH INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF EROSION BECAUSE WE THINK OF WORMS AS BEING GOOD FOR THE GRASS, TOO. CLEARLY, WE THINK OF THEM AS THE ONES THAT HELP US BREAK UP THIS, YOU KNOW, THE CLAY BREAK THINGS UP, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO TO GROW IN. SO FOLKS CAN ASK THEIR RETAILER THAT THEY'RE PURCHASING BULK SOILS FROM IF THERE'S ANY YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE LOOKED FOR JUMPING WORMS, IF THEY SEEN THEM. YOU CAN ALSO FIND INFORMATION ONLINE TO SEE WHAT THE EGG SACKS LOOK LIKE. THEY HAVEN'T QUITE HATCHED YET, BUT JUST BE AWARE OF THEM. LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON THEM. GREAT. WELL, STAY WITH US BECAUSE WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT PLANNING YOUR GARDEN. LANCASTER MAZDA DRIVING MATTERS. THIS IS WG EIGHT IN FOCUS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTA SHERMAN, WHO IS A MASTER GARDENER AND THE HEAD OF THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM IN LANCASTER COUNTY, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED WITH, ISN'T IT? ABSOLUTELY, JULIE. WE OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT GARDENING, WHETHER THAT'S GROWING VEGETABLES OR FIGURING OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEIR FAVORITE HYDRANGEA. SO ONCE IT RUNS A WIDE RANGE, THAT'S GREAT. AND MORE PEOPLE GOT INTO GARDENING AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, DIDN'T THEY? THEY DID. THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED. AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NOVICE GARDENERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE THINGS THAT YOU NORMALLY GO THROUGH WHEN YOU GET STARTED WITH GARDENING. SO SOME UPS AND SOME DOWNS, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH ANYONE CAN GARDEN. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE A PLOT OF LAND THAT YOU OWN. YOU CAN GARDEN IN A CONTAINER, AS WE SAID, RAISED BEDS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES THAT YOU CAN GARDEN. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? WHAT DO I LOVE? I LOVE I LOVE WATCHING THINGS GROW. ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS WHEN I COME BACK FROM THE WINTER AND I GO OUTSIDE AND I SEE THAT SOMETHING HAS NOT ONLY DONE WELL, BUT IT'S THRIVED. AND THEN WE HAVE NEW PLANTS TO SHARE. POTENTIALLY. THAT'S THE PART THAT I REALLY LOVE. AND THEY MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CONSUME. AND YOU KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM. ALL RIGHT. SO IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PLANTING A GARDEN, WHAT SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT? SO YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT FIRST OF ALL, GIVE YOURSELF A SERIOUS LIKE SERIOUSLY LOOK AT HOW MUCH TIME AM I GOING TO PUT INTO THIS? SO MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER OR THE SPRING. AND THEN AS THE WATERING AND THE MAINTENANCE HAPPENS THROUGH THE SUMMER, THEY KIND OF LOSE INTEREST. SO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN BE COMMITTED TO. IT'S BETTER TO START SMALL AND MAYBE JUST FOCUS ON FOODS THAT YOU REALLY LIKE. IF YOU LOVE TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA IN THE SUMMER WITH BASIL ON TOP, THEN MAYBE YOU FOCUS ON GETTING THE BEST TOMATOES THAT YOU CAN DO AND THE BEST BASIL THAT YOU CAN DO. REALLY. WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY ENJOY? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OBSCURE THINGS THAT YOU CAN PRODUCE, BUT MAYBE YOU'LL DO WELL IF YOU JUST PRODUCE GREEN BEANS OR PEAS OR GARLIC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO DON'T START THINKING ACRES MAYBE, YOU KNOW. NO, DON'T KNOW. ABSOLUTELY. AND REALLY, I THINK IF YOU CAN GET A COUPLE OF SMALL SUCCESSES UNDER YOUR BELT, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU CAN KIND OF KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IT AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT WENT WRONG? YOU CAN TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE. WE HAVE A HOTLINE. YOU CAN CALL US AND ASK US, BUT MANY PEOPLE ENCOUNTER FAILURES IN THE BEGINNING AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T GARDEN. IT JUST MEANS THAT MAYBE THAT THING WAS NOT GOOD FOR YOU TO GARDEN. WE ALL LEARN FROM OUR FAILURES, DON'T WE? AND WHEN IT COMES TO COOKING OR BAKING, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT. YOU DON'T STOP COOKING BECAUSE YOU BURNED SOMETHING THE FIRST TIME, RIGHT? UNLESS THERE WAS A FIRE, THEN MAYBE. BUT NO, YOU DON'T STOP. YOU KEEP GOING. SO. SO WHAT ABOUT CONTAINERS VERSUS RAISED BEDS YOU MENTIONED OR JUST IN THE GROUND? YEAH. SO THE THING TO REMEMBER A CONTAINER, THE BENEFIT IS THAT YOU CAN MOVE IT ANYWHERE. THERE'S SUNLIGHT. SO MOST VEGETABLES NEED SUNLIGHT. MOST HERBS NEED SUNLIGHT. SO YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY YOU CAN'T PICK UP YOUR PIECE OF GROUND AND MOVE IT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE TREE. BUT YOU CAN MOVE A CONTAINER AND YOU CAN ALSO SITE A RAISED BED IN A PLACE THAT YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO GET SUNSHINE. THE INITIAL UPFRONT EXPENSE AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO SET UP A RAISE THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT THEN YOU HAVE IT IS SORT OF LIKE A GIANT CONTAINER IN YOUR YARD THAT YOU CAN USE YEAR AFTER YEAR, RAISE BEDS AND CONTAINERS, DRY OUT MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THE GROUND DOES. SO ON A DAY WHERE IT'S REALLY HOT, IF YOU HAVE YOUR HERBS IN A CONTAINER IN THE BRIGHT SUN, EVEN THOUGH YOU WATERED THEM IN THE MORNING, YOU MAY HAVE TO WATER THEM AGAIN AT NIGHT BECAUSE THEY WILL DRY OUT. AND ONCE THEY'RE DRIED OUT, THEY MAY NOT MAKE IT BACK. BRING THEM BACK. IS YOU MENTIONED WATER. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO GARDEN AND YOU HAVE TO THINK HOW HOW AM I GOING TO GET THE WATER TO WHEREVER IT IS? YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE KIND OF A MAYBE A NOT SO IMPORTANT THING WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING, BUT HOW FAR ARE YOU GOING HAVE TO TAKE THE WATER? CAN YOU TAKE A HOSE? CAN YOU CAPTURE RAINWATER? THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A COMMUNITY SPACE WHERE YOU'RE GARDENING. HOW FAR WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO BRING TO THE SPACE TO MAKE THAT WORK, TO MAKE YOURSELF SUCCESSFUL? WHAT ABOUT WATERING? HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN TO WATER THINGS SO A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO DEPEND ON THE RAINFALL THAT'S HAPPENING. A REALLY GOOD THING IS SOMETHING WE CALL THE FINGER TEST, WHERE YOU PUT YOUR FINGER INTO THE SOIL AND IF IT FEELS DAMP, THAT MIGHT BE ENOUGH IN A CONTAINER WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND AND IT'S MOIST ON FRIDAY, PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE MOIST ON SUNDAY WHEN YOU COME BACK. SO AND DEPENDING UPON THE WEATHER, OBVIOUSLY, AND HOW MUCH SUN WE GET RIGHT. YEAH. SO THERE'S NO BETTER OR WORSE IN TERMS OF THE WAY THINGS GROW. DO THEY GROW BETTER AND THE RAISED BEDS OR THE GROUND, SOMETHING IS DO BETTER IN THE GROUND. I WOULD SAY A TOMATO IS GOING TO DO BETTER. IT HAS A REALLY LONG ROOT SYSTEM SO IT DOESN'T REALLY LOVE BEING IN A CONTAINER. BUT MANY THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES NOW THAT ARE BRED TO GROW AND CONTAINERS. THERE'S BUSH VARIETY OF TOMATOES THAT CAN GROW IN YOUR PATIO. THERE'S MUCH MORE THAN THERE USED TO BE. AND THERE'S SO MANY, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, TOMATOES, BUT SO MANY PLANTS IN THIS AREA. YOU CAN BUY OF VARIOUS PLACES. THERE ARE A LOT AND YOU COULD JUST ASK, JUST SAY I'M LOOKING TO GROW IN A SMALL SPACE. I'M LOOKING TO DO A CONTAINER. WHAT CAN YOU SUGGEST? SOME OF THE SEED PACKETS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY FOUR CONTAINERS, WHICH IS HELPFUL. SO YEAH, AND LOOK AT THE DIRECTIONS OF THINGS, RIGHT? HOW MUCH SUN THEY NEED AND HOW MUCH WATER THEY NEED. RIGHT. OH, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHRISTO. YEAH. AND COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK WITH ANOTHER MASTER GARDENER ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN PLANT NOW. MORNINGS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA NEWS 8 IS AWARD WINNING COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON. THIS IS WGBH EIGHT IN FOCUS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON. JOINING US NOW IS CINDY TRUSSELL AND SHE'S ALSO A MASTER GARDENER AND SHE'S ALSO A PROLIFIC GARDENER. AREN'T YOU? YOU HAVE A BIG GARDEN AT HOME. I DO. I HAVE SEVERAL GARDENS AT MY HOUSE. YEAH. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? I LOVE BEING ABLE TO RAISE MY OWN FOOD. KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM? NO. START IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I ENJOY SEEDS STARTING, SO I LIKE WATCHING IT GROW THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. AND THEN AT HOME, WE PRESERVE A LOT OF WHAT WE GROW. WOW. HUH? IS IT TOO LATE TO START WITH SEEDS RIGHT NOW? OH, IT IS NOT. SO IF YOU WANT TO START SOME OF YOUR SUMMER VEGETABLES, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO START THEM INDOORS. WE REALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU START THEM UNDER GROW LIGHTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE GET EXCITED AND THINK THAT IF THEY HAVE A SUNNY AREA IN THEIR HOME THAT THEY CAN PUT THEM UNDER A NEXT TO A WINDOW AND IN A WINDOWSILL WOULD GET ENOUGH LIGHT. BUT REALLY YOU'RE PROBABLY SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE BECAUSE THOSE LITTLE SEEDLINGS, THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH SUNLIGHT EVEN STILL RIGHT UNDER THE SUN. RIGHT BY THE WINDOW. AND IT'S TOO EARLY FOR OUTSIDE. FOR SOME THINGS IT IS. IT IS. SO YOU MAY GO TO A NURSERY AND FIND LITTLE TOMATOES LIKE THIS THAT ARE BEING SET OUT, BUT IT IS TOO EARLY FOR THEM BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GETTING SOME OF THOSE FROSTS. JUST LAST WEEK WE GOT SOME FROST SOME NIGHTS THAT DIPPED DOWN BELOW FREEZING AND THAT WILL KILL THE TOMATOES. IT'LL EVEN KILL SOME OF THE TENDER BEDDING PLANTS THAT WE MIGHT SEE BEING SOLD IN THE NURSERIES. SO WE'VE BEEN IF WE'RE HAVING THIS KIND OF NICE WEATHER, DON'T GET ANXIOUS. YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE PATIENT TO BE A GARDENER. EXACTLY. YOU DO HAVE TO BE A LITTLE PATIENT. THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO BE PLANNING. IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GROW SOME OF YOUR SUMMER VEGETABLES, LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD START THEM INDOORS. BUT SOME OF THE COOL VEGETABLES, VEGETABLES THAT LOVE COOL, WHETHER IT'S A PERFECT TIME TO START THEM THERE, YOU CAN FIND THEM IN THE NURSERIES RIGHT NOW AND YOU CAN START THEM STILL FROM SEED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LIKE COOL WEATHER? ARUGULA LIKES COOL WEATHER. THE KALE, BROCCOLI, SOME OF OUR CABBAGES. LIKE COOL WEATHER. LET'S SEE. MUSTARD GREENS, ONIONS AND POTATOES. SOME THINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY EASIER TO GROW THAN OTHERS, AREN'T THEY? THEY ARE. YEAH. THE LETTUCES AND THE WHICH YOU ALSO CAN GROW RIGHT NOW. LETTUCE AND GREENS. REALLY ARE REALLY EASY. THEY GIVE YOU A LOT MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. WE HEARD ABOUT JUMPING WORMS, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER INSECTS AND EVEN ANIMALS LIKE DEER? WELL, SOMETHING CALLED A FLOATING ROAD COVER CAN REALLY HELP YOU. IT IS A FRAME THAT'S ERECTED OVER THE PLANT. AND THEN A SPUN CLOTH THAT IS PLACED OVER THE PLANT. SO THAT IT REALLY WILL KEEP OUT THE PESTS. ANY PESTS THAT WANT TO COME IN. EVERYTHING FROM INSECTS TO LARGER ANIMALS, LIKE A WOODCHUCK. BUT THEY DO ALLOW THE SUN AND THE RAIN. SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF HELPFUL IF FOR ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT GROWING ORGANIC, SNEAKILY, THEY'RE HAVING TO SPRAY LESS ON TOP OF THE VEGETABLES. HOW HARD IS THAT TO PUT TOGETHER AND WHERE DO YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THERE ARE SEVERAL NURSERIES IN TOWN THAT SELL THOSE THAT YOU ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU BUY A LIGHTWEIGHT FLOATING ROW COVER. THEY SELL FROST ROW, FLOATING ROW COVER, AND THAT DOES HELPS WITH SOME OF YOUR VEGETABLES THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TENDER AND MAY NOT WANT TO HAVE THOSE NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES. THERE DOES SEEM TO BE MORE EMPHASIS ON ORGANIC GARDENING AND AVOIDING THE PESTICIDES. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE FINDING? I DO FIND THAT THERE ARE WE DO GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS LIKE THAT INTO THE GARDEN HOTLINE. HOW CAN PEOPLE GROW ORGANICALLY? THE FLOATING ROW COVER IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO RECOMMEND BECAUSE IT IS PREVENTION. AND IF YOU CAN PREVENT A PEST FROM LAYING EGGS OR EATING YOUR THE LEAVES OF YOUR PLANTS, THEN YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE TO THEN TAKE THE NEXT STEP TO TO SPRAY SOMETHING. NOW, SOME INSECTS LIKE BEES, WE WANT, DON'T WE, IN THE GARDEN. YES. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS WITH SO MUCH PESTICIDE USE. WE REALLY WANT TO SAVE OUR POLLINATORS. OUR POLLINATORS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN FOOD PRODUCTION, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SAFE HABITAT FOR THEM. NOW YOU HAVE SOME FLOWERS OUT HERE, BUT YOU TOLD ME THESE ARE NOT TO BE PLANTED NOW. WELL, THESE ARE NOT TO BE PLANTED NOW. THESE ARE SOME TENDER BEDDING, ANNUALS THAT WILL REALLY BE HURT BY ANY FROST. SO BUT SOMETIME AFTER MOTHER'S DAY, THESE WILL BE JUST FINE. SO WILL THE TOMATOES. THIS PLANT. THIS IS AN AUGUST STOCKING. IT IS A NATIVE PLANT. IT'S A CULTIVAR OF A NATIVE PLANT. AND IT IS ACTUALLY OKAY TO PUT OUT NOW AND THE POLLINATORS WOULD REALLY, REALLY WELCOME TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN YOUR GARDEN. OH, GOOD. NOW, LET ME ASK YOU, WHEN YOU SEE THESE FLATS OF FLOWERS AND VEGETABLE IS HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'RE HEALTHY AND THEY'RE A GOOD CHOICE? WELL, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK AT THEM, LOOK AT THEIR LEAVES VERY CAREFULLY. IF YOU SEE ANY SPOTS ON THE LEAVES, ANY BROWN TIPS, YOU KNOW THAT THE PLANT IS PROBABLY BIT A LITTLE BIT STRESSED. SOMETIMES YOU CAN EVEN LIFT THEM OUT AND EXAMINE THE ROOTS IF THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE VERY, VERY BOUND. MIGHT BE ONE YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP IF YOU SEE ANY WORMS OR ANY PESTS THAT ARE IN THE SOIL. THAT MIGHT BE ALSO WHEN YOU WANT TO SKIP. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IT HAS A NICE THICK AND STIFF STEM. GREAT. WELL, STAY WITH US, CINDY. WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE BEEN GETTING ON THE HOTLINE AND WE'LL TELL PEOPLE HOW THEY CAN CALL IN TO THAT HOTLINE OR GIVE YOU AN E-MAIL. WHENEVER NEWS BREAKS, WHEREVER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THIS IS W EIGHT INFOCUS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON PENN STATE EXTENSION HAS OFFICES IN JUST ABOUT EVERY COUNTY IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AND THEY ALSO HAVE HOTLINES THAT GARDENERS CAN CALL INTO AND ASK QUESTIONS AND SPEAK TO MR. GARDENERS LIKE CINDY. I KNOW YOU MAN THE HOTLINE IN LANCASTER COUNTY. YEAH. WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS HAVE YOU BEEN GETTING? WE GET QUESTIONS FROM HOMEOWNERS ABOUT HOUSE PLANS, PLANS THAT ARE INSIDE THEIR HOMES, AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THEIR LANDSCAPING QUESTIONS. OUTSIDE THEIR HOME, WE GET QUESTIONS ON TURF TURF CARE. WE GET QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED HOMES AND ARE INHERITING ESTABLISHED LANDSCAPING, SUCH AS FRUIT TREES. ARE PEOPLE GROWING FRUIT TREES? THEY ARE, YEAH. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO REDISCOVER THE WAY THINGS WERE DONE AND ARE STARTING TO GET INTO FRUIT TREE GROWING. I KNOW YOU TOLD ME IN YOUR OWN LANDSCAPE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO NATIVE PLANTS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT? WELL, NATIVE PLANTS WERE HERE ON THIS CONTINENT, SO EITHER IN ON NORTH AMERICA OR EVEN IN OUR REGION PRIOR TO COLONIZATION, THEY WERE NOT IMPORTED FROM EUROPE. SO THEY HAVE EVOLVED HERE ON THIS CONTINENT WITH THE INSECT POPULATION, WITH THE BIRDS. AND THEY'VE REALLY KIND OF GROWN SYMBIOTICALLY AND HAVE GROWN TO EVOLVE, TO OFFER THE CORRECT KINDS OF NECTAR AND POLLEN TO THE INSECTS AND THE BIRDS OF OUR AREA. HMM. OF COURSE, WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT THE POLLINATORS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT. YEAH, AND THEY ARE. THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR FOOD PRODUCTION. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SOMETHING'S A NATIVE PLANT? WELL, IF YOU DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, WILL HELP. IF YOU RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FIND THAT THE PLANT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HAS IS GROWING IN OTHER PLACES THAN IT'S PROBABLY NOT NATIVE. YOU WILL USUALLY FIND THAT. IT'LL SAY THAT IT IS A NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF NURSERIES ARE FOCUSING ON NORTH AMERICAN NATIVES, AND WE'LL PUT IT RIGHT UP FRONT ON THEIR TAGS. I GUESS DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS WHEN YOU GO TO THE NURSERY OR ANYWHERE ELSE, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY GARDENS? I KNOW THAT'S A BIG THING. IN JUST ABOUT EVERY COUNTY IN OUR AREA. YES, A LOT OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY'RE WANTING TO EXPAND THEIR THEIR GARDENING AND MAY NOT HAVE THAT LAND WHERE THEY ARE EITHER. THEY LIVE IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT AT OR THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. AND THEIR HOME ARE RENTING PLOTS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS. AND IT IS BECOMING QUITE POPULAR. AND I IMAGINE YOU CAN MEET OTHER PEOPLE AND GIVE YOU THEIR EXPERTISE, THEIR ADVICE, THE CAMARADERIE THAT'S RIGHT. AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOUR NEIGHBOR IS GROWING AND HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING. AND IF THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF A PEST SOMETIMES THAT YOU GET TO TO REAP THE BENEFITS AS WELL. HMM. NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE COORDINATOR, BUT WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BECOME A MASTER GARDENER IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN THAT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROGRAM? YOU CAN GO TO YOUR EXTENSION OFFICE AND FIND THE MASTER GARDENER COORDINATOR, AND THERE SHOULD BE OFFERING CLASSES. SOME PROGRAMS OFFER THEM YEARLY. SOME PROGRAMS OFFER THEM EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS. AND YOU CAN REGISTER THAT YOU SHOULD FIND THAT INFORMATION ONLINE. TELL YOU WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CHEMIST AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE KNOW EVERYTHING. BUT ANYBODY CAN BECOME A MASTER GARDENER WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND STUDYING. YEAH. NOW, WE TALKED ABOUT PATIENCE IN TERMS OF STARTING OUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IS PEOPLE MIGHT MAKE AS THEY HEAD INTO THE GARDENING SEASON? I THINK THEY GET OVER OVERZEALOUS, MAYBE PURCHASE A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH OR DECIDE THAT THEY THEY DON'T REALIZE THIS. THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT THEY HAVE AND THEN THEY BECOME OVERWEIGHT AND EASILY. GARDENING IS KIND OF A TRIAL AND ERROR. AND WHAT WE TRY AND DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE CALL IN TO THE HOTLINE, IS WE TRY AND MINIMIZE THOSE ERRORS SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE MORE SUCCESS. AND YOU DO HAVE TO WE TALKED ABOUT THE PLANNING, BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE TO PUT IN. AND IT DOES TAKE SOME EFFORT. EXACTLY. VEGETABLES, IF YOU'RE PLANTING VEGETABLES, YOU PROBABLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO VISIT YOUR GARDEN AT LEAST EVERY DAY. SOME OF YOUR FLOWER BEDS, MAYBE NOT SO OFTEN, JUST ONCE A WEEK, THAT YOU DO WANT TO KIND OF KEEP IT KEEP AN EYE ON IT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT SOMETHING LIKE A PEST OR LOW WATER CONDITIONS TO GET AWAY FROM YOU. I HEARD A NEW TERM HERE. PEST PRESSURE. YES, WE ALL HAVE IT. YEAH. BUT IT REALLY CAN BE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF THE HIGH COST OF PRODUCE AND ALL KINDS OF FOOD, IT CAN BE A REAL COST SAVER. IT CAN BE? YEAH. YEAH, IT REALLY CAN BE. AND THAT'S. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT HELPS TO TO HAVE THE RESOURCE LIKE THE HOTLINE, BECAUSE WE CAN HELP IDENTIFY IF WHAT INSECT IS NIBBLING ON YOUR LEAF AND HOW YOU BEST CAN MANAGE THAT. HOW DO YOU DO THAT. CAN PEOPLE SEND PHOTOS IF THEY SEE A PEST? OH, THEY CAN SEND US PHOTOS BY EMAIL. WE EVEN HAVE OFFICE HOURS WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND BRING THEIR SAMPLES. SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LAY EYES ON IT. OH, THAT'S GREAT. WHAT A GREAT RESOURCE. WELL, CINDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE IT. PENN STATE EXTENSION HAS MASTER GARDENER HOTLINES IN COUNTIES ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THE NUMBERS ARE ON YOUR SCREEN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS. FOR ALL OF US AT WG GAYLE, I'M SUSAN SHAPIRO AND BE SURE TO JOIN US NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 FOR WG EIGHT IN FOCUS RIGHT AFTER NBC NIGHTLY NEWS. AND YOU CAN WATCH EACH EPISODE OF IN FOCUS PLUS WG GAIL'S LATEST NEWSCAST ORIGINAL PROGRAMING AND MORE. JUST DOWNLOAD THE VERY LOCAL APP AND STREAM FOR FREE ON ROKU AND AMAZON FIRE TV.