This week on the Good Growing podcast we sit down with Illinois Extension communications specialist and first-time homeowner Emily Steele and walk through some of the basic To-Dos for a new yard/first-time yard owner. We dive into various topics from what to look for at house showings in the landscape to how to avoid termites and much more! Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/9Q-WiIYGjeM Skip to what you want to know: 0:35 Hey Ken! Summer beards and podcast camera angles 2:48 Welcome Emily, our first-time homeowner! 5:24 Before buying a house, what are some things to look for in the landscape? 9:30 What apps or tips can you use to identify a tree? 12:05 Setting the stage – What type of yard does Emily now have? 12:51 Why should we care about landscaping? What is the value of investing in landscaping? 17:54 How long should we wait before getting plants in the ground and changing the landscaping for new homeowners? 23:24 What about planting fruit trees? Does that need to be done ASAP? 24:26 What are things we can do landscaping-wise to prevent termites? 28:35 Is it essential to call for a utility locate? What do we do with that information? 34:21 For first-time homeowners starting from scratch, what tools should they prioritize getting now? What are some “would be nice to have” tools? Check out our recent garden tools podcast https://go.illinois.edu/GardenTool 41:14 How important is it to check ordinances or HOA guidelines? 44:46 How far away should you plant landscaping from a house? 48:27 Is it good to call in an arborist to evaluate the trees? How do you find a certified arborist? https://www.treesaregood.org/ https://illinoisarborist.org/ 50:39 How do people decide what lawn care is best for them? Plus some lawn care tips! 56:57 No mow lawns – what are they? Will they work in Illinois? University of Minnesota Extension Bee lawns https://extension.umn.edu/landscape-design/planting-and-maintaining-bee-lawn More links mentioned during the show https://go.illinois.edu/GardenHose https://go.illinois.edu/ToolMaintenance https://go.illinois.edu/GardenTool Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies. -- You can find us on most podcast platforms. SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-555304573 iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377 Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/good-growing Tunein https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/ Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/ Listen notes https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/ Ivy https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902 Castbox https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us Google podcasts https://bit.ly/3AiYjTD