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Green Side Up

Green Side Up is a gardening program produced by University of Illinois Extension. It is hosted by Richard Hentschel, Extension Educator, Horticulture.
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Latest Episode

About the author/host: Horticulture Educator Richard Hentschel's expertise extends across several subject areas with specialties in lawn care, fruit tree production, woody ornamentals, and home and community gardening.

Fire Pit & Fireplace Season

With temperatures dropping, the outdoor fire pit and indoor fireplaces are coming back in use. Whether you cut, split and dry your own firewood or buy it for the winter, good management will reward you with more heat and less smoke. Host Richard Hentschel provides firewood tips for the season....

Boggled by Bulbs?

Confused about spring and summer flowering bulbs? Host Richard Hentschel takes away some of the mystery on why we call them what we do and why we plant them when we do. It is all about winter hardiness. In addition, he explains why not everything we call a bulb is a bulb.

What to do with Powdery Mildew

ILLINOIS Extension Educator Richard Hentschel talks about a very common foliage disease that can be seen on a wide variety of landscape plants and in the vegetable garden. Powdery Mildew is aptly named for the spores that create a distinct white appearance to plant leaves. Typical at the end...

Don't Forget the Garden this Fall

Host Richard Hentschel promotes using the family vegetable garden well into the fall, even though the start of school often seems to signal the end of the season to many home gardeners. There is still time to grow, harvest and enjoy fresh vegetables for several more weeks.

Trees Need Water Too

Illinois Extension Educator Richard Hentschel continues to discuss the now critical need to water valuable landscape ornamental and shade trees. Trees are the last of the plants to show wilting foliage as a symptom of a droughty condition. By the time that happens, watering is extremely...

What & When to Water

Host Richard Hentschel discusses watering in early August. Wilting is an obvious sign that plants need water and is easy to see on flowers, vegetables and in the lawn. Less obvious is what is going on with trees, shrubs, and evergreens. Proper watering and watering intervals during dry...

Proper Care for Hanging Pots & Container Gardens

Illinois Extension Educator Richard Hentschel discusses the best strategies for keeping hanging pots and container gardens looking great for the rest of the summer. The best approach is never letting the plants wilt. Learn how watering times and monitoring water loss will ensure flowering plants...

Early Summer Rains & What They Mean

Richard Hentschel, host of Green Side Up, talks about the early summer weather pattern and what it means for lawns, garden beds and trees. He outlines the good parts of it and a few challenges now and those coming up a bit later in the season. Lots of plants have benefited from the rains with...

What's Growing & Going in the Garden

Host Richard Hentschel discusses some early season vegetable concerns. Those early cool season vegetables may be going to seed by now and any leaves on our leafy greens can now be bitter tasting. Radishes also may go to seed and suffer the same fate. Richard talks about common tomato leaf...

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Wet Weather

Richard Hentschel, Host of Green Side Up, talks about the many good, and not-so-good, effects of all the rain in the home landscape. Lawns continue to grow, mushrooms showing up in the lawn, some surprising insect activity and a quick reminder on mosquitos and ticks.

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