Garden

All Garden Content

Yellowjacket feeding on decaying produce.

Yellowjackets: Swarming decaying produce or garbage near you

Fall is rapidly approaching, and if you have a garden, fruit trees, or outdoor dumpsters, you are likely to encounter yellowjackets in search of food. Learn some expert tips to avoid getting stung this fall.

Four green caterpillars feeding on a leaf of green kale.

What’s chewing on my kale?

Cabbage white caterpillars can be a nuisance in kale and other cold crops, leaving behind ragged-looking leaves and a significant amount of droppings. Learn some expert tips for identifying and manage them before they take a bite out of your harvest.

Pepper plant with frost injury.

Fall Frost Tolerance of Common Vegetables

Vegetables vary widely in how much cold they can tolerate as they reach maturity. Learn which ones can tolerate light and heavy frosts and which ones can't.

Pumpkins and winter squash on display at a farmer's market.

Harvesting and Storing Pumpkins and Winter Squash

The gardening season will soon come to an end, but we can still enjoy pumpkins and winter squash well into the winter months if we take some extra care during the harvest and storage process.

A screenshot of an aerial map view with a pin showing where the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field-South is

SDSU Extension to host third annual Specialty Crop Field Day in Brookings

September 06, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension’s horticulture team invites everyone to attend the 2023 Specialty Crop Field Day.

Couple harvesting cabbage in a large garden.

Perfect produce? Understanding the standards behind cabbage quality and condition from a production perspective

Learn about the U.S. Department of Agriculture cabbage grading requirements, as they are key to understanding why produce is graded to certain standards before it ends up on grocery store shelves.

Gardener holding a handful of healthy soil.

Soil Health and Why it Matters

Investing in soil health will benefit your garden or farm for generations to come. Learn how to actively manage the physical, chemical, and biological properties of your soil to optimize its long-term health.

Several small, light colored grasshopper nymphs feeding on green leaves plants. The leaves of the plants have small holes in them.

Grasshoppers Causing Headaches in South Dakota Gardens

Grasshopper populations are causing extensive defoliation around yards and gardens in our region this summer. Learn some important considerations for scouting populations and applying insecticides if needed.

Striped cucumber beetle and spotted cucumber beetle.

Striped Cucumber Beetles Are Active in South Dakota

South Dakota is home to two species of cucumber beetles that can cause severe injury to cucurbits, including squash, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. Learn how to detect and manage both beetles before they impact your harvest.

Squash vine borer moth on plant.

Squash Vine Borer Activity Estimate: June 16, 2023

Squash vine borer moths will soon emerge across much of South Dakota, and their larva can cause serious damage to squash plants. See our latest activity predictions and management recommendations based on forecasted conditions from around the state.