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Young woman photographing leaf-scorched hostas in a garden.

Garden and Yard Problems Solved: How to Submit Photos and Samples to Our Experts

Garden and lawn issues can sometimes be diagnosed by simply looking at a photo. Photos give our Extension experts a place to start, and providing them with the best possible photo can help the process.

Hand spreading grass seed on lawn.

Renew Your Lawn This Fall With Overseeding

Overseeding your lawn is a smart maintenance procedure and a great way to renew your lawn after periods of drought. Fall timing gives you the best conditions for new grass to grow and thrive.

Bright-yellow to dark-orange rudbeckia flowers in bloom.

Rudbeckia Brighten the Garden From Summer Through Fall

Rudbeckia, or Black-Eyed Susans, are a favorite plant of many gardeners. They are prized for their bright yellow-to-orange flowers with the dark-brown center, and they are typically easy to grow when planted in a sunny location.

Four varieties of colorful chrysanthemum flowers, including: Mammoth Red, Mammoth Lavender, Mammoth Yellow Quill and Mammoth Twilight Pink.

Chrysanthemums Add Color to Fall Gardens

Chrysanthemums are the quintessential fall-blooming plant that are sold all over the region, but not all mums are created equal! You need to shop carefully if you want plants that will look good this fall and also come back in future years.

Several rows of yellow onions ready for harvest in a garden.

Harvesting and Storing Root Vegetables

Learn tips for harvesting and storing a variety of root vegetables from your garden, including carrots, beets, turnips, onions and potatoes.

Perennial ground cover with pink and white flowers.

Perennial Ground Covers for Sunny Gardens

Do you have any large areas of bare soil in the garden, or perhaps a location that is difficult to mow? Consider planting perennial ground covers to fill in extra space in your sunny location!

Mosquito resting on a dandelion seed head.

West Nile Virus Update: Aug. 2, 2021

As of Aug. 2, 2021, the South Dakota Department of Health indicated that West-Nile-virus-positive mosquitoes were detected in Brookings, Codington, Hughes, Lincoln and Brown counties in South Dakota.

Small, brown insect with tail.

Springtails Are in My Home

During the last few weeks, we have been receiving an increased number of questions regarding very small insects that jump very far. It didn’t take long to determine that the hordes of small insects are springtails.

a patch of green, weedy flowers with white petals and a yellow center

Invasive Garden Plants: Is That a Weed?

While we generally consider invasive plants like crabgrass, dandelions, and purslane as weeds, just about any plant can be considered a weed when it's in the wrong location.

Brown snailcase bagworm cases on the white underside of a jar lid.

Snailcase Bagworms in South Dakota

A unique insect that has been observed in South Dakota is the snailcase bagworm. Snailcase bagworms are wingless moths that spend their entire life in spiral-shaped “snail” cases, which they build around themselves using a combination of silk, soil particles and fecal matter.