Plants or Crops

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spotted wing fruit fly male

Spotted Wing Fruit Fly Damaging Fruit Crops

The spotted wing fruit fly is a new pest problem that originated in Asia and was only first identified here in the United States in California in 2008. It was first seen in South Dakota in 2013.

a graphic of South Dakota separated by colors

Ag Land Values Decrease Statewide on Average

From 1991 to 2015, agricultural land values in South Dakota, and in most other major agricultural production states, appreciated each year. In 2016 on average all agricultural use land decreased in South Dakota except rangeland, which will be discussed in a future article.

cows eating silage

What’s Important to Know About Silage Additives & Inoculants? 

Corn is suited to preservation as silage. Silage additives can be used to remedy deficiencies such as lack of sufficient population of bacteria to support adequate fermentation, and low levels of fermentable carbohydrates.

Are your farm employees ready for low temperatures?

Winter is here and snow and icy roads will increase the risk for accidents. Getting ready to leave the house and going to work on the snow and ice might be a problem for inexperienced people.

A blue coat placed atop a medium-sized evergreen tree in a snowy clearing

It's Cold! How Can Our Plants Trees and Shrubs Withstand It?

The Northern Great Plains have experienced colder than normal weather over first few weeks of December. Cold temperatures certainly do affect our plants but there are some important differences.

A young, un-pruned fruit tree.

Training Young Fruit Trees

Training is probably the most neglected aspect of growing fruit trees.

A shrub with blooming yellow flowers on its branches.

Spring Flowering Shrubs

Early spring flowering shrubs have a special place in our landscapes as they are the heralds of the warm weather yet to come.

A tree trunk with sawyer beetle damage.

Sawyer Beetles and Pine Wilt Disease

A sample came in from a recently felled Scotch pine tree down in Southeastern South Dakota. The hole and sawdust is due to a sawyer beetle that had infested the tree.

A Red Colummbine branch with several, bell-shaped pink flowers hanging from the end.

Wild Columbine

Red columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, is this week’s native perennial to know. Also known as wild columbine, this plant has striking red flowers that droop from the ends of tall stalks.

A bushy green plant with pink flowers throughout.

Phlox

This week’s native perennials are both phloxes: Phlox divaricata (Wild Blue Phlox, or Sweet William) and Phlox pilosa (Downy or Prairie Phlox)