Plants or Crops

All Plants or Crops Content

Green beetle larvae with a white stripe running down its body.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity Prediction Update: May 15, 2023

During the last week, the entire state reached enough degree days to have active alfalfa larvae. In areas with the highest accumulation of degree days, alfalfa should be scouted to ensure that alfalfa weevils don’t cause extensive defoliation.

Four top-performing perennial plants: Phlox ‘Opening Act Pink-a-Dot,’ Ornamental Onion ‘Serendipity,’ False Sunflower ‘Tuscan Sun,’ and Coral bells ‘Dolce® Wildberry.’

2021 McCrory Gardens Trials: A Look Back at Top-Performing Perennials

Are you looking for new ideas of what to grow in your garden? Let’s take a look at the six top-performing perennials as judged during the 2021 growing season at McCrory Gardens!

Four Top-performing annnuals: Sunflower ‘Suncredible® Saturn™, Verbena ‘Superbena® Imperial Blue™’, Sweet Alyssum ‘Violet Knight™’ and Coleus ‘ColorBlaze® El Brighto.'

2021 McCrory Gardens Trials: A Look Back at Top-Performing Garden and Container Annuals

Let’s take a look at the ten top-performing annuals during the 2021 McCrory Gardens Trials! Results feature the top six in-ground annuals and the top four container grown annuals.

Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, and Yellow Brandywine tomatoes.

Second-Year Trial of Grafted Heirloom Tomatoes at SDSU

See our latest findings from a second-year research trial of three indeterminate, beefsteak, open-pollinated tomatoes grafted to three unique rootstocks to assess production and marketability for South Dakota farms.

Bucket of cut Zinnia and Snapdragon flowers.

Cut Flowers on Campus: 2022 Zinnia and Snapdragon Trial Overview

The Lang Lab at South Dakota State University is currently working to increase research and support for South Dakota's cut flower farmers. Learn about their recent trial that examined popular cultivars of zinnias and snapdragons.

Red, White x Kura, and Dutch White clover crops.

Integrating Clover Cover Crops for Pepper and Broccoli Production

South Dakota gardeners and specialty crop producers have expressed a need for cover crop research. Learn about a recent research project investigating clover cover crop integration for pepper and broccoli production.

Row of pepper plants growing among a bed of white clovers.

Clover Cover Crops as a Living Mulch for Pepper Production in Eastern South Dakota: 2022 Preliminary Results

A recent project at the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field investigated using clover species as a living mulch for pepper production systems to improve soil quality and suppress weeds.

Several rows of broccoli plants with varying planting treatments.

Clover Cover Crops as a Living Mulch for Broccoli Production in Eastern South Dakota: 2022 Preliminary Results

A recent project at the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field investigated using clover species as a living mulch for broccoli production systems to improve soil quality and suppress weeds.

Wheat field with poor stand emergence.

Assessing Winter Wheat Stands

After long, tough winters, producers often have concerns about winter wheat stands. Learn some tips for assessing plant stands and deciding what to do with your wheat plantings this spring.

Alfalfa weevil larvae and adult.

It’s Time To Start Scouting for Alfalfa Weevils in South Dakota

With increasing temperatures, the degree days for alfalfa weevils have steadily increased. The best way to avoid serious alfalfa weevil defoliation is to scout and detect populations early.