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Variety of colorful poinsettia plants on display at a retail store.

Poinsettias: Selecting and Caring for the Most-Popular Holiday Plant

With the holiday season already underway, garden centers, floral shops and popular retail chains are full of poinsettias. Learn some tips for selecting and caring for them in this article.

A medium-sized shrub with many upright stems next to a white shed

Woody Weeds: Tatarian Honeysuckle

Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) was brought to North America from Asia in the mid-18th century for ornamental uses. In South Dakota it was also used as a windbreak species until the 1980s.

Small black beetles feeding on a green leaf.

Flea Beetles in the Garden

Flea beetles have been out in full force so far this year. This group of herbivorous beetles can be a pest of many different garden plants, including tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, lettuce and others.

Several wrapped bales of hay lined up near a barn.

Round Bale Storage Conservation

Fact sheet discussing conservation of round bale storage.

Brown caterpillar with tan head capsule and 3, light-tan stripes running along its back.

Monitor Lawns and Gardens for Bronzed Cutworm Activity

Bronzed cutworms can be an issue for lawns and gardens in South Dakota. In grass, bronzed cutworms will feed and leave small brown circular patches. Large populations of bronzed cutworm can result in severe lawn injury.

A series of three creep feeders placed on an open range. Courtesy: Robin Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Creep Feeding Options: Will it Pay?

Creep-feeding should be evaluated on yearly basis to determine if it will provide production and economic benefits to the operation.

Woody looking zucchini plant stem.

Watch Your Squash! Squash Vine Borer Moths Are Active.

Each year vine crops, including squash, zucchini and pumpkin plants, fall victim to squash vine borer larvae feeding inside their stems.

A patty of dung with several holes in it and grass growing through it. It has been broken down by dung beetles.

Dung Beetles and Other Insects Can Help Breakdown Dung and Control Pests

This article summarizes findings related to dung beetle ecology and how dung beetles advance the breakdown of dung pats.

A male and femail dung beetle rolling a ball of dung in a pasture. Courtesy: Beverly Skinner/USFWS (CC BY 2.0)

Managing Livestock for Dung Beetles and Other Beneficial Species

South Dakota researchers have taken a closer look at the function of dung beetles in Eastern South Dakota over the last few years. This article summarizes findings related to management of livestock grazing and chemical pesticides in relation to dung beetle and insect community health.

Teacher pouring a small amount of seed into a student's hand to construct a tiny greenhouse.

Plant the Seed

In this Grow Getters lesson, students will learn to identify the parts of a seed and the growth and development of a seed to a plant.