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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.

Wheel burrow full of fall yard and garden waste.

Fall Vegetable Garden Cleanup

Fall cleanup can help with the success of your garden next year, as diseased plants left over the winter can provide fungal or bacterial spores waiting to infect next year's plants. Learn some tips for getting started!

A metallic blue-green tiger beetle feeding on a light green caterpillar.

Tiger Beetles: Beneficial Predators and Ecosystem Health Indicators

Tiger beetles are generalist predators, meaning they prey on a wide variety of pests. Observing them in a landscape is a great sign that an ecosystem is healthy and supporting both prey and predators.

Green beetles feeding on the tip of a corn ear.

Adult Corn Rootworms Are Active in South Dakota

Corn rootworm adults are active across South Dakota, and as a reminder it’s a good time to scout corn to determine if your fields have a rootworm issue.

Basket of freshly harvested parsnips on a table.

Parsnips: How to Grow It

Parsnips are one of the less-common root crops, closely related to carrots and parsley. Learn some expert tips for planting, growing, and harvesting parsnips in this resource!

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.

Three bean leaf beetles. From Left: Brown beetle with black spots on a green leaf. Yellow beetle with black spots on a green leaf. Red beetle with black spots on a green leaf.

Bean Leaf Beetles Showing Up in Soybean

Despite the prediction of low overwintering survival we have observed bean leaf beetles in soybean this week. See our latest observations and management recommendations.

Eight green beetles in the top portion of the image and seven yellow beetles with varying black stripes in the bottom portion of the image.

Corn Rootworm Adults Are Emerging in South Dakota

It’s that time of the year when corn rootworms begin emerging in South Dakota. Learn some expert tips for monitoring populations in corn fields to determine if management is necessary.

sun rising over a cornfield. several grain bins are in the background.

Corn Grain Moisture Discount: Why and How Much?

Corn marketed at the standard moisture content of 15.5% and 56 pounds per bushel typically contains 47.3 pounds of dry matter and 8.7 pounds of water. At harvest, a producer has to decide whether to sell (or even store) his corn at ‘as is’ moisture content or mechanically dry it before taking it to the buyer.

two whole apples behind a small pile of dehydrated apple slices

Dehydrating Apples

A food dehydrator is a good choice for drying apples and can be used at any time. It is a small appliance that has an electric element for heat with a fan and vents for air circulation.