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hand examining clump of soil organic matter

Soil: It’s Not Just Dirt

Most soils are complex ecosystems with worms, insects and microscopic organisms, which all work together in helping plants grow.

Soybean cyst nematode symptoms.

Know Soybean Cyst Nematode, Numbers Matter!

Have you noticed parts of your soybean field turning yellow earlier than expected? Are some of the plants stunted or showcasing a roller coaster appearance? Soybean cyst nematode may be to blame.

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.

Row of beets growing in a garden.

Beets: How to Grow It

Beets are commonly grown for their bulbous roots, but their tops can also be harvested for greens, and they are an excellent source of Vitamin A as well as calcium. They grow best in the cooler temperatures of spring or fall.

A row of corn cobs in various colors and sizes

Indian Corn & Popcorn

Beautifully hued ears of dried ornamental corn appear this time of year in autumn decorations. In South Dakota, each fall the Corn Palace at Mitchell sports fresh murals from the naturally colored corn.

Tractor spraying soybean.

Herbicide Resistance Detection in the Field

Have you noticed weeds surviving a typically lethal herbicide application? There’s a chance they’ve developed herbicide resistance. Learn some expert tips for detecting and confirming resistance in fields.

Left: Christmas trees growing at a German farm. Right: Poinsettia plant on display at a Mexican Christmas market.

Cultural History of the Christmas Tree and Poinsettia (Cuetlaxochitl)

Christmas trees and poinsettias are the two plants that symbolize the Christmas season, but why do these plants hold that place that? And where did the association with Christmas originate?

Lush, green hay growing in a ditch alongside an oil road.

Ditch Hay: Harvesting, Quality, and Feeding

Using ditch hay to feed cattle is a common practice across the U.S. It provides livestock producers with a source of readily available forage, which can be very useful, particularly during feed shortages.

Cherry tomatoes growing on a vine.

Tomato: How to Grow It

From bite-size grape tomatoes to sliceable beefsteak varieties, learn how to select, plant and grow a wide variety of tomatoes for your garden this growing season!

Field showing sheet and rill erosion following a heavy rain event.

Soil Erosion Mitigation During Heavy Rainfall Events

Adopting soil health practices that minimize disturbance, increase surface cover and organic matter content, and keep roots growing in the soil can help to increase soil infiltration rates and reduce destruction of soil aggregates from heavy rain.