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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.

A heavily tilled field showing signs of severe topsoil loss due to erosion. Next to it, there is a no-till field with no noticeable signs of erosion.

Multiple Rounds of Severe Weather Bring Heavy Rainfall, High Winds, and Soil Erosion

A combination of tillage, no residue, and lack of crop canopy can lead to severe erosion and topsoil loss in the face of extreme weather patterns in the spring. The most effective strategy for producers to adapt to these extreme events is to improve soil health.

A group of red and white calves grazing in a field of switchgrass.

Integrating Perennial Crops in Annual Crop Rotations

The Dakota Lakes Research Farm is working to develop cropping systems that include perennial crops, such as switchgrass, big bluestem and alfalfa, to improve long-term soil health and farm productivity.

Blueberries inside a plastic storage container.

Have Excess Produce? Freeze It!

Freezing is one of the easiest forms of preserving food. It reduces food waste, saves money and allows you to have quick quality produce on hand at all times. The

A pressure dial for home canning with altitude adjustments for zones 1 through 3.

Steam Canning

Steam canning is a quick and simple method of preserving produce using steam. While steam canning was previously not an evidence-based practice, recent research indicates steam canning may be a safe home food preservation method for canning naturally acidified foods.

Several jars of canned jellies lined up on a pantry shelf.

Canning Jams and Jellies

Sweet fruit products like jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are jellied or thickened and preserved by sugar. The differences between the fruit products are categorized by the way they are prepared, proportions of fruit, pectin, acid and sugar in the mixture and the method of cooking.

Looking down onto a Palmer amaranth plant one sees how the whorled leaves are designed to receive sunlight.

Check Fields for Palmer Amaranth

Palmer amaranth, is an aggressive weed from the pigweed family, which has been reported with increasing frequency in recent years around Central South Dakota.

A field of no-till soybeans and corn.

Crop Residue, Cover Crops Impact on Soil Health Parameters

Interest in no-till and cover crops has been on the rise among South Dakota crop producers. In 2019, half of South Dakota crop ground was under no-till management and about 900,000 acres were planted to cover crops.

A map of South Dakota illustrating soil temperatures on April 21, 2020. Temperatures throughout the state range from 41 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information, visit: https://climate.sdstate.edu/archive/maps/

Soil Temperature for Planting Spring Crops

Soil temperature is an important consideration for deciding when to begin planting spring crops. If producers in South Dakota would like a quick reference for soil temperatures in their area, the SD Mesonet network measures soil temperature at several weather stations throughout the state.

SDSU Extension Develops Perennial Plant Mixtures for Alkali Areas

April 24, 2020

The Every Acre Counts program through SDSU Extension has developed perennial plant mixture suggestions suited for various types of marginal land situations, including saline, sodic and wet soil areas.