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Flea Beetles Already Active In Gardens
It may seem early, but flea beetles are already active in gardens in South Dakota. Adult beetles feed on leaves and stems, and their feeding will leave behind a multitude of small, irregular holes or pits.
Do You Have Grubs in Your Lawn?
We’ve had quite a few calls about dead patches in lawns this spring, which could be a sign of grub activity. If areas of your lawn are not greening up or appear to be dying, it is important to scout to determine if grubs are present.
Cool-Season Flowering Annuals for the Garden
Flowering annuals that thrive in the cool weather can bring a gorgeous array of colors, shapes and sizes to your garden for early-season enjoyment! Learn about some great selections for South Dakota gardens.
Harden Your Transplants Prior To Planting Your Garden
Hardening plants is an important step that gardeners should not skip. Take the time to harden your plants properly and reap the benefits of sturdy, well-established plants throughout the gardening season!
Fairy Rings in Lawns
Seeing greener grass in circular pattern in your lawn? This is not due to uneven fertilizer application, but rather due to a fungi feeding on decomposing matter and releasing nitrogen in the affected areas.
Should I Get Rid Of My Dandelions?
While there is much appeal to having a lawn that is free of other plants, there can be benefits to having some early-season diversity. Some weeds that are sprayed out of lawns, including dandelions, can serve as early-season food sources for pollinators.
Cabbage White Butterflies Are Here!
Keep an eye out for cabbage white butterflies in your garden. These butterflies lay eggs on the underside of the vegetable leaves. Once the eggs hatch, their caterpillars feed on cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, turnips and radishes.
Wireworms in the Garden
With warming soil temperatures, overwintering wireworms have become active throughout South Dakota. Wireworms are soil-dwelling insects that can be pests of germinating seeds, seedlings and root crops.
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Winter and spring are a great time for planning new garden and landscape designs. Learn how recent updates to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones may have South Dakota gardeners feeling extra adventurous when selecting new plants for their gardens this season!
Cotton Strip Soil Test: Rapid Assessment of Soil Microbial Activity and Diversity in the Field
Soil has always been considered as a living system due to its biological components: fungi, bacteria and plant roots. Under several ongoing research projects, we started researching how we can use ‘cotton strip assay’ to compare different cover crop mixes to optimize field soil activity and build up better soil health.