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Promoting Safe Community Gardening Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
October 20, 2021
SDSU Extension experts have established guidelines for community gardens to follow in order to promote the health and safety of local gardeners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Foreign Grain Beetles in New Construction
As new homes are constructed around South Dakota, we continually receive questions about small, brown insects showing up in bathrooms and basements. These insects are foreign grain beetles.
Fall Weed Control in Lawns
In lawns, fall is the best time to chemically control broadleaf perennial weeds. Examples of these weeds could include dandelions, Canada thistle, creeping bellflower, field bindweed and ground ivy.
West Nile Virus Update: Sept. 17, 2021
The South Dakota Department of Health's latest update indicated that West-Nile-virus-positive mosquitoes were detected in Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Codington, Hand, Hughes, Lincoln and Minnehaha counties in South Dakota.
Soldier Beetles Visiting Flowers
Flowers in many gardens are currently being visited by soldier beetles. While these orange beetles have a strong preference for flowering plants, they are predators and pollinators and don’t pose a threat to your garden.
Picnic Beetles and Multicolored Asian Ladybeetles Bothering Produce
Ripe fruit that has been injured can attract undesirable insects into your garden. Some of these insects will feed on the produce, which can completely ruin it by increasing the rate of decay and make it unappealing.
Millipedes in Yards and Homes
During late summer and early fall, millipedes are typically a hot topic as they are observed moving into homes, sheds and other outbuildings. When found indoors, they are considered accidental entrants, as they are not able to reproduce indoors and will eventually die.
Grasshoppers in Gardens
Due to large populations and dry conditions, grasshoppers are moving into gardens and feeding on whatever they can find. In a normal year, grasshoppers can be a nuisance in a garden, but during an outbreak year, they can present a real threat to gardens, shrubs and small trees.