Garden & Yard Issues

All Garden & Yard Issues Content

tall trees in the Black Hills

Tree Issue Treatments

Publications of the most commonly available in pesticides for use in South Dakota for Turf & Ornamentals.

Tiny reddish-brown mite on a green leaf.

What Are Those Little Red Mites on My House?

The periods of unseasonably warm weather, especially in Western South Dakota, have temporarily brought several insects and other arthropods out of their winter hiding places. One of the arthropods getting attention lately has been the clover mite.

Underside of a snow flea.

Problems & Solutions

Not finding the gardening or horticulture resource you need? Use the Ask Extension tool to submit your question.

Elongate, reddish-brown beetle on a white background.

Foreign Grain Beetles in New Homes

As their name implies, foreign grain beetles are a grain pest. However, they actually feed on mold and fungi associated with stored grain, and the foreign grain beetle samples we receive most frequently come from newly constructed homes rather than grain bins.

Black beetles with orange or yellow spots feeding on a ripe tomato.

How Do I Keep Insects From Destroying My Garden Produce?

It is not unusual to see insects in a garden during the fall, but it can be frustrating to watch nearly ripe produce be destroyed by insects before it can be picked.

Elongate, reddish-brown beetle on a white background.

Foreign Grain Beetles in New Construction

Even though fall is here, insects are still active, especially those that spend time indoors. We’ve received pictures and samples from across the state of small, reddish-brown beetles that appear inside homes. These insects are the foreign grain beetle.

An orange beetle with black spots and a white head sitting on a green leaf

Lady Beetles of South Dakota

A guide for monitoring, properly identify, and promoting the growth of lady beetles.

fruit and vegetable garden with raised beds

Managing Salts in the Home Garden

Fact sheet about managing salts in your home garden.

fruit and vegetable garden with raised beds

Salt/Salinity Tolerance of Common Horticulture Crops in South Dakota

Fact sheet about salt/salinity tolerance of common horticulture crops.

A yellow dandelion growing among fall leaves in a yard.

Fall Lawn Weed Control

Fall is the time to control tough perennial broadleaf lawn weeds. The target weeds in the fall are dandelion, ground ivy, creeping bell flower, field bindweed and white clover.