Garden & Yard Issues

All Garden & Yard Issues Content

plastic container with lid removed. several earwigs are floating in the oil inside.

Earwigs in the Garden: Less-Toxic Control Alternative

Since earwigs provide some ecological service as natural enemies, I hesitate to recommend a pesticide application to control it. As an alternative least-toxic solution, bait trapping the earwigs should work to reduce the insect’s population to the non-threatening levels.

fruiting mulberry tree branch

Mulberry Trees

Every year about this time I received a few samples of mulberry trees. This is a very common tree in South Dakota, not so much from being planted by people but from birds.

white fly sitting on a green plant leaf

Biological Control of Pests in High Tunnels

Major insect and mite pests in high tunnels include aphids, thrips, white flies, and spider mites. Biological control uses living organisms (natural enemies) to suppress or limit pest populations to levels that do not cause economic injury to the crop.

a maple tree with green leaves. the leaves are noticeably thinner near the top of the tree.

Maple Trees Looking Thin at This Time

Many of our maple trees are looking thinner at the tips of their canopies. The foliage in the lower, interior of these trees is dense, but when you look up at the tops, the leaves appear fewer and there are noticeable gaps at the base of the new shoot.

hand holding three green apples with a dimpled, lumpy appearance

Apple Issues

Learn to identify and manage common apple tree issues including: apple maggot injury, apple scab, cedar apple rust, and fruit cracking.

a tree stump awaiting removal

How to Remove a Stump

Spring is the time of the year when people get around to remove trees from their yard.

a black weevil with red to brown legs and antennae

Root Weevils & Imported Longhorned Weevils Finding Their Way Inside

We have been receiving reports of small, black insects that are observed crawling up bathroom walls, hanging out in basements, or otherwise finding their way inside.

a long, worm-like caterpillar with small black spots and white markings

Achemon Sphinx Moth Caterpillars

Achemon sphinxe caterpillars (Eumorpha achemon) feed on wild grape, Virginia creeper, and related vines.

ash leaves with orange to yellow gall-like spots

Tree Rust Diseases

Ash rust and crown rust are two common rust diseases that impact South Dakota trees.

small garden plot with small rows and two wooden tomato cages

Tips to Make More Efficient Use of Your Garden Space

If you don’t have much garden space it is important to get the most from what space you have available.