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Garden & Yard Issues

All Garden & Yard Issues Content

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.

Two side-by-side grape diseases. Left: Black Rot. Right: Downy Mildew.

Black Rot & Downy Mildew: Two diseases that can rot grapes

There are several different diseases that can infect the fruit, but two of the most common are black rot and downy mildew. Their symptoms are quite different.

black insect sitting on white background

Root Weevils: Accidental Invaders

The latest insects to find their way inside South Dakota homes are the root weevils, a kind of beetle characterized by a distinct snout on the front of its head.

juniper greens with noticable browning on shoot tips.

Vole Damage to Junipers & Small Trees

Vole-damaged junipers can be identified by distinct yellowing and browning shoot tips, as well as unique gnaw marks.

hand holding grape leaf with several bumps throughout

Phylloxera: A Grape Pest

Some grape growers may notice that some of their shoots have bumpy growths on the bottom of new leaves. These bumps are galls caused by the grape phylloxera, an aphid-like insect.

Green plant leaf with several small, black beetles on it.

Dealing With Flea Beetles

Flea beetles are a common pest in South Dakota vegetable gardens.

spotted wing fruit fly male

Spotted Wing Fruit Fly Damaging Fruit Crops

The spotted wing fruit fly is a new pest problem that originated in Asia and was only first identified here in the United States in California in 2008. It was first seen in South Dakota in 2013.

Flock of mosquitoes in front of sunset.

West Nile in South Dakota: Expect Cases Into Early Fall

While it’s true that in South Dakota most West Nile Virus cases occur during August, new human infections are detected well into September in most years.

A cluster of yellow flowers with a large patch of green, wilting flowers on the right.

Fall Yard and Garden Cleanup

Before the snow falls, a few tasks can help make for a healthier yard and garden next year.