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Horticulture Research

All Horticulture Research Content
variety of flowers growing in a yard

Flowers & Ornamental Grasses

Everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of flowers and ornamental plants with some simple recommendations.

A group of participants attending a high tunnel tour at the Specialty Crops Field Day

SDSU Extension hosts 6th annual Specialty Crop Field Day

August 31, 2026

South Dakota State University Extension welcomes vegetable, flower and fruit farmers to the sixth annual Specialty Crop Field Day in Brookings.

Cut flower field at the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field
Sep 15

Specialty Crop Field Day

SDSU Extension welcomes the community to the 2026 Specialty Crop Field Day on Tuesday, September 15, from 4:30 to 8:00 PM at the SDSU Specialty Crop Research Field, South (86CG+4C, Brookings, SD 57006).

rows of leafy vegetables growing in a raised bed

Vegetables

Whether you are a beginner or have a green thumb, our tips will help your garden flourish.

A girl with a blonde ponytail, wearing a grey T-shirt with the SDSU logo and jeans holds a microphone standing next to vegetable plots

SDSU provides updated recommendations on soil tarping

August 07, 2026

South Dakota State University has published new recommendations on soil tarping that can help producers manage weeds.

a yong man presenting to a group of people

Growing Connections: An Organizational Map of the South Dakota Local Food System

Behind every farmer’s market, community supported agriculture share, or local food event is a network of advocates, educators, and organizations that make it all possible. The South Dakota Local Food System map illustrates the organizations that strengthen local food through a variety of roles and functions.

Extension expert and graduate students evaluating delphiniums on an outdoor table.

Transplant Timing and Protected Cultivation Strategies Enhance Delphinium Cut Flower Production

Delphinium (Delphinium spp.) is a cool-season perennial cut flower that holds strong market potential, but production on small farms for regional markets remains limited by yield and short harvest durations.

a person holding a ruler into a pile of wool.

Investigating the Use of Raw and Pelleted Wool as an Alternative Mulch for Vegetable Production

This publication reviews a recent research study investigating the effects of wool as an alternative mulching option for pepper production.

Tulips blooming near the entrance to McCrory Gardens.

McCrory Gardens Trial Report

Learn about annual and perennial flowers that are well-suited for South Dakota gardens based on eastern South Dakota research trials.

Horticulture research plot with rows of tarp-covered crops and living mulch between them.

Research Report: Warm-Season Living Mulch Impacts on Cucumber Yield and Disease Symptoms

A 2025 trial in Brookings, South Dakota aimed to detect the influences of various warm-season cover crop living mulches on pest pressure in tomatoes and cucumbers and the interactions between both grafted and nongrafted tomatoes and cucumbers and the living mulch.