Platte Co. Extension Happenings

Platte County Extension can help guide through many aspects of Nebraska life. Discover how Nebraska Extension is transforming communities through education, innovation and local impact stories.

DID YOU KNOW...

• 4‑H is the largest out-of-school youth organization with over 6 million youth members!
• In Nebraska, 4‑H reaches 1-in-3 age-eligible youth and engages youth and families in all 93 counties.
• 4‑H has been around for over 100 years!

Happy belated Arbor Day! If you’re hoping to get out and plant a tree this spring, keep the following in mind:

Right Plant, Right Place

There is a right and wrong place for everything, and this includes your trees. Before you plant a tree, think about the mature size in 30-50 years. While you may be planting a small tree now, a well-established tree will grow become a large tree in no time. And yes, trees can get as big as the tag says, and sometimes even larger! Keep in mind the proximity to buildings, foundations, roads, and sidewalks. Large, overstory trees should be planted at least 10 feet away from the foundation of any building.

Trees naturally grow in groups. Consider planting a grove of trees or planting trees in a group. Trees planted in groups are more resilient than solo planted trees. Native trees are always a great addition to any landscape, but we also have some great options for non-native trees that are well-adapted to the Nebraska weather.

Plant It Right

Proper planting gives your tree the best start in its permanent home. Once you’ve chosen the best spot, it’s time to dig the planting hole. Aim to dig your hole 2-3 times wider, but not deeper, than the root ball. Before setting the root ball in your planting hole, find the tree’s root flare, or the spot where the trunk begins to change to roots. This root flare should be at or above the soil line when planted.

Backfill your hole with the soil you excavated out. Don’t amend the soil with compost or fertilizer. Amending the planting soil can create conditions where the roots of the tree do not grow into the surrounding native soil, and can create a drainage issue where water is either moving too quickly or too slowly out of the planting hole.

Water Well

When you first plant a tree, frequent watering is preferred; the water will not only hydrate the roots but also settle any large air pockets in the ground. Water well after you plant and then check the soil and root ball often after planting. Water when the root ball dries out- this will generally be sooner than the surrounding soil. Make sure you are also watering the entire root zone and some of the surrounding soil. As the tree establishes new roots, be sure to expand your watering area to include more of the surrounding soil. Well-established trees can have root systems that extend over three times the diameter of the canopy.

To Stake or Not to Stake

Staking is not always necessary for newly planted trees. The purpose of staking is to stabilize the root ball so your trees can grow roots into the native soil. Some sway in the canopy is good but a root ball rocking isn’t a good sign. Generally, trees should be staked for no more than a year. Be sure to use something that is wide, flexible, and has a little give. Use nothing that can abrade or girdle the trunk (and that includes the infamous piece of hose with a wire through it!).

Always remove the staking materials after one year. The easiest way to create a defect in your new tree is to leave the staking material on and girdle a tree trunk, imbed a guying wire into a branch attachment, or leave a stake half dangling out of the ground. All these may cause you problems down the road.

This webinar series, sponsored by Nebraska Extension and delivered via Zoom, is a great opportunity to join experts from Nebraska Extension to learn and ask questions! All programs are on the second Wednesday of the month from Noon-1 pm CT.

If you cannot participate in the live programs, they will be recorded and made available on this webpage for later viewing, too.

Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Extension Educator --

Visitors to the 2026 North American Manure Expo being held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wayne, Nebraska on July 28-30 will have the chance to explore some of the region’s most innovative and sustainability‑focused agricultural operations during the event’s official tour day on July 28, 2026. All tours will begin and end at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, offering participants a convenient launch point for a day of hands‑on learning.

Organizers have curated five tours, each highlighting different aspects of manure management and livestock production, as well as conservation and agricultural innovation in Nebraska. Participants will have the option of choosing one or two half-day long tours or one full-day tour. While the full day tour is the “family friendly” option, families are welcome on any of the tours.

Nebraska Custom Rates Surveys and Reports for farm and ranch operations provide custom operators with average market rate data for dozens of common custom services provided across the state. The traditional Nebraska farm custom rates report is typically published in even-numbered years with a focus on crop production operations and miscellaneous services on the farm. The latest 2026 report provides rates received in a survey with responses from 108 custom service providers. A survey related to custom livestock work began in 2023, with a second survey and report completed in 2025.

Anyone involved in providing custom work for hire in Nebraska may participate in the surveys. The larger the survey sample size of those completing the survey, the more useful the survey results will be. Custom service providers are encouraged to participate in the next statewide survey.

Actual rates paid for custom services may vary from those listed in these survey results due to differences in the operators responding and those providing services across the state.

Contact information and questions regarding the current Nebraska survey may be sent to Glennis McClure, Extension Educator, Farm and Ranch Management Analyst at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, via email: gmcclure3@unl.edu, or by phone: (402) 472-0661.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The NE Drone Dispatch. Your source for timely, practical, and Nebraska-focused insights into the rapidly evolving world of drone technology.

Published on the first Tuesday of each month, this newsletter is a product of Nebraska Extension, created to support producers, professionals, and communities using unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Across Nebraska, drones are already transforming agriculture, infrastructure, and emergency response. With that growth comes both opportunity and responsibility and this newsletter is here to help you navigate both.

Let’s fly safe, fly smart, and keep Nebraska on the leading edge of drone innovation.

Dirk Charlson, Statewide Extension Educator - Digital & Precision Ag

By Connor Biehler & Alfredo DiConstanzo, Nebraska Extension Educators --

As we sit atop the highest cattle market ever experienced and record low inventories to keep driving the price of feeder cattle, many producers, especially those with row crop and livestock enterprises, are understandably feeling pressure from production costs. When margins are tight, it can be worth re-evaluating how land resources are used. One option worth considering is planting summer annual forages in place of traditional row crops.

• Warm spring temperatures have led to the early emergence of horn flies in pastured cattle. Now is a good time to review management and control options:

Check out all of our current newsletters for a variety of food, nutrition and health information.

Click the photo to check out the newsletters!

Pick a “starter” question to begin mealtime conversations that will create great memories, too!

• Whom did you have fun with today? What did you do?
• If you could be any type of animal, what would you be and why?
• What family tradition would you like for us to start?
• What is your favorite family tradition we already do?
• If you could be president, what is the first thing you would do?
• What was the nicest thing you did for someone today?
• What was the nicest thing someone did for you today?
• Tell us about your favorite food without using the name.
• If we had a time machine, where would you go and why?
• Share something new you learned today.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. https://nebraska.edu/nondiscrimination