Notes from your Educator
Happy July!
There are a bounty of upcoming in-person events and workshops this summer, so make sure to take a look at the offerings below. There are a couple of field days coming your way in August, as well as a great opportunity to learn about agriculture through the annual Breakfast on the Farm event. As garden and farm crops continue to take off, check out the resources below on fertilizing, watering, and insect scouting.
We do have an important update - the MN Department of Agriculture has official confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer in Otter Tail and Wadena counties. There will be a virtual public meeting on July 8 that everyone is encouraged to attend - you can find details about this meeting and the feedback period on proposed emergency quarantines below. For more information on the ash borer, click here. If you have questions about your trees or this insect please don't hesitate to reach out to me via phone or email.
Finally, please take a few minutes to fill out the 2 minute Otter Tail County Extension's needs assessment survey to help shape future programming in the area - the survey is still open, and your feedback is important and greatly appreciated!
Take care,
Olivia Olson
office: (218) 998-8308
cell: (218) 282-5963
Identifying Emerald Ash Borer
Do you have ash trees? There's never been a better time to take a closer look at them and look for any signs of emerald ash borer (EAB). The resources below will help you identify ash trees and provide information on what EAB infestation in a tree would look like. The insects tend to live at the top of ash trees, so binoculars will be your friend to look for signs of larvae tunneling and bark splits.
Diagnosing and Managing Fruit Tree Trunk Injuries
A number of factors including diseases, herbicide damage, insect/animal activity, and winter injury can all contribute to trunk cankers on fruit trees. To complicate things further, these factors can interact. For example, winter injury can cause cracks in the trunk, which pathogens can then enter and infect the tree. Treatment of existing trunk cankers is not always possible, but identifying the cause will lead to determining management steps to prevent it from happening again. Read More.
Time to Think About Scouting for Soybean Aphids
Extension entomologists have observed soybean aphids colonizing soybean fields across the state over the last couple weeks. The infestation levels have been very low in all fields they have seen, which is typical for this time of year. So, please do not rush out to spray your fields after reading this. Instead, the next couple weeks will be a good time to begin your soybean aphid scouting program. Read more about aphid scouting here.
Watering Practices for Better Lawn Health
This is the time of year to train for deeper roots in your lawn. Deeper roots allow the turf plants to access more moisture, resulting in a more drought tolerant lawn. As we move into periods of less frequent rainfall, irrigation systems or lawn sprinklers will be used more often. Watering methods can play an important role in how a lawn grows roots before a dry period. Watering deeply and infrequently is the strategy that works best for supplying ample moisture to lawns while maximizing root growth. Read more about this strategy here.
Plant and Lawn Fertilization
Many areas of the landscape benefit from fertilization, especially the lawn, edible gardens, flowering annuals, and houseplants. However, figuring out how and when to use fertilizers responsibly can be confusing, and improper fertilization can harm plants and the environment. The University of Minnesota's Nutrient Management Podcast has a great episode on fertilizing lawns and gardens, or if you'd prefer to read, check out the quick guide to fertilizing or fertilizing in the home garden.
MN Farm and Rural Stress Support
Looking for help in coping with business, family, or mental health issues? This resource list from the MN Department of Agriculture has a list of trained professionals to assist in a variety of ways.
MN Farm and Rural Helpline:
Phone: 833-600-2670
Text: FARMSTRESS to 898211Email: farmstress@state.mn.us
Crisis Text Line:
Text: MN to 741 741