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Trees and Drought

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

I hope to never see summers like 2011 and 2012.  Dry and hot!  These conditions are not good for any living plant of any kind.  Drought is a common occurrence affecting the health of trees in south-central Kansas. Property owners who notice wilting and scorched leaves (below) may wonder if trees will survive. Drought alone rarely kills well-established trees. But effects of extended drought, combined with other stressors, can be serious and irreversible. Lack of water limits a tree’s ability to absorb nutrients, weakens natural defenses and leaves it vulnerable to heat, cold, insects, and pathogens. In some cases, the tree may die.

All trees have natural protection from ordinary seasonal drought, and some species are known for their ability to withstand severe, prolonged drought conditions. Even for trees that are not particularly drought-tolerant, a healthy and robust root system is remarkably efficient at extracting soil moisture for survival. Problems arise when the root system is compromised by poor soil quality, inadequate soil volume or compaction, or paved surfaces. Poor horticultural practices render even the most drought-tolerant tree helpless when soil moisture is insufficient. It is impossible to control the weather, but you can drought-proof your landscape by following good horticultural practices when selecting your next tree. Continue reading “Trees and Drought” →

Online Dicamba Training

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has announced that they will be accepting the label required Dicamba specific training online in the State of Kansas starting April 1 for the dicamba products approved for use on Xtend crops.

KDA has stipulated that the online training must have accountability built in to ensure that an individual must participate in the training module.  On-line training is offered by some of the surrounding states, as well as from Monsanto, BASF, and Dow DuPont.

Below are links to the company websites for additional information about application requirements and dicamba training:

Monsanto:   http://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/

BASF:  https://www.engeniastewardship.com/#/training

Dow DuPont (Corteva):  http://www.dupont.com/products-and-services/crop-protection/soybean-protection/articles/fexapan-application.html

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at my office. My office number is 316-284-6930 or email is flaming@ksu.edu.

New Roles at the Office

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Well, I have been writing news articles for two years now. I cannot believe I have been here that long! I do have some exciting news to share with you though!

I am switching roles here in our office and our office is switching roles for my old job! How cool is that?

I will be a Family and Consumer Sciences Agent still, but I get to specialize in my programing. I will be specializing in Human Development and managing our 4-H program!

What does that mean? Well, I will be providing programing in our county that relates to youth, family, and community development. I will focus on stronger families, helping youth grow up to be amazing adults, and helping our community grow in the potential it can! Continue reading “New Roles at the Office” →

Children’s Book Day

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day and is also Hans Christian Anderson’s Birthday. Each year a different country sponsors the event and picks a theme for that day. Last year was Russia and the theme was “Let Us Grow with the Book”.

I think this is a great day to not only read to your children, but to teach them about different cultures. You could explain that Russia is sponsoring this event and give some brief insight to who Russia even is and where they are.

Bringing culture into your growing child helps their prospective of the world broaden and for them to be more aware of different people/things. By doing this your child can grow as a person and when older they will be able respect the people that are different than themselves.

Also reading to your child is a great thing! Sometimes it takes a while, but that is how picture books are set up. They are set up to let your child look at the pictures and use their imagination while you are reading; hence all the questions they ask as you are reading. As they get older and read books with fewer pictures, they use their imagination in a different way and actually picture the pictures! It is amazing isn’t it?

So remember Sunday April 2nd, read to your child for International Children’s Book Day! It will not only let you bond with your child, but it will help them grow!

Buck Brush Control

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Buckbrush (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus), also known as coralberry, is a native perennial shrub found in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas. The plant grows in open pastures and woodlands. It sends out “runners” and produces a red fruit in the fall. A related species, western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), is found primarily in northcentral and northwest Kansas, and produces a white fruit.

Buckbrush is generally considered an undesirable plant in areas being grazed by cattle. Some birds and small mammals use buckbrush patches for cover and nesting. Buckbrush can form dense patches or colonies that shade out more desirable species used for grazing. Top growth removal of buckbrush after the plants have leafed out and the nonstructural carbohydrates stored in the roots are at a low level can be an effective control. One way to accomplish top growth removal is with prescribed burning. Fire can be an effective control technique if burning is done in the late spring. It may take 2 or 3 years of consecutive burning to reduce buckbrush stands. If you missed the opportunity to burn this year or are located in areas where burning wasn’t possible, mowing is an option. Again, it may take 2 or 3 years of consecutive mowing at the proper time (generally early to mid-May) to reduce stands.

Herbicides can also be used to control buckbrush. The best time to spray occurs just as the leaves are starting to change from a light to dark green color. This timing corresponds with the low point in the nonstructural carbohydrate cycle. A number of herbicides can be used to spray buckbrush, but 2,4-D low-volatile ester formulations at 1.5 to 2 lbs./acre are usually quite effective. If you are simultaneously trying to control other species, such as musk thistle, consider Chaparral (aminopyralid + metsulfuron) or Grazon P+D (picloram + 2,4-D). Chaparral can be used alone at 2 to 3 oz./acre for buckbrush control, but I prefer adding 2 pint/acre of 2,4-D to 2 oz./acre Chaparral. Grazon P+D applied at 2-3 pints/acre will provide acceptable control of both buckbrush and musk thistle. Caution should be used if treating cool-season grasses with Chaparral. Grazon P+D is a restricted use pesticide. Always read the label when considering the use of herbicides.

Weeds are Opportunist

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Weeds are opportunist!  They grow when the conditions are just right for them to germinate and thrive.  Some germinate in cool weather some in warm weather.  Some weeds just grow no matter what, period.  The plant with the little purple flowers that have been showing up in home lawns is called henbit. If you are not sure this is what you have, check the stems. If they are square rather than round, you have henbit. A plant that also is low growing but has round stems and tiny white flowers is chickweed.

Both these plants are winter annuals and start to grow in the fall. They spend the winter as small plants and so most people do not pay much attention to them until they start to flower in the spring. Trying to kill either one at this late stage with a herbicide usually is a waste of time and money. Though plants may be burned back, they will rarely be killed. So what should you do?

Remember, these are winter annuals that will die as soon as the weather turns hot. Keep the lawn mowed until nature takes its course. However, you can do something next fall that will help next spring. Henbit and chickweed usually germinate about mid-October. Spraying with 2,4-D, Weed-B-Gon, Weed Free Zone, Weed Out, or Trimec in late October to early November can go a long way toward eliminating these plants as they are small and relatively easy to control. Choose a day that is at least 50 degrees F so the young plants are actively growing and will take up the chemical.

Spot treating will probably be needed in the spring (March) to catch the few plants that germinate late. Use Weed Free Zone, Speed Zone, Weed Out, Weed-B-Gon, Trimec, or one of the special henbit herbicides early in the spring before they have put on much growth.

Grant Writing Workshop

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Harvey County, Kansas:  This column is not about trees, shrubs or vegetables, but it could be!  If you would like to start a project but need funding this may be a great way to learn how to find funds.  Strengthening communities: Grant writing workshop planned.

Do you know how that community garden was started or how the playground equipment at the park down the street was purchased? Or the new sign leading visitors to a local landmark? How about initial money for a festival? In any community, chances are that someone, or a group of individuals, wrote a grant proposal and received funding to help with the project.

Individuals and community groups can learn more about writing successful grant proposals at a workshop planned in Newton on April 17, 2018. The workshop is presented by Nancy Daniels, a community vitality specialist with K-State Research and Extension and the author of many grant proposals. The training will be at the Harvey County Courthouse Community Room from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and includes lunch. The cost to attend is $30.00.  You must register to attend this workshop. Continue reading “Grant Writing Workshop” →