By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – Driving across Oklahoma, it’s not unusual to see patches of wildflowers along the highway. The variety of colors and textures makes these patches appealing to the eye. Wildflower gardens are also a great addition to any landscape and recreating this beauty in a public garden or home landscape can create a pleasing aesthetic – provided the right steps are taken in its establishment. Gardeners are concerned with…
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Livestock producers need to continue to test their pastures for nitrate toxicity levels, even though they may have done so weeks ago and the results showed no reason for concern, said Oklahoma State University Extension experts. “Oklahoma has experienced a relatively mild summer but now we’re seeing hotter, drier conditions that can lead to nitrate issues in forage plants for areas that receive a sudden rainfall event,” said Alex…
By Kirsten Hollansworth STILLWATER, Okla. – The college football season is back, and everyone enjoys getting together for tailgating, but you won’t want to pass on these food safety tips. Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center recommends closely following these guidelines when participating in tailgating activities. Whether you cook alongside your car in a stadium parking lot or come with prepared food, this popular pastime requires careful planning. Since tailgating…
By Trisha Gedon By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – The October 2020 ice storm and frigid temperatures in February took a toll on trees in Oklahoma. The sound of chainsaws filled the air as homeowners and parks employees cleared debris. Many trees were too damaged and had to be removed. Others will take years to fully recover, said Mark Bays, urban forestry coordinator with the Oklahoma Forestry Services. While people often take them for…
By Gail Ellis STILLWATER, Okla. – When summer begins to fade, don’t hang up that gardening trowel just yet. A renewed season of fall vegetables awaits in your own backyard. Oklahoma’s mild climate is ideal for fall gardening, and Oklahoma State University Extension provides educational opportunities for both experienced and novice gardeners to extend the growing season. “Small farmers and producers have figured out there’s a successful cool season in the fall, and they’ve really upped their production with…
By Alisa Boswell-Gore STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University molecular biologists recently received a grant worth nearly $500,000 from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture for research that has the potential of saving the cattle industry millions of dollars. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) costs the beef industry $540 million in direct costs and $5 billion in indirect costs each year. The viral disease can be caused when bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) infects the upper respiratory tract…
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Agricultural producers could benefit from enrollment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands with improved pasture management and operations. Producers can apply through Aug. 20. This year, the USDA updated signup options to provide greater incentives and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two priority zones. The CRP Grasslands minimum rental rate is $15 per acre, which…
By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – Asparagus, green beans, squash and okra are some favorites among vegetable growers. For many, those well-tended plants produce so much bounty, the family can’t eat it all before it spoils. One way to preserve that summer taste is to freeze the extra fresh vegetables. This isn’t just a matter of plucking the vegetables from the garden and tossing them in the freezer. Before freezing, many vegetables need…
By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – With home gardens ripe for picking and farmers markets bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables, many Oklahomans also are gearing up for canning season. Canning the bounty from a garden is a great way to get that fresh-picked taste all year long, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Extension food specialist. “Canning can help gardeners avoid waste of excess produce by preserving the food for months. However, making sure…
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Insect control will play a major role in the management of double-crop soybeans after wheat harvest is completed, said an Oklahoma State University Extension expert. Experienced farmers know soybeans planted after wheat are vulnerable to several insect pests, but most especially defoliating caterpillars and grasshoppers. Three caterpillar defoliators commonly occur in soybeans. “It’s important to correctly identify the type of caterpillars infesting the crop and estimate defoliation levels before…