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New Tree and Shrub Pest Diagnosis Guide Available From MSU Extension Montana State University Extension has a new, free, color booklet (EB0235) is available. The booklet is a great resource for helping identify and manage pests and problems in ornamental trees and shrubs in Montana. The 240-page guide is intended to help MSU Extension agents, arborists and those in nursery and landscape trades identify and diagnose tree and shrub issues and to help with decisions for treatment based on integrated pest management concepts. A section on woody pla...
Dr. Jane Mangold to Speak at Chouteau County Livestock Protective Association The Chouteau County Livestock Protective Association annual meeting will take place on Thursday, November 11th at 3:00 p.m. at the Club House in Fort Benton. A social will follow the business meeting at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00. Please RSVP Buck Goldhahn at 622-5572 so the cooks can have notice on how many people will be attending. This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Jane Mangold (MSU Extension Invasive Plant Specialist). Dr. Mangold will cover i...
Managing horticultural landscapes and house plants in November is important for healthy production during the growing season. Below are a few recommendations for Chouteau County gardeners. • Apply protective mulches to perennial beds. • Use a humidifier to maintain humidity for houseplants. • Prune out dead limbs of woody ornamentals. • Do not fertilize or transplant anything after Columbus Day. • Continue to water landscape plantings (trees, shrubs, and perennials) until the soil freezes. • Apply winter mulch to strawberry beds as soon as the...
Fall Management of Cheatgrass in Fallow Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), also commonly called downy brome, is a problematic weed in winter wheat and in rangeland throughout Montana. Cheatgrass typically germinates in the autumn, overwinters, and produces seed by mid-summer. The cheatgrass life cycle is similar to winter wheat which makes it a problematic weed in winter wheat fields. Cheatgrass is an abundant seed producer. Seed is only viable for one to two years in the seedbank. Cheatgrass typically germinates from late August to early October...
The following article and study were completed by Ben Hauptman, MSU Extension Granite County. In summer 2020 the active ingredient indaziflam (RejuvraTM) was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use on rangelands, CRP, and natural areas. Indaziflam’s mode of action inhibits cellulose biosynthesis in seedlings, making it an effective pre-emergent herbicide for annuals such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), a non-native winter annual grass. Cheatgrass is the most widespread invasive plant in the western U.S., and it is p...
Fall is a Great Time to Order Shelterbelt Trees The Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery (MCSN) is already receiving orders for shelter belt plantings. Rocky Mountain Juniper is the most popular windbreak species and sells out quite quickly. If you are interested in ordering Rocky Mountain Juniper for your shelterbelt, please place your order as soon as possible. Shelterbelt plans should be approved by the MSU Extension Chouteau County agent, Conservation District or MCSN staff. Seedlings are sold on a first come, first serve basis. Please ord...
5 Pesticide Waste Disposal program will be in Central Region in September The 2021 Montana Department of Agriculture waste pesticide disposal program will take place in Central Montana. The first collection event will take place in Havre on September 21 followed by Great Falls on September 22, Lewistown on September 23, and Big Timber on September 24. Participants must pre-register their unusable pesticides with the Montana Department of Agriculture before the disposal event. Acceptances for these events occur on a first-come, first-served b...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the interim decision (ID) for the pesticide paraquat dichloride (paraquat) finalizing new, stronger safety measures to reduce exposure. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requires the agency to periodically re-evaluate pesticides through registration review to ensure that risk assessments and pesticide decisions reflect the best available science. The ID is part of the legally required registration review process to identify risks as well as actions that can...
Emerging Winter Wheat, Grasshopper Pests and Systemic Seed Treatment The following information was prepared by Kevin Wanner (MSU Extension Entomologist). Emerging winter wheat can be particularly vulnerable to damage by grasshoppers. The larger adult stage grasshoppers are difficult to control and move into emerging winter wheat fields from surrounding grassy areas. Grasshopper treatment thresholds for emerging winter wheat are 3-7 per square yard within the field, or 11-20 per square yard around the margin. Populations in these ranges will...
Due to the extended drought in Montana, water availability in many areas is severely limited. Reservoirs have dried up and are becoming covered in weeds. Montana State University Extension educators are cautioning livestock managers to evaluate weed feed and grazing land for nitrate toxicity during drought. “Due to the severe drought, weeds have become prevalent across pastures. In addition, many producers are limited in their cattle movement this year,” said Custer County Extension Agent Mike Schuldt. Although weeds can be high in protein and...
Horticultural Tips for August Below are some rules of thumb when tending vegetables, lawns, flowers and trees during the month of August. • Renovate strawberries by mowing a minimum of every three years. Some people mow their strawberries every year following fruit production. Be sure to set the mower high enough to mow the leaves. Mowing to low may damage the crowns and kill the plant. • Topdress strawberries after harvest with a complete fertilizer like 16-16-16. • Pinch the tops of indeterminate tomatoes and reduce watering to promote ripen...
Foraging worker ants sometimes enter homes in search of food, and if they find an indoor food source, the workers will leave chemical trails for other workers to follow. Food found either indoors or outdoors is carried to the nest to feed the colony. This behavior makes the use of ant baits an effective control measure. To keep ants from entering the home, make sure the kitchen is clean and no attractive food, like a honey container, is left out for the ants to find. Use a mild vinegar solution to wipe down kitchen surfaces to remove ant...
Top Yielding Winter Wheat Varieties for Chouteau County MSU Agriculture Research Centers have three test plots for winter wheat in Chouteau County. Research plots are managed by MSU Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC) south of the Knees, MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) north of Loma and MSU Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC) west of Geraldine. A special thanks to Justin Vetch (WTARC agronomist), Peggy Lamb (NARC agronomist) and Jed Eberly (CARC agronomist) for establishing and maintaining the...
A Special Thanks in Advance to our Chouteau County 4-H Fair Superintendents 4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. 4-H programs help develop nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA. Cooperative Extension serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 pub...
The 2021 Montana Department of Agriculture waste pesticide disposal program will take place in Central Montana. The first collection event will take place in Havre on September 21 followed by Great Falls on September 22, Lewistown on September 23, and Big Timber on September 24. Participants must pre-register their unusable pesticides with the Montana Department of Agriculture before the disposal event. Acceptances for these events occur on a first-come, first-served basis and early registration is encouraged. The 2021 deadline to register is...
Because of the increase in grasshopper pests this year and last year, many folks are spraying insecticides to save their crops and landscapes. The following article comes from the University of Nebraska and is available at: https://bit.ly/3vQPhuz. Do not treat fields in bloom. Be especially careful when treating crops, such as alfalfa, sunflowers and canola, which are highly attractive to bees. Insecticide labels carry warning statements about application during bloom. Always read and follow the label. Examine fields and field margins before...
The following overview of blue green algae poisoning in livestock was written by Rachel Endecott (Former MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist). Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are photosynthetic bacteria that live and grow in aquatic environments. Many species exist: some species are harmless, while others can affect the nervous system and liver function of livestock. Large blooms of cyanobacteria can occur when conditions are favorable, leading to elevated concentrations in water sources. When livestock or other animals ingest high...
For those who struggling wiAccording to Laurie Kerzicnik (Montana State University Entomologist), grasshoppers continue to be an issue for several areas in Montana. Grasshopper infestations will continue to extend into the fall. High grasshopper populations this year could be due to a couple of factors including an abundance of a yellow sweet clover in 2019 and a cold, wet spring in 2019 where grass was abundant and rising grasshopper populations were tolerated and mostly not managed. Most grasshoppers overwinter in the egg stage in the soil. A...
New Montguide Available on Codling Moth Management for Apple Tree Owners FFor those who struggling with worms in apples, a new Montguide called Backyard Guide to Codling Moth Management is available from the Chouteau County Extension office. Below are a few paragraphs from the Montguide. Leaving codling moth-infested fruit and debris in the orchard will lead to increased infestations. Keep leaves raked, remove fallen twigs, pick up dropped fruit, and remove infested fruit from trees throughout the season. Appropriate disposal options for this...
The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station have announced the dates for their annual agricultural field days, which will return as in-person events after being hosted virtually in 2020. “We are so excited to be bringing back our in-person field days this year,” said Darrin Boss, head of the Department of Research Centers and superintendent of the Northern Agricultural Research Center. “These events are always a highlight for all of us, because they offer one of our best chances to meet with o...
Lawn Management Information The Master Gardener program provides research based information for gardeners. Below are a few notes taken from the turf management portion of the program. • Rough bluegrass is probably the best grass in Montana for shady areas. • Kentucky bluegrass is the best grass for open sunny areas with well-drained soil. • Annual ryegrass can be used as a cover crop following vegetable production. • The standard lawn mix is 60% Kentucky bluegrass, 30% creeping red fescue and 10% annual ryegrass. • Zoysiagrass does not grow...
MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) and MSU Extension in Phillips, Blaine, Chouteau and Liberty Counties will be hosting several field days this year. These field days highlight the work being done on Northern Agricultural Research Center test plots within the different counties. Speakers for each of the events include Dr. Jason Cook, Montana State University Spring Wheat Breeder and Geneticist and Jim Berg, Montana State University Wheat Breeding Program Research Associate and Assistant Winter Wheat Breeder. Topics to be covered...
Outdoor Range Management Tour at Lost Lake Ranch County Extension is sponsoring an outdoor range management class at the Lost Lake Ranch on Tuesday, June 8 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Dr. Jeff Mosley will address a variety of topics including range monitoring and rotational grazing options. We will also have a question-and-answer session where Jeff will be available to answer range management questions. Dr. Jeff Mosley is the Montana State University (MSU) Extension Range Management Specialist and a professor in the MSU Department of Animal and Range...
As we begin spring management of our horticultural landscapes, here are a few reminders for the month of May. • Graft fruit trees from mid -April to early May. • Abort crab apple fruit with ethephon or naphthaleneacetic acid. • Prune lilacs right after bloom. • Stems cut off clean are a sign of rabbit damage. Stems cut off ragged are a sign of deer damage. • Electric fence smeared with peanut butter and molasses can deter deer. • Keep raspberry walkway clear of suckers. • Destroy tent caterpillars. • Plant peas and lettuce when soil temperatur...
1. Why did we see high populations of grasshoppers in Montana in 2020? Favorable weather conditions have promoted grasshopper pest populations. In 2019, a cool wet spring delayed hatching which resulted in high percentage hatch survival rates. In addition, vegetation was highly productive in 2019 especially sweet clover. As a result, grasshopper populations grew without being noticed or managed. 2. Why should I be concerned in 2021? A dry summer in 2020 and an open fall promoted a high egg lay which will result in large hatches this spring. If...
