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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...
Alfalfa Weevil Information for this article was compiled by Dr. Kevin Wanner (MSU Extension Entomologist) and Dr. Emily Glunk (MSU Extension Forage Specialist). Alfalfa weevil is the key insect pest of alfalfa, causing variable levels of economic damage across Montana each growing season. The female weevils lay eggs in alfalfa stems Larvae hatch and crawl up to the developing terminal buds where they chew small “pin” holes in the leaves. The larvae develop through four instar stages. The larger 3rd and 4th instar larvae feed openly on unfurled...
Knees Area Field Day Scheduled for June 7th The MSU Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC) and MSU Extension are hosting a field day in the Knees area on June 7th at 9:00 a.m. The event will begin approximately ½ mile north of J & A Farms. J & A Farms is located at 2226 Knees Church Road. Dr. Jamie Sherman (MSU Barley Breeder) will share research based information on barley varieties for the Knees area. Dr. Luther Talbert (MSU Spring Wheat Breeder) will speak about successful spring wheat varieties for the Knees area. John...
Grass Establishment Notes for Ranchers Below is a list of questions and answers I have compiled from specialists on seeding techniques for grasses. For further information about forage establishment, please contact the Chouteau County Extension at 622-3751 or stop in for a visit. We are located in the green building next to the Courthouse. Should I include a nurse crop in with the seed mix? “I usually don’t like to put a nurse crop in. I think it is too much competition when the plants are trying to get going, and we have seen it have a neg...
New Montguide for Gardeners is available at the Extension Office A new Montguide (MT201612AG) is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or on-line at orderpubs@montana.edu. The Montguide is titled “How to Prevent Non-Target Injury of Broadleaf Crops and Vegetables by Residual Herbicides”. The Montguide was written by Katrina Mendrey at Ravalli County Extension and Noelle Orloff (Associate Extension Weed Specialist). Segments of the Montguide are included in this article. In 2016 the Schutter Diagnostic Lab received 17 vegetable sam...
Chouteau County is in Excellent Condition for Soil Moisture The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers with determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 24 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and providing the state drought committee with soil moisture information. Testing for soil moisture took place in Chouteau County on March 23th for locations south of the Missouri River and March 24th for locations...
Fifth Annual Chouteau County Agriculture Day The fifth annual Chouteau County Ag day for 4th and 5th graders will take place at the Chouteau County Fairgrounds on April 19, 2017. All 4th and 5th graders in Chouteau County are invited to attend. Home school kids who are interested in participating should contact the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3751. Participants will learn the importance of Montana’s number one industry; agriculture, and why agriculture is important to their health, home and community. For thousands of years, c...
April Horticulture Reminders Below is a list of reminders from the Montana Gardener’s book of days (EB 165), and other writings by Bob Gough, former MSU Extension Horticultural Specialist. • Prune fruit trees, berry bushes, ornamental trees and summer flowering shrubs before bud swell. Always prune to a branch, because a stub will decay and affect the longevity of the tree. • Graft fruit trees just as the first buds on the tree begin to swell. • Apply dormant oil sprays to fruit trees and other plants when the temperature is expected to rema...
Night Feeding or Daytime Calving Information for this article was taken from the February issue of the Cow Sense Chronicle written by Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. We’ve all experienced that middle-of-the-night calving incident that sure would have been easier to manage if it had happened in the daylight. Some ranchers use an evening feeding strategy to shift more cows to calve during the day. A case study comparing two sets of calving data with different feeding times illustrates this phenomenon well (Jaeger, et al. 2...
Soil Acidity and Soil Health Workshop in Fort Benton The Chouteau County Conservation District and MSU Extension are teaming up for a soil acidity and soil health workshop at the Community Recreation Center in Fort Benton on March 22, 2017. The Community Center is located at 911 16th Street. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the workshop will begin at 10:00 a.m. Most agricultural soils in Montana have near-neutral to basic conditions with surface soil pH 6.5 to 8. However, some areas of Montana have developed acidic soil layers near...
On February 21, the MSU Extension Chouteau County office will be moved to the green steel building located next to the Chouteau County Courthouse. The original Extension office located in the Courthouse basement will be filled by Judge Susan Spencer from Chouteau County Justice of the Peace. Winter Tree Watering Winter watering is next to useless when the soil is frozen or soil temperatures are below 40 to 45 F. Plants can’t absorb much water in winter, and they need less of it. It is better to water in spring, when the buds really begin to s...
Winter Bull Management Protection from inclement weather is a critical factor in winter herd bull management because of the very real concern of frostbite of the scrotum. While mild frostbite generally has a good recovery rate, severe frostbite can leave a bull infertile. Scarring from frostbite can hinder a bull’s ability to raise and lower the testicles for proper temperature regulation. This regulation depends on coordination of three structures: the tunica dartos muscle in the walls of the scrotum, which relaxes when hot and contracts w...
ation and the US Dry Pea and Lentil Council MSU Extension will be hosting a Pulse Production workshop Wednesday, February 15, 2017, in both Conrad and Fort Benton. With decreased commodity prices in cereal grains, there is additional interest in raising pulse crops. However, many production and marketing challenges exist, which this workshop will address for beginning producers. The workshop will cover production, marketing, insurance, disease management, and common mistakes with chemicals and inoculants and conclude with a producer panel. The...
Master Gardener Level 1 Class in Fort Benton (please pre-register) MSU Extension level 1 Master Gardener classes may take place in Fort Benton in February pending pre-registration numbers. We only have four signed up at this time. Now is your chance to participate in an excellent educational opportunity. If fifteen people pre-register, we will have the class, which traditionally begins the third week in February. Please contact the MSU Chouteau County Extension office at 622-3751 to pre-register. The Level 1 Master Gardener course requires 16...
MSU Extension Chouteau County has Hay probe and Nutrition Decision Software Sampling of hay is essential to livestock management. Hay sampling is best accomplished with a hollow core probe consisting of a stainless-steel tube and a sharp cutting end. The Chouteau County Extension office has a hay probe available for check out. One core should be sampled from at least 20 bales from a lot of hay. A lot of hay is defined as hay harvested from a field of uniform maturity within a 48 hour period. Generally a lot should not exceed 200 tons. Poor...
MSU Extension will be hosting a Pulse Production workshop Wednesday, February 15, 2017, in both Conrad and Fort Benton. With decreased commodity prices in cereal grains, there is additional interest in raising pulse crops. However, many production and marketing challenges exist, which this workshop will address for beginning producers. The workshop will cover production, marketing, insurance, disease management, and common mistakes with chemicals and inoculants and conclude with a producer panel. Both locations will begin with registration at...
Montana’s Next Generation Conference to feature Dave Pratt and production workshops Registration is now open for Montana’s Next Generation Conference. The conference, which will take place Friday and Saturday, January 27-28, 2017, in Shelby, MT will focus on business planning for the farm or ranch and production workshops. The conference begins Friday at 11 a.m. at the Shelby Civic Center. Dave Pratt from ‘Ranching for Profit,’ will lead participants through two sessions, ‘The Three Secrets for Increasing Profit,’ and ‘Hard Work and Harmony....
Upcoming Extension Cropping Seminars for January Golden Triangle Cropping Seminar Montana State University Extension will host the annual Cropping Seminar series January 9 – 12, 2017, in Fort Benton, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Choteau, Conrad, Stanford, and Great Falls. Topics will include pest identification, the top ten habits of profitable farmers, cereal variety trial updates from the local research centers, and control of ground squirrels, gophers and voles in crop settings. No pre-registration is required, and all producers are e...
Winter Feeding Tips (Don’t Waste Your Hay) This article was written by Dennis Cash, retired MSU Extension Service forage specialist. The complete article with tables is located on the MSU Extension website under forage and hay. Since your winter feeding program is likely your single largest ranch expense, reducing hay waste can save you money. Hay losses at feeding on most ranches averages about one fourth, but can easily approach half. During good haying conditions and with proper storage, most losses to alfalfa or alfalfa-grass hays can be m...
Master Gardener Level 1 Class in Fort Benton (Pre-Registration Begins Today) MSU Extension level 1 Master Gardener classes will take place in Fort Benton in February pending pre-registration numbers. Now is your chance to participate in an excellent educational opportunity. If fifteen people pre-register, we will have the class, which traditionally begins the third week in February. Please contact the MSU Chouteau County Extension office at 622-3751 to pre-register. The Level 1 Master Gardener course requires 16 hours of class time, and is...
10 Golden Triangle Cropping Seminar Montana State University Extension will host the annual Cropping Seminar series January 9 – 12, 2017, in Fort Benton, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Fairfield, Conrad, Stanford, and Great Falls. Topics will include pest identification, habits of profitable farmers, cereal variety trial updates from the local research centers, and control of ground squirrels, gophers and moles in crop settings. Dr. Mary Burrows, MSU Extension Plant Pathologist, will present, “Pest Identification: The cornerstone of int...
Grain storage inspections should begin close to Thanksgiving Inspecting grain bins for pests on or before Thanksgiving is a great rule of thumb for Chouteau County producers. The Lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica is one of the most injurious beetles known to attack stored grain. The Lesser grain borer belongs to the Bostrichidae family of beetles, which are mostly wood boring insects. R. dominica causes major physical and off-odor damage to grain in storage. Identifying Characteristics: Adults are dark reddish-brown to black in color,...
November Horticultural Tips Managing horticultural landscapes and house plants in November is important to 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 st...
Vaccination Tips on Beef Cattle Information for this article was taken from the October issue of the Cow Sense Chronicle written by Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. Successful vaccination depends on three critical factors: an effective vaccine, a functioning immune system, and administration of the vaccine before exposure to the disease. Some tips for effective vaccination include: • Read and follow label directions. If you are unsure, consult your veterinarian or call the vaccine company directly before using the p...
Fall Cropping Update from MSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist Information for this article came from a MSU Extension Press Release. “Both nitrogen and sulfur needs for next year’s crops should be considered said Clain Jones (MSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist) especially in areas that received well-above or well-below normal rainfall. There are several things that influence the next crop’s nitrogen requirements,” Jones said. “These include yield potential, residual nitrogen in the soil, and this year’s crop residue.” Jones encoura...
