County residents contact MSU Extension for horticulture and agricultural needs

Published: 2019
By Inga Hawbaker

Spring brought numerous questions regarding tree and shrub health, weed identification and management to the MSU Extension office, a trend that would continue throughout the summer. With the county still showing effects from the 2017 drought, MSU Extension agent Inga Hawbaker completed many site visits-in town and rural-to look at diseased and pest-afflicted trees, shrubs, garden plants, and lawns. The conditions of spring produced an abundance of Rhizosphaera needle-cast diseased spruce trees in neighborhoods throughout town and infected farm windbreaks throughout the county. Hawbaker worked in conjunction with the MSU Schutter Diagnostic Lab to provide management options to property owners. In addition to site visits and seeing walk-in clients, Daniels County MSU Extension offers services such as nitrate testing, water test kits, and forage testing. The Nitrate QuikTest provides a quick, qualitative analysis regarding the nitrate levels present in forage samples. Approximately 28 Nitrate QuikTests were conducted for producers in summer and fall to determine a safe cutting window for small grain forages. Forages with high nitrates can be toxic and even fatal to livestock if consumed. An estimated 50% of fields were standing when the last week of September brought a varied 5-6 inches of precipitation in the form of snow and rain throughout Daniels County. This early onslaught of cool temperatures and late season moisture led to producers requesting testing services for mold counts, mycotoxins and forage quality.