Markets & Ag
JACKSONVILLE — One of the most exciting times of the year is the first appearance of small flashing yellow lights in the evenings. The arrival of fireflies or lightning bugs is a sure sign that summer has arrived. Fireflies are one of the few insects that people don’t actively try to kill. However, in many places, people…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners with property prone to flooding and nutrient runoff can enroll in Illinois’ reopened land conservation program. The Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, is one of the oldest and…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri roadsides, hillsides and pastures are decorated with white spring flowers, but those flowers are poison hemlock. This weed is highly toxic to humans and animals, according to University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley. Poison hemlock is one of the first weeds to green up in spring and grows six…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri’s Pest Monitoring Network offers free text alerts to notify farmers when insects are active in specific locations, says MU Extension entomologist Kevin Rice. The six key insects currently affecting agricultural crops are Japanese beetle, brown marmorated stink bug, black cutworm, corn earworm, fall armyworm and true armyworm. In late May, specialists…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Bearing fruit ranging in color from red, orange and yellow to purple, white and chocolate-black, sweet peppers are the Easter eggs of the vegetable garden, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Like potato and tomato, sweet pepper is a member of the nightshade family. Sweet peppers are easy to establish…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Few flowers bring more late-summer gladness than gladiolas, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Their colorful flowers are known botanically as spikes. Individual flowers on the spike are called florets. “Glads are somewhat unique in that the florets on the spikes all point in the same direction,” Trinklein said in…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Whether you are a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals or the Kansas City Royals, show your true colors in a baseball-themed garden this summer, says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. For Cardinals fans, some of the easy-to-grow bedding plants with red flowers that perform best in full sun include…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Hold on to your hats! It is windy here in Illinois. Wind can be destructive to homes and landscapes, plus it can make being outside miserable. This is why many Illinoisians plant windbreaks around their homes to keep that biting wind from causing a drafty house, prevent drifting snow and make being…
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LORAINE, Ill. — Two civil suits filed in Adams County Circuit Court claim County Line Swine, Inc., a 5,000-hog confinement in northern Adams County, and Carroll Family Farms, LLC, of Carthage, which owns the swine and provides feed for the facility, are operating the hog confinement with improper methods that have harmful impacts on local…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Cattle producers need to pay attention to heat stress in their operations during this time of year. Unlike many other animals, cattle cannot rid their bodies of heat by sweating. Instead, they pant. Heat-stressed cattle show symptoms such as open-mouth breathing, slobbering and restlessness. Chronic heat stress leads to long-term problems such…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The poppy is one of the most recognized symbols honoring soldiers who have died in combat. The Flanders poppy (Papaver rhoeas), also known as the corn poppy, is a common flower native to Europe. Its seeds often lie dormant for years and spring to life when the soil is disturbed. This happened…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Numbers are dropping for Avian influenza, informally known as avian flu or bird flu, according to Robert Pierce, University of Missouri Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist. Fewer reports of dead and sick birds point to an end to the current outbreak of avian influenza, Pierce says. Rising summer temperatures will also likely…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — In the 1800s, peonies were one of the few flowers in bloom in late May. After the Civil War, mourners used peonies to adorn the graves of fallen soldiers on Decoration Day, which we now call Memorial Day. The huge, lavish blooms emit a luscious floral perfume that continues to make them…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Quality landscapes begin with quality topsoil. Topsoil is the top 3-10 inches of the soil. Most surface soils have higher organic matter content than subsoil, but not all surface soil is ideal for gardens or lawns, says Manjula Nathan, director of the University of Missouri Extension Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory. The…
Read Full Article January 17, 2025
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