University of Missouri Extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Though physically demanding and time-consuming, scouting fields for insect pests is essential to crop health, yields and profits, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Weekly scouting during the growing season helps producers identify and manage problems for early intervention, Valmorbida says. He advises more frequent monitoring when weather favors…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — There is an old Missouri saying, “On the 25th of July, sow your turnips, wet or dry.” This local proverb vaulted into the national spotlight during the presidency of Missouri native Harry S. Truman, said University of Missouri Extension state specialist David Trinklein. Evidently, the congressional session of 1948 was particularly contentious,…
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INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Patience and a bucket of soapy water are your best friends when fending off Japanese beetles in the garden, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall. Reall recommends tapping beetles off plants by hand and putting them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them. You can also shake them…
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Post-drought pasture improvement takes more than rain; four things to do after back-to-back droughts
LINNEUS, Mo. — Heavy rainfall throughout much of Missouri on July 2 may have lessened worries about drought damage in pastures, but one good rain won’t undo the damage to mismanaged pastures during two straight years of drought, according to two University of Missouri Extension specialists based at the MU Forage Systems Research Center in…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri corn and soybean growers are reporting growing numbers of Japanese beetles in crops in recent weeks, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Valmorbida uses numbers from MU Extension’s Pest Monitoring Network, which gathers information from across the state. The highest numbers are reported in northwestern Missouri’s Gentry County.…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — A yield-robbing corn disease, tar spot, is gaining ground in Missouri. Tar spot has been confirmed in 19 counties in 2024, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Corn growers in nearly half of the state’s counties have reported tar spot since Missouri’s first confirmed case in 2018. The counties…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mulches benefit gardens throughout the year, but they are particularly helpful during the heat of summer, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Maintain 2-4 inches of an organic mulch to keep the soil cool. This promotes root growth and curbs soil moisture loss. Mulch also prevents the germination of weeds…
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NEVADA, Mo. — Rain is always a wild card when deciding the right time to mow hay. “Pop-up showers and storms are a risk this time of the year,” University of Missouri Extension agronomist Hunter Lovewell said in a press release. This unpredictability makes it important to keep an eye on weather forecasts and understand…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardening is an activity with many rewards, said David Trinklein, state horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “One of them is the satisfaction of sharing your plant knowledge with others,” Trinklein said in a press release. The MU Extension Master Gardener program was designed to do just that. “Its motto, ‘helping…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri’s landowners, agricultural lenders, rural appraisers and others with firsthand knowledge of land transactions are invited to respond to the annual Missouri Farmland Value Opinion Survey. This University of Missouri Extension survey captures information on land transactions that have occurred in the calendar year, including those for cropland, pastureland, timberland and recreational…
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OSCEOLA, Mo. — Sheep and goats are susceptible to heat stress in the summer, and a revised University of Missouri Extension publication updates management practices for producers to protect their animals. In a press release, David Brown of MU Extension said, “Heat stress in sheep and goats occurs when the animals are unable to regulate…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — There is scientific evidence suggesting that eating something spicy on a hot summer day will make you feel cooler, says University of Missouri horticulturist David Trinklein. “Consuming spicy foods leads to a phenomenon known as ‘gustatory facial perspiration,’ which ostensibly cools the body more quickly than a cold glass of lemonade or…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — As summer arrives in the Show-Me State, farm business operators often experience periods of fluctuating labor needs. Seasonal workers, including young people, can offer extra capacity during critical times. In a press release, Ryan Milhollin, University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist and a co-author of MU Extension’s “Missouri Farm Labor Guide,” which…
Read Full Article FORSYTH, Mo. — Selling beef directly from the farm to consumers gained significant popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Though adoption has slowed, selling direct to consumers remains a popular option for Missouri beef producers as an alternative to selling live animals, as it allows the producer to capture additional value otherwise obtained by others in…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The cicada symphony may be coming to an end, but the effects of the performers are becoming apparent. Calls and emails are beginning to come into University of Missouri Extension offices from homeowners reporting the ends of many tree branches are turning brown and dropping off. “In the past few days I…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — A new tool developed by University of Missouri Extension’s state soybean specialist Andre Froes de Borja Reis can indicate soybean growth and anticipate yield deviations before the end of the season. “This tool is designed to predict soybean development and yield based on crop growth models,” Reis said in a press release.…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — On-farm strip trials are an effective way for farmers to test their nitrogen fertilizer rate on corn. “A wet May has lots of farmers wondering about the nitrogen status of their corn crop,” said John Lory, University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist, in a press release. “Wet conditions and warm soils…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA Mo. — Learn to deal with diseases, insects and weeds in your vegetable garden during a three-part webinar series presented by University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialists from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays, June 3 through June 17. Tomatoes, a favorite vegetable garden plant, have numerous issues each year, says Debi Kelly, who will…
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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. — Our ancestors couldn’t go to the hardware store or shopping mall to buy utensils and other household essentials. Instead, they improvised with items found in nature. The dried fruit of several members of the cucumber family proved useful for many purposes, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. We call these…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Data from the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture indicates that the age of the average farmer continues to increase in Missouri and across the country. In the Show-Me State, the average operator is 57.9 years old, a slight 0.9% increase from 2017 census data; this trend closely mirrors the national average, which…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Right after daffodils, tulips and hyacinths have spent their last flowers, many homeowners mow the plants down. That’s a bad idea if you want them to keep flowering year after year. Spring-flowering bulbs need to photosynthesize and produce food in order for the bulbs to enlarge and set the stage for the…
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OSCEOLA, Mo. — The benefits of spring lambing and management tips are part of a new University of Missouri Extension publication for sheep producers. In a press release, David Brown, MU Extension small-ruminant specialist, said, “Spring lambing has been found to be more profitable than fall and winter lambing. The abundance of spring forage lowers…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Soybean gall midge is appearing about 10 days earlier than usual in Nebraska crops, says University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension crop protection and cropping systems specialist Justin McMechan. That could spell trouble for Missouri soybean growers as well. First found in 2019 in Missouri, it is in the state’s far northwestern counties of…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. —Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a good, productive grass to include in forage mixtures in the Ozarks region, but having too much of this grass can limit production. Monitoring the amount of Kentucky bluegrass in the forage stand can be helpful to producers. This perennial cool-season grass is identified by the narrow, V-shaped…
Read Full Article March 30, 2025
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