Grasshoppers Of the approximately 115 grasshopper species found in Kansas, only five are considered to pose serious threats to vegetable crops. Important species include redlegged, migratory, Packard, differential, and two-striped grasshoppers.

Tips for a Drought-Tolerant Summer Lawn Many of our lawn care practices can increase or decrease the drought tolerance of our lawns. Follow these five tips this summer to improve the drought tolerance of your lawn: Raise The Mowing Height— Increasing the mowing height increases the drought tolerance of all lawns. It encourages deeper root growth, cools the soil temperature, and decreases evaporation of soil moisture. Tall Fescue should be mowed up to 3.5” tall, Buffalograss up to 4” tall, and Bermuda up to 2” tall.

High Levels of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus in Kansas Over the last several weeks, symptoms of wheat streak mosaic virus have been showing up in wheat fields across Kansas. This disease complex can be caused by several viruses, including wheat streak mosaic virus, Triticum mosaic virus, and wheat mosaic virus (high plains). These viruses are vectored by the wheat curl mite, a near-microscopic mite that survives between seasons on volunteer wheat and other grassy hosts. These grassy hosts serve as a “green bridge” for mites to survive from one wheat crop to the next. Infections may occur in the fall or spring, but fall infections typically result in the highest levels of yield loss. Although wheat streak mosaic infections can happen anytime, symptoms develop most rapidly at temperatures above 70°F. Symptoms have become more severe in Kansas over the last several weeks as temperatures have warmed. In this article, we walk through common questions about this complex of viruses.

The school year has wrapped up for my two children and summer break has officially arrived. The weeks leading up to those last days of school for my elementary-aged son and daughter were filled with tests, final projects, field trips, locker clean outs, a field day, a sixthgrade promotion and celebrations.

Warming Weather Brings Ticks Out Ticks and the pathogens they transmit are a significant concern for humans and animals. Controlling tick populations can be dif-ficult because a large part of their lives is spent off the animal host or on hosts we have little control over, like deer, rabbits, and other animals.

Drought Monitoring— Get Involved to Better Represent Our Area The National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Integrated Drought Information System, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Climate Hubs are working with states, tribes, and others nationwide to collect Condition Monitoring Observer Reports on Drought (CMORDrought), including photos. Your reports help us understand how drought affects local conditions, and they appear on the map. The U.S. Drought Monitor triggers drought responses, including the Livestock Forage Disaster Program and Internal Revenue Service tax provisions.

Ten Rules for Planting Trees this Spring If you're planning to plant a tree in your yard this spring, there are some steps you can take to make sure your new landscape has its best chance of success. Select the right tree for the site.

There have been noticeable signs that spring has arrived on our farm. Following a snowfall during the kids’ spring break, the sun has come out and the temperatures have warmed up. It’s a different feel of seasons.

Outlook for Stripe Rust in Kansas Wheat Crop Over the last ten years, stripe rust has been one of the most damaging wheat diseases in Kansas. There are several factors that contribute to the development and severity of stripe rust in our region within a given year. The stripe rust pathogen typically does not survive in Kansas over the winter but can survive in Texas through the winter months and make its way back north as the weather warms in the spring. Because of this, weather conditions in Texas can be important indicators of how bad stripe rust will be in Kansas.

The changing of clocks always makes me grumpy, especially in the spring when it means losing an hour of the weekend. I understand the rationale behind the whole charade, but understanding doesn’t do anything to alleviate my mood after springing forward. It usually takes at least a couple of weeks to adjust.