Garden Pests

Emerald Ash Borer Threat

The emerald ash borer is a threat to all the ash trees in our state. None of our native ash have any resistance to this insect and once attacked, unless insecticides treatments are started within a year or two, the tree will die.

When tree owners notice dieback and decline of their ash trees or see small holes in the tree trunk they may wonder whether their tree is infested with emerald ash borer. However, there are many possible reasons an ash tree is declining, most commonly drought stress. These trees are often attacked by one of the many other boring insects and these insects may be confused with emerald ash borer. The first step is to be sure the tree is an ash tree. The emerald ash borer infests only ash trees so identifying the tree is the first step in the diagnostic process. Emerald ash borer attacks all the native ash common to South Dakota: black ash, green ash, and white ash along with their many cultivars. The Manchurian ash, native to Asia, is not usually killed by an attack unless drought-stressed.

The tree starts healthy and then starts to decline by dieing branches here and there followed by bark falling off the trunk. Watersprouts and woodpeckers also are symptoms of borer infected trees.

There are many insects that infest ash trees and each makes a characteristic exit hole where the adult emerges. They each have distinctive patterns to the tunnels made by the larvae as they burrow beneath the bark. These two features, the exit holes made by the adults and the tunneling pattern by the larvae, can be used as aids to separate them from the emerald ash borer.

The other insects are:  Ash/lilac borer is a common insect on the Northern Plains that attacks the lower (10 to 15 feet) trunks of ash trees and the bases of lilac canes

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Banded ash borer and the redheaded ash borer are probably the most common borers of dead or dying ash trees on the Northern Plains.

Carpenterworm is another native boring insect of ash trees, but it can also be found infesting cottonwoods, poplars and willows.

Ash bark beetles are very common in dying ash trees, typically in the branches. There are at least two species on the Northern Plains, the eastern ash bark beetle and the western ash bark beetle.

Now along with all the other borers, the emerald ash bores show up mainly East River now but it is working its way west.

Insecticide Management Options

There are many different active ingredients, products, and application methods available for managing emerald ash borer. Some products are available for homeowners to use, but the most effective are restricted to commercial applicators.

When is treatment necessary?
Treatments are recommended in early spring.

What treatments are available?
Treatments are not a vaccine. They must be applied either annually or biennially depending on the application and chemical used usually in early June. Several products can also be used therapeutically, to kill an existing infestation in a tree, while others only protect a tree from becoming infested.

There are three methods of applying insecticides to your tree.

Soil Treatments

Require annual application, restricted to mid-spring and autumn, and are used to protect trees from becoming infested. There are insecticides available to homeowners as soil trenches. Commercial applications may also use soil injections. Insecticides delivered as a soil drench should be applied at the base of the trunk, within a foot, with the sod or mulch pulled away before making the application. The sod or mulch can be put back in place after the insecticide solution soaks into the soil. Soil injections should be made within 18 inches of the base of the trunk and injected to a depth of 2 to 4 inches. Injections made farther from the

Systemic Bark Sprays

Insecticides can be sprayed on the lower trunk of the tree (the lower 6 feet). These chemicals are absorbed through the bark. They are carried up by the sap flow to kill the larvae beneath the bark and adult beetles feeding on the leaves. There is one active ingredient that can be delivered via trunk spray. The spray does not need to be made at high pressure (the water pressure coming from a garden hose is sufficient). Surfactants may be used to improve absorption through the bark but are not necessary.

Trunk Injection

Insecticides can be delivered by directly injecting into the tree. Trunk injections do create wounds in the tree, but if the injections are done low on the trunk, at the flare and not adjacent to a previous injection site, then the injury is minimal, and the insecticide will be distributed throughout the canopy. The uptake and distribution of trunk injected insecticide is quicker than that delivered via the soil. The soil should be moist, not dry or wet, to improve uptake of the chemical through the tree. Watering the soil around the tree a day before injection will sufficiently irrigate the soil.

DIY Projects

The Great Fire Pit

A great fire pit or a fireplace is an excellent catalyst for good conversation, an excuse to relax outdoors away from technology, or enjoy the beauty that exists in your own backyard.

When considering making the addition of a fire pit or place, there are several things to consider:

Budget
There’s a wide range of options when it comes to selecting the perfect fire pit or fire place for your backyard.

A fire pit using electrical lights

Location
Laying out your ideal backyard takes intentionality. A well thought-out yard is key to achieving that natural seamless feeling of space. Before deciding upon where you would like to put a fire pit or fireplace, you should visualize and plan the entirety of your yard to maximize the use of your property.

Wood/Gas
Another item to consider is if you want a wood or gas burning fireplace or pit. This decision will drive other necessary components (like gas lines or wood piles) to ensure a smooth running and usable space. Keep in mind, many cities in South Dakota have “No Burn Days” which mean wood burning fireplaces or fire pits are not allowed. You can use a LP fireplace or fire pit. Do not place it under trees or nest to the house or buildings, always consider SAFETY.

Ambiance
Lastly, to maximize the atmosphere that a fire can bring to any event, other elements such as seating need to be taken into consideration. A cozy built-in seating area or a sunken bench nestled next to a designated fire area can help provide the right environment for snuggling up and enjoying the relaxing warmth available from this amenity.

How To Build A Fire Pit

Step 1. Start With The Base

Now, lay down the curved blocks (retaining blocks) on the ground and piece together to make a circle. Mark three inches from the concrete base or outline with a pointed shovel. Hold the shovel down and dig all the way around the ring to make an outline.

Step 2. Dig A Hole

Next is to get the blocks out of the way so we can dig a hole in the outline. If you are building your fire pit over your grass lawn, you might want to save it, so you can patch the area around the fire pit. Using a square shovel, slide it underneath the grass and save as much as you can of it. Now dig a hole a foot deep into the ground and tamp it up a bit. If your soil is a hard clay, you can dig another hole in the center, so rainwater can drain through. Fill it with crushed stones for drainage.

Step 3. Form Foundation

Pour over the crushed stones in the hole and spread it evenly to about an inch or two thick. Take the hand tamper to pack and level it down. Lay another layer of crushed rocks of the same thickness and repeat the process. This will allow you to properly tamp and level the crushed rocks. Want more homesteading tricks, tips and tidbits? Click here to sign up NOW! We'll even throw in some FREE Survival Seeds Playing Cards!Repeat the process until you’ve reached the level of about four inches to the surface. Take in mind that the first layer of blocks is going to sit in level with the grass.

Step 4. Stack Blocks

Take your steel fire-pit ring with cooking grates and place it in the middle of the foundation as a guide to set the blocks around. Take the precast blocks and start leveling them out around the ring. Lay your first block and set it tight against the ring. Use the rubber mallet and tap the block down to set. Use a leveling tool to make sure the structure will be leveled. Set the other blocks tight around the ring following the same steps.

Step 5. Add Layers

With the first level of blocks set, take out the ring so you can work on the rest of the levels. Take out your caulk gun and concrete adhesive and apply a small amount of it on either side of block’s joint. Set another brick on top of the first layer making sure it sits centered on the joint. Continue with the rest of the blocks and add two more layers.

Step 6. Add The Fire Pit Ring

Get the steel fire pit ring and place it over the fire pit. Pour crushed rocks over the pit, filling it up to the baseline of the steel ring. The rocks will protect the base blocks from the heat of the fire. Use your shovel to rake the rocks to the sides so that it has a low spot in the center for making fire. Lastly, take some of the soil you’ve dug from the pit and fill the sides around the pit. You can also take the grass strips and replace it around the firepit.

There you have it! An easy and budget-friendly fire pit your family can spend time around. Waste no time testing your finished fire pit and plan a cookout under the stars!

DIY Projects

Farm Equipment for the Rustic Touch

Old farm equipment adds a rustic touch to decor for the backyard, garden, front porch — or even inside, in moderation. Everything from wagon wheels to a wooden wheelbarrow may be repurposed into decor around the garden; in some cases, the old pieces can even do double duty, housing plant pots or serving as a chandelier, for instance.

From Garden to Garage
Antique farm equipment tends to be made of wood and metal, rusted and aged to display-worthy perfection over the years. An old two-person tree saw — the type with gnarly teeth, a long blade and a handle on each end — creates an interesting piece of wall art above the door on a garden shed or a garage, out of reach of children. An old pitchfork, shovel or sickle serve as rustic decor for the outside walls of the shed or garage; add large farm tools as you come across them for an eclectic, ever-changing display. Mount them with old spurs or rusted chain-link fence clasps attached to boards for added visual interest; the tool handles hang from the spurs or clasps.

Large-Scale Looks
If you live on a large property with plenty of yard space, large-scale farm equipment provides a stunning sight, even from afar. Place a large antique tractor complete with metal wheels in a place visible from the road; leave it in rusty, rustic condition, or paint it bright red or a color true to its origins. Search the make and model of the tractor online, if known, to find out its probable original color if all the paint is gone. There is a beautiful example of this west of Winner, A wagon near the driveway provides a playful space for additional decor another example of that is on the way home tucked on a side road– in the autumn, stack bales of hay and a few pumpkins atop it; in the spring, jazz it up with an assortment of crocks or flowerpots filled with colorful plants and flowers.

Complete Circles
Circular wooden wagon wheels, huge metal tractor wheels and old grinding and sharpening stones add a soft touch to rustic decor with their round shapes. Lean a wagon wheel against a picket fence in a flowerbed, or against a lamppost or mailbox post. Use a huge metal tractor wheel as a centerpiece for a small flowerbed, allowing vines or roses to climb on it. Large grinding stones and sharpening stones add an organic look to an outdoor display — lean them against posts, like the wagon wheels, or use an assortment as unusual stepping stones for a path to the garden or backyard. I have an old stone mallet head I have on the garden path.

Close to Home
While you may not have space for large farm equipment indoors or on the porch, small- to medium-sized bits of farm gear add a rustic touch to your home. A wooden wagon wheel, fitted with a series of chains and small, open-topped tins, becomes an unusual chandelier for battery-operated tealight candles, or tealights dropped into deep glass votive holders. Punch holes in the tins in a pattern such as a star or crescent moon to allow the candlelight to shine through. Attach the chandelier to a beam on the ceiling of a tall porch, or from a sturdy beam indoors. A butter churn becomes a planter for ivy on the front porch; a wooden wheelbarrow holds seasonal potted plants for an ever-changing display of greenery, flowers or herbs.

I have seen old stock tanks lined with plastic and used for beautiful fountains and ponds.