Nebraska Extension in Dodge County

Early Childhood

Professional Development for Childcare Providers

Looking for affordable, research-based, educational programs and resources. . . .
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child.unl.edu
Horticulture, Landscape, and Environmental Systems

Nebraska Extension Master Gardeners Make a Difference

Master Gardeners are volunteers who combine their love of gardening with making a difference in their communities. Become a Master Gardener by contacting Ian at 402-727-2775.

Find out how you can become a Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
4-H Youth Development

4-H Online Enrollment

Dodge County 4-H online enrollment must be completed (includes $10 online payment) by June 15. We encourage you to enroll by May 1st so you do not miss out on important 4-H information.

ENROLL HERE
Livestock Systems

BeefWatch Podcast

The BeefWatch Podcast is an audio companion to the UNL BeefWatch newsletter.

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Rural Prosperity Nebraska

Rural Prosperity Nebraska receives $25M USDA Award

A $25 million cooperative agreement award from the U.S.D.A. for the creation of the Heartland Regional Foods Business Center.

Learn more

Local Interest

Tomato Viruses

Garden Update
Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County

As difficult as blights are to manage in tomatoes, viral diseases are far worse. This is because there are no effective products to stop their spread. To make matters even more challenging, virus infection is most often the work of sap sucking insects, such as aphids, thrips, and leafhoppers, that vector diseases. Insecticides to stop these insects provide limited results, often after insect feeding has already enabled virus spread to plants.

Colorado Potato Beetle

Garden Update
Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County

From its name, it would be nice if Colorado potato beetles were only found in Colorado but unfortunately, that is not the case. The CPB, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a serious pest of potato and related crops in North America. Recently, the CPB was found at the Growing Together Nebraska garden here in Fremont, feeding on the foliage of both potatoes and eggplant. This insect has a voracious appetite, eating leaves down to almost nothing, which in turn decreases yields.

The Cicada Killer Wasp

Garden Update
Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County

The size of the cicada killer wasp is alarming to many people, prompting phone calls and emails to Nebraska Extension Offices with questions of how best to eradicate them. The female, at 2 inches long and with three bright yellow stripes on her abdomen, is one of the largest insects in our landscape. The male is large too, though smaller than the female at 1-½ inches long, and is stinger-less. Both males and females are pollinators, moving pollen as they feed on flower nectar.

Winter Damage to Evergreens

Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator

Spring’s welcome temperatures give us a chance to walk the landscape, checking to see how our trees and shrubs weathered the winter. Rabbit feeding damage on burning bush, vole paths over the lawn, and browning of evergreen needles are some of the things you will notice.

Vole Damage

Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator

“What are these trails in my lawn?” This is a common question once snows recede. Pathways interspersed throughout the lawn are an indication of the presence of voles. What are voles, you ask? Voles are rodents with an appearance very similar to mice except for their tails which are about 1 inch long. Voles are granivores and paths may be more apparent around bird feeders, where fallen seed attracts them.

Using Annual & Perennial Flowers to Boost Curb Appeal

Kathleen Cue, Horticulture Extension Educator in Dodge County

When we think of flowering annuals and perennials as limited resources, using them wisely contributes to maximizing curb appeal. After all, not everyone has unlimited budgets or time to have flower color everywhere.

A word about the color green—green piques our interest in the winter and early spring landscapes, most notably because there is so little of it around (think evergreens and patches of lawn showing through the snow.) That perspective changes as landscapes green up in the spring and THEN green switches from being a focal point to becoming a background color. This transition is important because flowers show to their best advantage when placed in front of a backdrop of green.

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Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources News

Latest from ianrnews.unl.edu

Wheat shows good promise going into winter

November 29, 2023

The Panhandle of Nebraska experienced favorable planting conditions for its hard red winter wheat with good soil moisture.

Walbrecht opens 4-H livestock opportunities to youths with disabilities

November 15, 2023

“Youth getting agricultural experience and the skills that 4-H teaches them — there’s no limit on how valuable that is.” —Allison Walbrecht, sophomore animal science major and founder of the Unified Showing 4-H Club.

IANR, Extension, Landscaping and Nebraska Forest Service Leaders and Educators Honored with Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Awards

November 13, 2023

The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum honored 11 individuals and organizations with awards at its annual reception on November 3 at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln.