outdoors

Late summer bur oak blight

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu A recent increase in questions from homeowners about sick oak trees have revealed their concerns about oak wilt. But another major disease that shows symptoms in August is bur oak blight or BOB. BOB is specific to bur oaks, but not all bur...

Safety measures all hunters should take

Hunting draws millions of people into the great outdoors every year. Many avid hunters feel hunting is a great way to actively participate in nature while also taking responsibility for procuring one's own food. Hunting requires discipline, dedication, patience, and, perhaps most important, a...

How to Combat White Grub Lawn Infestations

If you are seeing unsightly brown patches in your lawn, you might be having a problem with white grubs. White grubs are soil-dwelling larvae of beetles. The adult beetles emerge in late-June and lay eggs in the turf during July. The eggs hatch in two to three weeks and tiny white grub larvae begin...

How to hike safely in remote areas

Many people have rediscovered the great outdoors in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Social distancing measures have greatly restricted indoor gatherings, but outdoor activities, particularly once parks were reopened, allowed people to get out of their homes while still keeping their distance...

Fall care for tender and hardy bulbs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu “Bulbs” is a general term gardeners use when referring to true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and tuberous roots. All of these are storage structures for plants and hold nutrients and water to support the plant during the growing season...

Controlling buckthorn: the who, what, where, when and how

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Understanding the basics of buckthorn biology will help you to control its spread so that you have a healthy woodland and crop field. Despite the invasive nature of buckthorn, many landowners have had success in controlling it, but only...

Essentials for your tackle box

Recreational fishing is enjoyed by millions of people. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that there was an 8 percent increase in anglers between 2011 and 2017. Expenditures by anglers nationwide rose 2 percent during the same time, from $45 billion to $46.1 billion. As more people stay...

Fall maintenance tips for a healthier spring lawn

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Vole damage in a lawn In Minnesota, we can usually expect fall to come at the end of September or beginning of October. Fall freeze dates can start as early as September 22, which means the air temperatures drop to 32 degrees F....

Preserving winter squash and pumpkins

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Pumpkins and squash can be preserved for later use by freezing, canning or drying. They should have a hard rind and stringless mature pulp. Small size pumpkins (sugar or pie varieties) make better products. Freezing Freezing is the only...

Understanding how to use a compass

Global positioning systems have revolutionized the way people get from point A to point B. Utilizing satellites and orbital data, GPS devices can ping these satellites and compute location anywhere on the planet. GPS-enabled maps are used in smartphones, car navigation systems and elsewhere. But...