Small Town News

On the farm

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Raquel Dugan Dibble NDSU/McHenry County Extension Livestock Systems Specialist

Uncovered Outdoor Grain Piles Wet by Recent Rains will Deteriorate Rapidly

A one-inch rain will increase the moisture content of the top one foot of wheat by about 8 percentage points if it is all absorbed by the top foot of wheat. The depth that the water will penetrate into the pile depends on the rain intensity. A slow rain will be primarily absorbed by grain on the pile surface, while a more intense rain event will soak further into the grain. It is recommended that probing the grain to determine the extent of moisture intrusion and the grain moisture content. Do not walk on the pile because the indents become water collection and pile entry points during subsequent rain events.

One-inch of rain will increase will increase the moisture content of wheat from 13 percent up to 21 percent. Wheat at 21 percent moisture will rapidly deteriorate. The allowable storage time for 21 percent wheat at 70 degrees is only about 11 days and is only about 5 days at 80 degrees. The wet wheat needs to be dried quickly in a high temperature dryer to minimize deterioration.

It is frequently reported that water will run off a pile. Rain will not run off the pile until the top surface has crusted due to grain deterioration. Losing a foot of wheat due to deterioration is very expensive at today's wheat prices. A foot of wheat in a pile that is 10 feet high and 43 feet in diameter would be about 30 percent of a 3, 900-bushel pile of wheat. Losing a foot of wheat from a pile that is 40 feet tall and 170 feet in diameter is only about 8 percent of the pile, but still would be about 20, 000 bushels.

Wind blowing on the surface of the pile will dry some of the wheat near the surface, but it is easier for the air to flow over the top of the pile than go through the grain, so the effect of the wind is confined to near the surface. Wheat in a swath on the ground is much more porous than wheat in a pile, has straw to help wick away moisture, and the thickness that wind needs to push the air through is small, so the amount of drying will be less in the pile.

Aeration will help control the amount of temperature increase occurring due to grain heating. Without aeration grain temperatures will increase which will increase the rate of deterioration. An aeration system will help to control the grain temperature, but will not move enough airflow to dry the grain.

Take Precautions Against Insect Stings

Two insects to watch out for are wasps and yellow jackets. Insect bites are nothing to trivialize. For some people, getting stung or bitten by certain insects can send them into anaphylactic shock, which is a violent reaction that can be fatal. At the first signs of stress, such as dizziness, feeling faint, drop in blood pressure, cramps, nausea, chills and fever, the person is administered epinephrine. It is available in preloaded injections by prescription. For some hypersensitive individuals, immunotherapy is used. It gradually exposes the person to insect venom during a 20-week period, which then is followed by booster shots that last as long as five years.

Two insects to watch out for are wasps and yellow jackets. These two are related by the fact that both get more aggressive as the autumn wears on. In addition, they have the capability of inflicting multiple stings, while a bee will sting once and die shortly after.

Look for nests in tight places and observe any swarming around openings in the soil, wood piles, or old sheds. If you should find a yellow jacket nest, it usually is a good idea to have a professional exterminator deal with the problem.

While wasp sprays knock down the insects quickly, getting into the nest with the spray is very difficult and could be dangerous. Generally, honeybees and bumblebees are curious about what you are, not in stinging someone. They usually will not attack unless provoked. Try not to panic if one lands on you. If you cannot stand having the bee on your skin, gently blow it off or brush it away. No such courtesy exists with yellow jackets and wasps.

For those drinking soda pop out of a can, the sweet fragrance and moisture of these drinks will attract yellow jackets at this time of year. They may crawl right into the can.

To cut down on the localized pain of a bite, apply a baking soda paste or rub ice cubes over the affected area. With multiple stings that one would get from stirring up a yellow jacket nest, take a cool baking soda bath and use an anti-itch lotion such as hydrocortisone.

Fall Care and Clean-up of the Garden and Landscape

With the arrival of autumn colors comes the time to get the outside garden and landscape chores wrapped up. To avoid getting caught unprepared, plan tasks just ahead of nature's time-table:

1 Valuable houseplants that have summered in the garden or patio rate immediate attention as die month of September approaches. Most are tropical in origin and will suffer a set-back when the night temperatures drop sharply at this time of year. Some may require grooming. A convenient way is to assemble them in an outdoor place where you can cut diem back if necessary, inspect them for insect and diseases and repot any that have outgrown their containers.

Return them indoors in time for mem to readjust to their indoor environment before the heat is turned on. Expect some leaf loss or the browning of leaf edges on some plant species. This simply indicates adjustment to lower light and humidity levels indoors.

2 Two plants which will require special care after their summer outdoors are the poinsettias and Christmas cactus. Both have similar requirements in that they need a 14 hour period of continuous darkness each day from October 1 until mid-December to set flower buds. Two methods to accomplish this are to either set the plants in a closet or place a cardboard box over them from 6 p.m. until 8 am. for the period listed above. At all other times, the plants should receive normal light exposure.

3 Keep pace with the weather by lifting or harvesting tender bulbs and conns mat are desired for next season. These would include but not be limited to glads, dahlias and tuberous begonias. Many can be enjoyed right up until a good frost blackens their tops. Be sure to dig the bulbs carefully, retrieve any offsets that may have developed, and leave the foliage intact.

Place the bulbs in an airy, sheltered spot to dry for a two to three week period. Except for begonias, foliage and stems can be cut off with a sharp knife near but not at the point where diey emerge from the bulb. Allow begonia stems to dry until they are britde enough to break off from the bulbs.

The bulbs will overwinter well in a dark, cool place (45 to 50 degrees F.) when stored in vermicu-lite, peat moss, or similar material. It is also recommended to dust with a fungicide (Bordeaux mixture) and insecticide (Sevin dust) to curb disease and insect development in storage.

Except for daffodils, mice and other rodents consider bulbs of all kinds to be premium food, so store bulbs where these pests will not have access to them.

4 Finish planting spring flowering bulbs (ie. tulips, daffodils, flowering onions) and dormant, deciduous nursery stock while the soil remains manageable. If cankerworms were a problem the past summer, take action at this time to limit their damage next season. Fall banding with Tanglefoot should take place by mid-September to take care of the fall species of cankerworm moving into the canopy of trees. In most areas, however, the spring species of cankerworm is more destructive and warrants control in the early spring by banding with the same material in late March or early April.

5 Lawn care in the fall will yield maximum results the following growing season. Apply herbicides in September to control weed infestations. Aerate if the soil is compacted or if thatch is a problem and apply gypsum and fertilizer to improve soil conditions and provide nutrients for healthy turf growth The nitrogen should be mostly from water insoluble nitrogen (WIN) or controlled release nitrogen (CRN) to prevent excessive top growth. Continue mowing the lawn so that it is no higher than 1.5 to 2.0 inches going into the winter. A lawn should be only 1.5 inches tall where the snow tends to accumulate and snow mold or powdery mildew might be a problem. Most cool season lawns are best maintained at a 2 - to 3-inch height during the growing season. As the month of October nears, the height can gradually be reduced to the overwintering heights.

If the grass ceases growth before all deciduous foliage has fallen, use the mower as a leaf mulcher or vacuum to keep the leaves from packing down and smothering the grass. Have the mower serviced and stored for winter to maximize efficiency and longevity of the machine.

6 Drain garden pools to avoid freeze damage. Store tropical (non-hardy) as well as hardy water lilies indoors. Roots and rhizomes of most kinds can be overwintered at about 50 degrees F. in a basement in moist sand that is not permitted to dry out. Many gardeners find it easier to purchase fresh propagules every spring.

7 Take preliminary steps to protect roses. Final winterizing is usually done in late October after a deep freeze, but tying the canes loosely beforehand will ease the job. For the final winterizing, cut the canes back to about 6 to 12 inches and mound the plants with fresh topsoil purchased earlier. Cover witii cones or bushel baskets for complete protection. Many gardeners successfully overwinter their roses and other tender perennials by covering with bags of leaves collected in the autumn.

8 Install simple windbreaks to protect young, tender plantings from drying winter winds. Anything that encourages snow accumulation will help provide excellent protection against low temperature or wind desiccation. Where evergreens are exposed, spray with an anti-desiccant to provide protection from drying winds. Spray again in mid-winter during a thaw when the temperature will be above 40 degrees F. for a few hours.

9 Protect young apple, maple and other tree species from rodent damage. Wrap tree trunks with hardware cloth up to the expected snow-line to provide the necessary protection. Plant material that has developed a thickened or corky bark is usually not vulnerable to damage of this sort.

10 After a heavy frost, remove all blackened plants such as zinnias, petunias, marigolds, etc. Remove and destroy plant stems on any perennials which may have had diseased foliage (ie. peonies and lilies). Good sanitation now will result in fewer problems next spring.

11 If there is time, turn the soil over in vegetable and flower gardens. Litter-free areas in the garden or under fruit trees will help eliminate many disease and insect problems the following season. Open spaces of fallow, weed-free soil are more attractive in winter and will make the soil ready for planting early next spring.

If the soil is particularly heavy, the addition of gypsum at 40 pounds per 1, 000 square feet will help to soften the soil next spring. Thorough incorporation of generous amounts of organic matter such as compost or peat moss is also very beneficial.

Finally, to stretch out flowering a couple more weeks in the autumn, covering plants with plastic or cloth sheets, boxes or newspaper tents will provide protection against the initial frosts. Frequently, unprotected plants damaged by light frosts can be given an extension of useful beauty by hosing them with water before the sun rises.



Copyright 2010 Mouse River Journal, Towner, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Mouse River Journal Towner, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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