Education Commons^™

G74-189 Growing Dahlias, Don Steinegger, John E. Watkins, Frederick P. Baxendale

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Propagation, culture, diseases, and insects of dahlias are covered here.

The dahlia is a versatile flowering plant, providing a wide array of sizes, forms and colors. Flowers range from half-inch pompons to giants. Flower forms vary from daisy-shaped singles to fully double types with intermediate forms, such as anemone.

Dahlia cultivars which flower the first year from seed are referred to as annuals. Many of these annuals form tuberous roots the first year. These tuberous roots can be saved for use next year.

G74-171 Summer Annual Forage Grasses (Revised January 1986), Bruce Anderson, Paul Guyer

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide discusses production practices, methods of use, and precautions for using summer annual grasses.

Summer annual grasses are used for summer pasture, green chop, hay, silage, and winter pasture. They are often used as sources of emergency forage. In addition, residues of summer annuals make an excellent seedbed mulch for new stands of perennial grass, particularly on sands.

The summer annual grasses most often used for forage in Nebraska are sudangrass, hybrid sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, and forage sorghums. Foxtail millet and pearl millet are used occasionally. Each of these grasses has unique growth characteristics that require proper management for …

G74-108 Wilts Of Cucurbits (Revised October 1994), James R. Steadman, David L. Keith, Laurie Hodges

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Discussion covers the symptoms, disease cycles, and control measures for bacterial and Fusarium wilts of cucurbits, including cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelons, squash, and pumpkins. Wilt caused by squash vine borer also is covered.

G74-142 Harvesting And Preserving Hay Crop Silage, Rick Grant, Rick Stock

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes principles of successful hay crop harvest, silage preservation, management techniques to obtain high quality hay crop silage, and proper use of silage storage facilities.

Most hay (legume and grass) crops can be ensiled, or made into silage, successfully. For best feeding value and preservation, consider the special requirements for ensiling each crop.

Hays to be ensiled should be selected on the basis of economics. Which are the most profitable for supplying nutrients? For example, legumes have a relatively higher value for dairy herds than for beef finishing operations because of dairy cows' higher requirement for protein.

G74-165 Understand Your Soil Test: Calcium, Magnesium, Boron, Copper, Chlorine, Molybdenum, Delno Knudsen, K.D. Frank

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

It is possible to analyze soil samples for any of the 13 essential elements which plants obtain from the soil. This does not mean that the results obtained can be used to predict adequacy or deficiency for plant growth.

The value obtained from any chemical procedure used to determine each element must be shown to be related to (1) crop response from application of that element (correlation) and (2) the soil test level at which response occurs (calibration). Crop response is usually measured as yield, but may also be a quality factor. Field plot and greenhouse research are used to …

G74-121 Sandbur Control In Field Corn (Revised January 1999), Gail A. Wicks, Robert G. Wilson Jr.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Sandbur can be a major weed problem in cornfields if not properly controlled. This NebGuide discusses mechanical and chemical alternatives for controlling sandbur.

Sandbur is a problem weed on coarse to fine-textured soil. The North Platte Valley, southwest and west central Nebraska, and the Sandhills are areas in the state where sandbur is a major weed problem in corn. Sandbur seldom becomes a primary weed problem in eastern Nebraska. Both field (Cenchrus pauciflorus Benth.) and longspine [Cenchrus longispinus (Hack.) Fern.] sandbur grow in Nebraska.

G74-182 Caring For African Violets, Don Steinegger, John E. Watkins, Anne Vidaver, Frederick P. Baxendale

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

African violets are low, compact plants with attractive dark green, thick, hairy leaves. This NebGuide covers various aspects of caring for them.

The African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) is one of the most satisfactory flowering houseplants. It is a low, compact plant with attractive dark green, thick, hairy leaves. The violet-like flowers are borne in small panicles just above the foliage. Besides various shades of blue-violet, there are also pink, fuschia, and white cultivars (varieties). Newer violets include not only cultivars with single flowers, but also those with semi-double or double rows of petals. Bi-colored flowers and those with …

G74-187 Care Of Cactus In The Home, Dale T. Lindgren

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The care and propagation of cacti is featured in this NebGuide. A special section on Christmas cactus is included.

Cacti are among the most fascinating groups of indoor plants. Often described as arid desert plants, they also are found in forests and on prairies. In Nebraska several native species of cactus intermingle with prairie grasses.

G74-186 Cannas, Donald E. Janssen, Don Steinegger

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers.

Flower colors range from dark red to light green. Leaf colors can be reddish-purple, bronze or green. They are used most effectively for bedding plants in public parks and larger home grounds where they can be planted in front of taller shrubbery and viewed from a distance. Their vigor and size make them less desirable for planting in restricted areas.

G74-188 Amaryllis Culture, Don Steinegger, John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The hybrid amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is a tender bulb easily grown in pots. Amaryllis is prized for its huge showy flowers ranging from scarlet or crimson to white in color, and often striped or mottled.

Amaryllis can be grown outdoors throughout the year in mild climates, but must be grown indoors in Nebraska except during the warm summer months. Amaryllis is prized for its huge showy flowers ranging from scarlet or crimson to white in color, and often striped or mottled. Most amaryllis are Dutch or African hybrids selected for flower size, color and ease of forcing. The usual flowering season …

G74-113 A Quick Test For Atrazine Carryover (Revised March 1989), Alex Martin, R.N. Stougaard, Patrick J. Shea

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

How can you tell if you have atrazine carryover in your fields? Plants grown in soil samples can tell.

Residues of atrazine may remain in the soil and affect some susceptible crops the next year. Crops most often affected include soybeans, field beans, sugarbeets, alfalfa, oats, wheat and many broadleaf horticultural crops.

Attempts to predict the extent of carryover and damage to sensitive crops the year following atrazine use have been only partially successful. The rate of atrazine disappearance and, therefore, the amount remaining the next year, is affected by soil texture, pH and organic matter content, as well as …

G74-202 Wheat Soil-Borne Mosaic Disease (Revised October 2001), John E. Watkins

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Host range, symptoms, disease cycle, and control options for wheat soil-borne mosaic disease are discussed.

Wheat soil-borne mosaic virus affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growing primarily in central, eastern and west central Nebraska. This disease occurs annually; however, its effect on crop production in Nebraska varies from year to year due to variety selection, cropping practices and environmental conditions favoring disease development. In years when spring temperatures remain cool for extended periods, the virus remains active in infected plants, enhancing symptom development and increasing yield loss. The virus reduces tillering and affects kernel weights and test weights.