Potter County Conservation District

04/13/2026

Poison ivy is waking up right now.

And early spring is when it’s easiest to miss.

“Leaves of three, let it be.”
A good start—but look closer:

→ Each leaf has three leaflets (center one on a longer stem)
→ Spring: reddish, coppery, slightly shiny
→ Summer: green and more matte
→ Fall: vivid red, orange, or yellow
→ Winter: bare, hairy vines clinging to trees (still toxic)
→ It may grow as a low plant, bush, or climbing vine

⚠️ The real danger: urushiol oil

→ Even trace amounts can trigger a rash
→ Around 70–85% of people are sensitive
→ The oil can linger on surfaces for months to years
→ Found on tools, gloves, clothes, shoes—and pet fur
→ You can be exposed long after the plant is gone
→ Rash may appear hours to days later (12–72 hrs)
→ Burning it is dangerous—the smoke can seriously harm your lungs

🌱 What to do right now

1️⃣ Learn it early—young leaves are easier to recognize
2️⃣ Scan high-risk spots: fence lines, edges, tree bases, brushy areas
3️⃣ Always wear gloves when handling unknown plants
4️⃣ Wipe tools with rubbing alcohol after yard work
5️⃣ Wash pets if they may have brushed through it
6️⃣ Clean skin quickly with soap and plenty of water

Tip: Washing within 10–30 minutes helps most—but even later is better than nothing. Skip hot water at first.

🚫 Easy lookalikes to rule out

→ Virginia creeper — five leaflets
→ Box elder — opposite leaf pattern
→ Blackberry — thorny stems

It’s out there already.

Quiet. Small. Blending in.

Learn it now—before it becomes a problem.

04/01/2026

Poison ivy is emerging RIGHT NOW.

And by the time you notice it, it's too late.

"LEAVES OF THREE, LET IT BE" — but it's more nuanced than that:

→ Three leaflets per leaf group (the middle leaflet has a longer stem)
→ In spring: reddish/bronze colored, shiny
→ In summer: green, less shiny
→ In fall: bright red/orange
→ In winter: hairy vine on trees with NO leaves (STILL TOXIC)
→ Can be a groundcover, shrub, or climbing vine

The oil (urushiol) facts:
→ ONE BILLIONTH of a gram causes a rash in sensitive people
→ 85% of Americans are allergic
→ Oil remains active on surfaces for 1-5 YEARS
→ On tools, gloves, shoes, dog fur, clothing
→ You can get a rash in JANUARY from touching a vine you cut in JUNE
→ Burning poison ivy creates toxic smoke that can cause lung inflammation

APRIL PREP:
→ Learn to identify it NOW while leaves are small and distinct
→ Check fence lines, garden edges, tree bases, and woodland borders
→ Wear gloves when clearing brush
→ Wash tools with rubbing alcohol after yard work
→ If your dog walked through it: bathe the dog (urushiol transfers from fur to skin)
→ Wash exposed skin with COLD water and dish soap within 30 minutes

NOT POISON IVY:
→ Virginia creeper (5 leaflets, not 3)
→ Box elder seedlings (opposite leaf arrangement)
→ Blackberry (thorns — poison ivy has none)

It's growing in your yard right now.

Small. Reddish. Harmless-looking.

Learn to recognize it THIS WEEK.

Before it recognizes you. 🌿⚠️

02/20/2026

Not every gardener has weekends to spare — and not every border needs them.
Some plants settle into a spot, spread quietly, and look better each year without deadheading, dividing, or fussing.

- Catmint — Zones 3–8
Blooms in soft lavender waves from late spring through fall, rebounding after a quick shear without any coaxing.

- Daylily — Zones 3–9
Tough, adaptable, and endlessly reliable — each clump thickens on its own and blooms through summer heat.

- Russian Sage — Zones 4–9
Airy silver-blue spires that laugh off drought, poor soil, and full sun without missing a beat.

- Sedum (Autumn Joy) — Zones 3–9
Succulent foliage stays tidy all season, then shifts from pink to copper as fall arrives — no watering schedule needed.

- Black-Eyed Susan — Zones 3–9
Self-seeds just enough to fill gaps, blooming gold from midsummer into autumn with zero intervention.

- Lamb's Ear — Zones 4–8
Soft silver mats that spread steadily along border edges, unbothered by heat or dry spells.

- Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass — Zones 4–9
Perfectly vertical, perfectly low-maintenance — stays upright through rain, snow, and every season in between.

- Coneflower — Zones 3–8
Deep-rooted prairie native that handles drought, clay, and neglect while feeding pollinators and birds.

- Yarrow — Zones 3–9
Flat-topped blooms in white, pink, or gold that thrive in lean soil and spread to fill thin spots naturally.

- Creeping Thyme — Zones 4–9
Hugs the ground, tolerates foot traffic, and releases fragrance when brushed — ideal for border fronts and path edges.

- Baptisia — Zones 3–9
Slow to establish, then utterly permanent — a deep-rooted shrub-like perennial that never needs staking, splitting, or attention.

The best low-maintenance borders aren't designed to look untouched. They're planted so well that effort becomes invisible.

02/18/2026

I did not know that this is a threatened species

~What's That Wednesday~
Can you ID this federally threatened plant species that used to live in South Dakota?

🤩Kudos to Kelsey for identifying the Western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara).

This unique orchid was first documented by Lewis and Clark in present day Wyoming and was once found across all of the central Great Plains.

This photo was taken at the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in western Minnesota and northwestern Iowa.

Since 1989, it has been listed as a federal threatened species in the United States and is also endangered in Canada. It is believed to be extirpated (locally extinct while still existing elsewhere) from South Dakota. It was historically found in the eastern part of South Dakota before much of the native prairie was converted to agricultural land.

The best time to search is when plants are at peak flowering, from early to mid-July.

Learn more: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=elementDetail&selectedElement=PMORC1Y0S0 #:~:text=The%20species'%20complex%20relationship%20with,and%20federally%20threatened%20in%201989.

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Emerson/USFWS, Public Domain

02/15/2026

A lot of container gardens fail before the seed even sprouts.

Not because of watering.
Not because of fertilizer.

Because the container itself is the problem.

Many everyday containers slowly release substances into warm, moist soil. Plants tolerate it. Roots absorb it. Edible crops don’t filter it — they store it. By the time growth looks normal, the decision was already made at planting.

Container gardening isn’t only about soil quality. It’s about what the soil is touching for the next 4–6 months.

Before you plant this season, flip your pots and buckets over and actually check them. The difference between a safe harvest and a contaminated one often comes down to the material, not the care.

🌱

02/06/2026

Full sun gets all the attention, but many classic bloomers actually perform better with protection from harsh afternoon light. Shade-loving plants keep richer color, last longer in bloom, and avoid the stress that intense sun brings.

🌿 Flowers That Prefer Shade Over Full Sun:

• Hostas — Thrive in shade with bold leaf color and texture; direct sun causes scorch and faded variegation
• Bleeding heart — Produces longer-lasting heart-shaped blooms in cool shade; sun triggers early dormancy
• Astilbe — Feathery plumes stay vibrant in shade; sun bleaches flowers and burns foliage
• Coral bells — Leaf colors stay deep and vivid in shade; sun causes fading and heat stress

🌸 More Bloomers That Love Lower Light:

• Impatiens — Continuous blooms in shade; full sun leads to wilting and sparse flowering
• Begonias — Glossy foliage and heavy blooms hold up best in shade; sun causes scorch
• Columbine — Blooms longer in dappled shade; heat shortens flowering
• Lungwort — Spotted leaves and early blooms thrive in shade; sun damages foliage
• Fuchsia — Cascading flowers stay lush in shade; sun causes bud drop and stress

Shade is not a limitation — it’s a different growing environment where the right plants truly shine.

01/24/2026

Want to get your vegetable crops started early this year? Don't miss this Seed Starting Workshop with SDSHC Soil Health Technician Chris Goldade on Feb. 17th in Frankfort!

01/22/2026

You may have seen posts or videos about “exploding trees” popping up on social media due to the impending extreme cold. Do you need to worry? Should you take cover?

While the sound can be startling, our NDSU Extension Forester says trees aren’t actually exploding. What’s really happening is called a frost crack.

Here’s what to know:
- Frost cracks form in winter during extreme cold
-They’re vertical cracks in the trunk, and when they happen, they can sound like a gunshot. No actual explosions happen.
-Some species are more prone than others. In North Dakota, frost cracks are often seen on green ash and chokecherry
-The exact cause isn’t fully understood, but it’s linked to uneven shrinking and swelling of wood and water as temperatures plunge
-We can’t predict which trees will develop frost cracks
-Cracks often close during summer and reopen in future winters
-There’s no cure, though some trees may eventually grow over the crack, forming a “frost rib.”
-The crack can allow decay fungi to enter, which may affect long-term tree health or structural stability

Bottom line>>>
Frost cracks are dramatic but not uncommon in cold climates. Keep an eye on affected trees, especially large or mature ones near homes or walkways.

Reach out to your local NDSU Extension office for science-based answers to your trending tree questions .... even the loud ones 😉

Follow the NDSU Extension - Lawns, Gardens & Trees page for the latest in this area.

01/12/2026

12/27/2025

It’s December 26th, and the urge to drag the tree to the curb is real—but wait! 🛑 Your Christmas tree’s job didn't end last night.

Instead of sending it to a landfill, drag it to a back corner of your yard. It instantly becomes a 5-star "bird hotel" for the rest of the winter. The dense needles provide a wind-proof shield that can be the difference between life and death for small wrens and cardinals during a sub-zero night.

It’s the ultimate post-holiday gift for the creatures that sing in your garden all summer.

Who is moving their tree outside today to start a sanctuary? Post a photo of your "bird hotel" below! 🏡