Celebrate (and check) your drinking water in May

water testing kit

National Drinking Water Week is held in May each year to bring attention to important water quantity and quality issues and their relationship to drinking water supplies.  The attention to drinking water during that week provides an opportunity to learn more water resources in general and also serves a reminder to think about where your water comes from.

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Does Manure Benefit Crop Productivity? Environment?

dry manure spreader with vertical beaters
Manure is often viewed by many as an environmental liability. However, if manure is applied at rates equal to or less than the nitrogen (N) requirement of a crop, can manure produce environmental benefits over commercial fertilizer? This was the focus of an Asian research group which summarized the results of 141 published studies from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. comparing manure substitution for fertilizer. This article summarizes the “Take Home Messages” from this research paper.

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Effects of liquid manure injection into a winter rye cover crop: on-farm trials

Fall manure injection into cereal rye cover crop
Winter cereal rye planted as a cover crop has been shown effective in capturing nitrate before it leaches from the root zone. We conducted on-farm trials in central and southern Minnesota to determine if a rye cover crop would capture significant root-zone nitrate in the fall and spring but release it in time to maintain yield in the subsequent corn crop.

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Protecting Ground and Surface Water

Rain water and irrigation go to the storm drain

With a tip of the cap to National Groundwater Awareness Week, which was March 11-17, the landscape and gardening industry must do their part to prevent groundwater and surface water pollution on the properties we manage.

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Zebra Mussels in Nebraska

a lake

Boating season is once again upon us and it is time to remember to clean, drain and dry watercrafts, angling equipment and any other items that come in contact with a waterbody between uses.  Zebra mussels, an invasive small mussel species, can live out of water for up to 2 weeks in the summer time in the right conditions and cleaning, draining and drying watercrafts and equipment for at least 5 days before launching in a different waterbody is pertinent.  Currently there is no effective way to eliminate 100% of zebra mussels from a waterbody so prevention is key. 

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So What Are We Actually Measuring

When properly calibrated, soil water sensors can give irrigators an accurate measurement of how much water is currently available, and how much has been depleted, in the soil for the crop. When used along with weather data and crop water use data, this accurate measurement of soil water can help irrigators make a more informed decision on when irrigation should start, how much to apply, and when to quit irrigating. When looking at sensors, be sure to have an understanding of soil water content and how they actually measure soil water. 

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Salt-Free Water "Softener" Alternatives

In recent years several emerging non-chemical technologies based on a variety of physical phenomena have entered the market to aid consumers in addressing the problems caused by hard water.  These are an alternative to a traditional ion exchange water softener.  Generally these technologies do not remove most of the hardness minerals from the water, but reduce the problems associated by the hardness.  

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Planting for Water Savings

Photo of a water wise landscape

Planting for Water Savings

Spring will be here before we know it, which is very exciting for plant enthusiasts. We can get outside and do some cleanup once it starts to get warm. Don’t get too excited though, winter could still show up for a couple more months. One thing you can do now, though, is plan your garden.

Choose Well-Adapted Plants

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Lake Management Workshops

attendees of lake management workshop
Spring will be here before we know it and that means enjoying the outdoors! Its time for kayaking, swimming and fishing. And, if you are a pond or lake owner, it's time to think about what kind of management strategies you will use for your pond or lake this year.

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National Groundwater Awareness Week

National Groundwater Awareness Week logo

National Groundwater Awareness Week

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