Buhler boy’s basketball places fifth at the Salina Invitational Tournament. The Crusaders defeated Concordia 60-48 in the boys’ fifth place game on Saturday.
Controlling marestail in soybeans
By: Ryan Flaming, County Extension Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Controlling glyphosate-resistant marestail in soybeans has been a big challenge for Kansas no-till producers in recent years. Because soybeans are generally planted later in the season, and marestail generally germinates in the fall or early spring, application timing and weed size are critical factors to successful control.
In the early spring, using a growth regulator herbicide like 2,4-D and/or dicamba is an inexpensive and effective option to control rosette marestail. Dicamba has provided better control than 2,4-D and will also provide some residual control, especially at higher use rates. A combination of the two will give broader spectrum weed control than either one alone. In addition, using a herbicide with longer residual control of marestail helps with weeds that germinate between treatment and soybean planting. Products that include Canopy EX, Autumn Super, Classic, FirstRate, Sharpen, metribuzin, or Valor can help provide residual control against several broadleaf species including marestail. However, it is very important to consult and follow the herbicide label guidelines for the required preplant intervals prior to planting soybeans.
As soybean planting nears, marestail control can become difficult because plants will have bolted and be considerably larger. Herbicides to apply as a burndown prior to planting include tank mixes of glyphosate with FirstRate, Classic, Sharpen, Optill, or 2,4-D. Be very careful to follow label directions when using 2,4-D prior to soybean planting because the plant-back restriction ahead of soybean can be from 7-30 days. Sharpen generally provides good marestail control and can be applied any time before soybean emergence. However, it is still most effective if applied before marestail starts to bolt, in a tank-mix with other herbicides, when used with methylated seed oil, and at spray volumes of 15 gallons per acre or more.
One additional herbicide to consider as a rescue burn down application to control bolting marestail prior to soybean planting is Liberty. Although, it would be better to control marestail at an earlier stage of growth, Liberty has been one of the most effective herbicides to control bolting marestail. Liberty also has broad spectrum non-selective activity on other broadleaf and grass species if treated at a young growth stage. Liberty is primarily a contact herbicide, so a spray volume of 15 gallons per acre or greater generally provides the most consistent weed control. Liberty tends to work best under higher humidity and warm sunny conditions at application.
Controlling marestail in the growing soybean crop can be the biggest challenge for producers. Glyphosate alone is often not effective on larger plants or glyphosate-resistant marestail. The most successful treatments for large marestail in Roundup Ready soybeans have been with combinations of glyphosate + FirstRate, glyphosate + Classic, or glyphosate + Synchrony. However, some marestail may also be resistant to Classic, FirstRate, and Synchrony and control may be marginal.
Caddo Sugar Maples
Sugar maples often have significant problems with our Kansas weather. Our hot, often dry summers and windy conditions can shorten the life of these trees. However, some sugar maples are better adapted to Kansas conditions than others. Our John C. Pair Horticulture Center has evaluated sugar maples for well more than 20 years and has identified selections that are much better adapted to Kansas. Of particular interest are the Caddo sugar maples which originated from an isolated population in Caddo, County, Oklahoma. These are true sugar maples and are considered an ectotype and are more drought tolerant, better adapted to high pH soils and more resistant to leaf scorch and tatter than the norm. Just how resistant to scorch is impressive. The last three weeks of August in 2003 saw temperatures at our research station over 100 degrees each day with no rain for the month prior. All other sugar maples in the trial had severely scorched leaves. Not a single leaf of any of the caddo maples was scorched. Leaf water potential readings taken pre-dawn showed all other trees in the trial past the wilting point while the Caddo maples were barely stressed.
Another interesting characteristic of caddo maples is that they tend to retain their leaves in the winter and therefore have been suggested as screens or for use in windbreaks.
Dr. John Pair, the late director of the Horticulture Center, selected and released two Caddo maples over 10 years ago. Both these selections color early and have consistent good red fall color. Drought tolerance and resistance to leaf scorch and leaf tatter are exceptional. However, neither will do well in a heavy clay soil that is frequently saturated. These trees can be damaged or killed if planted in wet sites.
The first selection, ‘Autumn Splendor’, has the traditional sugar maple growth pattern and needs plenty of room to mature. ‘John Pair’ is smaller and more compact and more likely to fit a residential
landscape. This tree is also noted for a dense, uniform crown. If you
are in the market for a sugar maple, consider these before making a final decision. (Ward Upham)
Cloning Apple Trees
We occasionally receive calls from gardeners who want to know how to treat an apple seed so it will germinate. Usually, the gardener is trying to reproduce an old apple tree that was special for some reason (good quality fruit, planted by grandparents, etc.) Unfortunately, apples grown from seed will not be like the parent. About 1 in every
80,000 apple trees grown from seed will be as good as the apples we are used to eating.
Apple trees grown from seed usually have small and inferior quality fruit. If you want a tree exactly like the parent, you must propagate that tree vegetatively. In the case of apples, this usually means grafting. Apple trees are actually quite easy to graft, even for novices. Don’t be afraid to try even if you haven’t grafted before. The step that needs to be done at this time of year is the choosing and cutting of scion wood or small branches that will be grafted on top of a rootstock.
See the accompanying article in this newsletter on how this is done. However, if you don’t have an existing tree to graft onto, you will need to plant a rootstock this year for grafting onto next. Fruit trees are normally grafted (or budded) onto specially selected rootstocks. These rootstocks usually reduce tree size. For example, a tree that normally would reach 25 feet tall will only reach 10 feet if it is grown on a certain rootstock. Dwarfing rootstocks also allow apples to bear fruit a year or more earlier.
A tree on its own roots normally takes 5 to 7 years before it will bear. Semi-dwarf trees bear in 4 to 5 years, and dwarf trees bear in 3 to 4 years. Unfortunately, not all dwarfing rootstocks are well adapted to Kansas. Semi-dwarf trees usually are a better choice for us. Note that rootstock reduces tree size, not fruit size. Therefore, a Golden Delicious tree that only reaches 8 feet tall due to a dwarfing rootstock, will bear the same size fruit as a Golden Delicious tree that is 25 feet tall.
Most nurseries only sell trees that are already grafted. A company that does sell rootstocks is Raintree Nursery, Morton, WA, (360) 496-6400, http://www.raintreenursery.
Another is Cummins Nursery, (865) 233-3539, http://www.cumminsnursery.com/
This information does not include the details of grafting or budding or subsequent care.
The Missouri Extension Service has an excellent publication on grafting at http://extension.missouri.edu/
For The Love Of Horses: St. George Cowgirl Passionate About Others Learning Benefits Of Horses
By Frank J. Buchman
“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”
It’s an often repeated quotation originally credited to Winston Churchill.
Diane Haffener at the D-Bar Arena near St. George often restates the remark true to heart, believes, and most obviously lives it.
“Horses are my life,” Haffener stated emphatically.
Born and raised in the ranching life near her arena and related operations, Haffener explained, “I’m the third generation of my family involved in horses. I trained my first horse at the age of 13, developing my own training techniques, which led me to the journey I am on today.
“I have built everything I have from the ground up myself, both physically and financially,” she pointed out.
“Besides training my own horses, I’m a team roper, a header,” Haffener stated proudly.
Her collection of trophy saddles, buckles, payback checks and honors as champion of the all-girls roping event at K-State readily verify her cowgirl abilities.
But, the success has not been without setbacks, especially, considering that one of the many horses Haffener has trained in her lifetime injured her seriously.
“It was a double bred Hancock gelding that I had in training. I went to head a steer, and he cut loose, bucked me off and broke my back. I was in bed three months. There was nothing else I could do.
“But, it healed naturally. I never had surgery. Now, I’m able to ride, rope and compete again. That’s the main thing,” Haffener appreciated.
“As a matter of fact, eight months later, I recently won third in the Number 8, at a jackpot team roping north of Strong City,” Haffener related.
“It was both mentally and physically rewarding after that long, to come back and win a check,” she admitted.
The D-Bar property has a large outdoor arena, stalls with outdoor runs and outdoor pens. “I host three-day camps for children throughout the summer, but mostly I give Western riding lessons,” Haffener said.
Through her experiences in training horses and their riders, Haffener explained, “It’s essential to focus on timing, cues, respect for the horse, behavior of both horse and rider, and most importantly trust.
“A horse relies solely on our behavior and body language, and they must put their trust in us. As a rider, we must become one with them, to overcome what both the rider and the horse have been through in the past,” she emphasized.
No matter the age or experience of horse or rider, Haffener works with all levels and in varied disciplines.
“Riders range from age three, to college students, those serving in the Army, and adults from many professions,” she said. “The nice, natural sand outdoor arena permits riding much of the year, unless it’s too cold, or there’s snow.”
There are some who want to be involved with horses and riding, but just can’t have a horse of their own, either financially, facility wise, or for a variety of other situations. Haffener is well aware of the dilemma, and is anxious to accommodate them.
“Horses are available for lessons and riding by those who come to the arena. But, it’s really difficult to find horses that are of the caliber for beginning and inexperienced riders.
“I have worked very hard training these horses, so they readily adapt to riders of all levels. Safety is of utmost importance in everything we do here,” Haffener confirmed.
Working with about 14 students presently, Haffener explained, “The majority of them are younger ones, with maybe five or six that really take competition seriously and are dedicated to improving their horsemanship abilities and want to enter successfully in shows.”
D-Bar horses are often ridden by students during shows at the headquarters as well as at others shows in the area.
“Several students can compete on the same horse during the same show, because the riders are often in different age groups, and not always even entered in the same type of classes. Again, you can understand, it really requires a ‘special’ horse to work successfully in such situations,” Haffener acknowledged.
“We don’t do any English riding here, but about anything to do with the cowboy lifestyle. We show in rail and horsemanship classes, speed events like barrel racing and pole bending, along with, of course, team roping,” clarified Haffener, who has also been successful barrel racing in the past, but she’s dedicated personal competition to team roping at the present.
Roping steers and a roping machine that is pulled behind a four-wheeler are used for training rope horses.
“The machine is actually the best way to get a horse started, and also for the ropers to learn to ride, and rope, before trying to catch a live steer,” Haffener insisted.
Having trained horses from the very beginning to be all-around mounts, now Haffener generally will only take broke horses to make into team roping horses. “They must not have any buck whatsoever.
“I prefer a gelding that is cow bred, along with speed bred. Golden age of a horse is starting at six, because their experiences, mind and body have matured. A horse with a good attitude and is physically and mentally built for roping is the best.
“But, it’s not an overnight deal. I generally think it takes two years to make a finished rope horse. They’re not all the same, for sure, and most of them still require some tuning, unless they are the real exceptional ones,” Haffener evaluated.
“A well-bred, broke, seasoned horse always keeps its value in the competitive horse market,” she recognized.
“Everybody hopes to get their Number 1 Horse of a Lifetime. Mine was my champion team roping horse that got injured, but he still makes me money today using him for lessons. I recently purchased a horse out of Mexico, and he’s put me back winning in team roping, back to where I was before my injury,” Haffener said.
“I’m a header, but I’m going to train myself in heeling this year, so I can compete on both ends,” she promised.
Aside from riding and training, Haffener is also recognized for the custom crosses she makes.
“I started making these Southwest crosses when my prize horse got injured, while I was living and competing in Texas, and didn’t have much else to do. These crosses are unique and full of color. They are a great way to showcase beautiful artwork in your home, or for a gift for someone you love,” Haffener described.
“Each cross is made with old rustic barbed wire, some even more than 80-years-old, custom measured, hammered straight, then intertwined with baling wire, and even sometimes hot wire to enhance the effect,” she further detailed.
Hand-picked stones in a variety of colors can be selected to personalize the unique decorative art piece crosses.
Like horses, development of D-Bar Arena has been a continuing, but whole hearted process.
“Interest in horses is growing all of the time; there’s never any decline. I have a lot of ideas to continue to grow and spread my knowledge of horses and horsemanship. Certainly, ‘no hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle,’” summarized Diane Haffener at the D-Bar Arena.
