Field Crops Malheur County - Oregon State University

06/16/2026

🚨🌱 Noxious W**d of the Week 🌱🚨

Each week we will highlight a noxious w**d that impacts our local agricultural systems, gardens, and natural areas. Learn how to identify these troublesome plants, understand the risks they pose, and discover practical management strategies.

This week’s w**d spotlight: Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)

Yellow nutsedge is a problematic w**d in onion production systems in eastern Oregon. The high-moisture, high-light conditions commonly found in onion fields allow yellow nutsedge to thrive. Often mistaken for a grass, yellow nutsedge is one of the most persistent w**ds found in irrigated fields, gardens, landscapes, and other disturbed areas.

🔍How to Identify Yellow Nutsedge
• Bright yellow-green leaves that are shiny and upright.
• Stems are triangular in shape when rolled between your fingers.
• Produces yellowish-brown seed heads during the summer.
• Primarily reproduces from underground rhizomes and tubers, commonly called "nutlets," .

⚠️Why It's a Problem
• Competes aggressively with crops and other vegetation.
• Thrives in moist soils and irrigated areas.
• Can reduce crop yields and interfere with harvesting operations.
• Underground tubers allow it to persist even after mowing or cultivation, making control difficult.

✅ Management Tips
• Improve drainage where possible, as yellow nutsedge prefers wet conditions.
• Maintain healthy, competitive crops and vegetation to reduce establishment.
• Hand-pull small infestations before tubers develop, ensuring as much of the underground plant as possible is removed.
• Monitor fields regularly and address new infestations early to prevent the spread of tubers.

Have you spotted yellow nutsedge in your field, garden, or landscape?

**dOfTheWeek

06/09/2026

🌱📚 Finals Week in the Garden! 📚🌱

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming students from the Agriculture Department at Treasure Valley Community College to our demonstration garden. These students are completing their Associate of Science degrees and conducted their final lab for the course CSS 200:Principles of Crop Production right here in the garden.

The focus of the lab was mulch, any material applied to the soil surface to help improve the growing environment for plants. Students explored different types of mulch, discussed its many benefits, and gained hands-on experience applying mulch around our tomato and pepper plants.

For this activity, we used old alfalfa hay, including spoiled hay, loose piles, and partially composted bales. As alfalfa hay breaks down, it adds nitrogen to the soil and can be incorporated into the soil at the end of the growing season to help increase soil organic matter for future planting.

Some of the many benefits of mulch include:
🌿 Reducing soil moisture loss through evaporation
🌿 Suppressing w**ds
🌿 Reducing nutrient leaching during heavy rainfall
🌿 Insulating soil from extreme temperature fluctuations
🌿 Improving soil health over time

A big thank you to these students for stopping by, lending a hand, and helping care for the garden. We wish you all the best as you finish your remaining finals and complete the semester.

Congratulations on all your hard work, and we look forward to seeing where your agricultural careers take you! 🌱🎓

05/21/2026

What a wonderful evening at the Nyssa Middle School Family Engagement Workshop! 🌱✨

We are so grateful for the collaboration between the Juntos Program and the Master Gardener Program to create a meaningful experience for families in our community. One of the highlights of the evening was an activity where families planted seeds together and used the experience as an analogy for setting and achieving family goals.

Thank you to all the families, volunteers, and partners who made this workshop such a success. It was inspiring to see families learning, connecting and growing together. 🌿💚

05/18/2026

🌱 Huge progress at the demonstration garden!

Last Saturday, we transplanted seedlings into our demonstration garden. A massive thank you to all the Master Gardener volunteers who lent their time and expertise to help make it happen. You all rock! 🏆💚☘️

With the clover already established as a living mulch to help retain moisture, suppress w**ds, and naturally improve soil health, we were excited to get our seedlings transplanted and growing.

👉 Swipe to see our incredible volunteers in action! ➡️

What are you planting in your garden this week? 👇

04/22/2026

Thank you for your interest in becoming trained in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and helping prevent su***de. This QPR training is an evidence-based su***de prevention training for adults age 18 and older and provides the knowledge and skills needed to help someone in crisis. A QPR training for yo...

04/13/2026

🌿 Summer Internship Opportunity! 🌿

Love working outdoors? Interested in gardening, community programs, and hands-on learning? This is your chance!

We’re hiring a Master Gardener Intern in Ontario, OR 🌱

🌼 Key Responsibilities:
• Garden maintenance & operations
• Support educational programs and events
• Assist with volunteer coordination
• Help with outreach and communications

🎓 Qualifications:
• Full-time student; planning college enrollment (Fall 2026)
• Able to work outdoors in varying conditions
• Basic computer skills
• Strong communication skills
• Works well independently and in a team

📅 Deadline: April 22
📍 Ontario, OR
🔗 Apply now: https://beav.es/xvW

04/08/2026

Build Your Future in Agriculture — $1,000 Scholarship

A strong future in agriculture starts with the right foundation—and the right support.

The RURAL Oregon Scholarship Program (2026–2027) offers $1,000 toward tuition and fees at Treasure Valley Community College for students preparing to build careers in agriculture, food systems, or natural resources.

This opportunity is designed specifically for students in Wallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, Harney, and Malheur counties who are ready to take a steady next step into a field that sustains communities and economies.

There are 8 scholarships available, with a deadline of May 1 (10:59 PM PDT).

If your path includes contributing to the future of rural Oregon, this is a practical place to begin.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://beav.es/xKv

03/27/2026

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9866-grow-your-own-sunflowers 🌻😊

Grow bright, easy sunflowers in Oregon gardens. Learn how to plant, care for and harvest them, plus choose the best varieties for pollinators, cut flowers, wildlife, seeds and containers.

03/27/2026

🌱 Ready to grow something amazing this season? Join us for a FREE Seed Starting Event and kick off your garden the right way!

✨ No registration required
🌿 Hands-on seed planting
🌱 Learn how to prevent common issues
💧 Seedling care tips
🎁 Free seeds available

📅 Monday, March 30 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📅 Thursday, April 2 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 710 SW 5th Ave, Ontario, OR
⏰ Meet at 2:50 PM (we’ll head to nearby greenhouses together)

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned grower, this is a great chance to learn, connect, and get your garden started right 🌼

Bring your friends and your questions—we’ll see you there!

SpringPlanting CommunityGarden OSUExtension GardeningWorkshop

03/20/2026

Ready to get your trees in shape for spring?

Join us for a FREE Tree Pruning Workshop at the Hikaru Mizu Japanese Garden in Ontario! This hands-on workshop includes:
✔️ Instruction from an experienced horticulturist
✔️ Live pruning demonstrations
✔️ Tools provided for practice

📅 Saturday, March 21st
⏰ 9:00–11:00 AM
📍 676 SW 5th Ave, Ontario, OR
We will meet at the Extension Office at 8:50 AM before heading over to the garden.

This is a great opportunity for gardeners of all experience levels to learn proper pruning techniques and ask questions in a relaxed, outdoor setting.

📞 Contact us at 541-881-1417
🔗 Register here: beav.es/Nyg

We hope to see you there!