USU Extension - Utah County

Get certified to trap in Utah!

USU Extension and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are offering this required education course for those seeking a furbearer license.

First complete the online course, then join us for an in-person field day on Wednesday, May 6th, at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds.

Check the link in the comments for details and registration!

Great info for those with fruit trees!

We understand that many of you have already lost your fruit, but for those areas that were spared the frosts on April 2 and 3, you may need to protect your fruit trees.

Temperatures are expected to drop to critical freezing values in many parts of northern Utah on Thursday and Friday this week. If the temperature drops to 28°F for just 30 minutes, potentially 10% of the flowers or fruitlets could be killed. If the temperature drops to 25°F for 30 minutes, 90% of the flowers or fruitlets could be killed.

See the latest advisory for more information on frost protection strategies for backyard trees and commercial orchards: https://pestadvisories.usu.edu/2026/04/15/frost-3/

What should you be doing, and what should you avoid, when setting up your garden this spring? And is this unusually warm winter something to worry about?

Our horticulture expert, Taun Beddes, recently joined KUTV 2News to break it all down.

🎥 Watch the video at the link in the comments!

Checkout the latest Fruit Pest Advisory!

The latest Fruit Pest Advisory is now available. Although spring activity is still about three weeks ahead of “average,” the cooler temperatures starting today will slow plant (and pest) growth down. Unfortunately, the early spring meant early blooms that are susceptible to frost damage.

Assessing frost damage:
• Temperatures of 26°F or lower occurred in some fruit-growing areas early this morning. If this temperature is sustained, fruit losses can occur.
• A picture is provided in the advisory link below, but to check for damage, wait 3 to 7 days from now, and slice flowers or fruitlets in half to see if the tissue inside is brown (dead) or green (live).

On apple and pear:
• Codling moth: For a few locations, a treatment date is provided, but it is a month away. The next advisory will provide more accurate dates.
• Powdery mildew: Apply a fungicide after bloom.

On peach/nectarine and apricot:
• Powdery mildew and Coryneum blight: Apply a fungicide at shuck-split stage (when the brown papery husk splits from the fruitlets), which will be earlier on apricot than peach
• Green peach aphids are becoming noticeable but could be ignored.

View the full advisory for more information:
https://pestadvisories.usu.edu/2026/04/03/cm-early/