402-444-7804
August 2021
Nebraska Extension in Douglas-Sarpy Counties News
Community Environment
Cicada Killer Wasp

Nebraska's largest wasp is out and about and they are not doing any harm. Cicada killer wasp are native and a ground nesting wasp. Males are unable to sting but they are the bullies and territorial. They will fly around you as you approach the nesting sites and they dart back and forth from nest to nets in hops to mate. Females are busy hunting the cicada. They don't care about people they only care about getting their business done before they die. They are able to sting only if they are harassed but even then they rarely do.

They are only alive for a few short weeks then die. What can you do to discourage them from nesting in high traffic areas? They don't like water. Soaking known nesting areas with water will encourage them to move on. They like bare soil. Encouraging vegetation or mulching the space would help.

They are not harmful but they are big and scary looking. If you are able to leave them be - please do so.

Learn more here.

Check out Jody's latest video on Cicada killer wasps here.
Food and Nutrition
Canning Tips
Tomatoes need their acidity enhanced to be safely canned at home. Bottled lemon juice or citric acid is added to the tomatoes prior to canning. Learn more here.

Cucumbers can be made into a variety of pickles. Learn which cucumber types work the best here.

Confused about the terms raw pack and hot pack? Let our experts help you learn the difference here.

Did you miss our home food preservation session on preparing jams and jellies? Check out our website to watch the recording:
Child and Youth
The Importance of Regularly Scheduled Meals
Regularly scheduled meals and snacks help your young child learn structure for eating. Children are more likely to eat healthy meals and try new foods if snacks are not offered too close to mealtime. Here are a few tips for following a meal and snack schedule:
 
  • Plan for 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. Young children often do not eat enough at a meal to stay full until the next mealtime.
  • Make sure that the foods offered at meals and snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy foods and lean protein.
  • Set reasonable limits for the start and end of a meal. 
Learn more here.
Community Environment
Need Gardening Help?

Extension Master Gardeners are here taking your calls Monday - Friday
from 9 am - noon and 1 - 4 pm

402-444-7804

Check out our weather station at http://mgextensionwx.com/

4-H & Youth Development 
Make Plans to Visit the Fair

Sarpy County Fair
August 4 - 8, 2021

4-H Sarpy County fair events can be found here.

Follow us on Facebook here and tag us #4hSummer @douglassarpy4h 
Community Environment
Tomato Trouble

This growing season has presented multiple challenges when it comes to one of our favorite garden fruits, the tomato.
Some of the things we can expect to see with the upcoming heatwave:

  • Tomato leaf curl. This is different from herbicide drift or the beet curly top virus. Tomato leaf curl is how the plant will react to the high heat. Reducing the surface area of the leaf will help reduce water loss to the atmosphere. It is a normal response and even if the soil is well hydrated we will see this happen because the plant can only move water so fast and water can become deficient. The plant will try to compensate by reducing the leaf surface area to slow down water loss.
  • Mature green tomatoes will stay just that - green. The ripening process can be slowed or even come to a stop when we have day time temps above 90F and night time temps above 75. The ideal perfect weather for tomatoes to ripen is 70 to 75F. Fun fact - tomatoes do not need light to ripen and lycopene and carotene cannot be produced with temps over 90.
  • It will be important in our current heat wave to keep the plants well hydrated to help prevent blossom end rot and cracking. Blossom end rot is caused by the poor movement of the macro-nutrient calcium. Calcium is heavy and isn't easily moved and keeping the soil evenly moist will help with the movement. Calcium is rarely missing in our soils unless you are doing high intensity gardening. Grinding up egg shells and spritzing with liquid calcium will make you feel better but in reality will do nothing for the plant.
  • Keeping the soil evenly moist will also help prevent our mature green tomatoes from cracking. When soil moisture goes from dry to wet the surge of water in the mature fruit will cause the skin to crack.
  • Mulching around the plants will help with blossom end rot and fruit cracking.
  • And lastly we will see open flower either drop, burn up, or just fail to open. Pollen becomes sterile when temps are above 90F. There are some parthenocarpic tomato plants on the market that will produce fruit without pollen. 'Legend' 'Oregon Spring' 'Oregon Star' and 'Siletz' are options to look for.
4-H & Youth Development 
Join our Team

We want YOU to be the next "4-H & Health Rocks! Youth Mentor Coordinator." Ideal for a college student who has an interest in human social development, mentoring and/or health sciences.10-15 hours per week before/afterschool. Learn more here.

The Douglas-Sarpy 4-H Program is seeking an energetic, hard-working college student, who has a passion for teaching youth to deliver the 4-H Smart Cents Financial Literacy Program in the Omaha Area! Learn more here.
Food and Nutrition
Selecting, Storing, and Preparing

Do you have a fresh vegetable and/or fruit and not for sure how to select, store, or prepare it?

We've got tips and recipes on your favorite fruits and vegetables here.

4-H & Youth Development 
High School Youth are Invited to Join Next Chapter
Attention high school youth!  Ready to improve your skills for college and careers? The Douglas-Sarpy 4-H program is offering an in-person series of “Next Chapter at Nebraska” sessions in October 2021. Next Chapter at Nebraska is a college readiness program where youth grades 9-12 engage in a variety of activities for career exploration, to develop research skills, and to experience a variety of learning methods that will help them transition to and succeed in college.
 
Save the Date! for Saturdays in October (9th, 16th, 22nd and 30th) from 9-12 noon.  During each week we will go through 1 of the 4 “Chapters”, so by the end of October, youth will have completed all 4 chapters of the Next Chapter program.  The chapters each focus on different skills needed for success in college and career life.  Classes are free of cost.  Registration information soon to come!  For more information, please contact Stephanie.thorson@unl.edu.
8015 West Center Road
Omaha, NE 68124-3175
402-444-7804

Our south office is now located at 1102 E. 1st St., Papillion, NE 68046. Please call ahead to schedule a visit.