USU Extension - Utah County

Remember when summer meant running until the streetlights came on? Your kids deserve that same magic, and now there's a program built for it.

Marathon Kids Summer Movement Challenge kicks off June 8, and it's FREE for ALL ages and abilities. Run, walk, jump, play... every mile and every minute counts toward completing a "marathon" this summer. No pressure. No competition. Just kids moving, growing, and loving it.

📍 Sign up now at marathonkids.usu.edu, spots fill fast!

Spread the word!

Join us for a virtual training to learn practical ways to improve mental health and social interactions. Community members, professionals and anyone interested are welcome!

Registration is free! Link in the comments.

A great opportunity to get kids involved in 4-H!

Come find your spark this summer and explore the different 4-H program areas!

Weekly meetings will be held throughout June and July at the Salem City Library . You do not need to be a 4-H Member to join in on all the fun!

RSVP through the links below (registration is FREE!)
4-H Members: https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/49428

Non 4-H Members: https://4h.zsuite.org/external-event-registration/49428

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/

Share your input and be entered to win a $50 gift card!

Utah State University Extension is surveying backyard poultry keepers to improve resources on flock health, egg handling, and biosecurity (including H5N1). Your input helps us deliver practical tools that match real needs.

Who can participate: Utah residents 18 and older, who keep poultry or plan to within the next 12 months.

What to expect: about 3 minutes for core questions. Voluntary and confidential, skip any question.

Complete the survey by May 1 to be entered to win! Link in the comments.

Thinking about turning on your sprinklers? Read this first.

With Utah facing another dry year, every drop counts. Being mindful of when you water your lawn can help conserve water, protect your landscape, and save you money in the long run. Spring might be here, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to turn on your sprinklers just yet.

Hold off on watering when:
• Temperatures are still freezing - Wait until temps stay consistently above 40°F for at least 10 days
• The soil is already saturated - If the ground is still wet under your turf, skip the sprinklers
• Rain is in the forecast - Let nature do the work for you
• It’s windy - Water won’t land where it’s needed
• It’s mid-day - Heat causes water to evaporate quickly

Water between 3 AM and 6 AM for maximum efficiency.

Starting your irrigation too early in the season can lead to shallow root growth, wasted water, and even lawn disease. A little patience now leads to a healthier, more resilient lawn later.

Learn more about water-efficient landscaping here:
https://extension.usu.edu/cwel/

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/