Missoula County Ecology & Extension

The recent snowfall across Montana arrived before many trees and shrubs had fully dropped their leaves. This can create conditions that can lead to significant branch bending, splitting, and breakage. While snow is a welcome source of moisture, heavy, wet snow can quickly accumulate on leaves and branches, dramatically increasing the weight that young trees and shrubs must support. Trees that normally handle winter snow well may be at greater risk when snowfall occurs before leaf drop because the remaining foliage provides additional surface area for snow accumulation.

For twenty years, the Missoula Pollen Station has provided western Montana with seasonal pollen reports. These reports identify wind-pollinated plant species and their abundance between March and October of every year. We provide weekly pollen reports to Western Montana residents and allergists.

Six actions you can take this fall to improve your pastures. Several transitions begin to happen in late September: irrigation systems slow and get turned off, the smell of heat systems coming on fills the air, cool season grasses come out of summer dormancy for another gasp, and winter annual seeds sprout. It’s because of these last two transitions that fall is such a critical time of year to accomplish your revegetation and weed control goals! Let’s review some of the ways in which you can improve next year’s pasture with actions taken this fall.