Little-known variety produces between freezes Banana enthusiast and researcher Richard Wallace successfully cultivates fast-producing banana plants in the nontropical climate of Southeast Georgia. Using the Viente Cohol variety, which originated in the Philippines, he is able to plant an 18-inch banana plant after the last freeze of spring, and it flowers and produces mature fruit … Read more
Mechanical methods essential to industry survival “For us, moving to mechanical harvesting of table olives is not optional. It’s something we have to do, or we’re going to lose the industry,” said Bill Krueger, echoing concerns expressed in other produce industries. Krueger, University of California Cooperative Extension farm adviser, has worked with California tree fruit … Read more
Insect traps for sweet corn IPM Imagine the poor person who goes fishing with a wormon his hook and lands a whale. Worse might be thekid working a farm pond who baits his hook withhalf a beefsteak. The moral of the story for corn growers issimple: know your crop, which pests you are trying to … Read more
A look at the Roughwood Seed Collection Of his own efforts in this first time, hands-on heirloom gardening workshop at Roughwood, his c. 1805 National Register of Historic Places home in Devon, Pa., he concludes, “It was a Quaker lunch – but I gave them the best of what I had.” He serves up lessons … Read more
When it comes to looking good, packaging is the vehicle of presentation. This is especially true when it comes to selling fruit, vegetables and berries. No matter where consumers go to buy their produce – in a store, at a stand or online – the presentation is what persuades buyers to purchase. “It must look … Read more