In recent decades integrated pest management (IPM) has gone from being essentially an exotic idea about how to address plant, animal, fungal and a range of other pests capable of crippling production, to being a term bandied about in the growing community almost daily. Widely accepted today as the most appropriate response to the problem … Read more
Pollinators are responsible for nearly 30 percent of our nation’s food supply. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) support an estimated $15 billion in crop production, visiting fruits, nuts and vegetables including blueberries, cranberries, cucurbits, apples, almonds, onions, celery, beets, brassica and citrus. In California alone, 850,000-plus acres of almonds require more than 1.5 million honeybee colonies … Read more
Many commercial growers spray chemicals to rid crops of weeds, but few actively consider the possibility of herbicide resistance. Yet the first known reported case of herbicide resistance occurred back in 1957 when a spreading dayflower spotted in a sugarcane field became resistant to a synthetic auxin herbicide, according to the Weed Science Society of … Read more
Identifying pests is a key component in controlling them. Some common ones in peppers are the beet armyworm, European corn borer and pepper maggot. Pepper Insects 1. Beet armyworm The beet armyworm is a serious contender for major pests in pepper fields. This insect arrives late in the growing season and first attacks a pepper plant’s … Read more
Agriculture is the backbone of life. However, with the average age of a farmer in the United States being 56 years old, it’s becoming crucial that younger generations to chip in. But how does someone start? Here are a few things to remember before you dive into becoming a first-time farmer. Successful First-Time Farmer 1. Get … Read more