22.04.2020 Bill Tips If you want to spread landscape fabric on the base of a raised vegetable bed, break up the soil at the base of the bed with a garden fork and lay the fabric on top. Using a hoe, loosen the root system of any weeds. You will, of course, want your little microbes and earthworms to be able to do their work in the soil too! If you do that, it lasts and is just as good as the day you put it down originally. :). Weed prevention mon mistakes to weed control in the vegetable garden why i landscape fabric an unfair the truth about landscaping fabric and how to use landscape fabric ing Do Not Use Weed Control Fabric In The Garden Northern HomesteadHow To Use Garden Fabric Or CoversGrowing With Landscape Fabric Floret FlowersLandscape Fabric Weed Barrier Cloth … She would cut a slice in the fabric where she planted her crops. Since we spend 7 days a week here. The fabric will cut down on weeds and roots that would otherwise grow around your newly planted garden. It certainly does help with weeds, but it also keep mud and aggregate separate during our wet winters! Dig new garden beds so the soil sits 3 inches below the surrounding grade. Thick and heavy fabrics can withstand years of use and are a must for use under rocks. Using hay as a mulch for vegetable garden paths. Once the weeds have been lifted, carefully rake the weeds out of the area. Then, cover with soil and plant as usual. For all that, weed cloth does have a use: under hardscape. Landscape fabric isn’t biodegradable, though, so you’ll need to remove it before plowing your garden. How to Plant Flowers With Landscape Fabric for Weed Protection, North Coast Gardening: Professional Tips for Using Landscape Fabric Right, How to Lay Weed Barrier Fabric Around Bushes, How to Apply Landscape Fabric Around Shrubs. Curious about landscape fabric? Cut a hole in the fabric with a utility knife for each plant you want to place in the garden bed. Some brands offer UV protection to maintain the life of the fabric. That spring, Chris burned close to 15,000 holes in landscape fabric, and I finally had a thriving and relatively weed-free garden. The depth of the soil in the raised bed should prevent weed seeds that are in the existing soil underneath from germinating. After they become worn, you can repurpose them in many ways: Lay pieces of garden fabric over newly seeded lawns to prevent erosion of seed and soil. Read this blog on how to use paper and mulch to have a weed free garden from.Landscape fabric is great for letting water through, so you can put it closer to . Weeds can also harm and choke out the plants we are trying to grow.. are using an organic weed killer, using chemicals around your vegetable garden is . Landscape fabric has the added bonus of reducing the evaporation of moisture from the soil underneath. I’m no fan of landscape fabric, but I accept that it can be a useful tool in the garden in a few select circumstances.I go into how to decide whether landscape fabric is a good choice for you in this article, but if you’ve decided to use it, I wanted to provide you with some professional tips and pointers on how to install it professionally.. Add amendments to your soil. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Landscape fabric lasts up to five years in most garden beds and sometimes lasts longer. Lightweight fabrics do have their place though in gardens that only need temporary cover. Apply fertilizer directly to the soil near the base of the plants, taking care not to get fertilizer on plant stems and foliage. Preparing your garden space for the placement of landscape fabric is not difficult. It isn’t suitable for above-soil use because it gets torn during the annual replanting of vegetable plants, which allows weeds to penetrate it. Because moisture seeps through landscape fabric and into the soil, special watering isn't necessary. ... block access to sunlight any plants growing from the underlying soil so the landscape fabric will not do much. Practical advice from garden author Doug Green. Determine whether you want to use landscape fabric for your garden. In the long run, landscape fabric helps keep the weeds from ruining the garden, but oftentimes a landscape fabric makes your garden worse. Secure … Landscape fabric is constructed from woven fibers or manufactured as a solid sheet with perforated holes to allow water to soak through. Here are six solid reasons for why you don't use landscape fabric in the garden. Unroll black landscape fabric over the garden bed with the fabric's fuzzy side in contact with the soil. Turn the garden soil with a tiller or fork. By using large 3-4 inch staples to hold the fabric down and a torch to put holes exactly where he needs them. Mulch camouflages the black fabric, protects if from the elements and keeps soil from overheating beneath the fabric. Natural Weed Control in the Vegetable Garden – GardenFork. Repeat that procedure, placing U-shaped garden staples every 1 foot around the garden bed's perimeter. Used in a vegetable garden landscape fabric will reduce the amount of time spent controlling weed growth compared to vegetable gardens not using landscape fabric. Scotts 4 ft. x 220 ft. landscape fabric-204133 - the home, Scotts pro landscape fabric is a 1.5 oz. Don't use landscape fabric in the beds if you want your plants to be able to root. Water the fabric-mulched bed as usual, using either overhead or drip irrigation. I have found that plants grow just fine on top of landscape fabric – in the mulch – and roots. A good rule of thumb is to always use landscape fabric in your pathways, underneath wood chips, straw or similar. There is a simple technique to follow to plant vegetables with landscape fabric. Growing with landscape fabric floret flowers what is the best grow food guide how to use garden or covers weed matting secrets landscaping and why it in your which mat for tips on choose carrot burlap method gets a twist tiny farm blog barrier cloth does not work down earth products dewitt company Growing With … Continue reading Landscape Fabric For Vegetable Garden If landscape fabric is the right choice for your garden or other yard project, you’re ready to learn how to install landscape fabric in nine easy steps. You can also line the paths leading to the garden to discourage weed growth. Edge your landscape area by digging 2 to 3 inches around the garden area or creating an inward slope to be sure water reaches your plant underneath the landscape fabric. Dig or pull any existing weeds in the garden bed to start with a weed-free area. Landscape fabric: Landscape fabric is great for letting water through, so you can put it closer to your plant stems without worrying about deflecting water. Add compost, fertilizer and other soil amendments to the garden bed's soil. Vegetable gardening with landscape fabric/weed barrier. Providing safe footing and keeping out most weeds, the landscape fabric is easy to lift and. If you want to spread landscape fabric on the base of a raised vegetable bed, break up the soil at the base of the bed with a garden fork and lay the fabric on top. But remember to use pins or you may end up with this: One of the respondents, Robert Miley, said that he likes to use landscape fabric in his vegetable gardens. Spread a 3-inch thick layer of organic mulch, such as wood chips, over the top of the black landscape fabric. You can use landscape fabric in the garden by lining newly dug garden beds or rows with the fabric. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Helps the soil retain moisture. the scotts landscape fabric assists, controlling weeds and reducing. Then you can fill the bed with a soil and compost or manure mixture for growing your plants. Cost The depth prevents mulch from washing out of the beds. For those who dread weeding, landscape fabric covered by a few inches of mulch may seem like the perfect solution for shrub and perennial beds. If you use multiple sheets of fabric to cover the garden bed, overlap each sheet of fabric by 1 foot so weeds can't grow between the sheets. Cons for Landscape Fabric. It's best suited to perennial flowerbeds and shrub and tree beds because annual plantings require yearly digging that can damage the fabric. We want to reuse it but wonder about cleaning it prior to next year’s garden. So it works best for perennial beds. How To Use Landscape Fabric In Vegetable Garden? Most landscape fabrics are 3-6 feet wide and 10 to 400 feet long. Discard the loosened rocks and debris as you rake until the soil … Leif and I finished planting our vegetable garden last weekend. It does this by blocking the sunlight and therefore keeping the soil moist for longer. The fabric separates the cover material from the soil, keeping stone and gravel clean and slowing the inevitable breakdown of organic mulch. product for use in plant, shrub beds and in hardscapes. Pull up any uprooted weeds and rake out all twigs, stones, and other sharp objects that could damage the landscape fabric. Works well on slopes where erosion is a problem. Learn the pros and cons of landscape fabrics and what alternatives you can use instead. Landscape fabric is … A lot has changed since then. Landscape fabric works fine on its own, but it’s usually best to cover it with a decorative mulch, rock, or other ground cover. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. We used a sturdy, 2 layer landscape fabric in our vegetable garden this year. Push a U-shaped garden staple through the landscape fabric and into the soil, anchoring the fabric to the ground. The key to using landscape fabric in a place where you either plant through it or walk on it, is maintenance. When not in use, garden fabric should be folded and stored away from sun and moisture. Once the paper was in place, I put down bales upon bales of wheat straw. The fabric is a woven material. Depending on how big your garden is… My mom used unbleached Muslin by the yard in her narrow garden. Place additional staples along the seams where two pieces of fabric overlap. In the end, it is your call. Consider black landscape fabric a long-term mulch because it doesn't require yearly replacement. Growing with landscape fabric floret flowers how to use garden or covers weed barrier cloth does not work do control in the northern homestead carrot burlap method gets a twist tiny farm blog matting secrets landscaping what is best grow food guide don t you and why it your Growing With Landscape Fabric Floret Flowers … Continue reading Using Landscape Fabric In Vegetable Garden Reduces the need for herbicidal weed control. Landscape fabric doesn't last forever either. Prevents weed seeds covered by fabric from sprouting. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Prepare the soil of the vegetable garden, applying fertilizer or compost if desired. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. It may be bad under bark dust, mulch, soil, or compost but it works very well under river rock, gravel, decomposed granite, or flagstone. Place covers under bark mulch or soil to act as a … Using Newspaper as Mulch for the vegetable Garden ~ Helps control weeds too. Once installed, the fabric saves you time and energy by reducing weeds in your planting bed without having to pull them. The landscape fabric will help keep them out but some roots may still find their way in. Vegetable garden after weed-proofing with paper and straw.Landscape fabric isn't biodegradable, though, so you'll need to remove it before plowing your . This is especially useful for plants that thrive in moist soil, which might otherwise dry out and struggle in particularly hot summers. Use these top 5 membranes chosen of 25 products as weed barrier under mulch rock gravel and for vegetable garden. Fold 3 inches of the fabric edges upward, and smooth them against the edging surrounding the garden bed so no gap exists between the fabric and bed edging. Proper installation of the fabric ensures weeds can't breach the bed's seams or edges and prevents damage to the fabric. Both the kids and the garden have grown rapidly, but that initial batch of landscape fabric is still in use and has been added to each season. Vegetable garden is on the backyard where esthetics is least of my worries. It is important to uproot as many as possible to prevent them from trying to regrow. Often made of polypropylene or linen, woven landscape fabric is the most common weed barrier best suited for flower beds and in areas around trees and shrubs. Be sure to add the necessary plant food and fertilizer to your plant before laying the landscape fabric. Push a U-shaped garden staple through the landscape fabric and into the soil, anchoring the fabric to the ground. use livestock to keep weeds down; use weed control fabric; mulch your veggie … Rake the area thoroughly with a steel garden rake, also called a bow rake. Like landscape fabric, when you are looking for how to use cover crops fabric in the garden, you need to consider the different weights and weave choices for your particular use. You simply have to pull it every few years, and reset it. The idea behind using landscape fabric is that it will permanently eliminate the need to weed the garden by forming a barrier that blocks weed seeds from germinating, while still being porous enough to allow water to reach the roots of Make each hole at least 4 inches wider than the base of its respective plant, especially with perennials, to ensure stems and trunks have room to grow. Landscape fabric lasts for up to five years and is often used beneath the soil in raised beds. Partially unroll the end of the landscape fabric parallel to any side of the garden. Very light, paper-thin fabrics are most likely going to tear and break down easily. Smooth the amended soil so it is flat and level. Pull the mulch away from the base of all the plants so mulch doesn't rest directly against plant stems. It was the perfect width, had great drainage and kept the weeds down all season. Although nothing in life is guaranteed, landscape fabric will help your garden to look. You won't be able to improve the soil after you install the black landscape fabric. More information. It comes in rolls, typically at least 3 feet wide and anywhere from 50 feet to 200 feet, or more, in length.


Beginning in August 2010, ABTI sponsored a series of experiments in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), which were designed to assess the efficacy of phage therapy in addressing the spread of citrus canker in Florida. An infection caused by the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri, citrus canker causes blemishes on oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits which render them unmarketable and ultimately unsaleable. Since 1995, the U.S. federal government and the State of Florida have expended more than $US 1.4 billion addressing the spread of citrus canker; first, through an eradication program focused on the destruction of infected trees; then, through control efforts following the end of the eradication program in 2006.1
ABTI's team of Georgian scientists began by testing candidate phages provided by USDA-ARS. After these phages obtained less than satisfactory results when applied to a culture of Xanthomonas citri bacteria, USDA-ARS and ABTI obtained soil samples collected from the immediate vicinity of citrus trees in Florida. Within two days, ABTI's team extracted phages which scored a "direct hit" upon the Xanthomonas citri bacteria in laboratory results. Dr. John S. Hartung, Research Plant Pathologist for USDA-ARS, confirmed the success of this testing in the letter which is displayed to the right.


Brrr. Just kidding. It is still winter despite our eighty five degree days. There’s a slight “Erin Go Braugh” feel to our March menus for Saint Paddy, and until spring is sprung – apples, mushrooms, cauliflower, fennel and celeriac is where it’s at! All those white winter vegetables are full of healing goodness. There’s a reason to the season – poke around a little bit, you’re probably craving exactly what you need. Click on the menu for a clearer picture.
Posts Categorized: Food News
In no order of fabulousness, I need to brag a little about the goings on with the exceptionally active team at Rootdown.
1. We successfully completed our Community Food Project, funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which brought seventeen new gardens to South L.A., and a 13-week training program that trains local youth to design, install, and maintain neighborhood garden networks.
2. We grew over 800 pounds of produce, a 434% increase from 2012.
3. And we ate that produce at our fabulous party slash fundraiser at Nuevo South!
4. Nine youth successfully completed our 13-week horticultural/entrepreneurial training program, installing residential gardens and designing our first portable farm stand.
5. We employ our kids! We hired two new youth interns, one for our culinary/nutrition programs and one for our horticultural programs.
6.We partnered with a science teacher to develop a year-long curriculum that brings students into our garden at Jefferson High School. We created hands-on projects that support and sustain our food production, and teaches science too!
7.RootDown partnered with Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Agriculture for a curriculum review as a first step in forging a partnership that will make RDLA’s gardens a learning lab for students in Cal Poly’s new Urban Agriculture program.
8.As part of our efforts to increase earned income to offset our reliance on grant dollars, RDLA youth staff started to put their nascent entrepreneurial skills to use: They’ve already landed two contracts! They’ll be doing healthy food tastings and a garden install, outside of the neighborhood!
9. LA’s famed music hall, The Wiltern, threw us a party where all kinds of people showed up to support what we do. It was an amazing night!
10.LA Artist Andrea Bowers invited us to join her to plant seeds and sample veggies at the Hammer Museum’s annual KAMP event (Kids Art Museum Project).
Thank you for your support Los Angeles, we’ll always love you, and strive to make you a greener, greater, more sustainable neighborhood everyday.


Our themes this month are Mothers Day and Life Cycles. Within these themes we will be learning about habitats, life cycles, butterflies, worms and plants. We will start off the month with Mother's Day (May 12) and growing things. In science, we will be studying caterpillars as they turn into butterflies. Next, we will study how plants grow in soil and how worms help provide nutrients to help plants grow. We will be growing plants in different ways and we will be watching living things in different habitats such as in water, soil, and in the butterfly garden. Our goal is to make a Worm garden terrarium. Part of developing this terrarium will be learning about making compost. We are taking this a step further than just understanding the life cycle of seeds-plants. Including worms helps us understand a little bit more about this fascinating life cycle.
Some books that we may read:
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens
Each Living Thing by Joanne Ryder
Wanting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Phonological Awareness: B, I, W
Poems and rhymes we may read:
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
All About Bugs
Shapes, symmetry, long and short in measurement.
Dark and light, making compost, making habitats for worms and plants. We also will learn about the life cycle of the butterfly.
Home and Community:
Spend some time with the family looking at nature and the amazing world of living things. Grow plants, vegetables or wild flowers. Watch for bird nests brimming with eggs or baby birds. Look for worms in the ground and remember to walk around them!
The only holiday in May is Memorial Day on Monday, May 27th. There is also a ½ day on May 15: 11:30 dismissal.


Kielbasa Orchards, LLC
Need some yard work or pruning done and want to support our local farm, check out our services under Western Mass Pruning
PYO is Sold Out 2020
We will have Pre-picked apples for sale at $1.00 per pound this Saturday 9/26 and Sunday 9/27 from 9:00 – 5:00. Pack up a picnic basket and stop by Kielbasa Orchards in Hadley, MA to grab a bag of fresh apples. Varieties include Macintosh, Courtland, and Empire. The orchard will be open to the public for picnics at no admission fee. Apples are from our second orchard down the road that has poor access for PYO. We are located right near Flavors of Cook’s Farm ice-cream and Atkins Country Market. See you this weekend!


Marcos Jr: Ensure public safety, help farmers amid El Niño
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has ordered a “whole-of-government approach” to help farmers and to ensure public safety as the Philippines faces the impact of El Niño and La Niña.
“The Department of Agriculture (DA) was ordered to closely coordinate with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to assess any regulation barriers imposed by the insurance commission to ensure that prompt financial aid reaches affected farmers,” a Presidential Communications Office (PCO) statement released yesterday read.
The environment department, the PCO said, was tasked “to engage in collaborative efforts to devise engineering solutions that alleviate the need for extreme water conservation measures.”
The El Niño task force previously said it is not discounting the possibility that Metro Manila may experience a water shortage because of the expected increase in consumption during summer. It has urged the public to save water and to limit the use of appliances.
The agency was also directed to work with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to gather data on water oversupply and undersupply situations and to raise public awareness on the importance of building additional dams in mitigating the impact of El Niño.
The President has also ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection to coordinate with the health department to assess and implement requisite measures to ensure the safety of health facilities from fire hazards.
The OCD was also instructed to work closely with the tourism department to address the impact of the weather phenomenon on tourist spots, including issues related to water availability, energy resources, public health and safety.
The damage of the El Niño phenomenon to the agriculture sector in 10 regions has reached P2.63 billion affecting 54,2023 farmers as of April 3, according to data from the DA.
Among the regions affected are Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen, DA spokesman Arnel De Mesa said.
“The bulk of the damage was in rice with P1.7 billion, followed by corn at P591 million. In terms of areas, severely hit was Mimaropa


Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons
czland.net -Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons The answer is not cut-and-dry, so before you build an entire garden with all raised beds, try both a raised bed and an in-ground bed. Prepare each bed as best you can, grow the same crop in each, and compare the results.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons ? 11 pros and 4 cons. The answer is not cut-and-dry, so before you build an entire garden with all raised beds, try both a raised bed and an in-ground bed. Prepare each bed as best you can, grow the same crop in each, and compare the results.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons garden beds – pros and cons An abundance of veges and herbs in a compact space I’ve got several pre-fabricated raised beds in my garden – the ‘tank’ type – and having used them for a few years, have got an idea of the good and bad points of this type of gardening.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons ns, and alternatives. Raised garden beds are extremely popular these days, however, some beginning gardeners ask themselves why they need raised beds at all. At first glance, they do not seem to offer much advantage over planting directly into the ground.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons en beds. Raised garden beds hardly retain moisture and are very demanding regarding watering and if you want to move your beds, there will be a lot of work. Raised garden beds are a great solution for a small garden, they provide many gardening opportunities, are decorative and can be installed anywhere, including concrete.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons g. The term raised bed is a bit confusing. If you add a few inches of soil to a garden bed that is at ground level, it is a raised bed. When most people talk about raised beds for vegetable growing, they mean a bed that has been raised with walls surrounding the soil, sometimes called a garden box or framed bed.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons en beds. Advantages & Disadvantages of Raised Garden Beds. A raised garden bed can be made of many materials: wood, masonry or even pallets are some commonly used. They vary in size but are generally 4 x 6 or 6 x 8 feet and about 8-12 inches high. There are both pros and cons to raised garden bed planting. Pros.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons gardening. Read on for a discussion of the pros and cons of raised bed gardening. Pros of Using Raised Beds. Amy’s viewpoint: A raised garden bed is a beautiful thing. Yes, there are some naysayers out there, but there are literally many advantages to using raised beds.
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons f raised beds. 4 Which Way to Run a Raised Bed Garden? Whether you're growing ornamental plants or edibles, raised beds offer distinct pros and cons that you should consider before setting them up. Pro: Improved
Raised Garden Bed Pros And Cons ble garden. The pros and cons of raised bed gardening. Raised Beds for the Garden. Build a raised bed in your garden, and notice fewer weeds, fluffier soil and more convenience. Elevated Garden Beds. Growing plants is within reach for those facing mobility issues or limited garden space.


Mosaic symptoms are variable but commonly include irregular leaf mottling (light and dark green or yellow patches or streaks). Leaves are commonly stunted, curled, or puckered; veins may be lighter than normal or banded with dark green or yellow.
How can you tell if a virus is Mosaic?
How to Identify Mosaic Viruses and Damage
- The leaves are mottled with yellow, white, and light and dark green spots, which appear to be elevated. …
- Plants are often stunted, or they grow poorly.
- Plants may have other deformities and their leaves may be crinkled or wavy.
How can you tell if a houseplant has a mosaic virus?
How do you know if your houseplant has a virus? Some symptoms include necrotic spots on the leaves, stunted growth, yellow rings on the foliage, and even deformed color or form in flowers. Other symptoms include mosaic or mottling patterns in the leaves, distortion of the stems, and wilting.
How do I know if my plant has viruses?
Your plants will let you know if they have a disease problem; growth slows, stunts or becomes spindly; leaves turn yellow, show white powdery blotches or develop spots. Infected leaves eventually drop. Plant stems may become soft and mushy, with black discoloration near the soil.
Which plants can get mosaic virus?
Mosaic viruses affect a wide range of edible crops – alfalfa, apples, beans, celery, corn, cucumbers, figs, peppers, spinach, tobacco and tomatoes are some of the more common ones. They can also infect ornamental plants like abultilon, delphinium, gladiola, marigold, petunia and one of the most notable, roses.
Can mosaic virus live in soil?
Unlike TMV (tobacco mosaic virus), CMV is not seedborne in tomato and does not persist in plant debris in the soil or on workers’ hands or clothing. The occurrence of this virus is erratic and unpredictable; consequently, control of this disease can be difficult.
How quickly does mosaic virus spread?
Comments on the Disease
Cucumber mosaic virus is spread from plant-to-plant by many species of aphids. Aphids only retain the ability to transmit these viruses for very short periods of time (minutes to a few hours). Thus, spread is often very rapid and local.
Which crop is generally affected by mosaic disease?
mosaic, plant disease caused by various strains of several hundred viruses. A number of economically important crops are susceptible to mosaic infections, including tobacco, cassava, beet, cucumber, and alfalfa.
How do you control plant viruses?
Disease control is based on two strategies: i) immunization (genetic resistance obtained by plant breeding, plant transformation, cross-protection, or others), and ii) prophylaxis to restrain virus dispersion (using quarantine, certification, removal of infected plants, control of natural vectors, or other procedures).
What does a sick plant look like?
Disease Symptoms: What To Watch For
When disease attacks a plant, it’s easily visible. Growth slows, stunts or becomes spindly; leaves may yellow, show white powdery blotches or develop spots. Affected leaves eventually drop. Stems may become soft and mushy, with black tissue visible near the soil.
How do you treat a sick house plant?
Try to limit light, aerate the soil (poking holes in it), water less often, and filter the water before applying to the plant. Also, gently remove the yellowed leaves. If the lower leaves turn yellow and begin dropping off, your houseplant may need more humidity, fertilizer, or a new location.
Why is my plant sick?
There are many possible reasons why your plant is looking sick, but you can usually narrow it down to common houseplant problems with water, light, pests or disease. Learning basic houseplant troubleshooting may help you determine if your plant can be saved, or if all hope is lost.
What determine the severity of symptoms of Mosaic?
Disease severity generally depends upon the host genotype, and is usually more severe on susceptible than on resistant genotypes (Hahn et al., 1980; Jennings, 1994; Thresh et al., 1994).
Why my plants leaves are curling?
When a plant’s needs aren’t being met, it often responds with curled, dying leaves. Leaves typically wilt or roll up if a plant isn’t getting enough water, but excess watering can cause leaf curl, too. Ideally, keep soil moist, but not soaking wet. Severe heat and drought also may prompt leaf roll.
Why are my plant leaves wrinkled?
Squishy, mushy leaves likely mean it has received too much water. … Shriveled, wrinkled leaves tell you it’s time to fill up the watering can. However, if it’s only the very bottom (oldest) leaves that are thin and shriveled, and the rest look good, then that is completely, totally normal.


Scientists worry that an emerging "arms race" is underway in the U.S. heartland, as farmers turn to desperate measures to thwart weeds that have developed resistance to herbicides, especially Monsanto’s Roundup.
ReporterSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
Scientists at universities in Illinois and Missouri told me the problem of weed resistance is going to get worse before it gets better. They admit that they got a bit complacent because the Roundup Ready system worked so well initially and was so cheap. But now they're in a bind; the system relies on chemicals to which the weeds have adapted — and new chemicals aren't coming down the pipeline. In Missouri, chemicals used in tandem with Roundup are sold out. At least in the short term, we're going to see more weed killer applied and more tilling — both of which Roundup had reduced for awhile. Monsanto is working on crops that are tolerant to dicamba, an herbicide, but critics are already saying that dicamba poses its own problems.
Monsanto patented glyphosate, an herbicide, as Roundup in the mid-1970s. But in the mid-’90s, the company introduced the Roundup Ready system, which employs genetic engineering so glysophate kills weeds but not the crop. Then farmers could apply it liberally and cheaply without damaging their crops, and that's when its use really took off.
I was surprised to learn …
that the EPA allows combinations of herbicides to be marketed together without being tested when it’s quite possible that new combinations could have unforeseen consequences.
Environment ReporeterEugene Weekly
Pesticides and genetically engineered foods are an interesting place to look at unintended consequences, such as the "superweeds" that evolve as plants develop tolerance to pesticides.
Opponents bring up the question of what could happen to humans’ bodies if they eat these things, but other economies and cultures are also affected. Both pollen from genetically modified plants and sprayed pesticide drift on the wind, reaching nearby neighbors, other farmers, and their fields. If affected farmers were growing organically, that contamination could jeopardize their businesses.
The sugar on top:
Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beets have caused friction in Oregon, one of the largest producers of sugar beet seeds. If sugar beet seeds become genetically modified, then concerned consumers might turn more to cane sugar — which requires more land and a lot of water to grow.
I'm learning ...
Some pesticide ingredients are called “inert” by law, but that does not necessarily mean they’re nontoxic, according to the EPA. As we increasingly realize that it's not just chemicals themselves but the way chemicals interact that can be harmful, I'll be curious to see whether some combinations of inerts are found to be harmful to people or the environment.


Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal
Aranya Solutions partnered with the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa East for a whole systems approach to a project in Nepal for three remote villages who are still rebuilding by the 2015 earthquake. This is done in partnership with the local Nepal Rotary Club of Rudramti, for a Rotary International Global Grant on economic development “Improving Lives of Deprived Communities in Dingam, Chipling and Thankani.”
The main purpose is to improve the income level of village people through sustainable agriculture training in Shiitake mushroom farming, Kiwi Farming, Beekeeping and Womens Empowerment.
There are plans to expand this project by building greater growing facilities and a community center. Road repair is another key next step to support the distribution of goods to sell. A micro-enterprise cooperative has been formed through this project to support the financial structure and sustainability as this project expands. We are seeking additional partners and funding to expand the training program, community center, roads and support systems to these villages.
The most recent training for Shiitake Mushroom farming was conducted Dec 2018 in the villages. A total of 60 people from three villages benefitted from the training, who will go on to teach their families and other community members, reaching over 1,000 people. Shiitake mushroom farming was chosen by the villagers as the species has a high value in the market and gaining interest with people in Nepal.
The people of Dingam, Chipling and Thakani villages are primarily dependent on traditional agriculture which barely supports them for 5 to 6 months of the year, so working adults, usually men, temporarily migrate outside the region as laborers and other low paying jobs, leaving the women and children behind to rebuild and take care of immediate needs. People need money to pay bills such as electricity, mobile phones, education and medicines. The income comes mostly through labor work which is irregular and unreliable and so insufficient. Thus a training program for growing high value products the community is interested in was developed. Agriculture trainings are the first projects in this larger program for creating a localized economy, to keep the families and community together and work with near-by resources and markets.
Timeline for Activities in Nepal for Improving Lives of Deprived Communities in Nepal
Contact for more information:
Katrina Zavalney, Executive Director, Founder of Aranya Solutions
Rotary Club of Santa Rosa East – International Committee & Nepal project chair


We use organic single origin beans sourced from the Purosa region in the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea. The coffee is shade grown under canopies in the midst the rainforest, whilst the volcanic soils and plentiful rain provide great conditions for growing arabica coffee. Our coffee is provided under fairtrade guidelines and we have twice visited and met with the growers to ensure our beans are entirely traceable.
Typically wet processed (washed), a fine New Guinea coffee is deeply dimensioned yet well-balanced, with mild and mellow yet broad flavours that provide a bright and clean taste – a classic, delicate sweetness complemented by an exotic, complex and fruity aroma.
An extensive menu of organic coffee and cakes, as well as fresh daily soups, salads and sandwiches. Catering for vegetarians and vegans. We also have a selection of gluten-free snacks.


9 Reasons To Buy A Lawn Scarifier
If you have a lawn in your garden, you want to keep it nice. There’s nothing nicer than a large expanse of green lawn where the kids can play and you can relax. Even well maintained, regularly watered lawns can begin to look brown, dry and not cared for. The main reason for grass to become neglected looking is, it needs scarifying.
If your grass feels spongy when you walk on it, this is probably caused by a build-up of thatch.
Scarifying your lawn will make it thatch free, allowing the lawn to absorb water, food,and oxygen. The lawn will take around 6 weeks to recover after scarifying because it has to repair itself , and that’s why grass often looks worse straight after being scrified.
Why Buy A Scarifier?
There are many reasons why you should buy a scarifier the main reasons are:
1 Removes Thatch
Too much thatch build-up weakens grass plants, by stopping enough water and oxygen getting to the roots of the grass.
2 Allow Water To Reach The Grass Roots
Once the thatch has been removed any water can flow freely to the soil and get absorbed by the roots of the grass. When there is too much thatch a lot of that moisture will just evaporate and not be of any benefit to the grass at all. Plus mosses need water to survive so as the moss spreads it deprives the grass of water to increase its own growth.
3 Allows Air To Get To The Grass Roots
As the scarifier cuts holes into the soil, the air can flow freely to the roots of the grass. Too much thatch will prevent the air from reaching the grass.
4 Allows Nutrients To Get To The Grass
Nutrients sit on top of the thatch and cannot travel to the grass roots below, when the thatch is gone, the nutrients travel to the grass plants.
5 Reduces The Chances Of Moss Returning
Once the grass has been scarified, there is less chance of mosses building up again. By removing the moss you remove much of the threadlike rhizoids that moss has for roots, without these moss cannot form.
6 Improves The Condition Of The Lawn
If lawns are getting enough oxygen, sunlight, water and nutrients they will grow healthier, stronger and greener. As scarifiers trim the roots of the grass this encourages more growth making the lawn look better.
7 Refreshes Tired Lawns
A couple of weeks after scarifying the lawn, you will notice a marked improvement in the lawn’s condition. No longer dull and tired looking, but green and verdant.
8 Reduces The Chances Of Weed Growth
Once the lawn has been scarified, there is less chance of weeds coming back, this is because everytime you can remove a weed before it flowers,you cut down on the number of seeds it can produce.
9 Prepares The Ground For Seeds
By removing thatch and digging the front of the soil, the sacrifier creates the perfect conditions for seeds to grow. If you scarified at the right time (late spring/early summer) the seeds will grow well and be strong enough by autumn to withstand any cold weather spells.
You can achieve the same effect without a scarifier, but it is much harder work and will take quite a while too. For the first few weeks after scarifying the grass will look like it’s dying. This is normal and will improve over time. Until your new scarified lawn will be so healthy it’ll be hard to remember how bad it was.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many well known scarifier manufacturers, some of the most popular are: Bosch, Hyundai, Cobra, Stiga, Wolf, Einhell, Makita, and many more.
It is safe to shop for a scarifier online as long as you buy from a reputable, well-known retailer.
You can buy a scarifier on finance, many retailers offer their own finance deals.
Some retailers offer next day delivery on scarifiers they include: Amazon Prime, greenfingers.com, toolstation, mow direct, Robert Dyas and many more.
If you want to completely upgrade your lawn, improve the soil, remove moss and allow more sunlight, water and nutrients to get to your lawn then scarifiers are worth buying.


I might be able to walk from the front gate to the front door in 6.5 seconds at a stroll, but I am now the owner of a nectarine, a cherry, a plum , two pear and two apple trees. Some of them were gifts and some of them have been purchased this year, but I am a very happy lady.
I also have 4 blueberries,1 tayberry,1 grape vine, 2 blackberries, 1 golden raspberry, 4 goosberries, 3 blackcurrants, 2 redcurrants and 1 hazelnut. Oh and dont forget 3 rhubarbs. Add this to 3, 2m x 1m raised beds with kale, chard, lettuce, 6 tomatoes (so far), peas, garlic oh and more kale, I am feeling really pleased. Did I forget to metion the Strawberries, 3 hanging baskets, 9 plants in a raised bed and 5 more plants in a strawberry pot. Alys Fowler eat your edible garden, because I'm pleased as punch with what I have managed to squeeze into my tiny, tiny, tiny garden.
And in the back garden, well my lazy chickens and lots of washing to be honnest, although the little greenhouse thingy built by Daddy Troll certainly holds its own.
I dont even have room to swing a cat to be honnest, but even out there I have managed to squeeze in herbs and Chickens, so realy not bad at all.


What an exciting weekend at Lucky Badger Farms as timely rains and warm temperatures have coaxed this year’s fledgling catnip crop from the black soil of southern Iowa.
We’ve had the good fortune to avoid torrential downpours that dumped as much as five inches of rain on other parts of southern and central Iowa. We empathize with those farmers who will be forced to replant corn and soybean crops washed away by flooding.
On a brighter note, our first seeds, sown during the May 9 weekend, have produced robust little catnip plants that now stand two to three inches tall. Plants in the area planted over the Memorial Day weekend have just broken the surface. Bright green clusters brim with optimism for a promising late-summer harvest.
Our third section was planted over the weekend and also appears poised for strong growth.
We expect to plant the remainder of this year’s crop before the week is out, covering a total of 1.7 acres. The 2012 crop will cover the same space before an expected expansion to nearly seven acres at the start of 2013.
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Many of us drink coffee everyday, but have you ever wondered what goes in to making that delicious cup of Joe? Coffee production is actually a surprisingly long and involved process, and many steps must be taken to transform coffee fruit into your morning brew. Let’s take a look at the work that goes in to creating the perfect cup of coffee.
Coffee trees blossom with beautiful white flowers in the spring, which then give way to small green coffee beans. These beans grow over the following months, until they ripen into a red fruit called coffee cherry in the fall. This cherry must be picked by hand, which is a very laborious process.
To get the best quality coffee, experienced pickers will carefully select only the ripest beans from each tree, leaving the younger beans for later. However, low quality coffee farms will pick green and red beans at once to save time and labor. This results in a final coffee that is bitter and acidic, not smooth and flavorful.
Coffee is processed by hulling the outer skin off the bean. Once the cherry is collected the first processing step is to remove the outer red skin of the fruit. This process, called pulping, is done by a machine with a cylinder and spinning knobs that pull the skin off of the bean.
Once the beans have been pulped they are laid out in the sun to dry. This drying process takes about a week, as the beans must reach a moisture content of no more then 10%. Special drying houses are often built to expose the coffee to sun while protecting it from rain.
Once the coffee is fully dried it is known as parchment, due to a thin membrane of skin still surrounding the bean. At this point the parchment can either be stored for a few months, or the processing can immediately continue to the next stage.
Hulling and roasting
To continue the process, coffee parchment is run through a hulling machine that strips the last layer of skin away from the beans. The result is called green bean, and is an expensive product that can be sold on its own.
Once the coffee is hulled it must be sorted. The sorting process classifies beans based on size and weight using a gravity table.
Once the coffee is sorted it moves on to the roasting process. Roasting is done as close to the time of sale as possible to prevent degradation of the flavor. This process turns the green bean into a dark and flavorful bean due to chemical changes during the roast. Roasting is not a straightforward process, as it can be done at different temperatures and durations to produce unique results.
Roasted coffee can be light, medium, full, or somewhere in between. The degree of roast influences the final taste of the brewed coffee, which can be smoky, spicy, smooth, or even a combination of many flavors. Roasting is an art unto itself, and dramatically changes what the final product will taste like once brewed.
In the end, about 8 pounds of coffee cherry go into making one pound of roasted coffee.
At this point you probably know the rest. Roasted coffee is distributed and sold to the consumer. It is ground into a powder and brewed with hot water to release the delicious aromas and flavors of the bean. Many of us are familiar with this step, but it is easy to forget where our coffee came from, and just how much work went into producing it.
High quality coffee may seem expensive at times, but just look back on the long journey those beans took to get to you. It’s amazing how much work goes into producing such a common commodity, and that realization makes a good cup of coffee all the better.


OEM & Aftermarket Replacement Lawnmower Parts
Cortland Mower Sales has thousands of parts for your lawn, garden and farm equipment. With thousands of in-stock parts at our location in Cortland and millions more online, even hard to find parts are no problem! From tires and carburetors to nuts and bolts, we have everything you need to keep your lawnmower, tractor or farm implements operating correctly and efficiently.
Please call us at (330) 637-4976 to inquire about parts for your lawn equipment!


Of pears and espaliers
Espaliers are woody, fruit-producing plants (vines, shrubs, or trees), that are pruned, or grown on structures in order to achieve a flat, artistic, or easily accessible shape.
They can be used to create “living fences,” to maximise production in a limited space, or to extend the ripening season of fruits by situating them against a sunny wall (which will retain and radiate solar energy after the sun has set). With regular pruning, the fruit yield will be consistent, improved, and easily accessible.
If you are working on an edible forest project, espaliers are an excellent idea for ‘choice’ or exotic fruit cultivars. They can also be used instead of hedges; used for privacy screening, pathways, and on building facades; or, for fencing, which allows for previously uncultivated areas in the garden to become highly productive.
Photos 1 & 6: Espaliered trees at a relative’s farm. Photos 2-5: Pears in my garden.
This is hilarious in the darkest way because this tree is holding the dead corpse of one of the other trees
Satsuama Salad with Ravo Dressing
1/2 an avocado
1/2 a courgette
1 dash of lime
1/2 a satsuma
1 pinch of fresh rosemary
Blend until smooth!
It took me a moment. But then I cried.
Fig and grape salad tonight all local from Fethiye turkey. Crazy I’ve been gone for four months so far!
With autumn on the horizon, this graphic looks at the chemicals behind the myriad colours of autumn leaves; bigger version & download here: http://wp.me/p4aPLT-sn
Picking some kale this morning, Been a while since I have made a Green juice, need to keep it steady.
Eating on the Wild Side is the first book to reveal the nutritional history of our fruits and vegetables. Starting with the wild plants that were central to our original diet, investigative journalist Jo Robinson describes how 400 generations of farmers have unwittingly squandered a host of essential fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. New research shows that these losses have made us more vulnerable to our most troubling conditions and diseases—obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and dementia.
In an engaging blend of science and story, Robinson describes how and when we transformed the food in the produce aisles. Wild apples, for example, have from three to 100 times more antioxidants than Galas and Honeycrisps, and are five times more effective in killing cancer cells. Compared with spinach, one of our present-day “superfoods,” wild dandelion leaves have eight times more antioxidant activity, two times more calcium, three more times vitamin A, and five times more vitamins K and E.
Image: Garden Correspondent
Holistic and regenerative farming practices focused on the integration of plants, animals, soil health and biodiversity. They keep the ecosystem in balance by producing the nutrients needed to nourish all aspects of the farm with a minimum of inputs imported from off site.
- LOCAL: The New Face of Food and Farming in America, by Douglas Gayeton
The development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.
– Permaculture Institute
The interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people.
Soil teems with a multitude of organisms which provide the necessary work for healthy plants to grow free from disease, pests and infertility. These interconnected interactions and feeding relationships (quite literally “who eats who”) help determine the types of nutrients present in soil, its depth and pH, and even the types of plants which can grow.
Source and See the video: “Unconventional Agriculture” at PBS
Vegan burrito bowl made with quinoa, corn, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, blackbean, avocado, tortilla chips, sriracha, hummus, avocado, sprouts and spices// #vegan #burrito #bowl #dinner #glutenfree #whatveganseat #vegansofig #vegetarian #paleo #sweetpotato #quinoa #veganathlete #rawtill4


From selling sprayers to farmers around the small Dutch city of Steenwijk, to a global mission to help to feed the world with safe, sufficient and nutritious food without increasing the need for chemicals, Agrifac has come a long way in 80 years.
Agrifac is in the business of precision farming and food production. They produce agricultural machinery, including self-propelled sprayers and harvesters, and their global vision is to contribute to higher food needs in a brilliant, sustainable way.
To achieve this, their focus is on growing the growers. Every innovation must be developed in accordance with their ‘4e’ philosophy of efficiency, economy, ergonomics and ecology.
Agrifac produces two lines of crop sprayers. One type is large and self-propelled; the other, the more compact trailed crop protection sprayer, is the source of this challenge.
The trailed sprayer is hailed as one of the most innovative sprayers in the world, and the only trailed machine on the market with self-propelled sprayer technology. When shrinking technology but nevertheless trying to retain efficiencies, however, there is a need to adapt and alter some of the component parts.
In this instance, the adaptation lay with the spray nozzle that is positioned on the boom at strategic points to ensure that every drop of spray arrives in the right moment, in the right size, exactly where it is needed.
On the trailed Milan model, the nozzle is angled slightly differently, and the aperture is slightly smaller than on a self-propelled sprayer. This device also needs to withstand the demands of the spray, as well as its removal and replacement when the farmer needs to make adjustments.
“We’re an innovative company,” says Jarno Habing, Product Manager for the Milan range. “R&D is 20% of our company. We’re driven by technology revolution and we’re almost always first to market. Our research showed that the most efficient and economical way to produce these nozzles was to 3D print them. 3D printing allowed us to trial the different dimensions, as well as move to the low volume manufacturing required to keep our farmers in the field spraying.”
Despite the range of resins available, however, more traditional 3D printing methods proved not to be the economic option Agrifac sought. Constant exposure to chemicals, the weather and the need for removal and adjustment, combined with the need for developing fine apertures and even finer but nevertheless robust screw threads, were typically too much for most resins used in laser sintering or stereolithography printing. Agrifac noted that they were sending out at least five replacement nozzles a week to every farmer using the sprayer.
Determined to find an additive manufacturing solution, it appeared there could be one further possibility. Carbon’s DLS process utilised some tough resins. It promised parts with functionality, durability, repeatability and, most importantly, very quick delivery.
Agrifac approached their nearest Carbon production partner, Paragon Rapid Technologies in the UK, with the problem. Together, the two companies set about determining the most appropriate resin to deliver on all the required attributes.
The Carbon produced rigid polyurethane resin, RPU70 is tough, durable and heat resistant and seemed ideal for the job. With high tensile strength and very little water absorption, it would not only allow for the fine detailing on the nozzle, it would also mean there would be less clogging and therefore easier cleaning of the finished part.
Paragon Rapid Technologies worked closely with the Agrifac’s Chief Technical Officer, Martijn van Alphen, to refine the CAD drawings and subsequently the print process prior to running the samples.
“Designing for Carbon is a slightly different process than for traditional 3D,” says Paragon’s DLS Manager. “We really wanted to comply with Agrifac’s 4e philosophy, and we knew we could deliver on efficiency and economy with just some minor tweaks to the design. We advised on some slight adjustments to a couple of radii and trialled the design on two or three different orientations to see which yielded the right results.”
It’s rare that a product development process can be completed so quickly, but it appears that DLS delivered the right results on the first print run. Agrifac now had a reliable source of nozzles that could withstand all the forces the farmers, and the sprayers, could throw at them.
“The DLS solution was not the cheapest option for us when we compared it with other 3D print technologies,” says Jarno of Agrifac. “However, it was the most robust. I believe that we are close to offering a lifetime guarantee with these nozzles and compared with the other options that is a significant cost saving. We’re not being called up by frustrated farmers every five minutes demanding new nozzles. We’re not delaying their spraying processes trying to keep up with demand. We’re not impacting our ecology ethos with throwaway pieces. Our customers are very happy. That always means great savings for us.”


Growing grass, especially in your front area, can give an attractive and welcoming look. If the grass grows beyond a certain limit, however, it gives your home an odd look. Fortunately, you can maintain the greatest appearance of your compound by hiring professional lawn mowing service to trim the grass within your premises. Hiring a lawn mowing company has many benefits as highlighted below:
Saves Significant Time
Hiring a company that will provide you with the best lawn mowing services is not a challenging task. You can conduct a thorough research from the online market and hire the best lawn care company to get your job done. A reputable lawn mowing company has the best tools to do their job. Therefore, after hiring such a company, it takes a short period to get your job done and also done in the best way possible.
Saves You on Cost
Hiring Minneapolis lawn mowing service is relatively more affordable than owning a lawnmower. Additionally, some lawn mowing companies rent out their tools in a contract. This means that these companies allow you to attend to your compound and work on it to your specifications at a fordable rate without having to own working equipment.
Saves You from Mistakes
Most lawn mowing firms have been in the business for a good period. This means their workers have sufficient knowledge and skills to do their job. Therefore, after hiring such companies, you can be sure of quality services, which are far much better than what you could have done on your own.
Many people like handling lawn mowing services without involving the expertise of a professional. If you are one of them, you need to reconsider your decision. This because hiring lawn mowing firms have many benefits. Additionally, most lawn care companies offer additional services like adding supplements to your grass to boost its growth.


Sunflower seeds color selection machine: suitable for pumpkin seed (kernel), white melon seeds, watermelon seeds, red melon seeds, sunflower seed (kernel), oil sunflower, tea seeds, melon seeds and other kinds of melon seeds color sorting
Part of the selection of materials examples: the seeds of sunflower seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, red seeds and other melon seeds color selection.
Using high precision three line CCD 5340 high speed full-color imported industrial camera, high-definition identification, high-speed sorting, more accurate identification;
Equipped with a special LED light source, with long service life, small light attenuation, low power consumption and other characteristics, can satisfy million color sorting, subtle changes in recognition of color, light green, light yellow and the same color of the small difference also have excellent separation effect;
High quality image processing technology, can distinguish 0.04 square millimeters of small area;
Can identify the subtle defects in materials, for high precision sorting and ordinary color sorting machine can not be separated from the material to provide a good solution;
A powerful operating system, equipped with a variety of color selection mode, each mode can be memory, once again sorting without setting, and can get the best sorting effect.
Sorting accuracy (%)
Carryover rate (bad:good)
Power supply (kw)
Dimension / Size (L*W*H mm)
Air pressure (Mpa)
Air consumption (L/min)
Note: the throughput and parameters may be different according to the contaminant and the raw material, and there will be no prior notice if the parameters change.


The Edible Plant Project (EPP) is a volunteer-based, 501c3 nonprofit organization working to promote edible landscaping and local food abundance in North Central FL. The goal of the EPP is to create positive alternatives to the unsustainable food system in this country.
2nd Wednesdays, 3-7 pm, at the Union St. Farmers’ Market booth in Downtown Gainesville. Edible plants, seeds, fruits & more. Most plants are well suited for area and easy to care for. 111 E. University Avenue
Beyond spreading the germplasm of plant varieties, we spread information. Most adoptions come with a comprehensive care sheet.
Subscribe to our Facebook or Yahoo Groups for other opportunities.
Our nursery is nestled on two organic family farms: Crazy Woman and Siembra. We maintain our nursery for hardy native and exotic vegetables, teas, fruit and nut trees, and our seed bank. We share these with community (either through work trade, barter, or adoption) and welcome your help do so!
Rather than food produced with massive fossil fuel usage in agriculture and transport, with large scale erosion and fertilizer and pesticide run-off, people could be eating food grown locally in yards and landscapes, with little environmental impact or fossil fuel consumption. Rather than food being a packaged, processed commodity, trucked in and purchased at the store, food would once again be something that connects people with nature, with the seasonal cycles of life. Once people realize how easy it is to grow food, there will be many opportunities for giving and sharing the abundance. We invite you to plant fruit trees, and grow and harvest local food to help make Gainesville a beautiful, sustainable place to live.
We offer free workshops and volunteer work trade at our nursery. Plant propagation (making new plants) & site maintenance.
CONTACT PAGE, CALENDAR links & SOCIAL GROUPS FOR UPDATES
Volunteer or adopt plants in our urban east-side nursery, nestled on a nature preserve and family-run organic farm. (Sundays* 2-6 pm). New leaders always welcome to help expand hours
We save our locally-adapted, non-hybrid vegetable varieties year to year. Look for our catalog and seed packets at our market booth or at the Citizens Co-Op. Every year we improve the crop by selecting seed from the plants which do the best. By sharing and distributing seed, we are largely independent from the seed companies and their nationally-marketed hybrid varieties that often require chemical fertilizers and pesticides for good production. No GMOs here! We also partner and share with Grow Gainesville’s Seed Library. See their site for seed saving tips.


Ever wondered what is the difference between a normal garden and an ecological garden? An ecological garden is an area comprised entirely of edible plants. This means that it is a source of food for the garden owner. However, it is made in such a way that it almost exactly matches a natural ecosystem. In this regard, it is completely different from food obtained from a farm and is more on the natural side. Although this may seem like a difficult task, it is in fact, quite easy as once the initial setup has been established, the garden will sustain itself requiring little additional assistance. You will not need to slave on it like a farm and it will still provide enough for your family. Mimicking Nature In a natural system or habitat, all the work is done by itself. Nature has a pattern which it follows every year and this allows the plant life to grow and sustain itself without any external interference. A similar concept is to be used in an ecological garden. Ecological gardening involves having many different plant components together in a small space. The space is utilized such that each plant has a specific role to play which is its unique niche and there is no space or niche left. This means having a diverse plant growth in one space with no spaces in between. The purpose of having tightly grown plants is to ensure that there is no space for weeds to grow as they would just be a threat to your natural environment. The close growing plants also mutually benefit each other as they cannot be infested by pests or diseases which spread only within one specie. Also bigger plants can shelter and protect smaller ones. This is very unlike traditional farming where only a single type of plant is grown in one space and there is ample space left between the different plants. However, in farming, unlike ecological gardening, the purpose is to promote ease of planting and harvesting for commercial usage. An ecological garden is only for your personal use so large scale production is not the aim. Saving Thousands Although ecological gardening may seem expensive to set up and the initial time and cost spent on the garden may seem unworthy of the effort, such gardens are in fact, one of the greatest ways to save a lot of money. Once the garden has grown the correct way, it would require little sustenance from you so you will not be required to spend time on it. Secondly, the output of the ecological garden can be enough to feed a small family, saving thousands of dollars on food supplies. Finally, products of your ecological garden are also more healthy since they do not require pesticides, or fertilizers for growth and are 100% natural.


GLACIAL GARDENERS MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION
The Glacial Master Gardeners Volunteer Association (GGMGVA) was started by the graduates of the first training program offered by Florence County UW-Extension in 1997. Current membership includes 35 gardeners from Florence and Marinette Counties of Wisconsin, and Dickinson and Iron Counties of Michigan.
A wide variety of volunteer opportunities and projects are available to members:
- Diagnosing plant problems
- Educational exhibits during local events
- Educational workshops at the Crossroads Community Garden
- North Stars Garden Conference – will not be held in Florence in 2017
- Wreath Workshop (second Tuesday in November)
- Member Only Plant Auction (second Tuesday in September)
- Spring and Fall plant sales
Monthly meeting and programs are held on the second Tuesday of the month in the lower level of the Resource Center in Florence. Meetings and programs start at 6:00pm. Membership is open to the public; the only requirement is having a interest in gardening and horticulture. Master Gardener certification is not necessary to join, but members are encouraged to take the WI Master Gardener Training (see below). Annual membership dues are $15 per person. For more information on how to join the Glacial Gardeners, email (firstname.lastname@example.org) or stop into the UW-Extension office located in the lower level of the Florence County Resource Center.
Glacial Gardeners Master Gardener Association will hold their annual Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Community Center Picnic Shelter on Central Avenue in Florence.
Master Gardener Volunteers will be digging perennials from their personal gardens to sell to the public while advising on digging, dividing and planting in the fall. Many plants have also been donated by a long-time area gardener who is downsizing. It’s not too late to put in or add to your perennial garden. If you’re looking for a particular plant stop by and there’s a good chance you will find it at the Fall Plant Sale. Perennials this year will include some miniatures for your rock or fairy garden. There will also be shrubs, herbs and houseplants. There will be an expanded garage sale area featuring hand tools, hoses, garden art and bird houses. If you have questions on diseases or insects in your garden, bring samples in a sealed plastic bag.
Money raised at the Fall Plant Sale will help to fund The Inga Fleming Memorial Scholarships for students from Florence and northwest Marinette counties in Wisconsin, as well as Iron and Dickinson counties in Michigan. Funds also support other community projects such as the gardens adjacent to the Community Center and area school gardening-related programs. Glacial Gardeners work under the guidance of UW-Extension to bring university-based horticultural research to the public. The group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the lower level of the Natural Resource Center in Florence. The public is welcome to join and need not be Master Gardeners. Questions about meetings or horticulture can be sent to email@example.com.
Master Gardener Volunteer Training Marinette, Oconto and Florence Counties
The Master Gardener program is all about building your gardening skills and providing opportunities for volunteering in the local community. As a member of the class you will learn how to find answers to gardening questions through the use of research-based material from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. On completion of the classroom sessions (36 hours), there will then be 24 hours of volunteer time put in at one or more of the approved projects in the area. For information on the Wisconsin Master Gardener program, go visit the state website Wisconsin State Master Gardener Program
For more information about the Master Gardener Training or the local association (Glacial Gardeners Master Gardener Association), e-mail Office Manager Sabrina Leffler (firstname.lastname@example.org)
Topics covered in Master Gardener Training include:
- Plant Biology & Morphology
- Soils & Soil Health
- Woody Landscape Plants
- Fruit Crops
- Lawn Care
- Plant Propagation
- Backyard Wildlife
- Perennials and Annuals
- Using Native Plants
- Weed Management & Invasive Plants
- Plant Diseases
To complete an annual re-certification, 24 hours of volunteer time is needed plus 10 hours of continuing horticulture education.
The possibilities for volunteering are limited only by your own ideas and time. Whether you like working most with people or with plants, there are activities that you can do to fulfill the volunteer hours requirement.
Will not be held in Florence this year.


One day my friend Buck Erickson was spraying a wheat field with a chemical, carbine, that would kill wild oats. Now carbine will not harm peas. The wheat field that Buck was spraying lay alongside a field of peas. The farmer who owned the pea field, thinking that Buck was applying the common weed killer called 24D, became concerned that the overspray would drift over on his peas.
Mr. Farmer ran out into his field of peas and began trying to wave Buck off. Of course, Buck paid him no mind because he knew the carbine wasn’t going to harm the peas. In desperation, the farmer ran back to his house to call the headquarters of the spray company that Buck worked for to tell them to stop him.
By sheer coincidence Buck accidently struck the telephone line which ran to the farmer’s house, cutting it down. The farmer was so enraged that he jumped in his pickup and raced to the airport to blast the company.
He stormed into the office and yelled that not only he could not wave the blanky-de-blank pilot off but the blanky-de-blank pilot cut his phone line down so he couldn’t call the office to stop him!


Humic fertilizers production is one of the most promising areas for increasing the soil fertility and obtaining a good harvest.
In the world, there are about 3.2 billion hectares of land suitable for agricultural work which is only 9% of the total land fund. However, the crop yield steadily declines every year. It is caused by violating the scientific fundamentals of business operations (principles of crop rotation, etc.). The lack of harvest is compensated by applying mineral fertilizers, but at this point, in terms of environmental safety, they have run out of their capabilities due to mineralization of soils. In many countries, restrictions on the use of minerals as fertilizers, especially those containing phosphorus, have been introduced and are gradually made more severe. Therefore, humic fertilizers production from organic raw materials is considered to be partial or complete replacement of conventional mineral fertilizers.
What is meant by humic fertilizers?
Humic substances are formed in soils as a result of biochemical decomposition and transformation of organic residues. Humins accumulate in soils for a long time and largely determine the soil fertility.
Humic substances are a common name that combines:
- humic acids;
- fulvic acids;
- salts of these acids (humates and fulvates);
- compounds of these acids with soil minerals (humins).
Humic substances can be contained in soil and be inactive; it means, they by no means affect the processes occurring in plants and in soil. In order to start favorable processes, humic substances must be activated by increasing the temperature or using the chemical agents that will transfer the basic substance to a water-soluble state. And only after that, the fertilizer will become a plant growth stimulant and a source of nutrients. In addition to the favorable effect of humic fertilizers on plants, humins also make the soil better (increasing the capillary and field moisture capacity, increasing the water permeability, improving the structure, reducing the density, etc.).
Historical background of humic substances use
Humate production has become reality since 1876. It was then that the German chemist Achard first derived humic acid salts from peat. However, at that time, there was no sufficient theoretical and practical basis for mass production. At first, the humic substances derived from brown coals were used as a dye.
Research continued in the 20th century, and humic substances began to be used in agriculture and medicine in the 80s. Black and brown coal, peat, sapropel, and leonardite were used to obtain them.
Humic fertilizers production — main technologies
Humic fertilizers production is not as simple as it may seem on the face of things. In order “to extract” humates and humins from feedstock, you first need to disintegrate very strong lignin and cellulose membranes of cells. If disintegration has occurred only in part, then whatever chemical agent is used, the yield of fertilizers will be low. Taking into consideration that the layer of humic substances is not very large and takes at least 1–2 years to form, the efficiency of the equipment used for extraction constitutes an important factor.
The simplest process of humic fertilizers production is as follows. The initial mixture is put into the extractor where the solvent is fed at the same time. After a while, the concentration of humic substances will reach the required level, and the mixture is fed into the still for distilling off the solvent. The solvent vapors are condensed in a refrigerator-condenser after which they are collected in a special collection tank. The solvent can be reused for extraction. The process is repeated until the desired amount of humic substances has been derived from the feedstock. This scheme is simple, but inefficient. There is no disintegration of lignin and cellulose membranes; therefore, the product yield is low. The process is lengthy, repeatable, and energy-consuming. Furthermore, the use of solvents makes it environmentally unfriendly.
More efficient extraction can involve using the equipment new to this process — electromagnetic devices with a vortex layer of ferromagnetic particles, or AVS for short.
Humic fertilizers production in vortex layer devices
GlobeCore has gained experience in humate production, folic acid production, fulvate production by peat, sapropel, and leonardite processing in a ferromagnetic particles vortex layer device. Let us discuss the device operation through the example of peat grinding.
In AVS, peat is dispersed in water as intensively affected by the ferromagnetic particles which move along complex trajectories when driven by a rotating electromagnetic field. During movement, the particles collide with peat particles, with one another, and with the operating chamber walls. As a result, peat particles are ground, and more than 80–90% of them have the size no greater than 15 microns. In this case, lignin and cellulose membranes are efficiently disintegrated, and humic substances come out of the peat and get into the water. Humic fertilizers production in vortex layer devices can be carried out with or without the use of chemical agents.
Humic fertilizers production diagram with the use of a vortex layer device
One of the options of a process flow diagram for humic fertilizers production in vortex layer devices is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 – Process flow diagram for humic fertilizers production in vortex layer devices: 1 – tank with a mixer (500 L), 2 – vortex layer device, 3 – trap for ferromagnetic particles, 4 – intermediate tank (500 L), 5 – sight glass, 6 – finished product tank (500 L), 7 – sight glass, 8 – tank for alkali diluted with water (50 L), V – ball valve, H1 – pump, adjustment either with a frequency converter, or with V2 valve, H2 – pump, FE – rotameter, TE – thermal resistance, DK – breathing valve, F1 – coarse filter, F2 – fine filter, PS – manometer, SV – safety valve, OK – check valve, LS – level sensor
Results of laboratory studies
Laboratory studies of samples of humic fertilizers obtained using GlobeCore vortex layer device of AVS type were held. The results of the studies are shown in table 1.
Table 1 – Chemical composition of the humic compound fertilizer obtained in a vortex layer device
|Fulvic acids, g/L
|Humic acids, g/L
|Total nitrogen, g/L
|Total phosphorus, g/L
|Total potassium, g/L
The provided data attest that in terms of comprehensive indicators, the studied humic fertilizer meets the requirements to products of this type.
Advantages of vortex layer devices in humic fertilizers production
- the device increases the output of humic substances and fulvic acids into the solution and enhances their biological activity;
- the device can be used to obtain humic fertilizers by processing the peat, sapropel, biohumus, leonardite, brown coal, compost, castings, etc.;
- if biohumus, compost, or castings are used as feedstock, processing in the device makes it possible not only to obtain a fertilizer, but also to destroy vermins and helminths;
- humic fertilizers production can be carried out with or without the use of chemical agents;
- low energy consumption. The capacity of AVS-150 vortex layer device when obtaining humic fertilizers ranges from 5 m3/h, and the power consumption is 9.5 kW. Thus, the specific electricity consumption for producing one ton of fertilizers in the device as such (excluding the power consumed by the pumps drive) is only 1.9 kWh/m3;
- compact sizes and easy integration into operating technological lines (replacement of other dispersers and extractors).
For further information, or advice on the application of vortex layer devices in sapropel, peat, brown coal, leonardite, biohumus processing for obtaining the humic fertilizers, please use some of the contact details in the appropriate section of our website.


A couple of weeks back we told you we’d been nominated for a Guardian Sustainable Business Award for a project to reduce the amount of water used to grow our strawberries. This little film explains what the project was about:
We had our gracious loser face down to a fine art by the time we made our way to the ceremony, but, to our complete shock, we actually went and won the thing. No award is complete without an acceptance speech, so we’ve asked Jess, who leads our sustainability team, to say a few words:
“We are beyond thrilled to have won this award. We have been working with our Spanish farmers and the University of Cordoba for six and a half years to reduce the amount of water used in strawberry growing and, in doing so, protect the wetlands of the Doñana National Park. Our little project has grown from working with just four farmers, to now influencing the water management of 87% of all the strawberry farms (even though we only buy 1% of the strawberries grown on them.) It proves that even if your idea starts small, if you find the right solution, and get everyone involved, you can make a big difference. We are now sharing what we’ve learned with our berry farmers in Poland, and will see if we can use it with other fruits in the future too.”
The award itself is pretty special, and has taken pride of place on our Reception desk here in Fruit Towers:
As a business we’ve always wanted to leave things a bit better than we found them, so we’re really proud to be recognised for making a difference. We know there’s loads more we could do though, and we still have a long way to go before everything we do is award-worthy. We’ve got lots of exciting plans to get even greener in the next few years, so watch this space.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to the after party.


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|Vegetable and herb seedlings for the 2012 season.|
Photo by Brad Sylvester, copyright 2012.
That's two pounds of produce per square foot and it's not an easy goal. It helps that Angie, the woman behind "The Good (& Simple) Life" blog's 1000 pound challenge, is planning her garden in the state of Georgia where the growing season is significantly longer than ours here in New Hampshire. Conversely, the fact that she's doing it all organically makes it arguably more difficult.
North vs. South Gardening Challenge
We, here at the "Living with the Land" blog, are taking up the 1000 pound challenge and we'll be comparing results over the course of the year. We will represent northern gardeners while Angie will represent the South.
As Angie noted in her challenge post, she will be growing "tomatoes (enough for canning), peppers, eggplant, zucchini, winter squash (my personal obsession), lettuces, cabbages, fennel, onions, garlic, peas, beans, cucumbers, celery, okra, beets, radishes, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, watermelon, spinach, Swiss chard," and other items as whimsy dictates throughout the year on her rectangular 20 x 25 foot garden plot. That's 500 square feet of garden space.
My garden plots total about 375 square feet and I'll add in another 30 square feet of herb garden. I will not count other producers like an existing grape vine, apple trees, maple trees or other edible wild plants growing throughout my 5.25 acre yard for the purposes of the challenge. I will, however, keep a record of these things as a side note since it may be of interest to those trying to live with the land.
What to Grow This Year
Since I still have some time before the regular growing season starts here, I hadn't yet fully planned what I'll be growing yet. I have already started some seedlings indoors, however. So far I have several varieties of tomatoes including grape, Roma, and Better Boy hybrids, among others. I also have started summer squash, cucumbers, sunflowers, and red cabbage. I have a handful of 2nd year leeks already in the ground along with garlic chives, asparagus crowns, and some garlic cloves planted last year, and have about 40 square feet of the garden area dedicated to strawberries.
I expect that I'll be planting garden peas, pole beans, chili peppers (several varieties), bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, various greens such as mustard and arugula, and a variety of herbs. My herb garden already contains a few plants that are able to overwinter here with minimal protection: sage, chives, lemon thyme, peppermint, and oregano. I'll weigh the herbs as freshly picked, rather than dried. I use them both ways.
Organic Versus Not so Much
Angie is a committed organic gardener and even uses as much passive watering (collected rain-water) as possible. I am less avid, but still like to avoid using chemicals on my food where ever possible. My water comes from a well on my property. I compost our vegetable and plant scraps along with some of the chicken manure that our backyard flock produces. I have been known to spray Miracle Grow on my garden, use a fungicide for powdery mildew infestations, and once I even used Sevin insecticide for a particularly bad infestation in the garden. I sometimes buy composted cow manure and peat moss to enrich the soil if I am adding a new section of garden. My gardens are raised bed (about 180 square feet) and on a terraced hillside (the remainder, minus about 30 square feet of non-contiguous herb garden).
I have mentioned the short growing season here. As I write this, it is snowing here despite the fact that we had two days of 83+ degree heat last week, naturally followed by two nights at 20 degrees or less. We are in what New Englanders refer to as "mud season." Even my terraces and raised beds are too saturated with water for planting even if the temperatures allowed. With a few exceptions, a significant portion of any seed I put in the ground now would likely rot. As long as we get nights that are below freezing the soil temperature is going to stay low, although the terraces help on that front.
Early spring planting here is a wager. You plant your toughest crops and hope that the weather doesn't call your bluff. Row covers or a small greenhouse could provide protection and greatly extend our growing season for some of the hardy crops, but I don't want to spend more to grow my own food that it would cost me to buy it at a local farmer's market.
The North Poised to Take an Early Lead
A quick survey or the gardens shows me that the warm days we had last week have kicked a few things into gear already. On day one of the challenge, I'll be able to make a token harvest and, hopefully, take the lead over "The Good and Simple Life." It'll be just a handful of chives, some lemon thyme and a bit of oregano, and possibly those few remaining leeks, but if our northern garden is going to have a chance, then every ounce counts and a lead is a lead.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Despite a much shorter productive growing season, we do have the advantage of mature garden beds. The majority of our garden has soil that has been prepared in years past with compost and manure mixed with the sandy and unproductive soil that naturally occurs in our yard. Depending upon the soil quality of Angie's yard, and the amount of available organic compost and composted chicken manure she has available, she may struggle to attain maximum productivity for the first year as nutrients are added into what may (or may not be) less than optimal soil.
Goals and Techniques
I also want to mention that both of us are aiming for a well-rounded garden whose goal is to provide as much of the table produce for our families as possible. If this were a straight productivity race, we'd each figure out which one or two crops are the best producers by weight and ground area required and plant only those one or two items. Conversely, I expect we'll both benefit from intensive gardening methods and by using a vertical approach such as providing vertical surfaces so that cucumbers and other vines grow upward, letting pole beans climb high up posts and the stalks of sunflowers, while squash and other ground covers act as a natural mulch holding in moisture and preventing soil nutrient run-off.
We'll use successive plantings to try to double up on area used for short-lived plants (like spring peas). and, of course, as I've mentioned, I'll be giving our veggies as much of an early start as possible by seeding them indoors until the weather allows them to move into the garden. While we are having fun with the race to 1000 pounds of garden produce, the real goal is to learn to optimize the available garden space that we have, share best practices, and pass on a little of what we learn to others.
We'll detail and compare techniques, obstacles and results with Angie over the next year. Hopefully, the two of us and our readers will learn a few things throughout the process. Don't forget to participate by sharing your favorite tricks for higher yields as comments on the blogs as well.


Soil wealth areas: Place-based financing for conservation, rural communities, and regenerative agriculture
Agriculture presents both challenges and solutions in response to concerns about soil loss. Agricultural producers also face financial challenges associated with extreme weather events, leading to a rising tide of loan defaults and bankruptcies in rural farming communities.
Supporting regenerative farms and their associated businesses can significantly address the climate crisis, improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and foster resilient rural landscapes.
Organic hotspots in the Southeast, upper Midwest, and west coast that were studied for this report demonstrate the potential socio-economic benefits of clusters of regenerative agricultural producers. These benefits include higher incomes and lower poverty and unemployment rates. The clusters of sustainable agriculture-based businesses highlight the potential for other states and rural communities to replicate these advantages and bridge rural-urban divides through healthier food systems and ecosystems.
But many farms and businesses need capital to implement regenerative agricultural practices, and traditional lenders often offer insufficient funding opportunities for their needs. Fortunately, a growing number of lenders and investors are developing more flexible financing solutions. Now the question becomes: how do we connect people with resources?
This report provides region-specific recommendations for implementing Soil Wealth Areas and suggests the establishment of a Soil Wealth Capital Collaborative to educate financial institutions and connect farmers and entrepreneurs with aligned capital providers. It assesses the feasibility of different types of place-based financing platforms in four states across three regions (North Carolina, northern California, Oregon, and Wisconsin) and explains the value of a Soil Wealth Community national platform for shared learnings and the expansion of place-based financing in other locations.


Everyone has heard the expression that there is only one chance to make a good first impression. When it comes to the home the first impression is its curb appeal. This comes in large part due to the look of its front yard.
Obviously, landscaping has to do with more than just curb appeal but it certainly plays an intricate part in making that first great impression. Anyone wanting to improve their yards landscaping can use ideas from professionals to easily improve the outside of their homes.
Choices For Mulch, Stone, And Soil
Anyone needing soil or mulch or stone for their outdoor area will need to consider buying those things bagged or in bulk. If the homeowner needs to move those things after they are delivered then it is recommended that they buy those things bagged. If the stone and soil can be dumped immediately then it is recommended that they buy in bulk.
Knowing when to buy those items bagged or in bulk will help a great deal in the amount of work and time needed to make use of those things. It will also save money when buying them. This is ideal for a DIY project.
Get The Right Tools
Any homeowner wanting to do their own landscape work will need to get the right tools. This is an area where they may want to look for bargains but at the same time, they don’t want to buy cheap tools. Quality tools will make the work easier and the tools will last longer and this is of great value. Ultimately, almost all homeowners will agree that buying quality tools saves on work and money.
How To Reduce Mowing
A homeowner can make their home and its yard look fabulous and at the same time reduce the need for mowing. This is done by planting islands and beds for the bushes, plants, and flowers strategically. When done correctly it will largely avoid the need for trimming and the mowing is minimal, fast and easy.
Recycle The Leaves
Instead of raking the leaves and bagging them and taking them to the land field consider mowing them which chops them up and makes them suitable for fertilizing the soil naturally. A homeowner can add a little bit of fertilizer to the mulch created by the leaves and they will have rich soil in which anything can grow.
Test The Soil
Using the state’s extension service homeowners can have their lawn or other soil tested. Often homeowners will try simply guessing on the type and amount of fertilizer for their lawn. This often turns out to be a mistake that is costly. Having the soil tested will show the specific conditions that exist currently and let the homeowner know exactly what would be best for their soil.
Follow A Plan
Anytime a homeowner wants to do their own landscape work they should follow a plan. It can be one that they develop themselves by doing some basic research or it can be one that’s provided by a professional landscaper. It’s not that difficult to get a great result if the homeowner just uses their common sense and begins with a plan.


In my family and my local communit access to water is very important. We use water to grow our food, to drink, for our animals, to wash and many other things. If it does not rain our food plants die and we have to walk far distances to get enough water for our children to drink. The last decade we have gotten less and less rain due to climate change.
Picture of me fetching water with my bisycle (picture is taken by Julie Lunde Lillesæter and used in the climate documentary Wind of Change)
Unfortunately we cannot see any quick fix on this big global challenge of climate change and dry rain periods. Therefore we have started to try out and teach each other different kind of adoption methods. Here are some of our methods on water management:
TECHNIQUE WE USE TO SAVE WATER
In our homes we harvest rain water through roofs at our houses and store them in small tanks. The tanks can store water for 3-4 days. During dry season we fetch water in jerry cans using our animals, bicycles and even using our back. We work hard to minimize the usage of water within the family and in our shamba (fields). We dig terraces, plant grass and even shallow dams in our field to so that the water does not just turn into a river when it rains and go away. We even dig shallow dams where that is possible. It is hard work, but very important to make sure that we have enough water for the plants to grow and become food for our children.
Me and school parants collecting water for the big school-water-tank so that our children can get water at school (picture is taken by Julie Lunde Lillesæter and used in the climate documentary Wind of Change)
Three years ago me and 65 local community members built a green house. The idea of the green house was introduced to us by catholic diocese whom supplied us with materials for the green house, first seeds, water tank, drip system and training on how to run the green house.
In the green house we can grow vegetables like tomatoes, onions, kales spinach and carrots. We also grow different maize variety for research on their viability within our community and tree nurseries. Currently we have maize and onions. We have 3000 seedlings ready to be planted at fields belonging to the local schools, chiefs camp, churches and public fields.
My experience is that green house is effective way of producing food in dry areas since its consumption of water is minimal with high yields. Is also an empowerment to farmers because there is participatory technology development (PTD) to members.
Now that we have this one greenhouse together we are learning how to manage a greenhouse, and maybe we in the future can have one greenhouse each. That would have helped us a lot. How ever, getting a greenhouse for each member is a challenge due to lack of financing. Another challenge is that, even though the plants in the green house only needs small amount of water, they still need water. This might be challenging during the drought time for members that live far away from the river.


About Marigold Plants
Marigold Plants S.A. is the company standing for quality in service and products
We are a family business in the plant sector. Our grand grand father started the business by growing cut flowers and entered in pot plants at the late 50’s.
In 1987, our father, Lefteris Kitantzis stared his export activity in plant business. Over the years we have grown to the company we are today.
Marigold Plants S.A. is the largest pot plant exporting company of Greece.
In our family we have been raised with core values and ethics which remain unchanged over the years and is our motivation power:
What brings you closer to us?
Marigold Plants is a company able to serve big range of partners such as garden centers, wholesalers, retailers and other growers.
The large assortment of the company ranges from green indoor plants to shrubs.
-Marigold Plants S.A. operates under environmentally friendly procedures and is certified as well as GLOBAL GAP Flowers & Ornamentals.
-By offering the latest varieties and most interesting products to our partners
-Service: our partners are in favor of high quality service and consistency
-Marigold Plants S.A. is able to satisfy specific request by listening to its partner’s needs, separately
Stay in touch
Contact Marigold Plants
Mailing Address: Souliou Avenue 189-Kato Souli,
Marathon 19007-Attica, Greece


Looking for irrigation repair or service? Some Kelowna neighborhoods have endless, fanatically manicured lawns. These beautiful lawns aren’t easy to come by in our naturally dry climate. Homeowners spend a lot of time mowing, weeding and trimming, in order to maintain their lawn’s lush and natural beauty. Many homeowners utilize the convenience of automation, which helps provide consistent and early morning watering. Irrigation systems are definitely one of the secrets behind having a beautiful lawn, as temperatures can easily soar beyond 40c in summer months, and Kelowna areas can experience weeks without any precipitation.
Irrigation Trouble Shooting
Sprinklers that become clogged are usually the result of trapped dirt or debris in the nozzle area, and as a result, little or no water is able to escape while the irrigation system is running. Inspect the nozzle head and see if you can easily remove and rinse out the filter. Typically, a quick cleaning is all you’ll need to resolve this issue.
Other issues with irrigation systems include sprinkler leaks, which significantly impact the efficiency of your entire distribution system. Typically these leaks can be caused by natural age, causing seals to wear down, or through lawn mowing or related maintenance equipment that comes into contact with the sprinkler head. A basic repair can be carried out by simply replacing the seal of the sprinkler head, while advanced problems with the rotor and mechanism may create the need to replace the entire head.