From the myth of collapsing root balls to the myth of compost tea - learn the facts about a range of tips you may have heard through the years about healthy soil, pretty mulch, and more.
Q: I'm very concerned about the health hazards of eating food grown in the beds where our dog has pooped. At this point, I could build a fence around the whole garden to stop any further damage, but I'm wondering about the...
Pacific Northwest blueberry growers must identify and control a number of bacterial and fungal diseases in order to ensure the highest yields. Fortunately, only a few of the diseases that occur on highbush blueberry in this region cause significant losses when left unchecked.
Jay W. Pscheidt, Jerry Weiland |
Mar 2015 |
Article
Excessive summer irrigation of oak and madrone trees may promote fungal diseases such as the oak root fungus (aka armillaria root disease) and crown rot.
Mechanical and physical controls are among the most fascinating components of an integrated pest management program. This arsenal involves numerous physical barriers, traps, nets and other mechanical devices.
In integrated pest management, biological controls might include predatory or parasitic insects, bacteria or fungi, and biopesticides. More and more biocontrol methods are becoming available to the home gardener.
Aerated compost teas have no scientifically documented effect as pathogen suppressors. Overuse and runoff of compost teas could conceivably contribute to water pollution. There is no “silver bullet” for plant health problems caused by poor soil health and improper plant selection and management
Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D. |
Mar 2015 |
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