- Author: Chris M. Webb
Not much, if anything, is more important for survival than water. In the south-western region of the United States water issues carry far reaching social, environmental and political implications. Water availability is a challenge for many reasons, most importantly because at this time the state of California produces half of our nation’s domestic fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Researchers within the University of California system have been working find solutions to our water problems and to implement change. The recent addition of the UC Newsroom newsletter features a collection of articles that can be found at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/21800 and include information related to growing more with less water, UC water research centers, climate change stresses water supply, ecosystems and more.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
On Tuesday, September 1st Ventura County UCCE’s Dr. Oleg Daugovish held the 8th Annual Strawberry Production Meeting. This meeting and ones like it are to provide information on current research relevant to Ventura County strawberry production happening both in the county and through other UC campuses. What happens if you missed the meeting, or attended but need to refresh your memory?
As luck would have it, Oleg posts all of the presentation materials on our Ventura County UCCE website. Besides the presentations themselves, you will find other formats of knowledge waiting to be shared. You can find them by clicking on this link.
Once there, you will see that in addition to strawberries, Oleg has much information on caneberries, vegetables, organic production, cost and return studies, weed susceptibility to herbicides chart, weeds and invasive plants in Ventura County, and Master Gardener presentation trainings, which cover backyard vegetables and weeds.
A grower checks strawberry leaves for the presence of spider mites
A tube is used to collect soil and root samples from a test plot looking for methyl bromide alternatives
Recording counts of spider mites and predator mites in Ventura County field
A roller is used to properly slope the tops of strawberry beds for good water drainage
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Ventura County UCCE Farm Advisor, Ben Faber shares his knowledge of avocados. Today’s topic:
The most important thing you can do before planting is assess the pH of the soil before planting. Avocados are very sensitive to soil pH greater than 7. Their uptake of iron and zinc can be terribly compromised and they will suffer. Correcting the soil pH prior to planting is the easiest way to approach the problem, rather than trying to correct it later when the tree is in the ground. Otherwise, it becomes expensive and takes a long time to correct the problem without killing the tree. Elemental sulfur (not popcorn sulfur) in pellets is the easiest way to accomplish this. Watering and waiting for the sulfur to make the change and then checking to make sure the pH is really down takes about 6 months.
As for nutrients, though, the most commonly required ones are nitrogen and potassium. These can be applied as either organic (fish, soybean, manure, etc.) or synthetic forms (urea, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, etc.) or a combination. The thing to remember is that the tree likes small, frequent amounts of nutrients because of its shallow root system. And because it is a subtropical plant, it goes quiescent in the winter and when the soil is cold. So nutrient applications like nitrogen are best applied when soils are warm, from spring though fall.
Newly-planted trees do not need supplemental nutrients, they are loaded up from the nursery and the young root system can easily burn until it gets established. In the first year, use the equivalent of 1 ounce per tree of nitrogen in 4- 5 applications over the spring/fall. The following year double that amount and do so for each succeeding year for the next 5 years. The more small applications you make the less total nitrogen fertilizer you will use. Use the equivalent amount of nitrogen whether it is a synthetic source or an organic source. Once the tree has started to develop a thick leaf mulch, it is possible to back off on nitrogen applications because now the mulch is contributing some of the nutrients. In many garden situations where mulch is maintained, by year 10 the nutrient status is self-sustaining and nitrogen fertilizer may not be needed at all. Just keep an eye on the leaf color to make sure it stays green, indicating adequate nitrogen.
When the avocado starts bearing fruit about year three, it may need potassium. This is not necessary in all situations throughout the state, but the harvested avocado fruit contains twice as much potassium as nitrogen and when the fruit is removed the tree can start showing potassium deficiency symptoms. This can be analyzed at a lab, but probably the best thing to do is just apply potassium sulfate at an equivalent rate to nitrogen or to use triple 15 fertilizer to meet both the nitrogen and potassium needs. Organic growers can use organic potassium sulfate or kelp. Although phosphorus is used by avocados, there are no documented cases in California where supplemental phosphorus needs to be applied.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The University of California Communication Services Division has created a new website. The website is designed to help people easily and quickly find hundreds of free, online publications written by UC ANR (Agricultural and Natural Resources) authors.
The site has much to offer for everyone. The most popular publications are located in the center of the homepage. On the left hand side, the site is easily browsed using the following subjects:
- Agricultural Production
- Agronomy and Range
- Animal Science
- Biotechnology
- En español
- Food Safety
- Home Gardening/Landscape
- Natural Resources
- Nutrition and Health
- Organic Production
- Pest Advice
- Soil, Water and Irrigation
- Vegetable Crop Production
- Youth, Family/Community
This growing collection of free information can be found at https://ucanr.org/freepubs/.
/span>- Author: Chris M. Webb
The University of California’s Early Detection Monitoring Manual for Quagga and Zebra Mussels publication defines aquatic invasive species (AIS) as ”non-native aquatic organisms that have caused, or likely will cause economic or ecological harm or impacts to human health (pg 1).”
Written by Ventura County UCCE’s Carolynn Culver and Monique Myers and Los Angeles County UCCE’s Sabrina Drill and Valerie Borel, this publication gives great background information while providing clear guidelines and instructions for monitoring small lakes, reservoirs and streams in California and is designed especially for citizen volunteer and monitoring groups. We hope that early detection of these species in California’s waterways will reduce their negative impacts. From the manual:
The sooner a population is detected, the more time there will be to take action and the higher the likelihood of successful eradication. Responding to an infestation at an early stage is also referred to as rapid response. Rapid response plans for AIS in general, and quagga/zebra mussels in particular, are being developed and updated in California (pg 1).”
For more information about these invasive species, check out the California Department of Fish and Game website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel/. Anyone interested in monitoring a water body is encouraged to contact your local Fish and Game authorities to coordinate efforts.
The Early Detection Monitoring Manual for Quagga and Zebra Mussels is available for viewing in the Ventura UCCE office (please call first to make sure) and for purchase online at http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/. Use promo code PRVEN56 at checkout to receive a 10% discount. For orders of five or more, please contact our office for bulk discount rates.