- Author: Chris M. Webb
Join expert composter Lorraine Walters on Saturday, September 4 and learn about composting, vermicompost and mulch to improve the health of your soil. Healthy soil can increase production, reduce the likelihood of insects and disease, reduce water needs and more.
This class will be held at Community Roots Garden. Scheduled topics include:
- How to make compost from common materials such as food scraps, grass clippings, and leaves.
- Faster composting methods that take more attention as well as the slower, easier methods.
- How to make extra high-grade compost using redworms (called vermicomposting).
- How to use compost to build your soil.
- How to use mulch to build your soil, and the difference between compost and mulch.
For further information please contact Community Roots Garden at 805/616-2326, info@communityrootsgarden.org or www.communityrootsgarden.org.
Composting expert, Lorraine Walters
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Many problems of poor plant growth can be found in the soil. UC ANR has recently turned the previously priced publication, Diagnosing Soil Physical Problems, into a free download.
Topics covered include:
- Investigating plant growth problems
- Restricted root systems
- Diagnosing soil physical conditions
- Soil characteristics
- Outline for making a diagnosis
More free UC ANR publications can be found here and here. If purchasing publications, please use the Ventura County Cooperative Extension promotion code PRVEN56 to receive 10% off your order. A portion of your purchase will benefit our local programs.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Sustainable agriculture is a way for food producers to increase profits and improve communities while taking good care of the air, water and soil. Sustainability can be approached and successful in many ways.
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE) has produced a booklet describing some techniques used by producers throughout our country. Some examples include:
- Grazing
- Cover crops
- On-farm energy conservation and production
- Marketing
- Conservation tillage
- Riparian buffers
This resource is designed as an introduction and inspiration into the concepts of sustainable agriculture. It can be downloaded for free. Print copies are also available.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Our office is offering a smart irrigation scheduling and monitoring tour and seminar for commercial fruit tree growers on Thursday, April 29 from 12:30-4:30 pm.
Topics will include:
- Implications of irrigation management for nitrogen and phosphorus leaching
- Computer-controlled irrigation
- Irrigation system upgrades
- Improved efficiency
- Irrigation soil sensors
This education opportunity will be translated simultaneously into Spanish.
Education credits for Los Angeles Region and the Central Coast Ag Waiver
will be provided.
Please register in advance to ensure your participation by calling Maren
Mochizuki at 805-645-1467 or by email mmochizuki@ucdavis.edu. Additional details can be found here.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Are you a farmer looking for ways to improve your water management strategies, or a citizen interested in learning about the transformations taking place now in production agriculture? The California Agricultural Water Stewardship Initiative (CAWSI) has an online resource center for you.
Some of the on-farm practices available online include:
- Managing farm water wisely
- Using less applied water
- Transforming the farm into a water catchment and storage system
- Dry farming
- Use of recycled water
- Irrigation and soil management
Each section includes an overview of the practice, estimated water savings, other benefits, case studies and many additional resources.
This online resource will be updated frequently, and can be found here . Check it regularly for new tips and information.