Topics in Subtropics

Topics in Subtropics Blog

You can subscribe to this blog with multiple entries per week reflecting what's happening with subtropical crops and upcoming educational events. Just click on the "Subscribe" button just to the right of this paragraph. There's also our seasonal quarterly Topics in Subtropics newsletter found at our Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare and Kern Counties Cooperative Extension websites.

Mature Compost Does NOT Kill Phytophthora

January 18, 2016

By Ben A Faber

A recent article in California Agriculture highlights something that we have found in raw organic materials that have been used in mulches for controlling Avocado Root Rot Phytophthora cinnamomi.

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Dealing with Drought

January 16, 2016

By Ben A Faber

It ain't over yet, and this last week we had a wonderful 2 day meeting with folks who have dealt with drought in many different ways. Here are presentations made by people from Israel, Australia and California. Soon the actual videos will be available, but now see the powerpoints. http://www.

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And Here's the Rest of the Story - The Case of the Broken Trunks

January 9, 2016

By Ben A Faber

So I got an email with an attached set of photos showing a number of 18 month avocado trees that had broken at the ground line in a wind storm.

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Broken Trunk, Dead and Decaying Roots, but Green Canopy? What's the Problem?

January 5, 2016

By Ben A Faber

I get a call. He: My trees not doing well. Me: What's the problem? He: It's yellow? Me: Have you looked at the roots? Are there roots? He: NO Me: I'll be out next week, but in the meantime, look at the root system.

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Wind and Rain: A Grower's Bane

January 5, 2016

All the media are full of stories about the impending El Nino effects and possible flooding rains in California. As I write this, it is the day before our first significant storm (Jan. 4) with a 100% chance of rain throughout Ventura county for tomorrow.

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