Topics in Subtropics

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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.
mulch

Mulch, Avocados and the Home Garden

August 13, 2014
By Ben A Faber
I just raked up all the leaves under the avocado and it looks so nice. PUT THEM RIGHT BACK. The avocado is shallow-rooted and really depends on the natural leaf mulch to protect its roots. In fact the roots will actually colonize the rotted leaves as if it were soil.
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Hops

Are Hops a Serious Option as a Crop in San Diego?

August 8, 2014
Farmers in our county who are using high-priced water are really thinking about niches in the market. They simply must get the best prices they can if they are going to stay in business. So, what are these niches? One niche is simply converting to an organic operation.
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avocado fruits

Irrigating Avocados in the Home Garden

August 7, 2014
By Ben A Faber
Mature avocados may be a big tree, but they have very shallow roots. The bulk of them are in the top 8 inches of soil. The tree therefore does not have access to a large volume of stored water. As opposed to a deep rooted walnut, they need frequent, small amounts of water.
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