- Author: Chris M. Webb
Organic production can require additional preparation and planning. UC’s Soil Fertility Management for Organic Crops downloadable publication provides reliable and useful information for soil management in organic fields.
Written with support of the UC Small Farm Program (make link) and the UC Vegetable Research and Information Center, this publication includes the following topics:
- Role of organic matter and humus
- How to determine nutrient needs
- Nutrient sources
- Characteristics of organic fertilizers
Tables and links to additional resources are included.
Related information can be found on this page of the Ventura County Cooperative Extension Website.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Conservation tillage (CT) is a term for farm management practices used to improve soil quality, water infiltration and storage while decreasing farm input costs. In addition to direct benefits on the farm, CT provides larger environmental benefits beyond the farm perimeter.
Much research has provided well documented benefits. Along with other scientists, UC ANR researchers are busy exploring this positive and sustainable practice.
Interested in learning more about these increasingly popular systems?
The UC Conservation Tillage and Cropping Systems Workgroup website is a great source of California CT information and includes examples of the benefits in action. Participation, comments and questions are welcomed and encouraged.
The UC ANR free publication Tillage and Crop Management Effects on Air, Water, and Soil Quality in California is written in collaboration with UC Davis, National Resource Conservation Services, and the California Association of Research Conservation Districts provides solid background information.
Previous posts provide additional and related knowledge; please see Building Soils for Better Crops, Crop Rotation on Organic Farms, and What is Sustainable Agriculture.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Developed in partnership with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), UC ANR’s Farm Water Quality Planning (FWQP) series is designed to provide water quality and technical assistance to California growers.
The structure of this series is extremely practical. With 30 separate publications covering specific aspects of water quality planning, users can access information needed for their operations. Most FWQP reference sheets are less than 10 pages. All pack a great deal of knowledge in easily digestible formats. Links and suggestions for further information can be found at the end of each.
This series shines in the range of topics covered and care taken to tailor information to a variety of audiences. Examples of topics available for free download in this series include:
- Basic concepts of Groundwater Hydrology
- Identifying Your Farm Water Quality Goals
- Developing a Nonpoint Source Pollution Evaluation Program
- Irrigation Water Salinity and Crop Production
- Groundwater Quality and Groundwater Pollution
- Watershed Response to Storm Events
- Legal Descriptions of Property
- Pesticide Selection to Reduce Impacts on Water Quality
- Nutrient Management Goals and Management Practices for Nursery and Floriculture
- Practices for Reducing Nonpoint Source Pollution from Irrigated Agriculture
To view additional topics and to download the publications, please click here.
Mulches used to cover bare soil can reduce soil runoff and promote infiltration. Photo by A. Ellis.
For most farms, adopting conservation cropping sequences or changing the way you manage your irrigation water will provide the quickest and most economical means of reducing pollution by sediment.
Vegetation is a better option than pavement or bare soil for open areas because it can absorb water and prevent the movement of runoff, nutrients, and pesticides. Photo by D. Zurawski.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Recognizing the benefit through permeable surfaces as a way to reduce pollutants carried in urban runoff the use of pervious materials in urban landscape design is increasing.
How do permeable surfaces reduce pollutants in urban runoff? When flowing over concrete and asphalt, contaminated runoff continues along quickly, increasing pollutant levels in nearby lakes, streams and oceans. Alternatively runoff that comes into contact with permeable surfaces infiltrates the soil beneath the surface reducing the amount of pollutants carried into nearby water bodies.
A recent UC IPM Green Bulletin provides interesting and practical information for using permeable materials in landscapes and how to maintain and care for them once installed. In addition, suggestions for applying pesticides safely near hardscape surfaces to reduce contaminated runoff can also be found in this newsletter.
UC IPM Green Bulletins are produced to provide “specific practices and information that pest management professionals can incorporate into their daily work to manage pests effectively while reducing pesticide runoff and other environmental problems.” Other bulletins can be found here.
For related information, please see our previous post Manage Runoff with Vegetated Buffers.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Ventura County Cooperative Extension’s Oleg Daugovish will hold a free commercial grower vegetable production and water management meeting Thursday, December 9 from 7:30am to 12:30pm. The meeting will be held at Freedom Center, 516 Eubanks Road in Camarillo.
Scheduled meeting topics are:
- Vegetable pathogens: recent and persistent pathogens of vegetable crops
- Weed control with drip activated herbicides in celery and cabbage
- Precision weed management tools in vegetable crops
- Update on Ag waiver regulations for the LA/Central Coast region
- Soil and water analyses, results and implications for Ventura County vegetable fields
- Best management practices for fertilizer management in coastal vegetable crops
- Insect pest management in warm and cool season vegetables
Lunch will be provided, and continuous education credits have been requested from DPR (Department of Pesticide Regulation).
For special arrangements, for questions or to register please contact Oleg Daugovish at (805) 645-1454 or at odaugovish@ucdavis.edu. Additional details can be found here.