April 6, 2001
Fertilizing Tree and Small Fruits
Commercial fertilizers and manures are applied to supplement a soil's natural fertility. The rate of material to apply varies according to crop grown, soil type, and other factors. The following are general fertilizer recommendations for established tree and small fruits in the home garden.
Debate Over Genetically Modified Food Gets an Educational Home on the Web
Will genetically modified food benefit society, or will it ultimately pose threats to human health, the environment and the world economy? These questions are debated in scientific circles, but the public gets just a narrow glimpse of the debates, usually in highly charged news articles. That will change this week with the launching of a Web-based forum that will provide the public and policy makers with the tools to understand the debate over genetically modified foods (GMF).
Spring Cleaning
Welcome spring! Trees are awakening, bulbs are sprouting, and lawns are beginning to green up. Warmer weather stimulates the growth and development of the plants and flowers we are longing to see. Well guess what! Many disease-causing organisms (pathogens) like the change in season, too. They are waking up from their winter rest and they are hungry. Some precautions, such as sanitation, balanced fertilization, and preventative fungicide application can play a major part in plant disease management.