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Choosing a Soil Amendment Fact Sheet No
Choosing a Soil Amendment Fact Sheet No. 7.235 Gardening Series|Basics by J.G. Davis and D. Whiting* A soil amendment is any material added not be used as a soil amendment. Don’t add Quick Facts to a soil to improve its physical properties, sand to clay soil — this creates a soil structure such as water retention, permeability, water similar to concrete. • On clayey soils, soil infiltration, drainage, aeration and structure. Organic amendments increase soil amendments improve the The goal is to provide a better environment organic matter content and offer many soil aggregation, increase for roots. benefits. Over time, organic matter improves porosity and permeability, and To do its work, an amendment must be soil aeration, water infiltration, and both improve aeration, drainage, thoroughly mixed into the soil. If it is merely water- and nutrient-holding capacity. Many and rooting depth. buried, its effectiveness is reduced, and it will organic amendments contain plant nutrients interfere with water and air movement and and act as organic fertilizers. Organic matter • On sandy soils, soil root growth. also is an important energy source for amendments increase the Amending a soil is not the same thing bacteria, fungi and earthworms that live in water and nutrient holding as mulching, although many mulches also the soil. capacity. are used as amendments. A mulch is left on the soil surface. Its purpose is to reduce Application Rates • A variety of products are available bagged or bulk for evaporation and runoff, inhibit weed growth, Ideally, the landscape and garden soils and create an attractive appearance. -
Multi-Tasking Hand Tools by Rita Pelczar
GREENc GARAGE® Multi-Tasking Hand Tools by Rita Pelczar hen I head to the garden, I Besides extracting weeds by their roots, it’s usually take just a couple of great for digging holes for transplants or Wtools with me, so they need bulbs; and it cuts through anything from to be able to perform a variety of tasks twine to the roots of perennials that you and they have to feel comfortable in my want to divide. The six-and-three-quarter- hands when I use them. here are a few inch, hardened stainless steel blade is ser- that fit the bill. rated and engraved with millimeter depth I’ve long been a fan of a handcraft- measurements to help ensure accurate ed tool from Lewiston, Idaho, with the odd name of Hoe-dag (available from hoss Tools (www.hosstools.com). It’s a well-balanced, short-handled hoe featur- Multi-Purpose Hori-Hori Knife planting. Its vinyl carrier has a loop that can be attached to a belt to keep it safely sheathed until ready for use. The 10-and-a-half-inch-long Handy Weeder Tool, also from Gardener’s edge, is small and light enough to carry on your belt. The five-inch-long, flat beveled blade is handy for weeding in tight places—between young vegetables or flowers, even in planters—easily cut- ting young weeds at their roots without 2-Tine Cultivator Hand Eye Hoe disturbing nearby plants. It also makes precise furrows for sowing seeds. Crafted in Germany, the 2-Tine Cultivator Hand Eye Hoe, available from Garden Tool Company (www. -
Stale Seedbed Practices for Vegetable Production
HORTSCIENCE 36(4):703–705. 2001. tional tillage program. The intent was to deter- mine the best method for killing seedlings in stale seedbed systems and the usefulness of a Stale Seedbed Practices for Vegetable single weed removal pass vs. several passes Production with brief intervening fallow periods. Materials and Methods Brian Caldwell South Central New York Area Vegetable and Small Fruit Program, Cornell Studies were conducted at the NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center, at Big Flats, Cooperative Extension, Owego, NY 13827 N.Y., during the 1997 and 1998 growing Charles L. Mohler1 seasons. The soil type was a Unadilla silt loam (course-silty, mixed, mesic, typic Dystro- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, chrept), and the fields were nearly level. NY 14853 The fields had cover crops of winter-killed oats (Avena sativa L.) and were initially field Additional index words. weeds, cultivation, flaming, glyphosate, purslane, chickweed cultivated and harrowed in Apr. 1997 and May Abstract. Effects of several stale seedbed procedures on weed density and biomass were 1998. Treatments were replicated four times in evaluated on a silt loam soil in central New York. After an initial rotary tillage, weeds were a randomized complete-block design. Plots allowed to emerge and either single or multiple applications of glyphosate, propane flame, measured 3.6 × 3.6 m. spring tine weeder, springtooth harrow, or rotary tiller were used to kill the weeds over a Initial seedbeds were prepared with a tractor 4-week period. The last (or only) application occurred immediately prior to simulated mounted 1.5-m John Deere rotary tiller (Deere seeding of a crop performed by passing an empty seeder through the plots. -
Tools and Equipment Ames® Long Fiberglass Handle Shovel Tempered Steel Blade Shovel with Oversized Cushion Grip on a Fiberglass Handle for Added Comfort
Tools and Equipment Ames® Long Fiberglass Handle Shovel Tempered steel blade shovel with oversized cushion grip on a fiberglass handle for added comfort. A heavy-use tool for frequent jobs and yard maintenance. Suitable for transferring all materials such as dirt, mulch, or gravel. Great value to homeowners with any landscaping and gardening requirements. Digging Tools Square Point - 9.75in L x 5in W x 61.25in H AME25337100-2504 UPC 049206634084 Ames® D-Grip Wood Handle Digging Shovel Min. Buy 6EA Retail $34.39 Make that next gardening project a little Round Point - 8.75in L × 4.8in W x 61in H easier with an ergonomic D-grip that provides AME25332100-2504 UPC 049206634008 comfortable hand placement to grab tool. Min. Buy 6EA Retail $34.39 Durable and dependable, built with Ames heritage quality. Features tempered steel blades Tools & Equipment Tools and North American hardwood handle for strength and durability. 8.75in L × 5.5in W x 42.25in H Ames® Long Handle Round Point Floral Shovel The Ames floral tool line is the perfect size and AME2535800-2270 UPC 049206644755 weight for working in the garden. Ideal for Min. Buy 6EA Retail $31.29 raised bed gardening. The tempered steel blade with power collar will dig in any soil condition. It has a North American hardwood handle for Ames® D-Grip Wood Handle Drain Spade strength and durability with a comfort grip and a Ergonomic D-grip that provides comfortable hand convenient hole for hanging. placement. North American hardwood handle for strength and durability. Designed for digging 2in L x 6in W x 52.875in H narrow trenches and cleaning out previously dug AME2916100-1891 UPC 049206633957 ditches. -
Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter, EC 1561
EC 1561 • May 2003 $2.50 Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter N. Bell, D.M. Sullivan, L.J. Brewer, and J. Hart This publication will help you understand the • Tomatoes and peppers get blossom-end rot, importance of soil organic matter levels to good even if fertilized with calcium. plant performance. It also contains suggestions • Water tends to pool on the soil surface and to for suitable soil amendments. Any soil, no drain slowly, or it runs off the surface. matter how compacted, can be improved by the addition of organic matter. The result will be a nnnn better environment for almost any kind of plant. What makes a productive soil? nnnn A productive soil provides physical support, water, air, and nutrients to plants and soil- What gardening problems are dwelling organisms (see “What is soil?” caused by poor soil quality? page 2). Like humans, roots and soil organisms Many problems with home vegetable gar- breathe and require sufficient air and water to dens, fruit trees, shrubs, and flower gardens are live. As a result, a good soil is not “solid”; caused not by pests, diseases, or a lack of rather, between 40 and 60 percent of the soil nutrients, but by poor soil physical conditions. volume is pores. The pores may be filled with Symptoms of poor soil quality include the water or air, making both available to plants following. (see illustration on page 3). • The soil is dried and cracked in summer. The largest pores control aeration and move- • Digging holes in the soil is difficult, whether ment of water through the soil and are largely it is wet or dry. -
No-Till Guidelines for the Arid and Semi-Arid Prairies
No-Till Guidelines for the Arid and Semi-Arid Prairies Comparison of Systems Rotations: The place to begin Table 1 (Comparison of Agronomic & Economic Factors as affected by tillage system) Table 2 Part 1. (Crop Characteristics Important in Rotation Planning) ({physiological and morphological traits) Table 2. Part 2. (Labeled No-Till Herbicide Programs/Water Use) Table 2. Part 3. (Equipment Considerations) Equipment Weed Control Programs Disease and Insect Control Fertility Evaluation of the Crops Sorghum Soybeans Winter Wheat Spring Small Grains Flax Canola Safflower Sunflower Millet Peas, Lentils, Lupines, and Forage Legumes Alfalfa Rotations Again Conclusions Successful crop production, regardless of the methods used, is a careful piecing together of numerous components into a system. Simply replacing one piece with another is seldom successful. Often, a change in one place requires that other parts in the system also be changed. For example, we regularly read of farmers who replace gasoline engines in their pickups with diesels. We know that not only the engine has to be changed. The clutch, bell housing, linkages, gauges, etc. also need to be modified. Similarly, producers who want to switch to no-till techniques must design a no-till farming system that fits their situations. Most of the difficulties that have occurred in the past when producers attempted no-till can be traced to the fact that they tried to change only one component (tillage) of what was a working, conventionally tilled farming system. The following outline was prepared in late fall 1990 to define the primary components required to design a no-till farming system. -
Market Farm Tools and Systems
GROWING A NEW GENERATION OF ILLINOIS FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FARMERS MARKET FARM TOOLS AND SYSTEMS Zachary Grant Bill Shoemaker Adapted from John Hendrickson April 2015 Objectives: • Capitalizing a Market Farm • Capitalization Priorities • The Front End of the Market Farm • The Middle of the Market Farm • The Back End of the Market Farm • Concluding Thoughts and Questions Estimated Equipment Needs for Various Sizes of Vegetable Farms. Power Source and Direct Production Postharvest Seed Starting Tillage Seeding Equipment Cultivation Harvesting Handling Delivery rototiller Field small hoop Earth- Wheel hoe, or Back-pack knives, Bulk tank, Pickup house, grow way hand hoes, 1-3 walking sprayer, hand canopy, with lights, seeder, digging acres tractor, irrigation, boxes, packing topper planting Cyclone forks, custom tools buckets, containers or van trays seeder spades work carts 35-40 hp 1000 sq. ft. tractor, Potato 1-row greenhouse, with Cultivat- digger, Roller track transplant cold frames, creeper Planet ing tractor bed lifter, conveyor, 4-6 er, Cargo field gear, Jr. plate (IH Super wagon, hand carts, acres irrigation, van tunnels, power seeder A or IH more walk-in more planting steering, 140) boxes, cooler tools trays high buckets clearance Market Gardening: A Start-up Guide https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=18 Table 2. Estimated Equipment Needs for Various Sizes of Vegetable Farms. P r o d u c t i o Po n w D S er ir E e So ec q H Po e ur t u C ar sth d ce S i ul v arv S St an e p ti e est D c ar d e m v st Ha el a -
Seedbed and Planter Preparation
SoybeaniGrow BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Chapter 11: Seedbed and Planter Preparation C. Gregg Carlson ([email protected]) Kurt Reitsma Obtaining a excellent soybean stand is a necessary step to successful soybean production. Preparing your land and planter for seeding is one of first steps required to optimize soybean yields (Fig. 11.1). Prior to seeding the field, planter maintenance should be completed and during planting the planter and seed placement should be routinely checked. We recommend that soybeans be planted at a depth of from 1 to 1.5 inches. In South Dakota soybean production, the soil temperature is critical and in South Dakota in the early spring, deeper is colder. Soybeans require a warmer soil (54°F) to germinate than corn (50°F). Colder means slower growth and less nutrient uptake. Soybeans are more sensitive to seeding depth than is corn. Studies in Northern climates have consistently shown that seeding soybeans below 2 to 2.5 inches typically results in a seedling population reduction of 20% or more from the number of seeds planted. The goal of this chapter is to provide guidance on seedbed and planter preparation. Seedbed and planter preparation requires planning and should be conducted at various times during the year. Figure 11.1. A John Deere DB120 Crop Planter. (Source: http://photo.machinestogo.net/main.php/v/user/equipment/john-deere-db120-crop-planter.jpg.html) 11-89 extension.sdstate.edu | © 2019, South Dakota Board of Regents Chilling injury Germination of soybean and corn seeds can be reduced by chilling injury. Chilling injury results from the seed uptaking cold water during germination. -
Redesigning Agricultural Hand Tools in Western Kenya WYCHE, OLSON, KARANU
Redesigning Agricultural Hand Tools in Western Kenya WYCHE, OLSON, KARANU Research Article Redesigning Agricultural Hand Tools in Western Kenya: Considering Human-Centered Design in ICTD Susan Wyche Jennifer Olson Michigan State University, USA Mary Karanu Rural Outreach Africa, Kenya Abstract Human-centered design (HCD) is a creative approach to technology design that prioritizes users’ needs in the design process. It is characterized by three phases: understanding, ideation, and evaluation. Enthusiasm for using HCD per- sists among ICTD (information and communication technologies for development) researchers; funding agencies continue to support efforts to use the approach in development projects. However, published studies documenting each phase of the approach are few. Here, we present one such case study that documents our use of HCD to under- stand farmers’ hand tools in Kenya and to explore their ideas for new tools—designed to make weeding easier. We also present an evaluation of three redesigned tools, which were manufactured by jua kali (local metal workers). Our ªndings suggest that HCD resulted in improved tools. These ªndings motivate a discussion that elaborates on using HCD in ICTD. We suggest that the most signiªcant impacts of HCD may come from using the approach to under- stand diverse local conditions as they relate to design, and from jua kali integrating the approach into their design practices. Finally, we consider how HCD supports (and challenges) conducting ethical research. Keywords: agriculture, design thinking, human-centered design, HCI4D, jua kali, Kenya Introduction Over the last 15 years, there has been signiªcant enthusiasm among researchers, practitioners, and funding agencies for using a Human-Centered Design (HCD) approach to guide the development of technological solu- tions for socioeconomic problems in the developing world (Bazzano, Martin, Hicks, Faughnan, & Murphy, 2017; Gordon, Kramer, Moore, Yeung, & Agogino, 2017). -
How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE Photo: Neil Bell, © Oregon State University Whether it’s homemade or purchased in bulk, compost can improve your soil. But adding too much can harm plants. How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes Weston Miller and Jeremiah Mann • Adding compost increases the activity of soil organisms. They help to provide nutrients to your plants over time. OVERVIEW • Compost may not replace fertilizer. Lawns, vegetables and fruiting trees and shrubs often need additional • Compost is partially broken-down organic material. You fertilizer to thrive. can make compost at home or buy compost. Finished compost is available in bags at plant nurseries and home • Apply the correct amount of compost to your work site. improvement centers. You can also buy compost in bulk • Adding too much compost may be harmful, especially in from landscape supply companies. vegetable gardens. You can apply too much compost at • Compost is a soil amendment. Choose the right type one time or over several years. Too much compost in soil and amount of compost for your project. stunts plant growth. It also may create water pollution. • Use compost to improve soil for planting vegetable gardens, landscape areas and lawns. Adding compost to Weston Miller, community horticulturist, Clackamas, Multnomah your soil improves its ability to accept and store water. It and Washington counties; Jeremiah Mann, independent also helps aerate soil. consultant. EM 9308 February 2021 KEYS TO SUCCESS Follow these guidelines to add the right amount of compost to your site for growing vegetables. • For new garden beds: Apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of compost to the soil surface. -
Reducing Weed Seed Pressure with the False Seedbed Technique
007 . O Reducing weed seed pressure with the false N seedbed technique Problem Applicability box Annual crops are especially sensitive to weed pressure Theme during early growth. Intensive weed pressure limits crop Weed management growth through competition for light, nutrients and wa- Geographical coverage ter. Global, limited to specific soils, climates Solution Application time 2-4 weeks before sowing or planting Grow the weeds, and then grow the crop! The false seed- bed technique consists of preparing a regular seedbed Required time Harrowing 1 to 2 times (early) and then – instead of sowing the crop directly – you allow the weeds to germinate and then control them Period of impact Succeeding crop repeatedly before planting or sowing the actual crop. Equipment Outcome Harrow-comb or flexible harrow, chain The false seedbed technique reduces the weed seed bank harrow in the topsoil and, as a result, significantly reduces compe- Best in tition of annual weeds in the succeeding crop. Crops with slow emergence and/or slow es- PRACTICE ABSTRACT PRACTICE Practical recommendation tablishment; crops with low competitiveness such as soya, beans, peas, sugar beet, carrots • Prepare a regular seedbed 2 to 4 weeks before the or onions. planned seeding date of the next crop. • Let the weeds germinate and grow to the 2- to 4-leaf stage, the most effective stage for weed control. • Uproot the weeds to a depth of 3 to 5 cm using a harrow comb or a flexible or chain harrow. • If (a) weed density is high, (b) if you have 7 to 10 days available for sowing the crop, or if (c) weed com- petition in the following crop is very critical, repeat the procedure a second time before sowing the crop as usual (figure 1). -
Effects of Terminalia Catappa Leaves with Poultry Manure Compost, Mulching and Seedbed Preparation on the Growth and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus L
Effects of Terminalia Catappa leaves with Poultry Manure compost, Mulching and Seedbed preparation on the Growth and Yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus l. Moench) E.A. Aiyelari, A. Ogunsesi and O.O. AdeOluwa Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Abstract Tillage and soil fertility amendment can greatly influence the performance of crops raised on such lands. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Terminalia catappa leaves composted with poultry manure, mulching and seedbed preparation on the growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) grown at the experimental field of the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan. Experimental treatments comprised three seedbed preparation methods (heap, bed and flat) and seven soil amendments (compost at 0, 5 and 10 t ha-1 , mulch 0, 5 and 10 t ha-1 and N.P.K 15 – 15 – 15 at 250 kg ha-1 in factorial combinations. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that Terminalia catappa leaves applied as compost or mulch at 5 and 10 t ha-1 respectively did not produce any statistical significant (P < 0.05) difference in terms of morphological parameters, dry matter and pod yield of okra. However, yields from okra planted on heap and beds were significantly different from those planted on flat (P < 0.05). Fresh okra pod weights from heap and bed were greater than the values recorded from the flat by 35.8% and 34. 4%, respectively. Application of compost at 5 and 10 t ha-1 gave a significant increase in okra pod counts and weight and both were greater than the fresh pod weight obtained from NPK fertilizer by 12.6% and 27.