Wholesaler spills seeds on pumpkins Nov 1, 2009
If you use too much fertilizer, the pumpkins grow too fast and split and are ruined. For some reason, when they use milk, the pumpkins grow big and don t split. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Schedule for fall leaf and yard waste collection Oct 31, 2009
All of the yard waste the City of Boston collects is composted and becomes natural fertilizer for Boston s community gardens. For more information, call 617-635-7573. (Rsolindale Parkway Transcript, MA)
Green Thumbs: Notes of a difficult growing season Oct 31, 2009
An application of lime at any time during the fall is beneficial and early November is an ideal time to spread a winterizer fertilizer to promote a healthy root system and an early greening of the lawn next spring. Throughout the fall season, the statuesque clumps of maiden grasses (Miscanthus) offer distinctive architectural accents. (Hanover Mariner, MA)
The good and bad of technology Oct 31, 2009
When competition existed in the marketplace, technologies like hybrid seed, nitrogen fertilizers, confinement livestock, herbicides, computer records and no-till practices were affordable and added value above costs to a farmer;s bottom line. Fast forward to traited seed, variable-rate fertilizer, guidance systems, mega-machinery and the bottom line gets a bit fuzzy. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
Sally Scalera: What to do in garden once weather cools Oct 31, 2009
Give vegetable plants granular fertilizer monthly. In addition, spray a liquid seaweed product, like Maxicrop 00004000 , on the foliage (both sides of the foliage with a fine mist sprayer) every week. (Florida Today)
Conservation District gets $5,000 grant to build native plant greenhouse Oct 31, 2009
In addition, natives require less fertilizer and watering than ornamental plants typically used in landscaping making a greenbelt an even greener alternative. As land gets developed and invasive species dominate a landscape, native plants are being lost and biodiversity is decreasing. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
Growing and Caring for House Plants Oct 31, 2009
Indoor plants need a helping hand with the addition of fertilizers that supply essential minerals ... Depending on the plant, whether foliage or flowering, a nursery will be able to recommend the best type of fertilizer for it ... Too much fertilizer in a potted plant will cause the roots of the plant to burn and cause the plant to wilt. (Suite101.com)
Is it time we put ailing Bay on diet? EPA working on "pollution diet" for Virginia, other bay states Oct 30, 2009
Nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer and treated sewage trigger algae growth in the bay, which leads to vast oxygen-starved "dead zones" that cannot support aquatic life. In addition, sediment, a serious problem in the Rappahannock, makes water murky and unable to support plant growth. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Ag cool on global warming bill Oct 30, 2009
But even if the Senate bill had such a provision, many agricultural officials say it would still lead to higher energy and fertilizer costs ... "(They) would bring higher fuel and fertilizer costs to American farmers and ranchers, which puts us at a competitive disadvantage in international markets with other countries that do not have similar carbon emissions restrictions," federation president Bob Stallman said in a press release. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Africa: Food Crisis Forces Changes on GM Crops [interview] Oct 30, 2009
They are not able to have resources to purchase fertilizers, pesticides, have irrigation systems in place. If money was not a constraint we could achieve a green revolution through not necessarily biotechnology, but if we could put irrigation systems in place, if we could afford to purchase fertilizer, pesticides, we should be able to reach a green revolution as what happened in Asia. (allAfrica.com)
Giant pumpkins: Big contest at parish fair Oct 29, 2009
That fertilizer proved beneficial, as Cancienne took home $75 and a trophy for his second-place effort. First-place winners took home $100 each, and third-place finishers each got $50. (Bogalusa Daily News, LA)
* In Africa, urban dwellers are turning to a harvest on the side Oct 29, 2009
Fertilizer and spraying were both more expensive than I thought. While my wheat stalks are sprouting on schedule, I now fear that at harvest time X next month X prices will fall and I wont recoup my costs. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Colorful New Year Gardens with Spri... Oct 29, 2009
This is best done in early spring with a general purpose fertilizer. Read the instructions but normally 2oz per square yard is enough. (Suite101.com)
• Pumpkin Paradise Oct 29, 2009
Megchelsen gave out as many chunks of the giant as he could, and the leftovers made it to his compost heap to become fertilizer for the next year's crop. Pumpkin Curry: A Thai Twist. (Juneau Empire)
Drought, Storms to Limit Rice Supplies, Raise Prices in U.S., Roberts Says Oct 28, 2009
Higher oil prices may push up fertilizer costs, boosting prices further, he said ... In 2008 when prices shot up, when fertilizer prices moved up, when export bans were imposed, a free liberalized international trading order was not able to do anything for the world, especially the worlds poor and hungry, he said. (Bloomberg -- US)
CLIMATE CHANGEImpact on Agricultural Industry Oct 26, 2009
In the city and surrounding Weld County, the worry is it would raise energy and fertilizer costs for farmers. They need to pump water to irrigate their crops and rely on cheap manure - the same manure that will be tapped for energy - when high natural gas prices drive up the cost of fertilizer. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Welcome fall with plants, decorations at doorstep Oct 24, 2009
Use a well-draining potting mix, and add a time-release fertilizer. Finishing touch: Tuck a few pumpkins and gourds among your pots. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Home & Garden)
* JOHNNY NEIHU'S NEWS WATCH: Vegetable renters vs Happy Farm Oct 24, 2009
Look no further than the screen of your nearest civil servants PC. If there is evidence of vegetables, bags of fertilizer or guard dogs chasing away wannabe crop rustlers then Happy Farm is the explanation. Hell, Happy Farm might also explain the disappearance of People First Party Chairman James Soong () from the public eye X and maybe even the bags under former chief China-baiter Lee Teng-huis (n) eyes. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Africa: The Continent and Agriculture: A Winning Combination for Success [opinion] Oct 24, 2009
It included simple innovations like fertilizer for higher yield crops. One successful result is Malawi produced enough maize this year to feed its own people and sell the excess to world markets. (allAfrica.com)
Labels show Swedes their food's carbon footprint Oct 24, 2009
These take into account emissions generated by fertilizer, fuel for harvesting machinery, packaging and transport ... These take into account emissions generated by fertilizer, fuel for harvesting machinery, packaging and transport. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Advanced biofuels will stoke global warming: study Oct 23, 2009
Biofuel crops also require nitrogen fertilizers, a source of two greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2) and the more powerful nitrous oxide ... Without steps to protect forests and cut fertilizer use, gasoline out-performs biofuels from 2000-2050 as well. (Scientific American)
Market has organic produce Oct 23, 2009
All of the produce is organic, although a number of the greens are hydroponics and some fertilizer must be used. "We are getting so much support and encouragement from a lot of people," Ms. Lee said. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels Oct 23, 2009
Worse, all the fertilizer needed to grow those bioenergy crops would increase emissions of nitrous oxide, an extremely potent greenhouse gas, and water supplies would also be stressed. "We have to think about this very carefully," says Melillo. (Time.com)
Brooke Vosika discusses how he turns peppers into hot sauces Oct 21, 2009
Neptune, baby, says Vosika, referring to the fish-based fertilizer, Neptune s Harvest, that s one of the keys to his pepper success. Preparing hot sauce might seem like something best done in a factory, but it s surprisingly easy to make at home. (Boston Globe)
World must use GM crops, says UK science academy Oct 21, 2009
"The problem is such an acute one, doing that sustainably without eroding soil, overusing fertilizers is an enormous challenge," said the chair of the Royal Society report, Cambridge University's David Baulcombe ... "And from the point of expense and using , we want to use less fertilizer." ... Farming indirectly, including deforestation, accounts for a third of greenhouse gases, say scientists, underlining the problem of increasing production simply by clearing more land or using more... (Scientific American)
Promoting Peace Through Organic Farming in Thailand Oct 20, 2009
The south is one of Thailand's poorest regions, and the Thai military says that thousands of villagers have willingly come to the center, mostly for one-day trainings on the merits of organic agriculture using a bio-fertilizer promoted by King Bhumibol ... Meanwhile, elsewhere in the complex, young Buddhist army officers earnestly gave lessons on proper fertilizer use to groups of veiled Muslim women, some of whom were completely covered but for their eyes. (Time.com)
Carbon-cutting projects face uncertainty after 2012 Oct 20, 2009
NEW DELHI - Giant mountains of kitchen waste, bottles, coconuts, plastic, and paper in the heart of New Delhi s industrial district are being transformed into rich, black organic fertilizer for farming. The treatment is good for the environment in more ways than one: It creates both fertilizer and carbon emission credits for a German company that is paying the Indian firm for treating the trash ... Mahesh Babu, chief executive of IL&FS Ecosmart, which operates the trash-to-fertilizer operation... (Boston Globe)
Ask the Gardener Oct 18, 2009
The energy for next year s bloom is already stored in the bulb, but some people like to add fertilizer in the fall ... After planting and before watering in the bulbs, work about a cup of slow release fertilizer into the soil. (Burlington Union, MA)
Farmers Urged to Empty Manure Storage Now, Weather Permitting Oct 17, 2009
Reports from manure haulers, producers, and county agriculture agents suggest that producers, stressed by low prices, tightened credit, and fluctuating feed, fertilizer and other costs, may not be asking their bankers for money to cover the costs of properly handling and spreading the manure produced on their farm, he says. We ve heard that some farmers may be delaying manure applications that would normally be going out in early fall on wheat and silage fields, Erb says. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Read more... Oct 17, 2009
But Gates warned that as scientists, governments, and others strive to repeat the successes of the original Green Revolution, they should be careful not to repeat its mistakes, such as the overuse of fertilizer and irrigation. The next Green Revolution has to be greener than the first, Gates said. (PNN Online)
Kidnocker: Plant native for low maintenance Oct 17, 2009
This is a very tough plant requiring no fertilizer, little water, no pruning, and is not susceptible to pests or disease. One caution is to avoid overhead watering which can cause extreme stress and eventual dead central branches. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Zimbabwe: No Collateral, No Inputs, Then No Food Oct 17, 2009
"Before the government of national unity came into being [in February 2009] ... new farmers would receive fuel, fertilizer, seed and implements at almost giveaway prices, and sometimes for free," said Thomas Chirandu, a large-scale farmer in Mashonaland West Province who had prepared his land but could not afford to buy maize seed and fertilizer ... Joseph Made, the minister of agriculture, mechanisation and irrigation development, said farmers could now access seed and fertilizer by trading in... (allAfrica.com)
New Economics’ of Manure in This Era of Change Oct 17, 2009
He urged Expo goers to think about how they view manure as a fertilizer resource/organic matter builder, as a headache and hassle, or instead, as an income generator. Like the in-laws, noted Erb, when it comes to manure, producers get the good with the bad. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
The water dilemma: To sewer or not to sewer? Oct 17, 2009
People hear that reducing fertilizer use lowers the amount of nitrogen the culprit in the Cape s deteriorating bays and estuaries and jump to the conclusion that the town doesn t need an expensive sewer system. That s not the case, he said. (Harwich Oracle, MA)
Some poor nations succeeding in fighting hunger Oct 17, 2009
Government fertilizer has made the difference between hunger and plenty for Rodrick Jesitala, a farmer and father of three in southern Malawi. Thanks to fertilizer he couldn't afford without government help, Jesitala harvested enough corn to feed his family this year ... President Bingu wa Mutharika persisted with his program to help farmers buy fertilizer despite opposition from Western donor nations and agencies that see subsidies as contrary to free market principles. (Longview Daily News, WA)
Africa: The Food Benefits of a Command Economy Oct 16, 2009
Fertilizer consumption in 2002 was only 13kg per hectare in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to 73kg in the Middle East and North Africa, and 190kg in East Asia and the Pacific region ... I am surprised that the author did not mention one of the most important reasons that Chinas food production soared: Fertilizer ... After studying the U.S. agricultural methods, they asked for, and received, technical and financial assistance from the U.S. to build fertilizer plants in their own country. (allAfrica.com)
'Greener' Green Revolution the Aim of New Gates Foundation Grants Oct 16, 2009
Bill Gates warned in his speech that while policymakers and implementers try to replicate the successes of the green revolution elsewhere, they should be careful not to repeat its mistakes, such as the overuse of fertilizer and irrigation. "The next Green Revolution has to be greener than the first," Gates said. (allAfrica.com)
Carp hauled out of lake to help native fish Oct 16, 2009
Most were used for fertilizer at a nearby farm or given to a mink farm. Compost. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Gates Foundation Announces Major Grants to Promote Agriculture Oct 15, 2009
Bill Gates is expected to warn in his speech that while policymakers and implementers try to replicate the successes of the green revolution elsewhere, they should be careful not to repeat its mistakes, such as the overuse of fertilizer and irrigation. "The next Green Revolution has to be greener than the first," Gates will say. (allAfrica.com)
Pakistan's Engro to Build $1 Billion Phosphate Fertilizer Plant in Africa Oct 15, 2009
Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- , the nations second-largest urea maker, plans to build a $1 billion phosphate fertilizer plant in North Africa to feed demand in Pakistan and Western Europe ... Pakistan produces a lot of nitrogenous fertilizer indigenously but we dont have the raw material for phosphatic and potassium fertilizers, Chief Executive Officer , said in an interview at his office in Karachi ... North Africa is the biggest hub of phosphate fertilizer in the world. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
NJ man thinks rose bush is record-breaker Oct 15, 2009
The Morristown resident says he doesn't use fertilizer or pesticides. He says he just lets Mother Nature take care of things. (Fresno Bee -- State)
Harvest Time at a Cranberry Farm Oct 14, 2009
Water and Sand Used for Protection and Fertilizer. Cranberries grow best where there are cold winters and plenty of rainfall in the summer. (Suite101.com)
Keep it Simple: Tomato or not tomato? Oct 14, 2009
Early on -- dating to late last winter (when I still believed in the possibility of a normal summer) after I started a slew of tomato plants indoors, to nurturing those plants in the garden with my secret home-grown organic fertilizer mix, to obsessively staking and pruning each plant and mulching the rows with straw to keep the weeds down -- I was determined a bumper crop of tomatoes would be mine for the picking. - Advertisement - Wrong. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
This fall, repair your lawn Oct 13, 2009
This will improve oxygen circulation, reduce weeds and help to absorb fertilizer. Many aerators conveniently attach to the back of your riding mower and may save time and energy. (Herald Online, SC -- Lifestyles)
Fair Trade: What Price for Good Coffee? Oct 13, 2009
Conditions are miserable try lugging 100 lb. of fertilizer up a mountain and even though coffee is the world's second most valuable traded commodity, after oil, the money it brings in is measly. "It's not enough to live on," says Luis Antonio, who has grown coffee near Quetzaltenango, in Guatemala's western highlands, for three decades but gets deeper in debt each year. (Time.com)
Zimbabwe: 176 000 Farmers to Benefit From Input Scheme Oct 11, 2009
Harare The European Commission has revealed it will provide 25 percent of all fertilizer and cereal crop seed requirements for communal farmers for the 2009/10 summer cropping season. The inputs were bought from local companies and are already being dispatched to various districts countrywide. (allAfrica.com)
USDA forecasts record soybean, big corn harvest Oct 11, 2009
This year we re actually looking at pretty low incomes for farmers, not only with the fall of commodity prices which began last year at this time, but at the same time the costs farmers have had to pay have been high, particularly fertilizer, Schniktey said. But the prospect of lower corn prices shouldn t send consumers scurrying to the store in hopes of getting a break on their box of corn flakes, Schnitkey said. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Pioneer Talks Crops (2) Oct 11, 2009
If soil pH is low, plan to put additional N fertilizer on these fields or spread liquid manure to help provide for the plant s nitrogen needs. With the harvest and ensiling of alfalfa come the dangers of silo gas. (Agri-View, WI)
Raisin growers to fetch $1,323 a ton Oct 10, 2009
The crop may be smaller because of farmers trying to save money by cutting back on supplies such as fertilizer, and because of a reduced water supply in some areas. FRESNO BEE FILE. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
AgCam system created by a farmer Oct 10, 2009
The AgCam is waterproof and can be used to view the inside of fertilizer or chemical tanks. The AgCam is also used for seeing behind a skid loader, filling grain carts and loading and unloading bins. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
John Deere Commodity Carts Oct 10, 2009
In addition, the 80-bushel tank on the 430-bushel tow-between commodity cart can also be ordered liquid-fertilizer capable ... "The new carts are ideal for large-scale, small-grain producers who own air seeders, and for growers or ag-service providers who apply fertilizer with strip-till equipment." ... The 1910 Commodity Cart is one component of an integrated John Deere seeding and fertilizer application solution. (Midwest Bulls Eye, NE)
Low quality makes farmers to discount spring wheat Oct 9, 2009
With the rising cost of seed, fuel, fertilizer and chemicals, some farmers are struggling to pay their production costs. Low protein can be a particular problem for farmers who sell to overseas markets, many of which blend high-protein U.S. wheat with lower-quality wheat from other sources, Peterson said. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
How corn syrup wrecks the rain forest Oct 9, 2009
Corn is a high-maintenance crop, requiring the application of billions of pounds of fertilizer. That contributes mightily to the high-nitrogen fertilizer runoff that ends up in our lakes and rivers, increasing algae and other undesirable growth. (Herald Online, SC -- Opinion)
Sludge could be county’s new gold Oct 9, 2009
Enterprise file photo What Calaveras County considers trash could turn out to be the Calaveras County Water District s treasure if a plan to turn biosolids into fertilizer materializes ... The product is so clean that it is being bagged up and sold in some areas of the country as fertilizer ... The board asked Perley if he had looked into a market yet for the fertilizer and he said no, but that the worst-case scenario would be that the districts use the product themselves. (San Andreas Calaveras Enterprise, CA)
Kisses & disses: DISSES to the lady, probably in her mid-50s... Oct 8, 2009
Kisses s: DISSES to the lady, probably in her mid-50s (Seacoast New Hampshire)
APNewsBreak: SC gov's driver pulled for speeding Oct 8, 2009
In addition to the 4,735 marijuana plants, rangers and agents also removed 400 pounds of fertilizer, 3,000 feet of irrigation hose and 200 pounds of trash from the garden. News briefs: Alleged shooter in Fresno captured in New Jersey. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Way off the scale Oct 8, 2009
Lots of savvy, time, water, fertilizer, tender loving care and determination have contributed to the steady upswing in pumpkin weight over the years, growers say ... A growing trend nowadays is organic fertilizer. (Half Moon Bay Review, CA)
African experts meet on seed systems Oct 6, 2009
He noted that government had decided to subsidize agricultural inputs like fertilizer for more farmers to afford and have access to their farming activities. The government had also encouraged farmers to adopt new strategies and modern techniques introduced by the technical people. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
The Wrong Kind of "Organic" Farming: Biosolids Oct 6, 2009
Property owners in other rural areas where biosolids are used as fertilizers have suffered similar dramatic reductions in property value and difficulty selling ... Farmers are offered sewage sludge as fertilizer for their crops at no charge from the Municipal source or the haulers who deliver the biosludge right to farm fields. (RealtyTimes)
Gerrish Advises: Leave Ample Residual, Return to Pasture More Frequently (2) Oct 4, 2009
The more dead dinosaurs (purchased fertilizer) and iron (machinery) producers put between feed nutrients and what you re selling, the less profitable you ll be, Gerrish tells producers. He says he prefers to refer to MIG as Management-intensive grazing with only Management capitalized. (Agri-View, WI)
Island History for Friday, October 2, 2009 Oct 3, 2009
Laka, the goddess of wild wood and wild growth, was worshiped when farmers cultivated virgin land, which they prepared by turning the natural vegetation under the soil or burned to fertilizer the land. When soil became depleted, young hau branches were placed on the soil and covered with mud to rot and replenish the earth. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Yard and Garden: I love those four seasons Oct 3, 2009
Apply fall lawn fertilizer or winterize at the end of the month. Winterize your irrigation system. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Another Inconvenient Truth: The World's Growing Population Poses a Malthusian Dilemma Oct 3, 2009
And, by Sanchez's rough calculation, humans now use some 171 million tons of nitrogen as fertilizer every year, much of which ends up polluting lakes, rivers, streams and even the ocean. "Fifty-four percent of that is fertilizer the Haber-Bosch process; 11 percent is atmospheric deposition the plus side of pollution; 18 percent is in situ fixation," or nitrogen-fixing cover crops, like legumes, Sanchez said ... And it's not like so-called organic agriculture is helping with that: Nitrate... (Scientific American)
Readers Respond on "Obama's Science" Oct 3, 2009
But his focus on it as a fertilizer neglected its abundance in most soils ... Ironically, the use of inorganic fertilizers can suppress roots and microorganisms production of the phosphatase enzymes that are essential for making phosphorus available for plant use ... Heavy machinery also compacts the soil and degrades its structure, disturbing the balance of and air in the soil that supports root growth and soil organisms; further, using mineral fertilizers as a substitute for restoration of... (Scientific American)
Facebook: 54 Oct 2, 2009
Scientists propose 9 limits on human actions: Wrecking ozone, over-using fertilizer, killing species could block key "ecosystem services." Are there natural limits to fresh water use and pollution. The green Jell-O torpedo you see above is called a salp. (Why Files)
