Related News – Page 50

Is no-till farming more profitable?

No-till may not produce a standout yield in corn and soybeans, but the tillage system wins when it comes to the net bottom line.

Decades of research at the University of Missouri Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center in northwestern Missouri examined the effect of different tillage systems on corn and soybean yields, along with profitability.

Researchers compared four common tillage systems: fall and spring disk, spring disk, no-till, and fall chisel and spring disk.

No-till’s advantage lies in lower labor and equipment costs, making it the most profitable option over time.

Payoff in tillage systems

Statistically in corn and soybeans, there was no yield difference between tillage practices.

Corn cumulative results over 34 years showed that the spring disk system had the highest average corn yield at 188.2 bushels per acre, closely followed by no-till at 187.6 bpa.

With 23 years of data in soybeans, the no-till treatment consistently had the highest average yield at 59.8 bpa, followed closely by spring disk at 58.3 bpa.

“The biggest aspect of no-till over the years is the financial savings since there are no tillage costs,” says Jim Crawford, director of the MU Graves-Chapple center.

The application of fertilizer, herbicides, seed, planting and harvesting were the same for each tillage system. Crawford based other operating costs such as fuel off the MU Extension custom rates guide to provide a valid comparison for profit. The economic analysis does not include labor.

Over three decades of corn trials, based gross income per acre minus the cost of tillage practice and $4.50-per-bushel corn, no-till plots grossed $14.21 per acre more than spring disk plots, $62.52 per acre more than fall chisel and spring disk, and $56.51 per acre more than fall and spring disk plots.

Soybeans had a similar result.

More than 20 years of soybean data show that with a value of $12 per bushel, no-till grossed $34.78 per acre more than spring disk plots, $92.51 per acre more than fall chisel and spring disk. and $71.22 per acre more than fall and spring disk plots.

No-till’s advantage lies in lower labor and equipment costs when it comes to the bottom line, but the study stressed its environmental value.

When in drought, no-till

“History has shown that during weather patterns like this, no-till usually has the highest yield because it allows better water infiltration,” Crawford says. “Allowing the roots to chase water deep into the profile benefits the plants when the hot and dry summers arrive.”

Case in point, the 2022 growing season. It was a dry year with below average precipitation and wide temperature swings. The no-till corn plot had the highest yield at 218.8 bpa. The fall chisel and spring disk plot was the lowest-yielding system, yielding 206.7 bpa.

Other advantages of no-till to the environment include:

reduces soil erosion caused by wind and water runoff
allows better water infiltration
moderates swings in soil temperatures

Source: farmprogress.com

A “Corpse Flower” Is Currently in Bloom at the Botanic Garden – Washingtonian

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A corpse flower bloom in 2022. Photograph courtesy of the United States Botanic Garden.

The United States Botanic Garden smelled distinctly like a dead body last night, but there wasn’t any foul play involved. One of the garden’s fleeting, foul-smelling “Corpse Flowers” opened in the evening, releasing its famous stench into the air.

The aptly-named flower is known for its huge size (growing up to 12 feet tall in the wild), its ephemeral bloom cycle, and its unique smell – which is often likened to the scent of rotting flesh or hot garbage.

As part of an ongoing conservation project, the US Botanic Garden hosts and breeds more than 20 mature corpse flowers (or “Amorphophallus Titanum”), which are endangered on their native island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The six-year-old plant that bloomed last night was created at the USBG through hand-pollination in 2017, marking the first-ever bloom of that particular specimen and the second bloom of the year. The first corpse flower of 2024 opened on the evening of April 24, measuring in at 85 inches tall.

The flowering time is unpredictable, so it’s hard to say if there will be another chance to view one of the smelly flowers anytime soon. In 2022, four USBG specimens bloomed throughout the summer, while no flowers opened in 2023. Although the Botanic Garden has much sweeter-smelling specimens in its collection, this putrid plant may be its most popular; the short-lived blooms often draw in thousands of fascinated patrons.

If you want to see (and maybe smell) the special flower you’ll need to move quickly. After opening, the stink can linger for about 12 to 24 hours, and the massive bloom only remains visible for about three to four days before collapsing. The smell was strongest when the flower was at peak bloom last night, but you may still be able to catch a whiff if you visit today. Even if the odor has dissipated, the 6-foot, 9-inch flower will still be a sight to behold.

The US Botanic Garden (100 Maryland Ave., SW) is open everyday from 10 AM to 5 PM. No tickets are required. The corpse flower is located in the back of the garden’s “tropics” house.

Editorial Fellow

Source: washingtonian.com

“Edible Front Yards” Are the Landscaping Trend That Give Growing Vegetables a New Curb Appeal

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Traditionally, you don’t see that many front yard vegetable gardens — after all, its all about curb appeal when it comes to your home’s front-facing façade. However, more and more, we’re seeing people embrace the beauty of edible crops in their landscaping designs, so there’s a growing number (excuse the pun) of designers introducing vegetable plants into their designs.

That’s not to say that it’s without its challenges. ‘The thing about vegetable gardens is that vegetables are mostly annual plants, which means they come and go each season or year,’ say Leslie Bennett and Holly Kuljian, co-leads of landscape design firm Pine House. ‘You replant them each spring and fall, so there’s often times when they are very small baby plants, or very big and sprawling at the end of harvest season. It makes for a very changeable and sometimes messy planting that most people are afraid to have in their front yard landscaping because it doesn’t line up with their ideas of curb appeal.’

vegetable garden, it’s all about the sunlight factor. ‘Front gardens are often smaller than the back, and it’s not always easy to find that afternoon sun in a spot that makes sense for veggie beds,’ Leslie and Hollie explain.

‘When choosing a location for a raised garden bed, sunlight is the number one factor,’ says Jen McDonald, founder of Texas-based landscape studio Garden Girls. ‘Fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Lettuces, greens and herbs are happy with 4 hours per day. If your front yard is situated on the south side of your home, this is often the preferred spot. However, in some instances, shade from trees or other structures may determine where you can place your garden beds, too.’

Leslie Bennet

companion planting for your vegetables that can ensure your front yard doesn’t look bare once the growing season is over. ‘Plant evergreen plants all around the veggies, both as ornamental and perennial edible shrubs in the landscape surrounding, and also perennial culinary herbs and edible flowers hanging over the edges of the raised beds themselves.’

‘For a beautiful edible garden, you’ll want a nice mixture of plant height, texture, form and color,’ Jen adds. ‘Incorporating herbs along borders is an easy start. The addition of larger vegetables such as artichoke, cabbage in rows, Asian greens and cauliflower make beautiful companions for edible flowers and herbs.’

‘Add in flowers you can eat like nasturtium and pansy, based on season,’ Jen also suggests. ‘Nasturtium grow in warmer conditions while pansies prefer cool temperatures. The pop of color is inviting to pollinators; necessary friends to all gardens.’

And don’t forget, it’s not just vegetables that make an edible garden. ‘We like to incorporate fruit trees and evergreen perennial edibles such as citrus, culinary bay, pineapple guava, and so many more, into our front yard projects,’ Leslie and Holly say.

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FAQS

How can I make a front yard vegetable garden look better?

‘Creating an aesthetically appealing front yard, whether with flowers or vegetables all comes down to the design,’ says Ashleigh Smith, Degreed Horticulturist with True Leaf Market. ‘You should have plants that attract the eye to a focal point because of their color, texture or size. Bright-colored fruits are a great option for using edible plants as the main attraction. Besides the focal point, it is also important to include background, border and filler plants. There are many vegetables that can easily be used in these roles.’

You can also look at your growing calendar and plant in stages to keep your vegetable beds full throughout the year. ‘Veggies often look their best in the spring and early summer garden, so many of veggies can be worked into open sunny areas of the garden and then a quick growing annual foliage or flower plant can replace them after harvest to maintain a full lush appearance to the garden,’ Mike Arnold, PhD, director of The Gardens; professor of landscape horticulture at Texas A&M AgriLife, explains.

‘During cooler portions of the year some of our more colorful foliaged green leaf veggies can provide a quick fill in open locations,’ Mike adds. ‘Many varieties of lettuce and edible greens such as Swiss chard offer various colors and shapes of foliage. These mature quickly lending themselves to filling voids in cool season gardens. They also make tasty salads and garnishes.’

What can I grow up my porch?

‘Many edible vine crops or their relatives offer excellent ornamental characteristics for use on fences, trellises, arbors, gourd tunnels, play area teepees, or porch railings,’ Mike says. ‘Many have bold coarse textured foliage in addition to interesting flowers or developing fruits.’

‘Runner beans, vining squash, muskmelons, cantaloupes, miniature water melons, cucumbers are all cool edible vines. While not usually eaten other utilitarian vines like luffa sponges and gourds of almost limitless forms offer pairings for different seasons with edible vines.’

Source: livingetc.com

Roses will never flower again if gardeners ignore the signs of summer disease

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Roses are a popular addition to any garden due to their beauty, but gardeners should also be aware of a fungal disease which can cause them to never flower again.

Black spot disease is more likely to develop in roses during warm, humid and rainy weather in late spring or summer, with the signs of infection being circular dark spots and yellowing leaves on affected plants.

If left untreated, black spot disease will leave roses incredibly weak making them much more susceptible to pests and other diseases, which can easily spread to other nearby plants.

It will also eventually cause the leaves of roses to fall off and impact a rose bush’s ability to bloom, stopping the plant from being able to produce any flowers at all and eventually killing it.

However, black spot disease is “really not a big deal” as long as you treat your roses quickly by pruning them according to Alexis, a gardener, chemist and founder of Chemistry Cachet.

READ MORE: ‘Always’ wait for specific time to do crucial rose care or risk ‘killing growth’

How to get rid of black spot disease

Alexis said that she recently experienced black spot disease on her climbing roses, and after “much research and experimenting” has shared her best tips to get rid of black spot diseases on roses to “keep your plants healthy and pretty!”

Black spot disease can spread through fungal spores in water or infected plant debris, which is why it is essential to clean up any diseased foliage as soon as possible.

Alexis explained: “With gardening gloves, I removed every trace of black-spotted leaves on my roses. Just leaving the infected leaf on the ground near your plant can cause it to continue spreading.

“Sadly, one of the bushes looked pretty sparse after that! But catching it early will prevent the fungus from spreading. Remember to dispose of the leaves AWAY from the roses.”

Make sure to dispose of any infected plant material properly in a waste bin, and do not put any of it in your compost bin.

If you use gardening gloves or secateurs make sure to give them a good clean before using them on your plant again. Do not leave any debris on the ground or you will risk infecting more of your garden.

After all the infected foliage is gone, try to keep the plant leaves and stem as dry as possible. Alexis said: “One of the things I’ve always done and had reiterated again in my horticulture class was to never water your roses from overhead, just the roots.

“So, especially with this black spotting, make sure the leaves stay dry. Protect them from further rain too!”

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How to prevent black spot disease

Your rose plants will have a good chance of becoming healthy again if you spot the infected quickly, but you can also prevent black spot disease by using a fungicidal spray on your roses.

Alexis said: “Sprays WILL NOT treat the current infection 100 percent, but they make a great preventative! As a chemist, I always use a product that is organic, so it will not be harmful to other plants, wildlife, etc.”

She added: “After removing all the infected leaves, I sprayed with the fungicide spray, and I am already getting new growth!

“Prevention is key for combating black spots on roses! And it is so simple too!”

Source: express.co.uk