#soil health management

[farmerstrend]

Is this the Largest Sweet Potato in Kenya? The Inspiring Story of Manoah Kilach's 11-Kilogram Sweet Potato

In the verdant Ngata area of Nakuru County, Manoah Kilach has transformed agricultural practice through meticulous organic farming and technological innovation. A retired educator turned agricultural entrepreneur, Kilach stands as a testament to the potential of modern, sustainable farming techniques. On a sun-drenched Friday morning, Kilach proudly displayed an extraordinary achievement: an…

[digital530]

https://www.vikkyexplorer.online/soil-health-management/

[abtl-enzymes]

Growing Stronger: The Benefits and Strategies of Soil Health Management

ABTL offers the benefits and strategies of soil health management. Boost plant immunity and maintain soil health by removing harmful elements. For more details visit- https://abtlenzymes.com/ or Contact- +91 20 27291020

[revista-amazonia]

Livro explora os benefícios das plantas de cobertura para a agricultura

A Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP) lançou uma nova edição do Guia Prático de Plantas de Cobertura: Espécies, Manejo e Impacto na Saúde do Solo. Esta publicação, elaborada pelo grupo de pesquisa Soil Health & Management Research Group (Sohma), é uma ferramenta essencial para entender o uso de plantas de cobertura no fortalecimento da saúde…

[bharatvarsh22]

In the world of organic farming, soil health is of utmost importance. Organic farmers understand that healthy soil is the foundation for a successful and sustainable farm. Soil that is rich in nutrients, microorganisms, and organic matter creates an ideal environment for plants to thrive and resist diseases and pests. However, maintaining soil health in organic farming requires careful and strategic soil management practices.

Do Visit: https://bharatvarshnaturefarms.com/soil-health-in-organic-farming/

[agreads]

Launching RegenIQ: A Scalable, Data-Driven Framework Driving the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture

Agmatix, a leading agricultural data and AI-powered technology company, announces the launch of RegenIQ at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit in Europe. RegenIQ is designed to drive the adoption of regenerative agriculture by offering a structured approach to assessing the impact of field-level efforts, supporting both environmental health and productivity. Aligned with regenerative…

[tenth-sentence]

When we compare those early observations of soil health to the eroded, salinated and compacted soils of today, we become aware of the refinement of Aboriginal methods of soil management.

"Country: Future Fire, Future Farming" - Bill Gammage and Bruce Pascoe

[delicatelysublimeforester]

A Botanical Marvel Unveiled: The First Prairie Pasqueflower at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

[cplconsult-com]

CPL's daily case study on tumblr.... CPL assisted an international client which wanted to expand its business by investing in plant nutrition technology opportunities.

[farmerstrend]

Hands-On Learning at Field Days: The Importance of Field Days in Modern Agriculture

In the ever-evolving landscape of agriculture, staying ahead requires more than just hard work and dedication; it demands continuous learning and adaptation. One of the most effective ways for farmers to achieve this is by attending field days. These events, often organized by agricultural extension services, universities, industry groups, or farming cooperatives, serve as crucial touchpoints…

[letslearnanything]

Ready to embark on a journey of health, sustainability, and joy? 🌱 Dive into our latest article: "How to Grow Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden" and discover step-by-step tips on creating your thriving oasis. From soil health to pest management, learn the secrets of sustainable gardening and bring nature's bounty to your table. It's time to green your thumb and nourish your soul! #OrganicVegetableGardening #SustainableLiving #GreenThumb

[landscapedesignfirm]

Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review

As homeowners, we know that you are invested in your landscape, both financially and emotionally. Motivation for this investment may be strictly practical (contribution to property value), aesthetic (appreciation of the beauty of plants), ecological (contribution to the biome), or competitive (well, neighbors). Motivation to enhance and care for landscapes is more likely from combining these factors and many others. Without regard to underlying motivation, the fact is that an established and cared-for landscape returns on the investment.

The most advanced, durable, and overlooked component of landscape plant maintenance is biological care, which involves the following:

Maintaining soil nutrition

Controlling insect and disease pests

Managing plant structure and physiology

In today’s environment, biological care is critical in preserving longevity, vigor, and beauty in landscape plants, combatting invasive and explosive pests, compensating for the depletion of soil nutrients, and correcting losses in plant resiliency.

Why Burkholder Plant Health Care?

At Burkholder Plant Health Care, we aim to provide the highest biological and structural care level for homeowners in our region. We are staffed with experienced, certified professional technical specialists and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, management strategies, and treatment materials to achieve this. In our program, a critical element of the effective protection of landscape plants is keeping abreast of dynamic growing conditions in terms of seasonal weather patterns that contribute to plant stress and a constantly changing complex of insect and disease pests.

Below is the Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review, where you can learn about the top issues we saw and treated for this year in Main Line landscapes. 

Climatic Conditions

This season, three climatic events had a significant impact on landscape plant health:

Dec 22-Dec 24, 2022

Conditions: Three days of high winds and plummeting temperature, with winds sustained at 30 mph and daily low temperatures into single digits.

Effects: Severe winter burn (desiccation) on evergreen, deciduous plants, especially laurel, holly, and boxwood.

May 2-June 12, 2023

Conditions: Prolonged lack of rainfall during a critical growing period, with less than ¼” of rainfall recorded in 6 weeks.

Effects: Widespread planting/transplant failures in non-irrigated landscapes. Stunted growth/reduced flowering in many established landscape plants.

Sept 9-Sept 29, 2023

Conditions: Twelve days with recorded rainfall in a 3-week span, totaling 6″ of rainfall.

Effects: Late-season onset of root diseases, particularly phytophthora root rot in boxwood, laurel, and rhododendron.

White Prunicola Scale

This pest can cause severe damage to cherry laurel, skip laurel, and flowering cherry/plum. White prunicola scale also infests privet, lilac, boxwood, and holly. This area has three generations of this pest per year, with the third being particularly explosive in September. The insect creates a white, fuzzy coating on plant stems and can cause significant yellowing and branch death when populations are high.

Boxwood Complex: Leafminer, Psyllid, Spider Mite,  Volutella Blight

Boxwood leafminer, a type of fly larva, has become the most common destructive pest for boxwoods. These larvae feed on the leaves, causing them to brown and eventually fall off. This year, psyllids and spider mites were also active, leading to a decline in the quality and appearance of boxwoods across the region.

Additionally, boxwoods are susceptible to several diseases, with volutella blight being the most common. This disease is particularly harmful to plants weakened due to pests or environmental factors.

Phytophthora Root Rot/Root Diseases

Soil diseases, especially phytophthora, can remain inactive for many years but cause significant damage when soil moisture is high. These diseases have many hosts, affecting plants like the following:

Boxwood

Laurel

Azalea

Rhododendron (seen in image above)

Pieris

Holly

Dogwood

The infection destroys fine roots and progresses through the underground water transport system, causing above-ground symptoms that resemble drought stress. A second soil/root disease has emerged in the last few years, with particularly severe damage in holly, especially Japanese holly. Although symptoms of these two diseases are similar and the diseases thrive in similar conditions, management recommendations are completely different, so thorough identification is required for effective management.

Rust Mite/Eriophyid Mite

Eriophyid/rust mites are causing significant damage to plants such as privet, cypress, hemlock, and spruce. These tiny mites make detection difficult, leading to damage before homeowners notice their presence. Another species of eriophyid mite is responsible for spreading the rose rosette virus, which causes extensive damage to roses.

Due to the challenge in detecting these pests, eriophyid rust mites have caused damage to plants for many years. However, effective tools are now available to control these mites on privet and conifers. As a result, we have observed a remarkable recovery of previously mite-damaged plants.

Invasive Weeds

The following species of weeds are invasive to Pennsylvania and can harm homeowner’s landscapes.

Canada Thistle (shown above)

Bindweed

False Buttercup/Celandine

Yellow Nutsedge

Deer  Browse and Antler Rubbing

In this area, deer are likely the greatest hurdle to establishing new landscape plants, maintaining attractive architecture on mature plants, and ensuring full flowering in ornamental plants that are also feeding targets for deer.

Many landscape plant species are attacked by deer, but the worst are:

Hosta

Evergreen Azalea

Rhododendron (especially PJM)

Wintercreeper

Rose

Hydrangea

Flowering Cherry/Plum/Apple

Tulip

Even with clear preferences for some plants, feeding damage from deer extends deep into the list of local landscape plant species. To combat this problem, we have developed our deer repellent blend, combining effects of feeding repellents, predator signals, and behavioral deterrents. We began using this repellent in 2022, which has proven effective, with good to excellent results throughout the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. We strictly adhere to a re-treatment interval of 60 days or less.

Soil Conditions/Soil Nutrition

Two critical factors for healthy landscape plants are soil moisture and nutrition. Optimal soil moisture and nutrient levels ensure healthy, resilient plants. Burkholder Plant Health Care samples soil on participating properties and applies prescription soil amendments each season for healthy plant growth.

Soil Moisture

Maintaining ideal soil moisture levels to ensure your landscape plants thrive is vital. Generally, ideal soil moisture levels range between 20% and 60% but vary depending on the soil type and the specific plant species. The middle ground of 40% is a good target to aim for.

Soil moisture levels that are consistently lower than 20% or greater than 60% can be equally damaging to root systems, so it’s essential to calibrate your landscape watering routine accordingly. We will begin monitoring soil moisture levels during each field visit to client properties to simplify watering recommendations.

Soil Nutrition

Soil nutrition is a crucial consideration for the health of the plants in your landscape. With sufficient nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients, as well as a solid foundation of proper pH levels and soil structure, your plants can reach their full potential regarding maturity, health, and strength. Poor soil conditions can also make your plants more vulnerable to pest problems and damage from environmental stress.

All properties should have soil analyzed, and many will need to focus on managing and correcting soil nutrient levels. This can make the difference between having healthy plants that require little maintenance and constantly dealing with plant health issues. At Burkholder Plant Health Care, we take soil chemistry seriously. We sample the soil on participating properties every three years and apply prescription soil amendments in each growing season’s spring (March) and fall (October).

Burkholder PHC Accomplishments in 2023

Our Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review would be incomplete without mentioning a few achievements of our team.  These include:

Formal identification (with Penn State Insect Identification Lab) of Philoeosinus canadensis

Full-season management plan for roses

Rescue treatment for eriophyid mite damage

Formal identification (with Penn State Insect Identification Lab) of Zeuzera pyrina

Learn more about these accomplishments in our new article.

Contact Burkholder PHC for Exceptional Treatment of Plant Care Issues

If you are a current or past client of Burkholder Plant Health Care, thank you for trusting us with the care of the structure and biology of your landscape plants. If you have not brought our services onto your property and are interested in an assessment of the condition of your landscape plants, just let me know (starker@burkholderphc.com). All of our initial evaluations, sampling, and diagnostics are free for current or past clients of Burkholder Brothers. For more information about the Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review, give us a call.

Blog is originally published at: https://www.burkholderphc.com/burkholder-plant-health-care-year-in-review/

It is republished with the permission from the author.

[abtl-cropscience]

Soil management helps in soil performance enhancement, reduces the need of fertilizers, and improves crop quality. Before planting, Apply soil improvement additives and powder based fertilizers to prepare the soil and protect plants from harmful soil bacteria and encourage rapid root growth.

[nationalagriinstruments]

Enhancing Agricultural Efficiency: The Importance of Digital Moisture Meters

In the realm of Modern Agriculture, precision and efficiency are paramount for ensuring optimal crop yield and quality. One indispensable tool that plays a crucial role in achieving these goals is the Digital Moisture Meter. With its advanced features and capabilities, the digital moisture meter revolutionizes the way farmers and agricultural professionals monitor and manage moisture levels in soil, grains, and other agricultural products.

Automatic Inbuilt Temperature Compensation

Traditional moisture measurement methods often fall short in accurately accounting for temperature variations, which can significantly affect moisture readings. However, Digital Moisture Meters come equipped with automatic inbuilt temperature compensation features. This ensures that moisture readings remain precise and reliable regardless of fluctuating environmental conditions, empowering farmers to make informed decisions about irrigation and crop management.

"LOBAT" / "BAT" Indication

The last thing farmers need is a disruption in their operations due to weak battery power. Digital moisture meters address this concern by incorporating "LOBAT" / "BAT" indication features. This alerts users when the battery is running low, allowing for timely replacement and uninterrupted usage. As a result, farmers can rely on continuous and accurate moisture measurements without any downtime or inaccuracies caused by insufficient battery power.

ABS Moulded Body

Agriculture is inherently demanding, often subjecting equipment to rugged conditions in the field. Recognizing this challenge, digital moisture meters are designed with ABS molded bodies that offer exceptional durability and longevity. This robust construction ensures that the moisture meter can withstand the rigors of field use, providing farmers with a reliable tool that stands the test of time.

No Mechanical Moving Parts

Unlike traditional moisture meters that rely on mechanical components, digital moisture meters are engineered without any moving parts. This design eliminates the risk of wear and tear, minimizing maintenance requirements and ensuring consistent performance over an extended duration. Farmers can enjoy hassle-free operation and peace of mind, knowing that their digital moisture meter will deliver accurate results without the need for frequent repairs or replacements.

Non-destructive Sample Testing

Preserving the integrity of agricultural samples is crucial for maintaining product quality and minimizing waste. Digital moisture meters offer non-destructive sample testing capabilities, allowing farmers to assess moisture levels without altering or damaging the samples. This not only streamlines the testing process but also ensures that valuable agricultural products remain intact and usable throughout the measurement process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the digital moisture meter stands as a transformative tool in modern agriculture, offering unmatched accuracy, efficiency, and reliability in moisture measurement. By harnessing the power of this innovative technology, farmers can optimize their irrigation practices, improve crop yield and quality, and ultimately, drive sustainable agricultural productivity.

As a leading manufacturer of digital moisture meters in India, National Agri Instruments is committed to empowering farmers with cutting-edge solutions that address their evolving needs. Our state-of-the-art moisture meters, equipped with features such as automatic inbuilt temperature compensation, robust ABS molded bodies, and non-destructive sample testing capabilities, are designed to streamline moisture measurement processes and enhance agricultural outcomes.

By Choosing National Agri Instruments, Farmers gain access to not only premium-quality digital moisture meters but also expert support and guidance every step of the way. Our dedicated team is committed to providing personalized assistance, training, and ongoing maintenance services to ensure that farmers derive maximum value from their investment.

In partnership with National Agri Instruments, farmers can embark on a journey towards greater efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in agriculture. Together, we can harness the potential of digital moisture meters to transform the way we cultivate and nourish the world.