Hort Morsels - Bits and Pieces - Hort Snacks - February 2012

Interesting News & Articles

Set yourself up for Succession – Fruit Growers News article

Mulching for Weed Management in Organic Vegetable Production – eXtension article

Manage the Weed Seed Bank – Minimize “Deposits” and Maximize “Withdrawals” – eXtension article

Heads-Up of the Top 6 – Spud Smart article

Wireworm control in Horticultural Crops – PEI ADAPT Council article in Dec 22, 2011 edition

Mental Snacktime

“To use the same words is not a sufficient guarantee of understanding; one must use the same words for the same genus of inward experience; ultimately one must have one's experiences in common.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” – Khalil Gibran

“Understanding is a two-way street.” –
Eleanor Roosevelt

“The fact that you are willing to say, "I do not understand, and it is fine," is the greatest understanding you could exhibit.” – Wayne Dyer

“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Q&A

Q: Variety Selection – What criteria do you use to choose new “favourites”?

A: Must have good taste/flavour; look good; grows well on our land/conditions

A: Usefulness

A: I’d always weigh how a new variety looks (by the description of its qualities/characteristics) against the maturity potential. I figure that the most important thing is a reasonable guarantee that it will bring in a minimal return, in terms of mature produce. If it doesn’t produce, why bother? – Rob Spencer (AARD)

A: I like the concept of trying a row or two of something new (seeded), preferably in a location that is reasonably indicative of the conditions it will have to grow in. It should probably not be on the edge of the field or maybe it should be in a couple different locations. For transplanted crops, maybe a tray or two is sufficient, with similar placement to direct seeded crops. For anything that goes into the field, make sure you know where it is, so you can compare it. Sometimes things tend to blend/blur together during “testing”, making final evaluation difficult. – Rob Spencer (AARD)

Next Month’s ? On-Farm Testing & Evaluation – What are your experiences – Pros & Cons?