by Stephanie Suesan Smith | Mar 7, 2011 | public service announcements
Summer squash by nociveglia at https://www.flickr.com/photos/40385177@N07/5982144657 Ever plant a garden and get way more produce than you can use? What in the world possessed you to plant the entire packet of squash seeds, cucumber seeds, or beans? Your...
by Stephanie Suesan Smith | Mar 4, 2011 | tomatoes
Tomatoes can get a large group of diseases. In my area of Texas, tomato plants that are sold as transplants have the letters VFN on their tags. That stands for fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and nematodes. Plants that have VFN on their tags are resistant to...
by Stephanie Suesan Smith | Feb 28, 2011 | Farm safety
Coiled rattlesnake We as gardeners are more at risk for bites and stings from venomous critters than most folks. We move leaf litter that might hide a copperhead snake, reach in the shadows where a black widow spider might lurk and are around bees and wasps a lot....
by Stephanie Suesan Smith | Feb 23, 2011 | entomology
Ladybug larva One of the interesting things about practicing integrated pest management (IPM) is that you get to learn about the relationships between the insects that you consider pests and the insects that eat them. The lady beetle, or ladybug, is one of the good...
by Stephanie Suesan Smith | Feb 21, 2011 | Farm safety
Fertilizer is safe when used properly. If used improperly, however, it can have serious negative effects upon you, your plants, and the environment. Some of these effects are quite unintentional. I remember when they banned phosphorus in detergents because of algae...
