Midterm 1 Flashcards
(127 cards)
1
Q
What is urban agriculture?
A
Formerly Urban Food Production. defined in simple terms is the growing, processing, and distribution of food and other products through intensive plant cultivation and animal husbandry in and around cities
2
Q
What is agriculture?
A
Ag = the science, art or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock, and to varying degrees the preparation (processing) and marketing of the resulting products
3
Q
What is a market garden?
A
Market Garden = small scale commercial food production (fruit & vegetable production) plus other products (flowers, seeds, …. )
4
Q
Plan before you plant
A
- not all sites or all soils are suitable for food production
- more work up-front will result in healthier plants, fewer pest and disease problems, a lot less work for you AND a higher yield of fresh produce which may translate to increased income
5
Q
purpose of garden:
A
sustenance garden or soup and salad garden
6
Q
most common mistake for newbie gardeners?
A
they start too big. Always START SMALL
7
Q
Things to think about when planting ANY garden:
A
- accessibility
- water and air drainage
- try to avoid steep slopes
8
Q
open / non-sheltered sites
A
will result in high evapotranspiration ; potentially physical damage to plants
9
Q
overly sheltered
A
areas will not allow wind movement and this may increase the occurrence of diseases
10
Q
predominant winds in summer are southerly, so best to have open to the…
A
south, east
11
Q
if growing perennial veggies and fruit (must survive the winter) then want shelter from
A
north/north west
12
Q
areas that warm early in the spring ; will allow for a slightly longer growing season BUT….
A
south facing slopes tend to warm earlier than any other slope (+ve) ; more exposed to late spring frosts (-ve) ; not the best for perennials / woody plants (fruits)
-north-facing slopes are colder and later
13
Q
technologies available to protect against frosts if growing on southern slopes ; or can ______ soil to keep cooler, ________ plants to keep cooler
A
mulch, cover
14
Q
if putting perennials and woody plants in any garden, then protection from the …
A
north and west is ideal ; snow accumulation is a good thing for over-wintering plants
15
Q
Pros and cons of snow:
A
+insulates against cold
+source of moisture in spring
-protects pests over winter
16
Q
Better to choose bad environment with good soil, or bad soil with good environment?
A
bad soil, good enviro. Soil is more easily modified.
17
Q
urban soils are often disturbed with mixed ________
A
horizons
18
Q
What do plants need for growth?
A
sunlight, water, anchorage, nutrients, space, C02, heat, protection from wind
19
Q
Minimum sunlight
A
8 (6) hours of direct sunlight per day ; some say 3 or 4 ; somewhat depends on quality of light
the more light – the greater the potential yield & quality
20
Q
more light =
A
more yield potential
21
Q
Which vegetables can tolerate less sunlight?
A
leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale)
22
Q
influence of sunlight on food production is based on :
A
day length and quality (intensity) of sunlight
23
Q
sun’s intensity depends on angle of sun off horizon ;
A
lower on horizon means lower intensity / lower quality sunlight
24
Q
plants can often grow dryland BUT
A
cannot guarantee quality and quantity w/o water source
25
why should rural water be tested?
It should be tested for salinity (soluble salts)
26
Blossom end rot on a tomato is from
inconsistent watering, CA deficiency
27
soil / media also supplies nutrients needed for growth, 13 total
6 macro, 7 micro
28
what is soil?
mixture of sand, silt, clay, organic matter
29
plants are a
carbon sink
30
for cool season crops, veggies grow at
+ 5C
31
for warm season crops veggies grow at
+ 15C
32
GDD =
daily max + daily min/ 2 (-base)
33
warm season base
10
34
cool season base
5
35
pros and cons of wind
```
pros
-assist in pollination
-helps to cool garden in summer
cons
-can damage plants
-dries (evapotranspiration)
```
36
what do soils do?
supply nutrients, hold water, place for oxygen/ carbon dioxide exchange, anchorage, hosts micro-organisms
37
a stubby root veg, with multiple shoots might indicate
Root development restricted by either clay soil &/or high water table
38
what are the five components of soil?
minerals ; water ; gases ; organic matter ; microorganisms
39
large particles of minerals
sand - feels gritty
crumbly ball, breaks with light pressure
dries fast, warm in spring
40
medium particles
silt - feels smooth
fairly strong ball
medium drying, medium warm
41
small particles
clay- feels sticky
solid strong ball
slow to dry, slow to warm
42
what is organic matter?
dead plants, microorganisms and other dead stuff in various states of decomposition, plus living microorganisms that decompose stuff
43
WATER
Water
| water with dissolved nutrients
44
GASES
Gases
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor …
different than atmospheric gases
potentially methane, radon - a radioactive gas that is formed naturally by the breakdown of uranium in soil
45
MICROORGANISMS
Microorganisms
gazillions of living things in the soil
bacteria, fungi, nematodes, algae, protozoa, viruses, worms, mites, bugs, beetles, flies, …
46
important soil characteristics for food production
```
speed to warm in spring
potential to compact & crust
amount of aeration
allow expansion of roots
ability to hold water and nutrients
speed to dry after a rain / irrigation
movement of water within profile ; speed of water infiltration
natural fertility
potential for erosion
weight / unit area
```
47
Average Organic Matter?
3-6% . MORE IS BETTER
48
Chemical properties of organic matter
has both a positive and negative charge (involved in cation / anion exchange capacity)
increases soil exchange capacity (CEC)
holds nutrients & releases to soil water ; buffers soil pH (prevents pH from changing dramatically) ; decomposes to release nutrients ; nitrogen, potassium
49
biological properties of om
biological
| houses microorganisms ; source of energy / food for MO which breakdown OM to release nutrients for plants …..
50
physical properties of om
physical
helps to hold soil particles together
holds water very well ; cools soils / regulates soil temperature
improves soil structure (enhances aeration / lessens compaction)
makes tillage easier ; reduces soil erosion
reduces soil crusting
51
soil-less media may contain
may contain a variety of components including peatmoss, perlite, horticultural vermiculite, compost, volcanic cinder, bark / bark ash,
may find wood shavings, sawdust, coconut coir, flax shives, ….. ; rock wool is a common hydroponic substrate
52
advantages and disadvantages of soil-less media
lightweight for transportation, uniform, good for container gardening, can enhance production in garden
disadvantage: may be hard to re-wet once dried, using in containers may create drainaige/aeration issues
53
Peat Moss
peat moss = most common ingredient ; plants growing in peat bogs in northern prairies ; finite resource ; bogs well managed
adv – holds water very well ; good aeration / prevent compaction ; holds nutrients well ; will slightly acidify media
challenge – creates a cold media
extra:
should thoroughly wet peat moss before use ; will absorb LOTS of water ; will greatly increase in weight
commonly used to soften clay soils ; need to repeat application every few (2) years ; used to improve sandy soils
acidity is not a problem in Saskatoon area – or in most parts of Sask.
54
Sphagnum moss vs. peat moss
sphagnum: harvested while alive and then dried
peat: forms a bog
55
Perlite
naturally occurring siliceous rock ; volcanic glass ; when heated it pops like popcorn
white in colour, very light weight, does not breakdown, does not release nutrients, provides very good aeration & drainage (prevents compaction), retains moisture, neutral pH,holds nutrients well
56
Vermiculite
is a rock ; looks like mica which is formed in layers
like perlite, it expands substantially when heated
horticultural vermiculite is not the same as insulation vermiculite / zonolite
not all vermiculite contains the tremolite asbestos fibres
Do NOT use old insulation
provides good aeration & drainage, does not break down (perlite a bit better), neutral pH, hold nutrients well, holds water very well ; can release some potassium & magnesium (minimal)
very popular in container media
57
Potting soil often does not contain
SOIL! but, most common potting media is combo peat moss, pine bark and vermiculite &/or perlite
58
what is soil fertility?
the amount and availability of nutrients in the soil
59
what impacts soil fertility?
```
parent material & soil texture
pH
soil depth
organic matter content
form the nutrients are in
soil profile (leached, weathered, slope, hollow ….)
soil usage / history / management
```
60
how soils hold and release nutrients:
clay particles and OM hold onto nutrients ; both hold water with dissolved nutrients ; both have a negative charge and attract nutrients with a positive charge (cation) ; cation exchange capacity (CEC) = total negative charge
cations adsorb on the surface of the clay and OM
cations include: calcium, magnesium, potassium, ammonium, sodium, hydrogen, aluminum, ……
as a nutrient dissolves and is used by plants, it will be replaced on the clay / OM by another cation (exchange) ;
the more clay and/or OM in the soil, the greater its ability to hold and exchange nutrients (cations)
sands are opposite to clays ; sands do not effectively attract or hold nutrients
Would you treat a sandy soil differently than a clay soil with respect to application of fertilizer?
61
CEC
CEC influences how much / often fertilizers should be applied ; on soils with a low CEC (not much clay &/or OM) nutrients have fewer places to adsorb to, therefore best to apply smaller amounts of nutrients and more often (rather than a large amount at one time)
Soils with a higher CEC can adsorb more nutrients
62
How to increase CEC
add OM (but it takes years)
63
AEC
anion exchange capacity (AEC) ; anion = negatively charged ions ; repelled by clay and OM ; often stay in solution until converted to cation form ; AEC only occurs under acidic soil conditions – not common here so will not discuss
64
pH
as the amount of free H+ ions increases, the pH decreases and the soil becomes more acid
as the amount of free OH- ions increases, the pH increases and the soil becomes more basic
65
what does pH do?
```
pH alters nutrient availability ; pH alters the form the nutrient is in ; it alters growth and activity of MO
lack of (deficiency) or excess toxicity) nutrients can be equally damaging
```
66
Can plants absorb all nutrients in soil?
just because the nutrient is in the soil, does not mean it is available to the plant ; nutrient can be in various forms and only certain forms can be absorbed by plants
the form the nutrients are in, is partly determined by pH
Fe (iron) micronutrient ; is most often quite abundant in the soil but deficiencies often exist ; problem is with availability
Iron bacteria convert ferrous iron (Fe2+ ion) to ferric (Fe3+ ion) under basic conditions
Fe readily absorbed (ferrous iron) ; ferric oxide (Fe203) form does not readily dissolve in water ; ‘lime induced chlorosis” under basic conditions
67
solve iron deficiency?
add OM
add iron to soil
add iron to plant or soil – (chelate) (ferrous sulfate) (ferrous ammonium sulfate)
68
humus
broken down OM that can break down no further
69
benefits of humus
helps bond soil particles to create good soil structure
enhances CEC and moisture retention
structure to house MO which can convert pollutants in the soil into unavailable forms thus making them non toxic to plants ; sequester or break down ; bioremediation
70
necessary nutrients
17 nutrients considered essential for plant growth ; H, C, O from air / water (non-metal nutrients)
14 nutrients essential to plant growth that are normally supplied by soil, fertilizer and organic matter (derived from rock, plant materials, other living organisms)
macronutrients - needed in larger volumes
N P K S Ca Mg
micronutrients - needed in smaller volumes
Zn Fe Bo Cu Mn Mo Cl (Ni)
71
fertilizers
higher number means higher concentration - can burn
72
nitrogen
plants generally absorb N in the nitrate (NO3-) form (in basic soils) but in acidic soils they can absorb in the ammonium form (NH4+)
-N is part of many proteins, and chlorophyll ; encourages plant growth and dark green colour of plants
very mobile in soil ; easily leached in soil water ; especially NO3-
very mobile within plant
dwarfed, light green / yellow growth, old growth first impacted
delayed flowering / fruiting – excessive, succulent growth if have too much N
73
nitrogen adsorption
Plants can uptake N in one of two forms: ammonium nitrogen (NH4+) or nitrate nitrogen (NO3-)
(NH4+) – positive charge ; adsorbed ; leaching losses are minimal in this form ; not mobile in soil
(NH4+) – converted to NO3- by soil bacteria
NO3- - negative charge ; not adsorbed ; leaching losses can be high ; also lost thru denitrification (lost to atmosphere) ; very mobile in soil
74
phosphorus
promotes root growth, reproductive growth and quality,
Increases disease resistance
not mobile in soil / does not leach easily ; pre-apply
noticeable first on old growth
often get purplish / red colour of foliage ; especially common in seedlings in cold weather ; very common in tomatoes
-found in potash ; potassium chloride
improves winter hardiness ; improves ability to withstand drought ; increased disease resistance
easily leached in water ; mobile in plants, show deficiencies in old growth first
is debate if it is necessary for addition of small amounts of K in spring
75
other nutrients
Calcium – used in cell walls, membrane structure and permeability ; usually very abundant in local soils
Iron, Magnesium – used in chlorophyll ; easily leached in water ; mobile in plant ; deficiency = interveinal chlorosis (veins remain green)
Sulfur – associated with enhanced odour and taste ; easily leached in water, but not mobile in plants ; deficiency symptoms similar to Nitrogen but shows deficiency first on new growth
76
fertilizer vs. soil amendment
fertilizer must have nutrient analysis
77
organic fertilizer
organic = from a living source (bone meal, blood meal, manure, bat guano, seaweed, …) ; often lower in nutrient content ; are generally slow release ; are most effective in moist conditions and warm temperatures
microbial activity dependent on moisture and temperature
manure is both organic matter and nutrients
78
inorganic fertilizer
synthetic = man-made ; most often fast action ; most often higher concentrations ; often in form readily available to plants ; fairly cheap ; can harm soil micro-organisms ; potential leaching and burning
79
when/how to apply fertilizers?
```
plants need fertility when they are actively growing
before seeding (spring tillage) incorporate OM plus high phosphorus fertilizer ; phosphorus not very mobile in soil – best for roots to grow into fertilizer ; annual tillage recommended to incorporate OM
```
-sprinkle on soil surface beside plants ; okay for nutrients that dissolve in water and will leach into the soil ; not okay for all nutrients ; can lightly incorporate into soil w/o damage roots
can apply with liquid form with watering can ; good for many nutrients ; watch for burning
80
conditions favouring N loss
excess N in soil can lead to NH3 – lost to volatilization ; creation of N20 (nitrous oxide) – greenhouse gas
moist conditions ; excess water in soil and high soil temperatures favours conversion into nitrate form NO3- - most leachable form
coarse soil texture (sandy)
low organic matter content
81
using grey water w/ a softening system
water conditioning/softening system – used when water is high in minerals, specifically Mg, Ca ; ‘hard’ water ; add salt (NaCl) to remove Mg & Ca ; Na replaces Mg & Ca
RO (reverse osmosis) conditioners are safe for plants
82
how to prevent water loss
water early in morning - not during heat of day when evaporation will be highest ; also best for plants
use mulches where possible
use trickle irrigation where possible / not sprinklers
reduce the amount of water-intensive plants - especially non-food plants
use compost / organic matter as it helps retain moisture
reduce use raised beds * - they dry out faster
83
advantages and disadvantages of sprinklers
advantages – commonly one system can irrigate a large area (distributing water over large area), require minimal set up, easy to use, reliable, not many parts, can automate
challenges - not efficient use of water / high evaporation, foliage is wet therefore greater chance of diseases, requires high pressure system
84
hand move irrigation system
appropriate for large scale garden (1/2 acre +) ; pending on size, can deliver a high volume of water, so need good water source, and 45+ PSI pump ; (high pressure & volume)
85
solid set sprinkler system
have many laterals and leave them in place for the season ; can irrigate all at once or any number at a specific time
86
side roll sprinkler system
Same as hand move sprinkler system but mounted on wheels ; most often driven by motor or pushed by hand
Push, stop, irrigate, push, stop, irrigate, ….
Large system – would probably only use this system if you were operating a market garden (2 acres or more)
OLD technology
cheap
60 – 70 + psipressure ; highvolume
87
pumps
Small pumps ; solar / wind / gas / electric powered
Select irrigation system, then buy pump ; must have enough horsepower to properly operate irrigation system
Pumps sold as GPM at a specific PSI ; 10 GPM at 50 PSI
Centrifugal give high flow rate (GPM), and medium pressure ; commonly used are 1 – 2 hp (med pressure - high volume)
Jet pumps much like above but lower hp, lower flow rate ; same pressure, can pump same distance ; used when number of heads is lower (high pressure – medium volume)
88
trickle irrigation
there are many advantages of using trickle
uses less water than sprinkler / more water efficient / does not water the walkways - only the base of the plants
very little evaporation
much lower pressure system required ; 5-8 psi
foliage is dry therefore less diseases
very effective on slopes
reduced compaction, erosion
challenges
must use clean water as emitters in laterals can plug up
saline water can also plug emitters
more cost ; needs replacing
can be used for small scale or can expand to large scale (1-2 ac +)
low pressure ; may not require large pump or any pump – depends on water source / system
89
Flood
was common in commercial operations before innovations in pivots
requires flat land with a very slight slope (1%) which allows water to flow down the row ; if slope is too steep water will not percolate into the soil
high water evaporation , not suitable for all crops, shallow rooted crops may be washed out
seldom used ; not efficient use of water
90
watering during drought
-mulch ; material covers soil, prevents evaporation and thus water loss ; advantages and challenges, both synthetic and organic ; will discuss in more detail during future class
-reduce within and between row spacing ; plants closer together, less soil exposed to hot sun, therefore less evaporation ; use double / triple rows
-Incorporate more organic matter into soil ; better water retention capability
-water in morning before temps get hot ; morning better than evening especially if get foliage wet ; if not, then evening watering is best ; less evaporation
-choose appropriate watering system ; sprinklers break -water into small droplets which evaporate quickly ; applying water directly to ground (trickle irrigation) greatly decreases evaporation
-reduce seeding rate ; less plants competing for water
If not eating weeds, then control weeds
91
Why / when did cities develop?
safety ; advances in agric (more efficient than hunter/gatherer)
6,000 + years ago ; Mesopotamia – 3,000 years ago
92
what is a food system?
is generally defined as a set of food related activities including agriculture, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management, each with its attendant social, environmental and economic dimensions.”
93
Rubus - raspberry
red, most common, hardy
above ground growth = cane ; vast majority of local cultivars are biennial canes - perennial roots
cane will grow full height in one season ( called primocanes – green stems) (year 1 = vegetative)
flowers initiated in year 1 but do not appear until next year
canes overwinter, now called floricanes – brown stems, produce leaves, flower then fruit then die (year 2 = reproductive)
old spent canes are brown with peeling bark
these cultivars are referred to as “floricane fruiting” or “summer bearing” raspberries
-can also have “primocane fruiting” or “fall fruiting” or “everbearing” cultivars; bear fruit on primocanes in Sept ;(discussed in more detail later in powerpoint)
red raspberries multiply via offshoots from crown (buds from base of plant) and suckers (underground stems) ; will fill in a patch quite quickly
traditionally raspberries have numerous delicate thorns on canes / thornless cultivars are available
94
Raspberry pollination
most cultivars of raspberries are self fertile / self-pollinate therefore do not need two or more different cultivars
bee / insect pollinated
95
pros and cons of primocane fruiting
Advantages – easy to treat like an annual ; no need for overwintering aboveground canes (still need root protection) ; easy pruning
Challenges – bees must be active later into autumn ; need longer growing season without frost ; potentially smaller yields ; some say taste not as good
96
Rubus environment
shelter from NW in order to get good snow cover very advantageous ; shallow root system which can be killed by excessively cold temps
- raspberry has short endodormancy requirement ; hours ; warm weather during early spring can induce growth ; chinook winds can be deadly ; once plants start growing they are susceptible to freezing temps
- do not fertilize in summer / autumn ; raspberries most often exhibit indeterminate growth ; common to have ‘tip kill’ each spring – tips of branches killed by winter temps
97
Strawberry - Fragaria -3 kinds
three kinds: June-Bearing, Everbearing, Day-Neutral
June-Bearing - bear one crop of fruit, usually late June to mid/late July
Everbearing - bear two crops of fruit ; late June/early July (largest harvest) and late August (small harvest)
Day-Neutral - bear continuously from late July - September + ; can treat like annual - don’t worry about over-wintering ; can be a bit costly ; home gardeners treat like everbearing strawberries but need to watch hardiness ratings
98
strawberry
cool season fruit
highest fruit yield under warm days and cool nights
NOT drought tolerant – will survive under low moisture but will not develop ultimate yields
DN tend to be more shallow rooted than other types ; more intolerant of stress
top of crown produces leaves & flowers ; bottom of crown produces roots
main crown and branch crowns ; identical ; produce leaves, base of leaf is a bud ; bud will become leaf / runner / flower
propagate by stolon / runners
June bearing produce flower buds with shorter days in autumn (short day type)
Ever-bearer (a type of of short day ; influenced by shorter days in autumn and spring)
99
strawberry fertilizer
An example where N fertilizer is applied in early summer - immediately after June harvest ; excess N in early spring will encourage excess foliage at expense of flower / fruits ; can apply some fertilizer in spring (low N / high P to encourage root growth) 10-52-10
100
strawberry runner thinning
runner will continue to form all year ; ideally want 10 cm between any two runners within the 45 cm row
excess runners should be cut off and composted
excess runners = excess competition = reduced yield
move the runners around and slightly bury them to encourage rooting ; one runner may have up to 8 or more plantlets ; the further from the mother plant, the weaker the plantlets
renovation = only for June bearers ; immediately after harvest ; mow to three inches above ground ; remove excess growth, leaving newly rooted runners ; remove old plants
101
strawberry pollination
white flowers , insect pollinated
aggregate fruit ; each seed on surface of fruit was an individual pistil ; require thorough fertilization or get deformed fruit
102
overwintering strawberry
must be well mulched over winter to protect shallow root system from severe frosts ; straw, loose leaves, flax shives, fluffed grass clippings
10 - 15 cm depth is ideal ; may want to cover with mesh to hold materials in place over winter ; do NOT cover with solid plastic
nice secure location for mice / voles
remove in spring immediately upon seeing signs of new growth ; green leaves going into winter will be green in the spring - not new growth ; look for new growth coming out of crown ; can remove after risk of major frost is past
delay in removing mulch can substantially reduce yield ; remove too early and could suffer from late spring frost
103
Prunus pollination
In order to set fruit, pollination must occur
Many Prunus species are NOT self compatible (not self-fruitful), meaning they can’t pollinize themselves ; some are moderately self compatible
If a plant is not self compatible, then a compatible plant must be planted nearby in order to set fruit
A compatible plant is usually another plant of the same species, with a different genetic background (not a clone)
There are some exceptions to this rule (hybrid species)
104
pollinizer vs pollinator
A pollinizer is the source of pollen ie. another genetically distant (not a clone) but compatible, plant which is flowering at the same time
A pollinator is the vector of pollen movement. Usually insects (bees)
105
pollination of hardy plums
```
Very important!! crucial
Wild plums (P. nigra, P. americana)
Will pollinize one another (if overlap in flower time)
will pollinize Japanese plums
Will pollinize Hybrid plums
Japanese plums (P. salicina)
will pollinize one another (if overlap in flower time)
Will NOT pollinize wild plums
Will NOT pollinize Hybrid plums
Hybrid plums
Will NOT pollinize one another
Will NOT pollinize Japanese plums
Will pollinize wild plums (IF the plums are completely wild plums) *
```
106
prunus -> plum flowering dates
Flowering dates vary between species and within species
Wild plums – mid flowering
Hybrid plums – mid-late flowering
Japanese plums – early flowering
107
u of s dwarf sour cherries
Most are self-fruitful / compatible, but can benefit from more than one cultivar present in close proximity
108
Pear- pyrus pollination
one tree sufficient per family but need second (unrelated) in neighbourhood for pollination ; 50 pounds + per tree
production often begins in year 5 ; long lived trees
okay (?) for fresh eating but have very short storage potential
109
grapes - vitis
fruit small, 5-8 mm, dark purple, edible, not much flesh
aggressive vine ; good ornamental value
site selection VERY important ; hot, south exposure, (south wall of white building)
AS MUCH SUN AS POSSIBLE
DON’T over-fertilize or will get huge volume of leaf growth at expense of flowers / fruit
trellis essential ; can lay trellis down over winter for protection ; not too tall
110
grape - pollination
Most grapes self-pollinating so one vine is ok
Best to plant in spring ; when plant in 2016, cut vine back to 15-30 cm in length ; 5-6 buds
Remove flowers in first year so as to put energy back into the plant
-wind pollinated
111
grape pruning
pruning is VERY important ; essential ; must remove 80-90% + of plant annually
cane pruning or spur pruning ; spur most common in cold climates
only buds on two year old wood will bear fruit, so need to remove all old growth ; vine grew in 2016, will fruit in 2017
may look like you are killing plant – you are not!
best to prune in spring, just as growth starts ; not when cold as canes can be brittle when frozen
112
haskap pollination
```
very hardy (at least Zone 2)
low maintenance ; annual pruning
self incompatible / self sterile ; need two unrelated cultivars
```
113
what is self incompatable?
means that the flowers cannot pollinate themselves ; need two unrelated cultivars for pollination
pollen from a genetically distant cultivar is required for fruit set to occur
DOES NOT mean there are female & male plants - dioecious
114
Saskatoonberry pollination
self fertile ; only need one plant
115
apple production
often do not start producing till 5 years of age – no instant gratification like with strawberries
reach good yield when about 7 years of age
116
apple pollination
Propagated asexually ; self-incompatible ; cross pollination:require two different & unrelated cultivars to ensure proper pollination
117
why use a rootstock?
originally grafting was done because it was an easy way to share and propagate cultivars
it was found that rootstock also influences traits like:
tree size
hardiness
disease resistance
age to maturity / fruiting
118
when planting apples..
place tree in the hole making sure to keep the graft union above ground
119
biennial bearing
gibberellins (hormone) in developing fruit inhibits initiation of flowers for following year
120
to keep mice from overwintering and gnawing on bark
keep base of tree free from long grass or weeds
after snowfall, periodically stomp around the base of the tree to crush any mouse/vole tunnels or nests
use mouse guards
121
apple harvest
fruit is ready to harvest when it reaches mature size for the cultivar, when the seeds have turned darker brown, when appropriate sweetness / flavour has developed
122
store apples with air circulation because
apples continue to respire after they are picked ; releasing carbon dioxide, ethylene and other gases
123
kiwi pollination
dioecious = male and female plants ; some self fertile cultivars are available
124
benefits of mulching
-annual weed control
-moisture retention
-modifies soil temp
-source of OM
-keeps veggies clean
prevents soil erosion
125
challenges of mulching
- good place for pests to hide
- has to be removed in autum or incorporated into the soil
- only lasts one year
- organic mulches temporarily take nutrients from soil
126
mulching could be-
- grass clippings (no herbicide)
- dry leaves
- straw
- wood chips
127
black plastic mulch
works best, wamrs soil
