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Conserving Water
When we view the vast deserts
of the world we understand at one time some of them were covered with
lush vegetation and trees. Man cut the trees for firewood, building
shelters to live in but failed to replace them with new trees. Since
trees provide shade and root deeply they hold the soil in place so
that when water comes in the form of rain it can be used by the trees
to grow new trees and vegetation underneath such as ferns, moss and
wildflowers.
Other ways
of saving water are by using rain barrels, making catch basins in
hilly terrain, and using mulch and lots of organic matter to hold
and absorb what moisture we have. My uncle, a vegetable grower, years
ago, grew a number of acres of vegetables without any irrigation just
by applying heavy amounts of manure each spring before planting. He
had crops even in very dry years and never had to water. Farmers today
are using a method that saves not only water but also fuel; it is
called no-till farming where seeds are planted without disturbing
the soil. This method will work in the home garden as well by using
lots mulch and pulling back the mulch and putting in the seeds. |
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How To Prevent Blossom End Rot In Tomatoes
Blossom end rot is a disorder commonly found on tomatoes that is caused by a lack of calcium in the plant. This occurs when the tomato plant experiences periods of wet soil and periods of very dry soil. A balance needs to be maintained for roots to properly absorb calcium from the soil. You will recognize blossom end rot by the nasty looking brown spots that may begin as small spots on the blossom end (opposite the stem) of the green tomato. As the fruit matures, the spot spreads to cover larger areas and deepens in color. At maturity blossom end rot may take over nearly the whole tomato and appear black and leathery. Preventing blossom end rot takes a little time and effort, but the results are well worth the effort.
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