Soil & Roots
Root nodules reveal a partnership that legumes need to build
Legume root nodules can indicate a partnership with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Learn what a sample can show and why nodules alone do not measure soil fertility.
SOIL · CROPS · FARM PRACTICE
Good growing starts below the surface.
A practical agriculture journal about soil, water and the observations that help growers make better decisions.
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Vegetable Growing
Hand-pollinating a squash flower starts with recognising its role
Identify male and female squash flowers, choose a suitable morning and use gentle hand pollination while keeping other causes of poor fruit set in view.
Seedling Care
Ventilate a cloche before sunshine overheats young plants
A cloche can warm seedlings quickly in sunshine. Build ventilation, watering checks and gradual exposure into its daily use rather than leaving it shut.
Orchard Basics
Thinning young apples gives the remaining fruit room to develop
An apple tree can set more fruit than it can mature well. Assess the remaining crop after natural drop before thinning selected young fruit.
Seed Starting
Seed scarification is useful only when the seed coat is the barrier
Scarification helps certain hard-coated seeds take up water. Check the species requirements before scratching seeds that may need a different germination treatment.
Vegetable Growing
Earth up potatoes before developing tubers reach the light
Understand why potatoes are earthed up as they grow, and check soil coverage without mistaking a taller mound for a guaranteed larger crop.