Xtremehorticulture

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert

Meat Certification Course in Reno

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Wolf Pack Meats Certification Program is being offered at Wolf Pack Meats through the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources (CABNR)and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE) Herds & Harvest program. Each certification program will guide students through the operation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocols to ensure that program participants will learn the latest food safety and sanitation guidelines. Each program will be limited to 10 students due to the size of the Wolf Pack Meats facility and the Main Station Farm classroom size. A brochure is attached with all the information regarding this class.  July 7, 2016 Basics l Slaughter This Basics I certification program will be for beginners who want to learn about meat processing. This training is designed to provide insight on how to slaughter and process an animal carcass under USDA inspection, this class is hands-on. To register follow the EventBrite link. http://slaughter-july07-2016.eventbrite.com/ July 19, 2016 Basics I Processing Processing certification for Meat Cutting Basics I will provide hands-on specialized training in the accuracy of cutting, knife handling, portion control, merchandising and the utilization of all carcass products including food safety and sanitation guidelines. To register, follow Event Brite link. https://processing-july19-2016.eventbrite.com/ June 30, and July 1, 2016 Basics ll This Basics II certification program will be a two-day educational program related to the meat packing industry. Day 1 will be at the UNR Ag Experiment Station on Clean Water Way in the classroom and in the feedlot learning how packers make their money. Day two will focus on the processing of carcasses focusing on grade and yield at Wolf Pack meats processing facility in the morning. In the afternoon, the class will move to UNR Fleischman Agriculture Room 104, UNR Meat Lab, to conduct meat product color analysis, tenderness and packaging techniques. To register for the two-day event, click the Eventbrite link. https://basics2-june30andjuly1-2016.eventbrite.com/ 

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Coconut Trunk Rot in Philippines

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Q. I had gone thru your blogs and thanks for I got idea how to connect with you. I am from the Philippines. I had a small coconut plantation but had some problems I had observed. (Please see attached photos). A. This looks like basal stem rot disease….Ganoderma…It is usually associated with poor drainage during the rainy season. Water accumulates around the trunks and the soil does not drain well. This standing water causes the palm to weaken and invasion by this disease pathogen which is either in the soil waiting for weakened trees or brought in with the seedlings. I attached a paper that discusses this problem and some corrective measures but the best is preventitive, making sure you have adequate drainage during heavy rains and soil that drains well. Click here for more information about this disease We see similar problems with fruit trees in temperate regions and it is called collar rot. Similar symptoms but different disease organisms.

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Starting From Seed in the Garden During Summer

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Q. Just came across your site looking for gardening tips.Great stuff! Just wanted to reach out and say hello. I’m just starting to get into gardening myself. I didn’t know there was so much involved with starting seeds and pots! I just started planting some seeds for different flowers but I’ve been having problems with birds hanging out and ruining my garden. I’d love to get your thoughts on it. Have you had this issue? I would appreciate your feedback! A. I know pigeons can be a problem with grass seed but I have not seen it in garden seeds. I have experienced ants hauling off the seed in another country and resulted in the loss of about 1 lb of onion seed in about two days. Fresh horse bedding used as mulch Sometimes it is better to start the seed in pots or in one location and then move them as transplants when they are about 6 inches tall. This doesn’t work well with root crops but I have seen it done when I thought it would be a problem.  Horse bedding Covering the seed with mulch now is also a good idea because the soil/seed dries out too quickly this time of year for good germination. Presoaking large seed…soaking them in water for about six hours…. Works very well and can cut down a day or more on germination time.  Paper cups work well as containers. Just make sure they have holes in the bottom for drainage. You have to cut and remove them when planting. You should cut are remove even peat pots when planting as they will interfere with getting established.

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Holes in Tomatoes Probably Tomato Fruit Worm

Leave a Comment / Tomato fruitworm /

Q. I have only found about 4-5 like this. I have been getting ripe tomatoes for about 30 days, only found these in the last two days. I searched for bugs, eggs and leave damage did not find anything. Any ideas? A. The holes in your tomatoes look like tomato fruit worm damage. These are worms or caterpillars that are about an inch and a half long and 3/8 of an inch wide. They eat holes mostly in tomato fruit, usually when they are green or when they turn red but are still hard. Frequently the fruit becomes rotten. Organic sprays of Bt or Spinosad when the fruits are starting to form usually prevent this.

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Grape Vine Killed by Winter Cold

Leave a Comment / cold damage, grapevine dead, Winter freeze /

Q. I planted two vines in my backyard  3 year ago and it sprouted and grew very quickly but as you can see this year it has not done anything with the exception of the few countable leaves and the three new shoots.  I do notice some holes in the few leaves.  I live in Montreal Canada.   A. You are a little bit out of my climate zone but I’m going to take a stab at it. I am guessing, from the looks of it, it had some winter cold damage. There is a difference in cold tolerance among grapes. Those with some vinifera genetics in them (most of the European wine grapes are vinifera types) are less cold hardy than some of the American hybrids. For instance Thompson seedless grape has vinifera in it and is less cold hardy than Concord, an American grape. I don’t know where you got your particular grape and whether it was grafted onto a rootstock or not but if it was grown on its own roots than any suckers which could grow from it could be used to replace the dead vine. Suckers growing from it should be extremely vigorous because of the already larger root system. It could be back up on top easily this growing season if you remove all but the strongest sucker. As it grows longer, tie it to the post. Strip all of the leaves and shoots off of this sucker until it finally gets on top. This way it will grow faster and you will direct the growth. Give it a little extra water and nitrogen fertilizer and it will grow faster when the temperatures are warm. That’s my best guess at it given the information I have and pictures. I saw one strong shoot coming from close to the ground in one of your pictures. You would cut it just above the strongest growth to reestablish it.

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Apricot Fruit Rot Probably Due To Wet Spring

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Q.  My apricots were doing very well as they have for the last several years.  After thinning a large crop this year, they were growing very well and appeared to be getting ready to pick when all of a sudden this appeared.  When I opened the cots, I found the insides to be rotting.  I’ve tried to do a little research without success.  Your expert opinion would be greatly appreciated.  A. This may be ripe fruit rot, sometimes called Brown fruit rot. It can happen if there is rain near the time of harvest. There is not much you can do except hope that rain does not occur at that time. Here is some information from the University of California. See if this description matches your problem. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r5100211.html They recommend fungicide applications Earlier in the season but we get such a little chance of rain here to me it doesn’t make any sense to make these applications.

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Getting Rid of Leafhoppers

Leave a Comment / leaf hopper, Leafhopper control /

Q. What is the best way to rid the garden of leafhoppers? I have read that worm castings are effective (over time) in eliminating aphid and white fly infestations – is it effective on all insects that suck plant juices? A. Once leaf hoppers have matured and they are hopping around a lot when you pass by them they are difficult to control without conventional “hard” pesticides.  About the only organic method I know of that does a pretty good job controlling leaf hoppers is Spinosad. Soap sprays may also work but I have not tried them when they are young. We are talking when they first come out, in April or May, well after bloom and fruit set. Leaf hopper damage on grape leaves However Spinosad has to be applied when leaf hoppers are immature in the nymph stages. It never totally eliminates them but reduces their numbers considerably if they are applied early enough and the sprays are directed where they are living. As an example I have used Spinosad sprays in about May on grapes to reduce leaf hopper numbers.  Variegated leafhoppers and leafhopper poo-poo (the black specks) I apply the spray about one week apart for 2 to 3 applications as soon as I see the nymphs on the undersides of leaves. I direct the spray upward so that the bottoms of the leaves are covered and then I repeat the spray on the tops of the leaves as well. To my knowledge worm castings have no effect on any kind of insect pests or beneficials. Treat it just as you would compost. Spinosad by Monterey chemical

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Worm Castings and Insect Control

4 Comments / Chitinase, Vermiculture, worm castings /

Q. What effect do worm castings have on beneficial insects? Are there any special instructions or precautions to be considered when using worm castings around fruit and vegetable plants?  A.  I had not heard of worm castings used as an insect repellent or an insecticide until you mentioned it and followed up with a web link to a worm farm. They mention chitinase being the “active ingredient” that has an effect on insects.The word chitinase implies that it is an enzyme which dissolves chitin, a primary component of the exoskeleton in insects. Red wigglers from our worm bin I had to do some digging on this subject because I knew very little about it. The claim by the worm farm is that worms produce chitinase and deposit it in the worm castings. This chitinase produced by worms has an effect on bugs. Let’s keep in mind that insect exoskeletons surround good bugs as well as bad bugs. So anything that targets bugs in general kills all bugs whether they are good or bad.  Personally, I think this is a pretty big stretch about the chitinase produced by worms. There has been quite a bit of research on the use of chitinase and developing synthetic chitinase for targeting insects for pest control. But to make the jump from the chitinase produced by earthworms reducing insect pests in the garden is a pretty big leap and one that I am not ready to take. The research is just not there to support this kind of claim. Let’s stick with something we do know. Worm castings are a great natural fertilizer and help to improve poor soils. I personally have red wigglers in a worm bin for digesting kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps.Like them a lot.

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