Are There Benefits of Starting a Pollinator Garden

Dan Environment, Pollinators, This Land of Ours

What is a pollinator garden, and why you should start your own. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Pollinator gardens are great way to attract all sorts of insects and even birds, a few of which are pollinators as well. All bees and several other insects such as wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies—love a good selection of fresh flowers …

Common Virus That Could Impact Your Pumpkin Crop

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, Vegetables

What you should know about a common virus that could impact your pumpkin crop. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you planted pumpkins and were hoping to have a more uniform crop of round, orange fruits, you might be a bit puzzled to find your crop loaded with imperfections, discoloration, and warts. All signs pointing to an outbreak …

Problems That Can ‘Pop’ Up When Growing Corn

Dan Corn, Field Crops, This Land of Ours

Some problems that can pop up when growing corn. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Although corn plants are quite hardy, they can also be finicky. Under, or over-abundant, watering can cause issues like irregular temperatures, low pollination, and certain insect activity. But there are other problems, too.  Such as diseases and pests. Corn kernels can germinate anywhere from …

Best and Worst Companions for Your Guava Crop

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

Some of the best and worst companions for your Guava crop. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Some of the best Companion Plants for Guava trees include:  citrus trees, chives, marigold, comfrey, and borage. Some of the worst companion plants are cucumber, egg plant, and potato. For all of their hardiness, guava can be affected by several pests …

Tropical Fruit Easy to Grow Only Requiring Heat and Moisture

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

A super-easy tropical fruit to grow that only requires heat and moisture. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that is friendly to guava, there are many varieties you can grow, and they all have their own unique taste. They’re lovely in desserts, baking, smoothies, and eaten as fresh treats. Typically, …

Common Diseases to Look Out for to Protect the Citrus Crop

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, This Land of Ours

Some common diseases to look out for to protect your citrus crop. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Growing homegrown citrus fruits is great if you have the right climate for it, but make sure you’re ready for these citrus diseases. Citrus canker is a highly contagious bacterial disease that leads to yellow halo-like lesions on the fruits, leaves, …

Citrus Grove Protection Involves Looking Out for Pests

Dan Citrus, Pest/Pest Control, This Land of Ours

The pests to watch out for to protect your citrus grove. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.  Living in subtropical or tropical regions gives you the advantage of growing citrus fruits. But there is a downside – plenty of pests and diseases. And, some of these problems can make growing citrus trees troublesome, if not impossible. Aphids are one …

Mushroom Lasagna Grows Great Gourmet Mushrooms

Dan Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

How to grow your very own gourmet mushrooms. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. You can produce an abundance of gourmet mushrooms in your very own garden. All you need to do is build a Mushroom Lasagna – using hardwood mulch, some old cardboard boxes, some mushrooms spawn (such as oyster mushroom and wine cap mushrooms) and some …