The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of up to $4 million for grants to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects. USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production is accepting proposals for planning and innovation projects, and these grants are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture. USDA will accept …
Plant Things That Keep Bees Coming Back for More
How to plant things that will keep bees coming back for more. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bees are one of our most valuable pollinators, responsible for pollinating 80 percent of the world’s plants! That means 1 out of every 4 bites of food we eat is due to the hard work of bees. Its up to us …
Growing Tea for Profit May Be Good for Agriculture Producers
Why you might want to consider growing your own tea for profit. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Tea is a staple in many households across this Land of Ours. And, in recent decades, tea has become a multi-billion-dollar-a-year business commercially, and the trend seems to be continually swinging upward. The good news is a good chunk of …
Helpful Tips for Growing Great Strawberries
Some helpful tips for growing great strawberries. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Aside from good soil, steady water, and six-plus hours of sun a day, there are a couple of things that can help strawberry plants yield more and continue to thrive. One recommendation is to get rid of the first blossoms of the plant so that it’ll …
Collard Greens are Incredibly Agreeable Plants to Grow
Growing great collard greens. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Collards are incredibly agreeable plants to grow. And, they work well in hot southern climates as well as chilly northern states. Dark, leafy greens are the mainstay in stuff-that’s-good-for-you lists, and collards are just that. They’re in the same family as other well-established health food powerhouses like broccoli and kale. Collards are …
What Makes Coleus a Unique and Showy Tropical Plant
What makes Coleus a unique and showy tropical plant. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Coleus is a showy, upright or mounded tropical plant grown for its highly ornamental foliage. Most varieties need some shade but they lap up the heat, making them highly useful annuals where summers are long, hot and humid. Their remarkable variety in leaf colors …
How You Can Grow an Avocado Tree from the Pit
How to grow an avocado tree from the pit. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. While it takes a lot of patience to grow an avocado tree, about five years before it starts producing fruit, you’ll have everything you need to get one started the next time you cut open an avocado. Take the pit of the fruit, wash …
Several Miniature Tree Varieties That Thrive Indoors
The small tree varieties that will thrive indoors. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are several miniature trees that can thrive in your living room—or just about any room in the house. Ficus Triangularis is a top choice for designing spaces. As its name implies, it has triangular leaves and a beautifully wispy grown pattern. They manage well …
Estimating Crop Yield With Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
A researcher at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) in Greece is using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to estimate crop yield. “Crop yield is the most important piece of information for crop management in precision agriculture. Early crop yield estimations allow farmers to optimize farm operation scheduling, field management and product marketing decisions,” said AUA associate professor Spyros Fountas. Fountas …
Three Easy Methods for Growing Gourmet Potatoes
How to grow gourmet potatoes. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are literally thousands of varieties of potatoes, some the size of a foot and others barely bigger than your pinky finger. They can be purple, blue, yellow, red, or white; inside, out, or inside and out. They can have a fluffy texture or creamy or waxy. Three …