The latest issue has recently been posted on our website and features articles on:
Caution on Free "Compost/Mulch." This article by UC San Diego Cooperative Extension advisor Dr. Gary Bender offers a warning to growers on accepting free or very inexpensive mulch or compost. Improper practices can turn a great deal into a breeding ground for pests and plant disease.
Oriental Fruit Fly Affects Green Waste Movement in Southern California. UC Ventura County Cooperative Extension advisor Dr. Ben Faber adds to the disussion on green waste and how the Oriental Fruit Fly, Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer, Asian Citrus Psyllid and other harmful pests can be spread through recycled green waste.
Olive Tree Phenology. UC Tulare County Cooperative Extension advisor Elizateth Fichtner and UC Riverside Professor Carol Lovatt report on the relationship of fruit load to vegetative growth and return bloom.
Training and Pruning of Cherimoya. A Santa Barbara County cherimoya grower provides some hands-on advice on handling these trees.
High Density Avocado Installation: Use a quick cost study to make a decision. Dr. Gary Bender follows up on a previous "Topics in Subtropics" article with some useful cost estimates for high density avocados.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Pesticides. Tunyalee Martin with the UC Statewide IPM Project summarizes California Department of Pesticide Regulation's online VOC information.
Read the full articles from this newsletter or check out other issues of Topics in Subtropics here.