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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GROWING AND USING MULBERRIES

MULBERRIES: BERRIES THAT RAIN FROM TREES Purple stained fingers, purple stained tongue, purple antioxidants for your digestion, and incomparable purple sweetness, all before school lets out at the end of May. But they aren't all purple, and they don't all stain....

MULBERRY PESTS AND DISEASES

Mulberries are generally pest free and affected by few diseases. For a list of the few that may occur, we have created this short post on mulberry diseases. STEM CANKER Lasiodiplodia theobromae/ Botryodiplodia theobromae Symptoms of stem canker generally are most...

NITROGEN IN THE DESERT

It is common knowledge among gardening folk in the desert that mesquite and many other desert trees are nitrogen fixing legumes. Here are a few reasons why the desert is full of nitrogen fixers. Nitrogen is Essential Nitrogen is one of the most important essential...

HOW TO GET RID OF BERMUDA GRASS FOR GOOD

Most people think of Bermuda grass as “the tough grass.” But it’s not just that, it can be one of the most invasive weeds in the world, which may have something to do with its other appellation “devil grass”.  So here’s the scoop, for those of...

JEWELS OF OPAR: ADAPTABLE SUPERFOOD SUCCULENT

(TALINUM PANICULATUM) We came across this beauty by mistake mislabeled at a local plant sale. It is no wonder that this plant is well known among flower gardeners. Jewels of Opar, known as “Fame Flower,” “Waterleaf”, “South American Ginseng,” and “Pink Baby’s Breath”...

THE SOIL MICROBIOME

The Rhizosphere The Metropolis Human beings cannot fully comprehend the microbial interactions going on beneath our feet, in the soil, and at the rhizosphere, or root-zone of our plants. Generations of thousands of species of living microbial populations explode with...

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GROWING AND USING SWEET POTATOES IN YOUR EDIBLE LANDSCAPE

(Ipomoea batatas) Sweet potatoes have been around for centuries. Domesticated sweet potatoes were present in Central and South America more than 5000 years ago. People obviously liked them and shared the bounty with others because now they are found all over the world...

HAPPINESS AND DIRT

Originally published Feb 12, 2018 in The Happy Lab blog for Arizona State University. https://happylabasu.com/2018/02/12/happiness-and-dirt/ Scientists are discovering the link between happiness and dirt. That’s right, getting your hands into some dirt can mean more...

5 SIMPLE STEPS TO A FUNCTIONAL COMPOST SYSTEM

You may have heard of the great benefits of composting. You may have tried a few methods and had some success. Many people want to do it but don’t know where to start. There are tons of composting methods out there, and we have tried several. Here are the 5...

HOW TO EASILY HARVEST AND PROCESS MESQUITE PODS AT HOME

FROM PODS TO PANCAKES: THE COMPLETE MESQUITE! It’s midway through our hot desert summer here in Arizona. This year (2018) seems to have been especially dry and hot. Despite the lack of moisture and oppressive heat, there are some plants and trees that don’t seem to...
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GROWING AND USING MULBERRIES

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GROWING AND USING MULBERRIES

MULBERRIES: BERRIES THAT RAIN FROM TREES Purple stained fingers, purple stained tongue, purple antioxidants for your digestion, and incomparable purple sweetness, all before school lets out at the end of May. But they aren't all purple, and they don't all stain....

MULBERRY PESTS AND DISEASES

MULBERRY PESTS AND DISEASES

Mulberries are generally pest free and affected by few diseases. For a list of the few that may occur, we have created this short post on mulberry diseases. STEM CANKER Lasiodiplodia theobromae/ Botryodiplodia theobromae Symptoms of stem canker generally are most...

HAPPINESS AND DIRT

HAPPINESS AND DIRT

Originally published Feb 12, 2018 in The Happy Lab blog for Arizona State University. https://happylabasu.com/2018/02/12/happiness-and-dirt/ Scientists are discovering the link between happiness and dirt. That’s right, getting your hands into some dirt can mean more...

NITROGEN IN THE DESERT

NITROGEN IN THE DESERT

It is common knowledge among gardening folk in the desert that mesquite and many other desert trees are nitrogen fixing legumes. Here are a few reasons why the desert is full of nitrogen fixers. Nitrogen is Essential Nitrogen is one of the most important essential...

HOW TO GET RID OF BERMUDA GRASS FOR GOOD

HOW TO GET RID OF BERMUDA GRASS FOR GOOD

Most people think of Bermuda grass as “the tough grass.” But it’s not just that, it can be one of the most invasive weeds in the world, which may have something to do with its other appellation “devil grass”.  So here’s the scoop, for those of...

JEWELS OF OPAR: ADAPTABLE SUPERFOOD SUCCULENT

JEWELS OF OPAR: ADAPTABLE SUPERFOOD SUCCULENT

(TALINUM PANICULATUM) We came across this beauty by mistake mislabeled at a local plant sale. It is no wonder that this plant is well known among flower gardeners. Jewels of Opar, known as “Fame Flower,” “Waterleaf”, “South American Ginseng,” and “Pink Baby’s Breath”...