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Post by gianna on Jul 6, 2016 12:56:26 GMT -5
Farmers plant that GMO corn called "Roundup Ready". The farmers spray Roundup on the fields to kill weeds instead of tilling and then they plant their corn seeds among the dead weeds. Later in the season when weeds have sprung up again, they re-spray with Roundup. The corn has been genetically modified to live through the Roundup spraying so the weeds die but the corn doesn't.
Ahh, I'd heard of roundup ready corn, but since corn isn't grown around here, I hadn't thought too much about how it must work.
I clicked 'like' on your post, not for the practices you described, but thanking you for the information.
Earlier in the year, I watched a lot of videos about no-till farming. Is this over-use of roundup a partial result of advocating a no-till method of farming? (spraying instead of turning weeds under) Or is it mainly economic considerations?
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Post by gianna on Jul 6, 2016 13:03:22 GMT -5
Interesting! I had never heard of that! For some reason, it's one of my favorite natural occurrences... perhaps because it's usually so dry here. It's just such a joy to see something 'wet'.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 6, 2016 13:03:44 GMT -5
I am not surprised that you don't see corn growing. It really likes water and they have to irrigate the fields even here in dry weather. There would never be enough water where you live.
Sadly I think that it's easier for farmers to kill the weeds chemically than to till the soil although this year I saw quite a few fields that had been tilled so possibly the tide is turning away from Roundup. I hope so.
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 6, 2016 13:12:27 GMT -5
Actually corn has been one of the major crops of the Native pueblos here in the arid southwest. A lot of corn is grown around here.
Waffle gardens, buried clay pot irrigation and practicing water catchment are used to help with keeping roots moist.
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Post by gianna on Jul 6, 2016 13:30:07 GMT -5
I am not surprised that you don't see corn growing. It really likes water and they have to irrigate the fields even here in dry weather. There would never be enough water where you live.
In parts of the state (California) there is enough water, but, to my knowledge, not many grains are grown commercially. Though there are rice farmers up north. (We are currently buying some water from them. They earn more doing that than growing their crops).
I think farmers tend to grow crops with a bigger return and less competition. Locally in my area, where there isn't as much water and not much flat land, the big crops are lemons and avocados, and in some places further inland, wine grapes. Strawberries are big where the land is flatter, but sadly most flat land along the coast has been developed. x_x
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Post by reuben on Jul 6, 2016 14:00:21 GMT -5
Quinoa doesn't need much water at all. I've seen it growing in a desert at 12,000 feet. Some government/agencies are trying to get their population to switch to it as opposed to grains like rice which need lots of water. It's hard to break cultural habits, though.
It's also high in protein, unlike most other grains, although it's more difficult for out bodies to assimilate its protein compared to "real" meat.
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Post by armjr on Jul 7, 2016 20:58:42 GMT -5
I have about 50 Pink Hibiscus started in the Greenhouse. The mealy bugs found them. #1 wife mixed me up some orange oil spray. They didn't like it but they didn't leave either. So I went through the whole bunch squishing hundreds of mealy bugs. I got the stragglers the next day. Now the Hibiscus are back to thriving.
I moved most stuff out of the greenhouse now because even with it open temps get unbearable in there.
The ants have found the okra also. I've got to pick daily to keep ahead of them. If the pods get more than about 5 inches the ants drill holes in them and they sting too.
Alan
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Post by binnylou on Jul 7, 2016 21:57:20 GMT -5
I have about 50 Pink Hibiscus started in the Greenhouse. What you gonna do with fifty Hibiscus Are you going commercial? Sounds like a lot of work .
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Post by ahntjudy on Jul 10, 2016 0:57:22 GMT -5
My Buddy...resides in the Heliotrope...
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Post by binnylou on Jul 10, 2016 1:14:16 GMT -5
The fragrance of Heliotrope is intoxicating. I love it, and for the first time in a long time, I did not buy a plant..except for last year. Last year doesn't count! who starts it from seed? Is it difficult to start? I've always shied away from starting my own.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jul 10, 2016 1:17:59 GMT -5
binnylou ...I started my Heliotrope from seed...purchased seed... Plan to save my seeds this year... Had fairly good germination... Have about 16 plants going... I love the scent as well...
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Post by Latitude33 on Jul 10, 2016 1:26:45 GMT -5
Topics like this one is why this is my favorite website. Beautiful.
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Post by armjr on Jul 10, 2016 6:12:10 GMT -5
Binnylou, about 27 years ago my oldest son started a cutting from a Pink Hibiscus and gave it to my wife for Mother's Day. He was 7 at the time. We carried the potted hibiscus through three more moves and it sat in the back yard here until It grew into the ground. I broke the pot away from it and built a container around the base to accommodate the extra height. It grows and blooms like crazy.
About a year ago we started looking around for that special house. You know, the one you live in until you die. I started the cuttings from the Pink Hibiscus so that I could plant a hedge of it at our new home (wherever and whenever that will be).
I also have around 50 dwarf schefflera that I'll do the same thing with. They will have to be a bit more protected but I think they'll make it outside.
Alan
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Post by binnylou on Jul 10, 2016 9:21:20 GMT -5
I started the cuttings from the Pink Hibiscus so that I could plant a hedge of it at our new home (wherever and whenever that will be). What a sweet story. Good luck!
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 10, 2016 10:15:30 GMT -5
You know, the one you live in until you die. May you soon find that home for yourselves! And I love your hibiscus history. We moved into that one nearly 7 years ago. Feels good to know we are planted for the duration!
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