Soil testing for a perennial crop, especially a crop new to Oregon such as grapes, raises three common questions from growers: is a soil test desired, how many samples are needed and what do the results indicate? Soil samples are needed before planting a vineyard. These samples provide a record...
Grass seed production in Oregon's Willamette Valley traditionally relied on open field burning for straw residue disposal and nutrient recycling. Changes in residue management from open field burning to methods that remove straw coincided with rapidly declining K soil test values. A survey of grass seed fields showed that many...
In 2 consecutive years, ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were sampled in commercial organic and conventional potato fields, using pit fall traps. Four conventional and 3 organic potato fields were surveyed to determine ground beetle taxa composition. In a related study, potato fields were assigned to 1 of 4 transitional systems...
Nitrogen can be lost when the quantity of available nitrogen exceeds crop demand or nitrogen availability is not in synchrony with crop demand. Either situation results in accumulation of available nitrogen, primarily in the nitrate form, at the end of the growing season. Over-winter nitrogen loss occurs primarily as nitrate-...
Homeowners have a multitude of options for pest control. This guide suggests ways to control garden pests using safe and ordinary household chemicals. The good news is that the ingredients needed can be found in your kitchen or medicine cabinet. Examples include baking soda, beer, vegetable oil, chile peppers, vinegar,...
Liming is a new practice for the inland Pacific Northwest, necessitated by soil acidification caused by nitrogen fertilization. This publication provides guidance on how to evaluate cropping systems for lime need and how to determine lime application rate.
Recommendations in this guide apply tocontinuously cropped cereals in low-
precipitation zones. This guide is one of a set of publications that address the nutritional requirements of nonirrigated cereal crops in north-central and eastern Oregon. Recommendations for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, chloride, and zinc are covered in this guide. Soils...
Flexible cropping systems allow for an opportunistic change in an established rotation. Plant-available soil water is the most reliable indicator of potential yield.