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This guide provides North Carolina bell pepper growers with a comprehensive approach to nutrient management through foliar analysis. Foliar analysis offers a precise method for assessing nutrient levels within plants, enabling targeted nutrient adjustments at key growth stages—vegetative, flowering, and early fruit set. This document covers essential sampling techniques, including optimal leaf selection, handling, and transportation, to ensure accurate results. It also provides recommended nutrient sufficiency ranges, allowing farmers to interpret foliar analysis data effectively and adjust fertilization practices to enhance crop health and yield. Additionally, guidelines for foliar fertilization are provided, emphasizing timing, solution preparation, and application methods to prevent plant damage and ensure nutrient uptake. By integrating foliar analysis into regular crop management, bell pepper growers can optimize nutrient application, improve fruit quality, and support sustainable production.
This publication reviews research on silvopasture systems in Virginia and North Carolina, showing how combining trees, forage, and livestock can help farms in the southeastern U.S.
This publication summarizes research conducted in North Carolina that evaluated sorghum's potential as a bioenergy feedstock when planted on land that receives large quantities of animal waste effluent.
This publication provides information on budding and grafting techniques, which can be used successfully in commercial operations.
This integrated pest management (IPM) chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook familiarizes readers with a systematic approach to managing insect and animal garden pests in an environmentally responsible manner.
This Soils and Plant Nutrients Chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook examines the physical and chemical properties of soil as well as the important role organic matter plays. The chapter discusses how to submit a soil sample for testing and how to read the report to apply necessary fertilizers.
This propagation chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook explains how and why to grow new plants from seed (sexual reproduction) and from cuttings (asexual propagation).
Propagation by stem cuttings is the most commonly used method to propagate many woody ornamental plants. Stem cuttings of many favorite shrubs are quite easy to root. Typically, stem cuttings of tree species are more difficult to root. However, cuttings from trees such as crape myrtles, some elms, and birches can be rooted.
This publication provides information about planning and maintaining a home vegetable garden. Topics include site selection, soil preparation, and pest and disease management.
Stems that are still attached to their parent plant may form roots where they come in contact with a rooting medium. This method of vegetative propagation is generally successful, because water stress is minimized and carbohydrate and mineral nutrient levels are high. The development of roots on a stem while the stem is still attached to the parent plant is called layering. A layer is the rooted stem following detachment (removal) from the parent plant.
An introduction to soil acidity and liming for farmers and gardeners to increase crop income and improve lawn and garden performance. Topics covered include soil pH, soil testing, liming standards and application and incorporation of lime into soil.
This gardening handbook, developed for NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers and home gardeners, is a primary source for research-based information on gardening and landscaping in North Carolina and the Southeast. It explains the basics of gardening from soils and composting to vegetable gardening and wildlife management. Advice on garden design, preparation, and maintenance covers all types of plantings including lawns, ornamentals, fruits, trees, and containers.
This factsheet provides instructions on how to properly care for tall fescue grass year round. It includes recommendations for mowing, fertilization, watering, pest control, and renovation.
This factsheet offers some information on the signs, symptoms, and treatment of coccidiosis, the most common cause of diarrhea in young goats.
This Entomology Insect Note discusses the life cycle, habits, and management of millipedes in and around homes and other buildings.
This publication answers some frequently asked questions about termite swarmers.
In central North Carolina almost any type of vegetable or fruit can be grown successfully provided you choose appropriate varieties and plant at the right time. This publication covers climate, season and potential pests that all affect the selection of what and when to plant. Also included is a planting chart and calendar.
This publication describes common fabric pests, their habits, and what to do if you find an infestation of these pests and how to prevent damage.
This Tree Fruit and Nuts chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook explains how to select, plant, and maintain home orchard trees. This chapter also discusses common problems and integrated pest management solutions.
This comprehensive guide offers information on different grasses for North Carolina lawns, as well as how to establish, care for, maintain, and renovate a new lawn.
This Botany Chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook discusses plant taxonomy or how to name plant, plant anatomy of cells, leaves, stems, buds, roots, flowers, seeds and fruit, and the physiology of plants including photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, and plant growth chemicals.
Some, but not all, plants can be propagated from just a leaf or a section of a leaf. Leaf cuttings of most plants will not generate a new plant; they usually produce only a few roots or just decay. Because leaf cuttings do not include an axillary bud, they can be used only for plants that are capable of forming adventitious buds. Leaf cuttings are used almost exclusively for propagating some indoor plants. There are several types of leaf cuttings.
This publication covers the keys to a successful community garden of individual plots including forming a strong planning team, choosing a safe site accessible to the target audience with sunlight and water, organizing a simple transparent system for management and designing and installing the garden. Appendices offer a sample layout, sample by-laws, sample budgets and a list of resources.
This publication explains genetic engineering and its use in food, agriculture, and the environment. It answers key questions about genetic engineering, including its definition, applications, safety, ethical issues, and related regulations. The publication also discusses potential risks and concludes with resources for more information.
The following management practices will help you care for your lawn throughout the year. Location, terrain, soil type and condition, age of the lawn, previous lawn care, and other factors affect turf performance, so adjust these management practices and dates to suit your particular lawn.
This factsheet describes early blight of tomato, including identification, transmission and disease management, and control.
This Entomology Insect Note discusses identifying aquatic midges and how to control them.
This factsheet describes the black and yellow garden spider, Argiope aurantia, a common spider around residential homes.
This publication provides the basic concepts of tree identification using observation and a dichotomous key. It features an illustrated guide to distinguishing leaf characteristics, instructions for using a dichotomous key, and illustrated descriptions of 21 common trees in North Carolina.
This publication focuses on the management techniques and economic analysis of orchards with more than 150 to 180 trees per acre.
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This diseases and disorders chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook discusses how to keep plants healthy through cultural practices. The types of plant pathogens including: fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, and parasitic plants are discussed. Strategies are reviewed for managing diseases using an integrated pest management approach.
Many landscape maintenance professionals have grown reliant on glyphosate for weed control. Landscape weed control without glyphosate is certainly possible but will require more planning, careful consideration of alternative treatments, more frequent site visits, and higher costs. This publication discusses alternative treatments, their properties, uses and limitations.
This vegetable pathology factsheet describes the identification and treatment of tomato late blight.
This factsheet describes the biology of the acorn weevil, Curculio glandium, and provides residential management recommendations.
This publication discusses the biology, behavior, and control of termites.
This Landscape Design Chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook discusses the principles design as well as guiding readers through the steps to create an environmentally friendly landscape design.
This factsheet provides a brief summary of the various trees often grown in North Carolina for Christmas tree production.
This publication describes ways to minimize nematode problems by employing several control measures such as a rotational scheme, resistant varieties and selected cultural practices.
This native plants chapter of the Extension Gardener Handbook defines the term native, why gardeners would want to use native plants, basic principles of gardening with natives and also reviews common misconceptions around native plants.
This insects chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook will teach readers to identify insects, understand the value of insects in the garden, and recognize damage caused by insects. Guidance on minimizing insect damage is available in the integrated pest management chapter.
This Entomology Insect Note discusses different mite pests whose biting and bloodsucking behavior may cause discomfort or allergic reactions to their hosts (domestic animals and people).
This publication covers the signs of heat in does and some basic information on breeding meat goats.
This Plants Grown in Containers chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook teaches gardeners about selecting appropriate plants and containers, and their maintenance. Both indoor houseplants and outdoor container gardening are covered.
This lawns chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook reviews installation and care of turfgrass as well as management strategies for turfgrass problems. This chapter also reviews options for turfgrass alternatives.
This manual, updated every year, covers pesticide use and safety information, chemical application equipment, fertilizer use, insect control, chemical weed control, plant growth regulators, animal damage control and disease control.
This factsheet offers instructions for cleaning and sanitizing kitchen dishes, utensils, and cooking implements after a flood.
This calendar provides detailed information for the proper care of centipedegrass.
This publication discusses how to set up a worm-growing business. It includes information on potential markets, earthworm biology, and setting up an earthworm-growing operation.
This publication covers insect control in a variety of crops, as well as household pests.
This publication tells gardeners why they should test their soil, how to obtain a soil test and interpret the results and how to use the soil test to improve their soils.
Agricultural tourism increases the potential for on-farm sales with value-adding products and services, further diversifying the farm operation's product line. There are three agritourism basics: have something for visitors to see, something for them to do, and something for them to buy. This publication covers all elements of planning a successful agritourism enterprise, including business planning, marketing, learning legal rules and regulations, assessing risk and safety considerations, and considering customer satisfaction.
This vegetable gardening chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook explores the different types and techniques as well as how to select and implement a vegetable garden that fits the needs of the gardener. It explores seed selection, proper sowing, transplanting, and maintenance techniques as well as harvesting guidelines. The chapter concludes with a section on herb gardens.
