The Denville Farmers Market is a member market of a New Jersey Council for Farmers and Communities. NJCFC invited me to their annual meeting at a farm. This year meeting was hosted by Clifford E. and Melda C. Snyder Research and Extension Farm-Rutgers Center for Sustainable Agriculture. You can search NJCFC website to see how this wonderful organization is supporting local farmers and provides support to community farmers market. Point of this posting is to praise the Snyder Farm experience. Snyder Farm is not only doing research, but also offering support on best growing practices to all the Jersey Farms. Actually, most of the research projects are initiated based on accumulating farmers concerns and questions. Peter Nitzsche, County Agricultural Agent, accommodated us with a tour at their fantastic 390 acre facility introducing their research projects.
Couple of learned points to share:
Fruit Thinning – Apple trees often set a heavier crop of fruit than the limbs can withstand. To ensure good fruit size, return bloom for the following year, and to prevent tree breakage, it is necessary to thin the fruit. Every apple blossom results in a bloom cluster of 5 to 6 blossoms. Apples should be thinned when they are about the size of a dime. Cut off enough fruit so that the remaining apples are spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, and leave only one fruit per cluster. It may seem like very few fruit remain, but you will harvest higher-quality fruit, potentially reduce insect and disease problems, and increase the chances for a full crop the next season.Every apple blossom results in a bloom cluster of 5 to 6 blossoms. Apples should be thinned when they are about the size of a dime. Cut off enough fruit so that the remaining apples are spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, and leave only one fruit per cluster. It may seem like very few fruit remain, but you will harvest higher-quality fruit, potentially reduce insect and disease problems, and increase the chances for a full crop the next season.
Personal Watermelons-The new smaller versions of Watermelon, called “personal watermelons,” range from two to five pounds versus 10-20 pounds, with a thinner rind and firm flesh that registers a higher brix, or sweetness level, than regular watermelon.
Asparagus is dioecious, which means male and female flowers are borne on different plants. In general, male plants have a number of advantages over the female plants.
- Male plant lives longer than the female
- Male plant emerges earlier in spring than female
- Male plant does not produce fruits, which will compete with the crowns and roots for nutrients (Since asparagus plant depends on the nutrients stored in the crown and roots for next year harvest, reduction in stored nutrients will affect the yield and eventually the longevity of the plant).
- As male plants do not produce fruits that divert resources from the crowns and roots they out yield female plants over time. The yield advantage of an all-male field becomes increasingly apparent after the second or third year in production.
- Female plant has a tendency to lodge in heavy rain and strong wind as its fruits increase the weight of the plant. Male plant is less likely to lodge under the same conditions.
- Male plant has no seeds that can produce unwanted volunteer seedlings. Generally, volunteer seedlings are inferior to elite F1 hybrid and volunteer seedlings compete with F1 hybrid plants for nutrients.
With all that said there is tons of work, research, science, technology behind all the innocent looking fruits and vegetables. Next time you will be enjoying your seedless watermelon, don’t take it for granted!