Jeff Schalau is the Backyard Gardener and Courier columnist.
As many folks have been at home practicing social distancing, you are probably out in your yard looking around and observing things more closely. As you do, look for spiders.
Many people are currently planning and creating new garden spaces as we physically distance ourselves in coping with COVID-19. The rockiness and steep slopes of northern Arizona’s upland areas can make it very challenging to grow annual flowers and vegetables.
When it comes to pest control, most people want to do the right thing.
The word “root” has meanings and uses in the English language. “Root” not only refers to an underground portion of a plant, but also has meanings in the disciplines of music, mathematics, anthropology and even dentistry. In all cases, “root” refers to a basis or origin. In plants, roots anchor the plant, absorb and conduct water and essential nutrients from the soil to other plant parts and store energy for later use by the plant.
The oak family (Fagaceae) includes more than 600 species which are distributed across the temperate zones of North America, Europe, Asia and even south into Polynesia.
Each year, various plant pollen sources trigger allergies causing discomfort to residents that are sensitive to them.
The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a common pest in houses and outbuildings.
Northern Arizona gets its fair share of snow and ice in winter, and de-icing compounds are a common way of enhancing safety and access.
Biochar is a fine-grained charcoal left behind after pyrolysis of wood, crop residues, livestock manures and other organic material used in alternative fuel production.
While range livestock is the agricultural crop with the highest value in Yavapai County, we do have many small farms which grow fresh produce in season.
