…modest increases—like nitrogen rising from $400 to $600 per ton—add up quickly when combined with soaring diesel prices. Pistachios and the Global Market As “Mr. Pistachio,” Kreps offers valuable insight…
Fertilizer: The Overlooked Revolution in American Agriculture
…Modern Fertilizer Modern fertilizer — a blend of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash — came into existence in the late 1880s. This marked a major turning point in agricultural history. Unlike…
Building a Smarter Crop Nutrition Budget for Next Season
…production helps establish realistic nutrient demand and provides a foundation for building a balanced fertility program. Nitrogen and potassium are typically the backbone of most programs, as they play major…
Fertigation vs. Foliar Sprays: Choosing the Right Nutrition Strategy
…method for delivering macronutrients such as nitrogen and potassium through irrigation systems. It allows growers to make smaller, more frequent applications that align with crop demand curves. However, foliar applications…
Record Pistachio Crop, Global Demand, and California’s Water Reality
…not just nitrogen and potassium, to stabilize yields year over year. He also stressed adaptive management—using soil tests, tissue samples, and water quality data—rather than relying on “what dad and…
Maximizing Nitrogen Efficiency in Permanent Crops
…growers improve nitrogen efficiency throughout the season while reducing losses. Rogers emphasized that nitrogen is one of the easiest nutrients to lose, especially through leaching and volatilization. Because of that,…
Matching Nutrient Demand Curves Improves Efficiency and Nut Quality
…to be effective. “Pay attention to those, especially nitrogen and potassium demand curves,” Rogers said, stressing that over applying nitrogen can create problems later in the season. Excess nitrogen applied…
Post-Bloom Nutrition: Setting Today’s Crop and Preparing for Next Year
…follow a familiar pattern across many permanent crops. Early in the season, calcium and nitrogen products are typically the first nutrients introduced through the irrigation system, followed by UN32-type products….
Spring Fertigation Strategies to Improve Efficiency in Tree Crops
…irrigation begins, growers should focus on closely matching fertilizer applications with the tree’s nutrient demand curves—particularly for nitrogen and potassium. “Let’s try to stay as closely as we can to…
Bloom Window Nutrition: Key Considerations for California Tree Crop Growers
…small amounts of nitrogen later in bloom or at petal fall, depending on orchard conditions and goals. However, Rogers emphasized that growers should remember how much the tree relies on…
Soil Health, Water, and the Future of Farming With Live Earth
…results from corn trials where the same amount of nitrogen fertilizer produced more bushels simply by blending it with humic acid. Addressing Water, Salt, and Marginal Soils In California, water…
Native American Agriculture: Roots of U.S. Farming
…grew tall and provided a natural trellis. Beans climbed the corn stalks and fixed nitrogen into the soil, enriching fertility. Squash spread across the ground, shading the soil to retain…
California Agriculture at a Crossroads: Organics Innovation and Prop 50
…and the launch of their innovative new fertilizer product, Benvireo TerraLux. Gina explained how this nitrogen fertilizer is created by capturing and converting dairy waste into a clean, safe, plant-available…
Madera County Water Challenges Explained by Matt Angell
…on nitrogen management, environmental compliance, and operations continue to mount. Without a unified political voice, agriculture struggles to influence policies that directly impact it. Groundwater: The Hidden Asset Farmers Can’t…