Nutsedge

If you have ever dabbled in the realm of gardens, be it vegetable or ornamental, chances are you have likely encountered the highly opportunistic, invasive lawn weed known as Nutsedge. In Florida, two varieties in particular, Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundas) and Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) can grow and reproduce under virtually any condition with the exception of shady areas 1 .

Nutsedges are perennial weeds that grow from underground nut-like tubers. While herbicides can be applied to spot treat areas that have been invaded, one common mistake in the hand-riddance of nutsedge is merely plucking or pulling out the leafy, above ground portion of the weed. In order to ensure that the weed does not reproduce, the underground nut-like tuber must be removed and properly disposed of.

1. The genus name Cyperus is from Cypeirus which was the ancient Greek name for the genus. The Latin name esculentus means edible and refers to the tubers (cf. Hall, Vandiver & Ferrell. May 1991."Yellow Nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L.1." In: SP 37. Full document here http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FW/FW01400.pdf).

Pomme d'amour

Today, tomatoes are grown, cultivated and harvested worldwide not only for their tender fruit, but for ornamental purposes as well. However,  this has not always been the case for the pomme d'amour, or "Love Apple" as the French so elegantly described it. Only within the past one hundred or so years has it come into fruition as an edible entity in the United States. Before this time, partly due the unpleasant odor of the stem and leaves, the tomato was thought to be poisonous and unfit for food.

Tomatoes are warm season, half-hardy crops that belong to the Solanaceae Family along with peppers, eggplant, potato and other members that are in fact poisonous. Within the state of Florida alone, the total acreage planted for tomato production yearly ranges anywhere from 32,000 - 44,000 acres with an average yield of about fourteen hundred 25-lbs cartons per planted acre. 

The photo below is two out of four transplanted cultivars called Tribute, which were planted 3-weeks ago. This weekend, I applied 56.7 grams of Nature Safe organic fertilizer around the base of each plant. It's important not to apply fertilizer to the leaves or stem directly, as fertilizers contain salts which can desiccate or "burn" the plant, ultimately killing it in as little as three days. 

An Introduction to Self

Hey guys,

Welcome to my blog! My name is Isaac Vincent, as the url might have eluded to. I am an Organic and Sustainable Crop Production major from the bustling city of Pace, Florida which is about 20 miles north of Pensacola. I transferred to UF this semester from a Junior College turned State College, which places me somewhere between a freshman and senior.  Along with many of you, blogging is a first for me and I feel I was born behind the times, technologically speaking. So, an umbrella of grace would be much appreciated in regards to templates, styles, and fonts. (I'll return the favor!) 

I have not always had an affinity towards the cultivation and production of horticultural crops. After I graduated high school, I spent the next half-year living and working with kids in various orphanages throughout Nicaragua. The experience was life-changing, though here is neither the time nor the place to extrapolate details. 

However, living abroad began to spark my interest in fruits and vegetables. Some of my favorite fruits are: Bananas, oranges, pineapple, grapes and strawberries. My favorite vegetables include members from the Solanaceae, Nightshade family: bell peppers, tomatoes. As well as Mustard Family members such as Broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage just to name a few.