#n-fixation

Thinking outside the box?

How well plants – and plant-like organisms – will function with forecast elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 – and the attendant increases in temperature associated with climate change/global warming – is a legitimate topic of concern and subject for research investment. And, given the importance of marine phytoplankton organisms to global productivity, understanding how those phytoplankters might…

Notable Observations:

After having reduced water usage on the terraces by bypassing the sprinkler system and installing drip lines, we are noticing some leakage and pooling from both leaky sprinklers and drip lines that have lost their end caps.

We are going to have to look into adjusting water pressure or capping/ removing each sprinkler head. The issue may be the pressure regulator so we will contact KPU facility management. Because we are now using less water on the terraces, excess water pressure is likely building up in the system and needs to be adjusted.

Much less after-hours harvesting has been occurring since we have put up signs asking people not to take student projects.

Problem soil area seems to be along the upper and lower middle section of the west terrace where carrots are planted

This area, and the lower section of the west terrace, is demonstarting nitrogen deficiency, following rather poor nodualtion in our earlier legume crops. Evidence of this N deficiency can be seen in the fact that purslane is not thriving here as it is in other parts of the terrace, but clover can be seen thriving instead; a sign of N def. Clover is a N-fixing “weed,” so we will clear out any that is directly competing with crops, but leave enough that it will have a positive N-fixing effect on a poor section of soil.

Today’s Tasks:

Harvest the compost trial (east terrace) and get all of the chard out -record harvest data and lettuce counts in order to compare the different compost plots *note: we did not get to chard harvest today

Plant scallions where potatoes were - success with alliums has been low so far

Finish trellising and staking tomatoes

Install strings onto trellis for tomatoes in high tunnel

Shorten trellis in front of KPU sign