Silvopasture is a management system that combines the production of trees, forage, and livestock. It requires knowledge and intense management of all three components and, for that reason, can be a daunting task. For many farmers, howev…
A well-designed and managed landscape can reduce the amount of water needed for home landscape irrigation. This conservation of water becomes increasingly important as municipal governments impose broad watering bans in response to …
The most popular spring flowering tree in Alabama is the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). The flowering dogwood is native to the eastern half of the United States. It is a deciduous tree that can grow 15 to 30 feet in height and is gener…
Origin and History
From the ancient temple gardens of China and Japan, through the ornate conservatories of eighteenth-century Europe, to the stately plantations of America’s nineteenth-century South, the camellia has been a pampered a…
Learn the basic chilling requirements of fruit types selected for planting. Check regional maps for Alabama’s fall and winter temperatures and the chilling requirements for both small fruit and tree fruit crops.
The amoun…
Fish is part four of six in the Ornamental Garden Pools series.
One common mistake made by novice ornamental pool owners is to stock too many fish. Many people do not consider the number of fish the pool can safely support and that fish …
Location, Size, and Type is part one of six in the Ornamental Garden Pools series.
Ornamental pools, long common in the Orient, are becoming very popular in the United States. The soothing, visual beauty of pools is enhanced by aquatic p…
Safe Food Handling
Take some simple precautions when preparing food for storage. Always work with well-scrubbed hands and be sure all utensils, cutting boards, etc., are absolutely clean. Then keep food either hot (above 140°F) or cold (b…
Pond-raised saltwater shrimp account for 25 to 30 percent of world shrimp production. Most pond production comes from countries near the equator where a long growing season allows for more than one crop of shrimp to be grown in a year.
S…
Why should you consider planting longleaf pine in urban landscapes?
Longleaf pine is found across a wide variety of natural settings in the Southeast. With little attention, longleaf pine trees can be grown in parks and residential areas…
Weed Control and Wildlife Enhancement is part seven of seven in the Management of Recreational Fish Ponds series.
Aquatic weeds are a common problem in farm ponds. Some aquatic vegetation might be good for the pond. Rooted aquatic vegeta…
Alabama is a water-rich state with more than 132,000 miles of rivers and streams, 3.6 million acres of wetlands, 60 miles of Gulf of Mexico coastline, the most extensive artificial reef system in the United States, and 560,000 acres of lake…
Small-scale specialty vegetable production offers great potential for farmers seeking hardy crops that have growing consumer demand. Traditional vegetable production as an agricultural enterprise tends to have associated risks. There are d…
Figure 1. Landowners often overlook the option of uneven-aged management of longleaf pine because they think it is too complicated.
Longleaf pine’s life history is unique among southern pines. It was once the dominant spe…