For those of us currently in winter-- what new varieties are you growing this coming year?
What new things have you added to your garden for the upcoming season?
What new techniques are you trying this year?
We’re in the dead of winter and I am itching to get back out into the garden… tell me what you’re up to!
Planting some crops that are disease resistant is a must. The introduction of Roundup (glyphosate), has caused fungus and viruses to explode since the herbicide kills weeds that become disease factories. Wind carries the spores far and wide.
Tomatoes, cucumbers and squash seem to be particularly susceptible so look for disease resistant varieties. Keep in mind, resistant does not mean disease proof but healthy plants tend to withstand diseases and insect attacks better.
Yeah that’s not how it works at all. I have no idea where that came from but it’s all absolute bullshit.
How it actually works.
Any effective control that we use to keep pests or diseases at bay is an evolutionary selection pressure. Eventually with time and numbers the weeds/pests will overcome the controls. This is happening constantly across all sorts of species.
Pathogens and pests are constantly overcoming genetic and chemical controls.
A good example is Downy Mildew in cucumbers. For over 40 years (1960-2000+) Downy Mildew was completely controlled by a genetic resistance. Then the disease mutated and overcame the resistance. Now it is overcoming many fungicides as well and can not be easily controlled.
The fastest example I have seen was powdery mildew overcoming race 2 resistance in cantaloupes. After the introduction and adoption of a new resistant variety, the pathogen mutated and overcame it in a single year (race S).