The Life of Algae

This video from Sapphire Energy tracks the cultivation of algae from their San Diego lab in microscopic images, to petri dishes, to flasks, and then outside in their Las Cruces, NM facility and into 14?, 40?, 100? and half-acre ponds. This is the path that many thousands of strains have taken as Sapphire refines their library of commercial strains that will be used in their Green Crude Farm or Integrated Algal BioRefinery (IABR) now under construction in Columbus, NM. At the Green Crude Farm, the world’s first commercial demonstration scale algae-to-energy facility, algae will be cultivated in ponds over 2 acres in size.

CCRES SPIRULINA

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Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

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Water The Most Important but Negelected Factor in your Gardening

Water or H2O is one of the factors in absence of which your gardening dream will never fulfill. Though every gardener knows the importance of water, not every one of us are aware of the different techniques which if followed, can maximize the impact of water to your gardening. This blog focuses on some of those points.

The quantity of water in the soil is very important to the plants. Too little or too much watering both can be detrimental. As for the beginners, plants prepare food by using water, sunlight and Carbon Di-oxide(CO2) with the help of Chlorophyll(which is present in huge quantity in the leaves). This process is called Photosynthesis. Now with out water the plant can not complete the process and thus dies out. In case you put too much water the over wet soil can damage the roots, and can also become prone the many diseases and growth of many fungi.

So now the most important question: How much and how often should I water? Well, the best answer is its depends on your judgement. 

Just do a soil test. Pick up a little amount of soil and try to make a ball out of it. If it crumbles in your hand that means it needs water quickly. If you are able to form a ball with the soil, without making you fingers stained,then that means the soil has the perfect amount of moisture. In case your are able to form a ball, but your fingers become wet that means the water content in the soil is high and no need of further watering. 

How often you need to water the plants depends on the climate your plants are in. If the climate is warm and the plants are in direct sunlight you might have to water them very frequently. Likewise in rainy seasons(check out my blog on gardening in the Rain for more details) the watering needs are very less. Type of soil is also an important factor in watering. Soil less media such as Peat moss and Coconut Coir does not require that much water which is required in normal soil. Last but not the least watering also depends hugely on the type of plant. If the plant is fruit bearing one, or have shallow root system you need to water much more frequently than the rest of the plants in your garden.

Morning is the best time for watering your plants. It allows the plant to take up the water and get ready for the heat or the dampness of the day. It also helps the plants to fully utilize the water for their food preparation. The next best option is in the evenings, just make sure you put the water to the roots only. If the stem and the leaves stays wet during night can invite many diseases such as mildew and molds. Try to avoid watering in mid-days as it can be wasteful. Due to the increased heat, moisture evaporates from the soil before the roots can absorb it. But never stop giving water to the plant in the mid-day even after seeing the soil is dry, just because it is not the optimal time for watering.

While watering make sure you water thoroughly once a week making your soil well moistened rather than a brief sprinkle every day. Always give water to the roots i.e, at the base of the plant rather than giving the whole plant a shower(Dont take the picture above too seriously).

People spend lots of time and money on landscaping, and other garden related activities but rarely spend much time on watering which at times results in death of so many plants in the garden. If we take a little effort and apply common sense, 75% of the plant’s death in the garden due to lack  of proper watering system, can be prevented. 

Enjoy Gardening. 

Please let me know what do you think about the article by commenting bellow.

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Most Common Diseases of Potatoes

This article is a follow up from our earlier article about Potato growing. So if you have not read our earlier article please read that before continuing. In this article we will inform you about some of the most common diseases which potato plants suffer.

Wart:

Wart in Potato tuber

It is one of the most dreaded diseases of potatoes. In this case potatoes grow swelling or tumors.
One or more tumors can be seen in the tubers. Most of the time tubers turned into warty mass and turn black with age.
The best way to control this is to use immune varieties.  

Common scab:

Scab in potato tuber

These are bacterial infections. It makes the tissue corky to the surface. These form patches. The infections are mostly superficial and you can eat the tubers.
Scab is much more destroying if the soil is alkaline (Know more about soil pH by clicking here). Do not add lime to the soil. For better results, use resistant varieties of the plant. Keep the moisture level in the soil by watering frequently.

Blight in potato leaf

Early and Late blight: This is caused by fungal infection. It causes brown spots in the leaves. In case of late blight the leaves of the plant wilt and turn brown within weeks. These conditions also deteriorate in case of humid or moist
weather.
To prevent this from happening use disease free variety of seed potato. Use thick layer of mulch to prevent tuber infection.

Slugs and snails: Several snails and slugs love to chew the leaves and tubers of the potato plant. They create holes in the tubers. The attack is especially severe in the rainy season. Click here to see our article on gardening in rainy season.
Don’t water in the evening. Check for visible pests and remove them manually.

Canker stem:

Canker in a tuber

The most common symptoms are irregular lumps of tubers. The infection can also spread to the roots.

One of the solution suggested is to use crop rotation.

Dry rot in potato

Dry rot: This is a situation where the potato skin becomes brown or
even darker and develops wrinkles. It is more or less to do with the storage problem. You need to be more careful while harvesting and storing.



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Algae The Worlds Most Important Plants

Believe it or not, your life depends on algae!

Join Scripps Institutions Russell Chapman as he discusses the important roles algae have played in the development of life as we know it.

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Algae Production Workshop

 

 

 

  NAA 

Announces 

Algae Production Workshop

 in NJ

The National Algae Association (NAA) has announced that they will be presenting a Commercial Algae Production Technologies and Networking Workshop, May 1, 2012, at the Crowne Plaza Fairfield Hotel in Fairfield, New Jersey. The event will include a tour of Glenn Mills to view a commercial-scale algae extraction facility.

The focus of the Workshop will be on progress in commercial growing, harvesting and extraction methods, as well as proven technologies that are ready for commercial-scale algae production. NAA is inviting industry professionals to submit proposed presentations no later than April 10, 2012 for consideration. Membership in NAA is not required to present at or attend this event.

For additional information, please contact:
National Algae Association
936.321.1125
info@nationalalgaeassociation.com

CCRES SPIRULINA

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Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

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