Urban Agriculture Resources
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Crape myrtles are popular landscape shrubs and small trees. Native to China, Japan, and Korea southward to Oceania, crape myrtles have been cultivated in the U.S. for more than 175 years. Cultivars range from 3-ft shrubs to 30-ft-tall trees, and they are graced with large panicles of white, pink, lavender, purple, red, and many colors in between. Among cultivars, crape myrtles have a wide range of tolerance to key pests and diseases, such as powdery mildew, flea beetles, crape myrtle aphids, and Japanese beetles. The plant’s flowers are widely admired by humans and can serve as nectar and pollen sources for pollinators. With the recent decline in pollinator health and diversity, pollinator visitation, pest susceptibility, and horticultural attributes should all be considered when choosing crape myrtle cultivars for home and commercial landscapes.
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This publication covers routine maintenance and troubleshooting for common motorized equipment (small engine) that is used by small farmers and gardeners. Gardening and landscape equipment can be an expensive investment for both consumers and professionals. However, quality equipment can last a lifetime when cared for properly. Typically, you get what you pay for when it comes to equipment. Higher quality equipment certainly costs more upfront, but usually has fewer problems and will tend to outlast bargain-type tools. With name-brand equipment, parts also tend to be
more readily available. We recommend that you purchase the best equipment you can afford and learn how to take proper care of your equipment to protect your investment. For the garden and landscape, motorized equipment can include everything from a string trimmer to a full-size garden tractor. Most garden equipment is powered by either a two-cycle or four-cycle engine. Two-cycle motors mostly are found on smaller handheld equipment, such as chainsaws, tillers, and trimmers. Four-cycle motors typically are found on larger equipment such as lawnmowers, tillers, and garden tractors, which have separate reservoirs for their gas and engine oil. When properly maintained, both types of motors are quite reliable. Sometimes, very basic issues may keep motors from functioning well. All motors require three basic things to run properly: fuel, fire, and air. If any one or more of these three elements is lacking, the engine will either run poorly or not run at all.|
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This publication offers advice on finding less expensive sources of plant material, amendments and tools for community and school gardens.
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C 1027-8
Stocking the Toolshed: Hand Tools
This publication describes the types and quantities of hand tools that work best for community and school gardens, including shovels, rakes, trowels, hand pruners, gloves, children’s tools, and carts and wheelbarrows.
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C 1027-3
Raised Beds vs. In-Ground Gardens
This publication describes the advantages and disadvantages of raised bed and in-ground gardens and may be used as a guide when planning a community or school garden project.
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C 1027-9
Garden Fencing
This publication describes options for fencing a community or school garden, including fence types and materials.
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C 1027-4
Raised Garden Bed Dimensions
This publication helps determine the ideal dimensions of raised beds for community and school gardens by focusing on three things: materials, slope and accessibility.
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C 1027-5
Raised Bed Materials
This publication describes the advantages and disadvantages of various materials used for building raised beds, including types of wood, composite materials, recycled materials, and kits.
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C 1027-2
Siting a Garden
This publication provides recommendations for properly siting a school or community garden, taking into account sunlight exposure, water availability, slope, garden access, tool storage, compost bins and other amenities.
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