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County Extension

  • New incubator farming

    North Carolina is a state rich in agricultural traditions and resources, yet the majority of North Carolina’s food dollars are spent on products that are imported from other parts of the country, or from other countries. North Carolina farmers—existing, new and beginning—have the potential of meeting many of the state’s food needs but require support in order to do so.

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  • Hope for hemlock attack

    By Tom Woods
    Master Gardener

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  • A few more food preservation questions

    If you’re a frequent reader of this column, you know the last few weeks I’ve been writing about food preservation. Many people think of this as just canning food, but it can be freezing, drying, pickling, making jams and jellies or drying foods. All are safe methods for food storage...if the process and procedures used are tested and researched.
    Last week I started a short quiz, so you can test yourself on how much you know about food preservation. Here are a few more questions.

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  • Check your soil pH

    As a horticulturist you would think I would have done a soil test on my landscape before I planted anything. Well, I did not and on top of that I added ash to my garden as an amendment which actually increases the pH.
    As time went by a few of my prize plants started to yellow and look unsightly. It was now time to test the soil. My suspicions were that the pH was too high. I was right. My pH in several areas were as high as 7.6! Most plants prefer a pH between 5.5 - 6.5, of course it depends on the plant.  Some plant material is pH neutral.  

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  • It’s time to look for tomato hornworms

    By Tom Woods
    Master Gardener
    Now is the time to check your tomato plants for tomato hornworms. These large caterpillars (up to 3-inches long) can quickly strip a tomato plant of most of if its leaves. This will not kill plants, but will definitely set them back.
    The more leaves that are eaten, the longer it will take plants to recover. Tomato hornworms blend in well with tomato leaves and can be challenging to spot. Look for missing foliage and then search the stems for the caterpillars.

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  • How much do you really know about preserving food?

    People have been preserving foods for centuries in an effort to keep food from time of plenty for a time of need. The trend for home preserving is one that ebbs and flows. During difficult economic times, we tend to see more people “putting food up” as a way of helping the budget, but there are many other reasons for preserving.
    Flavor and taste: They just prefer the flavor of fresh produce that they’ve canned themselves.

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  • It’s time to start harvesting potatoes

    By Tom Woods
    Master Gardener
    When the tops of the potatoes start to die down, you will know it is time to harvest. One issue you may see on newly harvested potatoes is brown scab-like wounds (see photo). This is a disease called scab. The potatoes are still fine to eat. The causes of the problem and how to prevent it in the future will be discussed.
    Common scab

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  • Controlling scale insects on shrubs

    Why are scales so much harder to treat than other insects? It’s because many of them cover themselves with a protective waxy coating.
    Indian Wax Scales illustrate this topic very well. They are easy to identify because they look like chewed gum and are usually found on the stems of plants like gardenia, magnolia and holly. Scale insects feed on leaves or branches of many ornamental plants grown in landscapes and nurseries. Adult females are red and covered with bright, white gummy wax.

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  • Brunswick Cooperative Extension offers tips on canning

    Love fresh fruits and vegetables? Want to enjoy them year round but do not know how to preserve them? Join Brunswick County Cooperative Extension from 2-4:30 p.m. Friday, June 8, to learn the basics of canning and freezing with instructions on “how-to-do-it.”
    Topics will include:
    •When to harvest produce.
    •Estimated yield of canned fruits and vegetables from fresh.
    •Cost of preserving and storing food.
    •Is it worth your time and money?

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  • Preserving foods: Resources for updated recipes

    We’ve received quite a few calls lately from people questioning the safety of or looking for a little advice on their home preserved foods. I had one man call about green beans, as the seals are breaking on the jars he put up last summer. Another caller was concerned about the cloudiness in the liquid surrounding her home-canned sweet peas. A woman asked about a remake recipe for too runny homemade jam.

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