Disease control on specialist high-value crops
When it comes to growing staple crops like wheat, maize or potatoes, there are a plethora of fungicides to choose from. However, for...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- May 17
- 4 min
What is John Innes compost and how to make your own!
The term 'John Innes' is very widely recognised by the general horticulturist as a word associated with growing media (compost). These...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- May 17
- 4 min
Better germination through chemistry
Soaking some seeds in chemicals, and then seeing if they grow (AKA a germination bioassay) is probably the easiest experiment a plant...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- May 12
- 2 min
Why chitosan is the most flexible fungicide
Every fungicide is designated a 'pre-harvest interval' (PHI) when it is first released for sale. The PHI is the is the minimum amount of...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- May 10
- 5 min
FUNGUS GNATS - Why are they so difficult to control?
Anybody who owns a house plant is keenly aware of these annoying black flies that hover around the soil surface. In small numbers they...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Dec 14, 2021
- 6 min
Seaweed Extracts: What Makes Them Work?
In many coastal regions, raw seaweed has been used for millennia to improve the productivity of farming systems. Then, in the latter half...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Nov 22, 2021
- 18 min
Basic Substances; what are they and how can they used for pest and disease control on farms?
Basic substances comprise twenty different compounds which are authorised for plant protection uses within the EU (and UK since Brexit)....
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Nov 15, 2021
- 7 min
Four weapons in the organic farmers’ arsenal that EVERY FARMER should know about!
While some think organic farmers forego all pesticides, this is not the case at all. And, in fact, there are approximately 30 compounds...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Nov 4, 2021
- 4 min
Animals often mistake for pests by growers
Woodlice Some growers do not appreciate, or are suspicious, of woodlice because they are not entirely sure why they are on crops and what...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Jun 4, 2021
- 2 min
Yucca Extract - what to look for in a product
Authentic Yucca extract is not cheap, so when purchasing a product purporting to be Yucca extract you will want to have confidence that...
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Dr Russell Sharp
- Jun 3, 2021
- 2 min
Chitosan - what to look for in a product
When purchasing a chitosan solution it is important to know that you are receiving the genuine article. Over the years, we have been sent...
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