Topics in Subtropics

Citrus Leafminer calls are up these last few weeks. This is one of those insects that loves new tissue and the fall flush usually gets it pretty badly because their populations have been hovering around all summer waiting for some new flush to come.

What a gorgeous fruit. Slice it cross-wise and you have a star-shaped garnish for salad or cooked dish. But you need to find a buyer for it. The star fruit, or carambola, is a member of the oxalis family.

Who a thunk it, but coffee can grow in coastal California, because our latitude approximates the climate found in high altitude coffee growing areas found in Central America. And now there is a "small" industry growing here.

Its that time of year when citrus and avocado growers need to collect leaf samples for nutrient analysis to guide fertilizer applications. Leaves are collected between August 15 and October 15 and sent to the lab for analysis.

(This article summarizes California Department of Pesticide Regulations online VOC information.) Its that time of year again when hot weather fuels the creation of ground-level ozone, also called smog. High levels of ozone can harm people and crops.