Two new, free online guides from WSU Extension detail the practices and performance at WSU’s Wilke research farm, and guide pear growers in the use of soil moisture-sensing tools.
The WSU Wilke Research and Extension Farm, near Davenport, Wash., helps give a clear picture of agricultural practices and conditions in Washington’s intermediate rainfall zone. This publication outlines the farm’s operation, production, and economic performance for 2021. Authors are Aaron Esser, Wilke Farm Management Committee Chair, and Derek Appel, Research Technician.
Using Soil Moisture Sensors in Pears (FS377E)
Sensors are important tools for fine-tuning irrigation: kicking the dirt or doing a “the-grass-looks-green irrigation check” is not always enough. Old pear orchards have deep roots, and what is happening in the top two inches of soil can be quite different from what is happening two feet underground. Sensors can help growers make more informed irrigation decisions. Authors include WSU Tree Fruit Extension Specialist Tianna DuPont, Biological Systems Engineering Professor Troy Peters, and Lee Kalcsits, Horticulture Associate Professor.
Find more WSU Extension publications at the online bookstore.