Researchers treat saline-alkaline wasteland with crop stalks and plastic covering to retain moisture and prevent salt from rising to the surface, increasing crop yields by 30.5 per cent.
Holding a small share of the world’s arable soil, as well as one of the planet’s largest populations, China has had to cultivate lands previously thought inhospitable to increase crop yields.
If everyone tucks a few native plants in their yard, the birds, butterflies and insects will have enough cover and food. A little effort will make a tremendous difference for
DEAR AMOR
: As a newbie, I had to constantly google definitions for common gardenersâ jargon. I always wonder whether to test or not to test the soil. If I do end up testing my soil for micronutrient composition and pH, how would I adjust for deficiencies? Shouldnât the soil in an area, say the suburbs of a city, have relatively similar composition? Can you give examples? â Farah
DEAR FARAH: My husband loves to mow our lawn. Last week, I mentioned to him that he mows the lawn way too frequently. In fact, he just mowed the lawn four days ago! I enjoyed the well-kept yard and all, but I told him that once every week should be sufficient.