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Balancing nitrogen and phosphorus on organic vegetable farms

In the first episode of the Organic BC podcast, they discuss on-farm research trials that compared different combinations of organic amendments (composts and organic fertilizer) and their impact to crop yield, soil carbon, input costs, and residual soil nutrients. Amy Norgaard, a former Master of…

Using tarps as overwinter soil cover

In this episode of the Organic BC podcast, we'll be learning about on-farm research trials that examined the role that silage tarps can play in managing agricultural soils in the winter months in British Columbia. Raelani Kesler, Master of Soil Science student with the Sustainable Agricultural…

Radicchio Variety Trial 2022 Full Report (CANOVI)

Radicchio Variety Trial 2022 One-Pager (CANOVI)

Rutabaga Variety Trial 2022 Full Report (CANOVI)

Rutabaga Variety Trial 2022 One-Pager (CANOVI)

Orange Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Full Report (CANOVI)

Red Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Full Report (CANOVI)

Orange Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Interactive Results (SeedLinked)

Red Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Interactive Results (SeedLinked)

Radicchio Variety Trial 2022 Interactive Results (SeedLinked)

Rutabaga Variety Trial 2022 Interactive Results (SeedLinked)

Red Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Summary Report (CANOVI)

Orange Carrot Variety Trial 2022 Summary Report (CANOVI)

Growing Organic Small Grains in South Coastal BC: Comparing Protein Concentrations in Wheat and Barley

The Vancouver Island and south coast regions of British Columbia (BC) have mild temperatures suitable for the planting of cereals as a spring crop. The potential of these crops have not been well studied in this area, though in one Canadian study maximum yields were higher on organic farms than…

Take a walk on the wild side: Wild plants are better at repelling insect pests than domesticated varieties

Humans have domesticated plants by selecting for traits such as better taste and yield, and this selection has changed how crops interact with the environment compared with wild plants. This study seeks to find out if domesticated plants are more vulnerable to herbivorous insects compared to their…

Spinach Variety Trial 2016 Full Report (BC Seed Trials)

This report covers variety trials conducted in 2016 at the UBC Farm and on a group of organic and conventional farms, primarily in the BC Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

The Impact of Biosolids on Soil Quality and Native Grasses

Biosolids are organic amendments resulting from municipal wastewater treatment processes. They contain appreciable amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter, and are regulated to meet safe pathogen levels and metal contents. In British Columbia (BC), 38,000 dry tonnes of biosolids are…

Good Roots: Understanding the Differences Between Heirloom and Commercial Wheat and Barley Roots

The architecture of a plant’s root system has a strong impact on crop performance, and understanding the root structure is important for both plant breeders and farmers. Root architecture affects drought tolerance, nutrient and water uptake, and tolerance to mineral toxicity. For example, wheat and…

BC Seed Trials: Specialty Spinach Variety Trial 2016 (Brief)

The goal of the BC Seed Trials is to engage farmers in producing knowledge relevant to seed systems development in British Columbia. These variety trials aim to identify superior crop varieties for fresh market farming and seed production.  Varieties were described as savoy or semi-savoy,…