- 01 Wilt is lost cell firmness — judge water by the plant, not only the soil A limp leaf is cells that have lost pressure. Midday droop that recovers by evening is not the same as a plant …
- 02 Protect green leaf area; leaves feed fruit, seed, and roots Sugars start in green leaves. Pests, hail, crowding, or stripping leaf area steal from the crop you sell.
- 03 Do not wreck young feeder roots at transplant The active uptake zone is a thin band of new root hairs. Rough handling, a salt burn, or a waterlogged hole knocks …
- 04 Removing the tip releases side shoots The leading bud holds side buds quiet. Pinch or prune that tip when you want a bush, more flowering wood, or a …
- 05 Match the flower to how it is pollinated Bees, flies, moths, wind, and self-pollination are different jobs. A closed greenhouse or a missing insect can drop fruit set.
- 06 Families are field shortcuts; lookalikes can still be dangerous Once you know a family you can guess fruit type, weedy habit, or poison risk. Lookalikes still need a local name — …