![]() ![]() If the early stages of the food production system aren’t the biggest contributors to food waste, where, then, does the problem lie? As it turns out, the majority of waste comes from consumers and retailers rejecting produce that appears “ugly” or “imperfect”. Where does the problem of waste due to imperfect produce occur? So where does the bent, oversized, misshapen, and lumpy produce that does make it through go to waste? Keep reading to learn more about where the issue of rejecting “ugly” vegetables and fruits comes from, and how Silo can help your produce business reduce waste. The good news: of the more than 10 million tons of produce per year that’s not sold from packinghouses and farms due to cosmetic imperfections, most of it is composted and recycled to enhance soil health. A ReFED report on reducing food waste reports that a large amount of produce never makes it to the shelf for cosmetic reasons. A big contributing factor to the amount of food that ends up never being consumed (and therefore being sent to landfills) is the rejection of imperfect produce. When planting a stone fruit tree, make sure that the variety you choose will be able to get the proper amount of chilling during the winter months in your area.In the United States, food waste is a significant problem. Unfortunately, there is little you can do to prevent the buttoning of stone fruits since it is more of a weather issue than anything else. Unfortunately, buttoning cannot be seen early in the season, so growers are unable to thin out the abnormal fruit.īuttons attract insects and promote disease over the winter months, so removal is the best option. The fruit ripens but is small and malformed or conjoined. There are other abnormalities in the pistil as well, with both pollen development and fruit set reduced.īuttons form in some varieties because of flowers that have set but never truly develop into viable fruit. ![]() When a stone fruit tree does not get enough chilling time, the bloom is late and lasts longer than normal. Stone fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and plums, need a certain number of cold days known as chilling units (CU) to produce fruit properly. Top covering plants, if necessary, and providing a regular water and feeding schedule is also helpful. Knowing how to fix plant buttoning by being prepared and carefully timing your plantings may save your crop. Proper planting and care will help protect your plants from buttoning. Buttons can develop on broccoli and cauliflower when they are exposed to very low temperatures. The word cole refers to stem and is not relative to the fact that these particular vegetables are tolerant of cold weather.Ĭole crop buttons are small heads that appear on plants that suffer from insect damage, drought, excessive salt, nitrogen shortage, or severe weed competition. Kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage are cool-season vegetables known as cole crops. Buttoning produces misshapen vegetables and fruits as well as stunted growth. What is Buttoning?īuttoning is the result of stress, brought about by unfavorable weather or other reasons in both cole crop vegetables and stone fruit trees. So what is buttoning and what causes it? Continue reading to learn more about this phenomenon and how to fix plant buttoning in the garden. This is especially true if you have had unseasonable weather or insect issues. If you’ve noticed any unusual looking fruit or vegetable crops in the garden, then it is highly likely you are experiencing cole crop buttons or buttoning of stone fruits.
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