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Crop Plot & Sentry

Plan ahead. Protect the bed. • Hybrid Agronomy Suite & Knowledge Hub

🌱 Simple Organic Gardening Garden Studio & Knowledge Hub

Plan your garden beds. Grow healthier food.

Crop Plot & Sentry is a free, privacy-first gardening tool and educational library. Keep track of what you plant, avoid pest and disease build-up with smart crop rotation, mix organic sprays safely, and learn proven growing science in plain everyday English.

Volume I • Soil Ecology 12 min • 2,850 words

Comprehensive Vegetable Crop Rotation Manual

Enforcing a 3-4 year botanical family break starves soil-borne resting spores of Verticillium, Fusarium oxysporum, and Alternaria solani. Our suite tracks botanical family history across 8 key groups (Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Alliaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae) and manages nutrient feeder succession.

Key Takeaways:
• Enforce 3-4 year break for Solanaceae to deplete soil resting spores.
• Follow heavy nitrogen feeders with legumes or bio-fumigant mustards.
• Alternate shallow and deep root depth horizons to avoid compaction.
Read the Complete Volume I Manual →
Volume II • Spray Safety 11 min • 2,400 words

Organic IPM & Spray Safety Protocols

Integrated Pest Management establishes a 4-tier pyramid prioritizing cultural prevention, physical insect netting, and beneficial parasitoid preservation. Hardcoded safety interlocks enforce the 85°F oil heat cutoff, 30-day sulfur-oil spacing, and dusk-only pollinator windows for Spinosad.

Key Takeaways:
• Never spray horticultural oils above 85°F to prevent acute leaf scorch.
• Maintain 30-day buffer between sulfur sprays and dormant/summer oils.
• Apply Spinosad strictly at dusk so residue dries before pollinator foraging.
Read the Complete Volume II Manual →
Volume III • Allelopathy 9 min • 2,150 words

Scientific Companion Planting & Allelopathy

Moving beyond folklore, our science-backed matrix details organosulfur allicin exudates from alliums that inhibit legume nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria, fennel anethole allelopathic stunting, push-pull decoy trap cropping, and nectar corridors for syrphid flies.

Key Takeaways:
• Isolate alliums from legumes to protect nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia.
• Interplant umbellifers (dill, cilantro) to support predatory hoverflies.
• Use nasturtiums and radishes as decoy sacrificial trap crops.
Read the Scientific Companion Planting Guide →
Volume IV • Hydrology 8 min • 1,950 words

Irrigation Dynamics, Root Horizons & Mulching

Analyze shallow (8-18"), medium (18-24"), and deep (24-48"+) root depth horizons, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) transpiration stress, soil field capacity, and how 3 inches of clean organic mulch shields root zones from summer heat shock.

Key Takeaways:
• Maintain 3 inches of mulch to slash evaporation by 60% and buffer heat.
• Irrigate in the early morning via drip to avoid foliar fungal sporulation.
• Allow top 2 inches to dry between watering to prevent root hypoxia.
Read the Irrigation & Mulching Guide →
Volume V • Phenology 10 min • 2,300 words

Agrometeorology, GDD Models & Phenology

Explore Baskerville-Emin sine wave curve fitting for Growing Degree Day (GDD Base 50°F) thermal units, bio-fix calculation for emergence timing of corn earworms and squash vine borers, and minimum 4-inch soil temperature limits.

Key Takeaways:
• Accumulate heat units using base 50°F to predict pest emergence.
• Wait for 4-inch soil temperature to exceed 60°F before planting warm crops.
• Track diurnal vapor pressure deficits to anticipate transpiration stress.
Read the GDD & Phenology Guide →
Volume VI • Plant Nutrition 10 min • 2,200 words

Plant Nutrition & Physiological Disorders

Differentiate abiotic nutritional deficiencies from infectious pathogens. Understand mobile mineral translocation (N, P, K, Mg) vs immobile elements (Ca, Fe, B), blossom end rot calcium biophysics, and over-fertilization rank growth.

Key Takeaways:
• Blossom end rot results from erratic watering inhibiting calcium delivery.
• Interveinal chlorosis on lower leaves indicates magnesium deficiency.
• Excess nitrogen fuels rank vegetative growth and delays fruit set.
Read the Plant Nutrition Guide →
Volume VII • Seed Science 9 min • 2,050 words

Seed Science, Germination Ecology & Sowing

Examine seed imbibition biophysics, hydraulic conductivity, the 2-3x sowing depth rule, light-dependent germination, taproot sensitivity in carrots and cucurbits, and 7-10 day transplant hardening-off protocols.

Key Takeaways:
• Sowing depth must strictly equal 2-3 times seed diameter.
• Direct-sow taproot-sensitive species to eliminate root fork deformities.
• Harden seedlings over 7-10 days with gradual wind and UV exposure.
Read the Seed Science Guide →
Volume VIII • Master Glossary 14 min • 3,500 words

Illustrated Agronomy & Horticultural Glossary

Over 50 defined terms translating complex agricultural, microbiological, and meteorological principles into plain English. Covers PHI, REI, GDD, Bio-Fumigation, Allelopathy, and OMRI standards.

Key Takeaways:
• Master safety terms like Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI) and REI.
• Understand microclimates: Thermal Inversions and Cold Air Drainage.
• Clear translations of OMRI Listing and organic pesticide categories.
Browse Full 50+ Term Glossary →

Scientific Methodology, University Extension Sources & E-E-A-T

All agronomic rules, companion matrices, and spray safety calculations are verified against peer-reviewed university research (UC Davis IPM, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State AgriLife, and Texas A&M AgriLife). We provide transparent, local-first data privacy and scientific precision for organic growers.