Know your soil – Part 2
If you have a proper understanding of the soil on your farm, you will be able to farm more efficiently – and get more enjoyment from farming.
![Biofumigation using an eelworm trap crop](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/01-2020/392790a8-5e0d99b4425cc542533f6943.jpg)
Apart from reducing cyst eelworm, planting trap crops has other advantages.
![Beat cyst eelworm with trap crops](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/2ed44cdf-5e0afbde425cc56b1765ec65.jpg)
An integrated approach to controlling cyst eelworm usually produces the best results, but using a trap crop is perhaps the single most important method.
![Beet cyst eelworm - the chemical option](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/81faa9be-5e09aaec425cc5e06757025c.jpg)
In the previous issue, we discussed the fact that beet cyst eelworm is impossible to eradicate once it is established on a land.
![How to save olives from destructive diseases](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/c870270c-5e05b044425cc5085909d0a2.jpg)
Plant pathogens, or disease-causing viruses, bacteria and fungi could lead to significant losses in agricultural yields, and threaten food security
![This wild plant could be the next strawberry](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/a84f6d0f-5e05af62425cc5225709d0a2.jpg)
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and... groundcherries? A little-known fruit about the size of a marble could become agriculture's next big
![A new tomato ideal for urban gardens and even outer space](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/548e7774-5e04641e425cc5ac377e0760.jpg)
Farmers could soon be growing tomatoes bunched like grapes in a storage unit, on the roof of a skyscraper, or even in space. That's if a clutch of new gene-edit
![Identifying a plant cell barrier to breeding more nutritious crops](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/d1764248-5e0463c4425cc50d367e0761.jpg)
What if we could grow plants that are larger and also have higher nutritional content?
![Plant scientists identify new strategy to enhance rice grain yield](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/b862dfb1-5e046357425cc5c5367e075b.jpg)
As OsACBP2 contributes to boosting oil content as well as size and weight in transgenic rice grains, an application of this technology in rice
![The benefits of farm trials – Part 1](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/5223734e-5e030079425cc58c39753855.jpg)
In my experience, the most successful farmers are those who regularly conduct trials in an effort to lower costs and raise production.
![Don't drown your crop's roots!](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/e7a38678-5e01baf8425cc5a23cd36ce9.jpg)
Where many farmers fall short is knowing how deep the water has penetrated after irrigation or rain.
![Getting irrigation right](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/3852b76e-5e00235a425cc561360f5ff0.jpg)
Farmers often ask me how frequently and how much they should irrigate. There is no simple answer, as many aspects must first be considered.
![Crop problems: look for the clues!](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/a88c0d6f-5dfc726e425cc5684652767e.jpg)
We recently discussed how to identify mineral deficiencies and eelworm infestation. Many other problems can occur, of course.
![Dealing with eelworm](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/03a4adc0-5dfb2b48425cc5ce4b366ed1.jpg)
There are a number of species to contend with; the common root knot genera (Melodogyne spp.) are easy to identify as the nematode enters the root and causes
![Know your spinach variants](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/b94456c0-5df99946425cc5ac253aa640.jpg)
Chard (Beta vulgaris) is also known as ‘Swiss chard’, ‘silver beet’, ‘mangold’ and other names. In South Africa it is usually referred to simply as ‘spinach’.
![How to spray for whitefly](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/2df3c80b-5df88a2f425cc56741b369be.jpg)
If it were not for the natural enemies of this pest, whiteflies would probably be our main vegetable pest. An outbreak of whitefly is usually the result
![Spraying tips: Don’t mix chemicals](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/ef6f0c59-5df33c3a425cc50f2e742b40.jpg)
When spraying different pests at the same time, many farmers try to kill two birds with one stone by making elaborate mixtures.
![Sandy soil: a guide to working with it](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/99c0bb94-5df20b9a425cc546515e17e7.jpg)
Vegetable expert Bill Kerr discusses how to get the best out of sandy soil, regardless of what crop you’re growing.
![Using a knapsack sprayer on a big farm](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/06cf0928-5df097b9425cc5d9521207b2.jpg)
Many farmers think that using a knapsack sprayer is taking a step backwards as large spray rigs are fast and effective. However, knapsack sprayers still have
![Getting nozzle size and pressure right](/temp/resize/75x75/upload/news/12-2019/ef7cea5a-5def17ae425cc5e41a632bd5.jpg)
As pointed out previously, the key to successful pest and disease control is optimal penetration of the spray mixture.