Growing a variety of soil microbes
Most farmers are aware that a healthy population of soil organisms is a good thing. What many don’t understand is that the number of soil organisms is directly
Making an effective spray mixture There is more to a spray mixture than chemical product and water. You also need an adjuvant – a substance added to the water to enable the sprayed product
How to calibrate a spray rig All too often, I come across farmers who are not accurate enough with their sprayer calibration.
How to ensure effective crop spraying Non-systemic products have to be sprayed thoroughly to be effective. This applies particularly to fungicides.
Can marigolds control eelworm? When I first began planting tomatoes in soil in tunnels, the soil was infested with eelworm, which killed susceptible varieties before they could even start
Better crop spraying techniques – Part 1 Even with the correct crop chemical, efficacy will be reduced if the spraying technique is not up to scratch.
Common onion diseases to watch out for A number of onion diseases are highly destructive and all prospective onion growers can benefit from knowing about them.
Cutworm and thrips – common onion pests The infamous cutworm occurs in all vegetable crops, including onions, yet still seems to catch farmers by surprise.
Marketing options for small-scale onion growers For the small-scale onion grower, it pays to stay in production as long as possible in order to satisfy a local rural market.
How to correctly fertilise onions Fertilising vegetables is not like baking a cake, where we get a consistent result as long as we follow the recipe
The cavity seedling option The trick with this method is to sow about three seeds per seedling tray cavity; this will cut down on costs for a crop with a high population density
Choose the right onion variety Choosing the right type of onion can be difficult, as the variety has to suit both the area and the planting seasons.
Planting dates for onions Onion growing will keep you on your toes! Yet when all the hazards are avoided, it becomes routine and easy.
Learning about onion production Onions are not usually eaten for health benefits, but for their culinary attributes. These added advantages make onions an even more attractive crop to grow.
Cabbage Aphid Common name: Cabbage Aphid, Scientific name: Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus), Family or class: Aphididae
Beware those aphids in your cabbage crop The recent announcement that aphids and not leaf hoppers are the vector for the spread of the brassica stunting disorder virus (BSD) makes sense.
How to water-treat seed It is sometimes advisable to treat seed in order to remove a pathogen, or as a precaution before sowing. For example, capsicums (chillies and peppers)
How to grow blackcurrants Find out how to grow a delicious crop of blackcurrants, in our practical guide.
Ensuring good germination Germination is influenced by various factors, starting with the temperature of the growing medium
Striving for a happy medium There is no single ‘ideal’ method for growing seedlings successfully and economically – conditions vary too much – but there are guidelines that can help