In Production Today, September 2014
Spring is over in my garden. Winter crops are flowering – my garden is transitioning into its seed saving phase. I’ve replaced several unsatisfactory fruit trees and used the opportunity to increase...
View ArticleSuccess With Pumpkin In The Subtropics
Pumpkin, Cucurbita moschata ‘Jap’ aka Japanese or Kabocha Question: When do I sow pumpkin? I read in gardening magazines pumpkin can be sown from spring to autumn in the subtropics. But advice on seed...
View ArticleOrganic Win: Nematodes Defeated In Wynnum
nematode-free Beetroot, Silverbeet, Mangelwurzel Root knot nematodes can be a curse in warm, moist garden soils. Feeding by these minuscule, transparent, work-like creatures inside the root tissue of...
View ArticleWhy Do Fresh Woodchip And Potting Mix Turn Mouldy And Repel Water?
Mass fungal growth in potting mix Question: “Dear Jerry, In the last year, I have had a soil problem that looks normal on the surface, but when you dig into the mulch, it is grey and looks like a...
View ArticleMealybug: Kill! Kill! But How?
Species 473: Solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis on peanut Question: “Hi Jerry, This year I have had the worst infestation of mealybug ever. My garden has never had them in the past, but this...
View ArticleHell’s Bells – Ugly lemons! What’s gone wrong?
From sick to healthy: the organic control of Lemon scab disease. Help! The fruit on my lemon are distorted and covered in ugly warts. What’s gone wrong? Can my tree be saved? Is there an organic...
View ArticleGrandad’s Organic Grasshopper And Caterpillar Solution
Grandad Connor’s thrifty molasses caterpillar and grasshopper spray In my subtropical food garden, grasshopper control starts in my sweetpotato. Grasshoppers lay their eggs in my sweetpotato during the...
View ArticleHelp! Why Do Marigolds As A Companion Planting Fail To Deter Grasshoppers?
Trialling Tagetes as a soil biofumigant. Bellis, Brisbane, 2010. Help! If planting marigolds (Tagetes spp.) in Australia to deter grasshoppers actually helps these pests to breed and succeed, why do...
View ArticleYou’ve Sown And Planted Food – What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Caterpillar of the pale brown hawk moth, Theretra latreillii. Caterpillars hide during the day and feed on taro (and other plant) leaves at night. They have quite an appetite! Suddenly, a public health...
View ArticleSafer Solutions To Help Beginner Gardeners Put Food On The Table
Fuss free food: Figs growing in this enclosure avoid sun, hail, frost, wind and pest damage. Premium crops are more profitable and cost less when grown sustainably. Northern NSW. Novice gardener?...
View Article