Crops

Potatoes are grown from disease-free seed potatoes, require a lot of fertiliser, and are labour-intensive. All of this costs plenty, warns Bill Kerr.

The yields of mature pecan nut orchards are failing to reach optimal levels, and concerned producers have been searching high and low to find answers, investigating everything from foliar applications...

Over the past few years, monocropping has largely given way to the crop rotation system, and ley farming has gained popularity in grain-producing areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Free...

Chimera can be mistaken for a viral or bacterial infection, but it is actually a genetic disorder that could benefit some producers.

Mpumalanga-based granadilla breeder Darryn Stoltz has developed a delicious new passion fruit cultivar that offers several advantages over previous varieties. One of these is longer shelf life, enabling the export...

As a new producer with no prior knowledge or experience of farming, Vutlhari Chauke of VT Harvest has leaned heavily on her business skills and her willingness to learn. Her...

It’s expensive to throw away perfectly healthy seedlings. Rather keep them in limbo until you can plant them, says Bill Kerr.

Exciting times are ahead as a new report on market opportunities for sorghum in South Africa sees the light and new research indicates the best sorghum cultivars for farmers as...

On a quest to diversify away from the crops traditionally cultivated in Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, André de Waal shifted to the production of essential oils. By growing, distilling and marketing these...

The humble farmers’ market has gone from being a place where farmers can sell their produce to a platform that strengthens, educates and enriches communities. For food activists, it also...

Looking for a different crop to grow in the Western Cape? At the Subtropical and Minor Crop Workshop held last year, Glenneis Kriel spoke to a number of experts about...

In this article, the first in a two-part series, Magda du Toit speaks to experts about the different growth stages of a maize plant in the vegetative phase, as well...

The uniform quality and grading of lucerne hay is important to ensure that animals are as productive as possible, according to Dr Gerrie Scholtz, consultant to the National Lucerne Trust...

In some production regions of the country, sunflower is considered a last-resort crop. However, its ability to produce relatively consistent yields under adverse weather conditions makes it an attractive option...

Plan, execute, control and verify. These are the four elements that constitute the irrigation approach of Indigo Fruit Farming in Mpumalanga, where every drop of water is used to its...

JP de Villiers has not used any herbicides on his farm for the past three seasons. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his use of sheep, pigs and chickens to...

According to Errol Hewson, director of Riverside Kat River Farm, the relatively unknown Orri mandarin cultivar is shaping the future of the enterprise’s citrus production.

Gert Janse van Rensburg produces vegetable crops on the family-owned farm, Langplaas, in North West. He spoke to Pieter Dempsey about the regenerative farming techniques he employs.

Plant health is one of the key contributors to high yields and good profits, and soya bean is no exception. Magda du Toit spoke to a number of experts about...

Agritech company ARCi Technologies is in the process of developing South Africa’s first semi-autonomous agricultural robot. Three of the company’s founders spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their machine.