Sugar mill breathes hope into Pongola
Since buying Pongola Mill in 2009, TSB Sugar Holdings has made considerable investments in the mill and its staff and is developing its relationship with growers. This strategy promises to...
Making monoculture work
To many farmers and home gardeners, crop rotation is a holy grail – they’ll never plant the same crop consecutively in the same ground.
Why cabbage should be your first choice
There’s nothing worse than not having success with your first crop, so choose one that is cheap and easy to grow. In other words, choose cabbage.
Blight can make a bean crop worthless
Last week I mentioned that halo blight thrives in cooler conditions and spreads very rapidly in wet ones.
Roses from the Karoo
Shortly after Lyell van Rensburg settled on the 3 000ha farm Rietvlei near Graaff-Reinet in the 1980s, Grootfontein Agricultural College recommended she produce aloes instead of roses. She wasn’t convinced. Armed...
Failing land reform programme threatens litchi industry growth
Numerous failings within South Africa's land reform programme, and the uncertainties this is causing, have resulted in no new investment taking place on existing litchi farms.
Types of mulches – part 2
We look at using pine needles, leaves, lawn clippings, straw, compost and straw manure as mulch.
All-year citrus for the customer
The Van der Merwes of ALG Estates recently received the National Agricultural Writers 2010 Farmer of the Year Award. After the deregulation of agriculture, brothers All and Gerrit started marketing...
Making markets work for you
For years I've been carrying on about the importance of using a fresh-produce commission market properly if you want it to work for you, so let's take a look at...
Don’t get caught out with downy mildew
Downy mildew is less of A problem in cabbage than it used to be. With resistant varieties available, susceptible varieties don't have to be planted in vulnerable areas any more.
Why markets remain important
The late Peter Venter captured the essence of fresh-produce markets when he said, "When a country needs to import most of its fresh produce, then it doesn't require markets to...
Soil pH – the cure for clubroot in cabbages
Clubroot really is a revolting disease -that's literally the reaction of any farmer who pulls out a sickly-looking plant and sees what the root system looks like. Clubroot is also...
Revitalising local chicory
Imported, inferior-quality chicory has severly hurt local production. Almost half South Africa's producers left the industry in the last few years, causing a huge drop in production. But Chicory SA's...
Conquer cauliflower mosaic virus
Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) is a very destructive cruciferous crop disease that usually occurs unexpectedly. In most cases, by the time farmers notice it it's often too late to stop...
Keeping producers producing
Agricultural economist Dr Koos Coetzee wrote about the local market's importance (Global Farming column, 5 November). Some points have a bearing on fresh produce suppliers.
‘I’ve always wanted to farm for myself’
Dolf du Bruyn, a Grain SA 2010 Grain Producer of the Year finalist, only started farming on his own about 13 years ago. He has since become one of the...
Sclerotinia strikes!
SCLEROTINIA disease can overwhelm many crops, especially in wet climates. I experienced a severe outbreak in my bean crop in 2009 during the persistent rainy season. I hadn't seen the...
Blackleg fungus in cabbages
Blackleg is a fungal disease that affects cruciferous crops and can do a lot of damage. Look out for it and take precautions so you won't get caught out.
Safeguarding soil fertility to cabbage maturity
Nitrogen is mobile and VITAL for a good cabbage crop. Get it right to produce consistent, high yields. Most crop failures are a direct result of nitrogen loss in soil.
‘Don’t plant yourselves out of business’
Maize farmers mustn't plant themselves out of business, but rather diversify to other crops and livestock for long-term survival, says Tom van Rooyen, a 2010 Grain SA Grain Producer of...
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