Growing tomatoes in a bacterial wilt area
Bacterial wilt can be a devastating disease in tomatoes. I’ve seen whole crops destroyed, and if you’re farming in a warm area where the disease is prevalent, it’s worth knowing how to eliminate or reduce potential damage.
Putting theory to the test
Left to his own devices, a young sugarcane farmer from Upper Tongaat has made great headway in developing a farming model that meets his financial and sustainability goals. Robyn Joubert reports.
Be pro-active where early blight is a threat
Early blight (Alternaria solani) is a fungal disease that every tomato grower should know about. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘target spot’ as it forms concentric rings reminiscent of a ‘bulls-eye’.
Make it work
Last week I wrote about the all-important fiduciary relationship between producer and market agent. Now I’d like to offer a few suggestions to both parties as to how to make it work.
Watch out for powdery mildew
There are now two species of powdery mildew which attack tomatoes in South Africa. The most common is Leveillula taurica. The spores don’t need water to germinate and it is therefore a problem in greenhouses and in lands in dry areas or seasons.
Proven Mango success
Rénald Radley runs 30ha of mango orchards on Radley Estate. Lindi van Rooyen spoke to him about producing quality mangos through careful pruning and inducing drought.
Fiduciary responsibilty
The fiduciary responsibility carried by market agents remains the most crucial requirement of their relationship with producers.
Physiological disorders of tomatoes
An unmarketable fruit is pure loss, having cost the same to produce as a perfect fruit. And there are a number of disorders which can affect the percentage of marketable fruit gained from a tomato crop, or which can downgrade the fruit.
Is this wave unstoppable?
A wave of rejuvenation and new commitment is sweeping all before it as role players in the sector take on the most serious challenges currently faced by South Africa’s fresh produce markets.
Managing successful crop rotations
Kiewiet, Theo and Neilus Ferreira have long realised that soil is a farm’s greatest asset, so they expend as much effort on crop rotation as on growing crops. A family business, they also believe in keeping ‘family’ and ‘business’ separate. Lindi van Rooyen reports.
These pests will creep into your crop unseen
Whiteflies and mites are likely to attack your tomato crop unnoticed if you don’t keep a wary eye open for them.
Tobacco farming in Zambia
Ten years ago, James and Rita Chance were forced off their thriving tobacco, maize and cattle farm in Zimbabwe. Since then, they have made a success of tobacco farming in Zambia.
