The correct spacing for onions
'Sunlight is the ultimate limiting factor. Water and nutrients will only optimise the limits set by day length.'
Direct seeding for onions
'Transplant shock will make the plants bulb at a small size, or go into hibernation.'
Are markets really the problem?
'Anybody can deliver to a market at any time - be it one unit or thousands.'
Onions require understanding
'Stick to what you know and make changes gradually over a few seasons,' writes Bill Kerr.
How the Brits do it
'Five buyers for an entire industry simply doesn't add up in a free market scenario,' writes Mike Cordes.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
What do you get for your 5%?
Professional farmers have ACCURATE data on what it costs them to market their fresh fruit and vegetables, locally and overseas.
Nitrogen procedure for a cabbage crop
Last week I mentioned how important it is to have sufficient nitrogen in the seedling and growing medium. The procedure needs to be maintained from here on - the early...
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