Leaf miner control problems
There’s absolutely no reason for leaf miners to be a problem any longer – other than in isolated cases, that is. .
Marketing is key
A young farmer recently asked me about marketing. His two basic questions were, “How do I go about supplying the markets?” and “What about...
Dealing with leaf miners
The leaf miner, which was once so feared, should now only be a mild irritation or no problem at all. If this is not...
The challenges ahead
With all eyes on the road ahead in 2012, I would like to share a few thoughts with you. A positive ending to 2011...
Why hard times are good for vegetable producers
Many vegetable farmers are currently unhappy about the low prices they’re receiving for a wide range of vegetable products. Add increased input costs and...
The nutritional requirements of onions
"With onions, in the early stages, you need just enough nitrogen to keep the colour of the leaves right."
Sustainability depends on ethics
"Sustainability requires us to adapt to, and adopt, new values and trading practices."
Top companies vs important companies
'You can't feed all those people with platinum, gold or computer chips.'
Working around onion bolting
I am sure that anyone who grows onions has experienced bolting at some time or another if you haven't you're probably losing some of the crop's potential.
Higher prices?
'Every farmer wants higher prices, but higher compared to which benchmark?' asks Mike Cordes.
Use sets instead of seed for onions
'With sets you'll get a perfect stand regardless of the weather and be able to harvest earlier.'
The importance of side dressing
Many vegetable crops fail due to a lack of nitrogen. Side dressing is a safe way of ensuring that plants get enough of this element, says Bill Kerr.
Veggies galore!
'The Chinese eat an average 440kg of vegetables per capita a year against a world average of 200kg.'
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.
