Soil: your most valuable asset
I have become more and more conscious of how many farmers fail to appreciate the importance of soil quality. More is made of land preparation and fertilisation than improving the...
How insect predators can help you
Beneficial insects used in integrated pest management (IPM) can sometimes completely eliminate the need for crop chemicals, or at least reduce chemical spraying to a minimum.
Benefits of a germination room
One of the crucial factors in seedling production is achieving a high and uniform germination. A loss in germination of just a few percent translates into a similar reduction in profit.
Tips on planting cucurbits
Some farmers, especially at the end of winter, use seedlings for their cucurbit crops in an attempt to get an early-growth advantage and better prices.
How to improve seedling trays
As mentioned in one of my previous articles polystyrene seedling trays are made by heating small polystyrene beads in a mould; they expand to fill the mould and thereby form...
Don’t take shortcuts with seedlings
When I mention seedlings in my articles, you may take it for granted that I’m referring to professionally grown seedlings in cavity seedling trays. The reason is that it is...
Parasitoids vs chemicals
When the leaf miner first hit South Africa, the results were nothing short of devastating.
Choosing the right lettuce variety
Iceberg lettuce has a good number of outer leaves, which help protect the head during transport and handling.
Don’t be beaten by bollworm
The African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is normally a sporadic pest; it tends to arrive on lettuce plants in bursts, rather than gradually increasing in number.
Bean pests & soil diseases
One pest that every bean farmer knows is the African bollworm. This tends to appear sporadically, rather than building up its population gradually.
Make the most of the free market
Fresh produce growers often try to plan production to capitalise on high prices.
Growing garlic: soil types
Garlic (Allium sativum) can be grown in a wide range of soil types. What is more important is good fertility, as this crop has a modest root system.
The intricacies of crop rotation
The purpose of crop rotation is to prevent the build-up of a pest or disease to which a crop is susceptible. But there is more to rotation than merely switching.
How to start a vegetable farm
Starting a small vegetable farm on, say, 2ha, is generally easier than livestock farming. But the cost, and success, of the enterprise depends on the type of crop, the market...
The importance of planning
Planning goes hand in hand with record-keeping. You need to have the figures from past production in order to plan ahead effectively.
Growing garlic: Part 1
Garlic is a member of the onion (Allium) genus. Garlic is good for you, but is generally used more for the flavour it imparts to food than for health reasons....
How to control eelworm
Many vegetable crops are susceptible to root knot eelworm (Meloidogyne spp, also known as nematodes or roundworm), and beans are no exception.
The crucial nitrogen-humus link
Humus contains approximately 10% nitrogen, and thus acts as a storage facility in the soil for this element.
Ensuring that seed is disease-free
Planting seed infected by a bacterial disease could lead to complete crop failure. Rather pay more for the seed, if necessary, to ensure that it is clean. Consider the extra...
Using nitrogen as an accelerator
Of all the elements, nitrogen has the most profound effect on a crop, and this is why you need to use it wisely.
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