Beware of that foliar feed mixture!
Company representatives often bombard farmers with products claimed to increase yield at little cost.
The benefits of organic matter
When the soil contains sufficient organic material, farming becomes far easier and less risky. In contrast, in a chemically based system, the interaction between the minerals becomes critical and complex, and a farmer needs a great deal of experience and knowledge to get good results.
Growing a variety of soil microbes
Most farmers are aware that a healthy population of soil organisms is a good thing. What many don’t understand is that the number of soil organisms is directly related to their food source.
Hi-tech onion business delivering 200t a day!
Willem, Jaco and Kolver Mulke produce onions on a large scale near Douglas on the border between the Free State and the Northern Cape. Sabrina Dean visited their high-tech operation to find out how they have combined their efforts to ensure sustained growth for the future.
A guide to growing baby carrots
There’s always a market for baby vegetables, and carrots are no exception. In the past, top-shaped baby carrots were the most popular in the frozen range.
Carrots: get your numbers right!
Hot weather is unfavourable for carrot germination. Depending on the soil’s condition and structure, it also promotes the growth of soil fungus diseases, especially when heavy rain falls, as is common in the summer rainfall areas.
Preparing to plant carrots: seeds and soil
Carrots have a very deep root system and a mass of fine feeder roots.
Dealing with pumpkin flies
Pumpkin flies, which are slightly larger than houseflies, are similar to the fruit flies so well-known to fruit farmers.
How to control cucurbit viruses
It is also important to control aphids as these are the primary vectors of viruses. Apart from spreading viruses, they are up to no good anyway!
Witlof: a new entrant to SA’s leafy vegetables market
Witlof, also known as Belgian endive, is a notoriously difficult vegetable to grow, but Koue Bokkeveld grower Fanie van der Merwe has mastered the art, producing 1t of witlof a week. Jeandré du Preez visited him on his family farm, Bronaar, to discover how he does it.
Why pumpkins need space to grow
There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for growing pumpkins. This is especially true of spacing, where many factors have to be considered.
Learning about cucurbits
Cucurbits are a group of plants belonging to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). They include pumpkins and squashes (Cucurbita spp), melons (Cucumis melo), cucumbers (C. sativus) and watermelons (Citrullus lanatus).
Understanding genetic chimera in a crop
Farmers often draw my attention to ‘weird signs’ on a plant, fearing them to be the start of a devastating virus. A closer examination often reveals the cause to be genetic chimera, a harmless mutation that is likely to restrict growth only on the affected plant.
Dealing with the African bollworm
The African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) has many host crops. The caterpillar, which is spiny when young, has a light stripe on the sides and usually turns green to match the foliage when older.
Producing onions out of season
You can trick onions into providing an out-of-season crop ready for market when the price is just about at its peak by planting small bulbs called ‘sets’.
Realising a dream with urban aquaponic farming
Louis and Nadine Kuys produce a range of colourful leaf vegetables in an urban aquaponics system in Vredenburg on the West Coast. Keri Harvey visited Forest Friends Aquaponics to learn more.
Seedlings: Balancing fertility & hardening
To ensure successful fertilisation, you need to do more than simply carry out a soil analysis to determine the crop’s basic requirements. You also have to consider the needs of the seedlings.
Do your homework before starting tomato production
Producing tomatoes is expensive and can make or break a farmer. If you plan to grow this crop, first do your homework and investigate its economic viability.
Small land, big dreams for urban veggie farmer
Clement Tshuma believes his small-scale vegetable operation near Kempton Park in Gauteng, not only ensures the sustainability of his own future, but a similar model could be the answer to food insecurity due to large-scale urbanisation in South Africa.
How to fertilise a crop correctly
Readers frequently ask me for specific fertiliser programmes for their crops. I would happily oblige if all crops were the same!
- ADVERTISEMENT -
MUST READS
- ADVERTISEMENT -
- ADVERTISEMENT -
