Better soil means healthier plants
By improving its organic content, you can make any soil more productive, explains vegetable expert Bill Kerr.
Preparing a land for small-scale cultivation with hand tools
Mark out and dig planting holes accurately to reap the full benefits of your work.
Working with loam
This is the easiest type of soil to manage, and is ideal for those with limited farming experience, says vegetable expert Bill Kerr.
Clay soils cultivation: a beginner’s guide
Clay soils offer you a ‘warehouse of nutrition’ – so it’s really worthwhile learning how to work with them.
Sandy soil: a guide to working with it
Vegetable expert Bill Kerr discusses how to get the best out of sandy soil, regardless of what crop you’re growing.
Producing without waste
Water, soil, time and other natural things are precious and should always be conserved.
Maintaining high standards
If you become careless and lazy in small things, your yield and profit can decline.
How to do a soil test
Before you plant any type of crop, make sure you understand the soil. Here's a simple soil test to try out.
Why time is money
Planting your crops at the right time for your region is extremely important. If you fail to make the deadline, your yield will suffer greatly.
The amazing cactus pear
Tough, nutritious and requiring little care, this remarkable plant is invaluable for farmers, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.
Why crop rotation is important
The idea of crop rotation – growing different crops on the same land each year – can be difficult to understand. After all, if...
How to plant and harvest a sweet potato crop
Last week, we discussed how sweet potatoes are grown in the warm season and should be planted from October to December, although this can be extended up to March in frost-free areas.
History of the green bean crop
The green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) originated in Central and South America and there’s evidence that it has been cultivated in Mexico and Peru for thousands of years.
How to mulch
This week we look at materials to use as organic mulch and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Organic fertiliser boosts soil fertility
In a world becoming more environmentally aware, using organic fertiliser is highly recommended.
Know your soil
Knowing what kind of soil you have will help you prepare it correctly - improving it and increasing yield.
Using manure on acidic soil
If your soil is acidic, simply applying manure won't improve your yield, so you need to add lime or wood ash.
