I have a few articles that are meant to be read as a series, one following on the other and building upon that information. One of the first series I started was how to grow and maintain a productive garden without breaking the bank, yourself or the environment. 1.Vegetables Worth Growing The very first article… Continue reading Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening Series
Tag: organic
Aphids – Pest of the Month
Aphids at a glance Type of Damage Pierce-sucking Plant Symptoms Stunted growth, leaf curl, transmit diseases Favourite Plant All plants Occurrence Year-round in areas with mild winters (SA) Distribution Worldwide Control Difficult, physical preferable, biological control agents available Quick Intro Aphids are an ubiquitous pest species, if you have ever taken care of a… Continue reading Aphids – Pest of the Month
The C Files: How to raise chickens – Egg production
Chickens are a popular source of protein, due to their low-cost of raising and dual use as meat and eggs for protein production. South Africans are especially fond of chicken and it represents the most consumed protein in SA. Seeing that eggs are an easy, accessible and economic way to produce home-grown protein it is… Continue reading The C Files: How to raise chickens – Egg production
Flies: Biological Control – Garden Critter of the Month
Flies at a glance Occupation: Predator, pollinator Value to Gardener: 5/5 - Pest Controller and Pollinator Danger to Humans: 2/5 – Most are harmless, some bite Availability: 5/5 – They’ll arrive or you can buy some Quick Intro Flies are seen as vermin and disgusting creatures. Although a large portion of flies are detrivores and… Continue reading Flies: Biological Control – Garden Critter of the Month
Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 4): Vegetable Garden Planting Guide & Management
When you consider an ideal vegetable garden I imagine that many of you (as well as myself at one point too) had the following image in mind: Vegetables arranged in neat regimented lines or blocks containing one type of vegetable, perfectly bordered by some type of hedging and clear weed free paths between the planted… Continue reading Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 4): Vegetable Garden Planting Guide & Management
Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 3): Integrated Organic Gardening
My vegetable garden is entering its 8th year and it has been a long journey of trial and error, many a dead or diseased plant and lots of research into various facets of food production along the way. As I have mentioned many times, organic gardening principles are not properly integrated and do not provide… Continue reading Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 3): Integrated Organic Gardening
Eggplant Rust – Disease of the Month
Eggplant Rust at a glance Type of Damage Stunted growth, leaf blight Plant Symptoms Bright orange blisters under leaves Favourite Plant Common & African eggplant Control Difficult (Sulphur based products) Quick Intro This is a recently identified rust problem on eggplants. Pearl Millet Rust (Puccinia substriata var. substriata), the same fungus that infects Pearl Millet (Pennisetum… Continue reading Eggplant Rust – Disease of the Month
Whisker Flowers 