The soil we grow our plants in is the result of a buildup over thousands of years of organic matter broken down by the soil life (Soil Food Web) and their dead bodies. Foliage from plants such as leaves, along with dying plants have fallen to the surface of the soil to rot and be […]
There is a new to New Zealand beetle which comes from the South Pacific commonly called the Hadda Beetle. The first public notice of this beetle was in February 2010 when a entomologist with a close association with MAF Biosecurity New Zealand spotted a Hadda Beetle in Dove -Myer Robinson Park, along Tamaki Drive and […]
Many gardeners have a lemon tree and likely one or two other Citrus trees so now is an opportune time to look at the problems that can occur. Insect problems include: Aphids, usually clusters of black or green insects on young leaves. Spray with Neem Tree Oil and Key Pyrethrum to control. Also sprays of […]
After last week’s article on fruit a reader sent me an email with further information about how good fruit is for you, this is especially so when you grow your own fruiting plants because you have the control on what minerals and chemicals are used or not used. I would like to share the information […]
Home grown fruit, grown naturally (without chemicals) with all the minerals and elements added to the growing medium, have very high nutritional values plus health giving properties. When you combine that with your own naturally grown vegetables and these two form a good part of your food chain then your health will be better for […]
Well gardeners, its mid February already and the last month of summer, not that it has seemed much like summer for most of us over the last couple of months, but that’s the weather for you. Now is time to look around your annual flowering plants in containers and gardens to see what is going […]
Many gardeners are always looking for ways to improve their gardens whether it be vegetables, roses, ornamentals or fruit trees. Their goal is to have very healthy plants, wonderful roses, great lawns and excellent crops. There are a number of things that you can do to improve your gardens by improving your soils. The optimum is to […]
It is Saturday in Palmerston North, and while I am writing this, nice showers are wetting the soil and plants are growing in response. It has been a poor spring and summer so far for gardening, but hopefully conditions will improve in February, if they don’t then it’s going to be a bad season overall. […]
