Whether you are growing your tomatoes from seed, or planting seedlings you have bought from a nursery, it is important to follow the correct transplanting procedure. Even if you have sown seed directly into garden beds, in seed rows, there will be a certain amount of transplanting that will need to be done to make […]

Why its Good to Add Starter Fertilizer All plants enjoy substantial amounts of organic matter – manure or compost in the soil. Organic matter holds nutrients in the soil so that they are not lost through leaching. It increases the amount of water your soil can hold as well as microbial activity in the soil, […]

Tomatoes will grow in a wide variety of soil types and across a wide range of pHs although they prefer a pH between 5.5 – 6.8.In order to understand your soil type it is essential that you have an understanding of what pH is and how it may affect the nutrition of your tomatoes. The […]

Manure remains the best of all fertilisers, with compost running a close second. Whilst the proportion of the three major nutrients that manure contains is rather low, and dollar for dollar artificial fertilisers do give more weight of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; manure rots down to make humus to benefit the soil and its micro-life. […]

If you feel that your tomato plants would benefit from a quick boost, then manure tea is a great way to encourage them. Simply put a couple of shovelfuls of manure into a Hessian bag and then steep it like an outsize teabag in a garbage bin full of water for a day or two […]

With tomatoes it is important to maximise the efficiency of photosynthesis and limit the amount of disease. To do this the plant needs lots of light and airflow around it. If a plant is properly pruned and supported, nearly every leaf will have access to the sun. Most of the nutrients and sugars produced are […]

The term ‘damping off’ refers to the death of young seedlings, either after emergence or after transplanting. The stem of the seedling turns brown or black at soil level and withers causing death of the plant. This is commonly caused by any one of three diseases – Pythium, Rhizoctonia or Phytophthora. Damping Off is a […]

An infestation of spider mite is generally brought about by hot, dry temperatures and low humidity.  Sometimes, if using pyrethroid-based or other pesticides that are broad-spectrum and which kill all insects – both beneficial and pest – an outbreak can arise, because all the natural predators of these mites, have been killed. To the uninitiated, […]

A while ago we realised that our gorgeous big Leopard Tree was strangling the underground pipes around our inground spa. The options were to dig up all the concrete, attack the roots and replace the damaged pipes, or forget about having a spa. We figured that the tree was here long before us and provides […]

Growing tomatoes upside down is a recent novelty that is unique and can work with a bit of work and care. It is an ideal answer for those people that do not have enough space to grow them in the ground or experience problems with pests or poor soil with few nutrients. In these conditions, […]