Hard woody mulches or soft non-woody straw-like mulches, what’s the difference? They both work equally well as garden mulches to moderate soil temperature, reduce water loss from the soil through evaporation, conserve soil moisture to reduce the need for watering, inhibit weed seed germination and […]
Month: August 2018
Crown Gall, What Are the Brown Growths on Apple Tree Trunks and Branches?
Crown gall is a bacterial disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (syn. Rhizobium radiobacter), which produces tumour-like swellings on the bark of trees and plants. It can infect a wide range of dicotyledonous (broad-leaved) plants, particularly members of the Rosaceae (rose) family such as roses, raspberries, […]
Organic Control of Curl Grubs in Lawn
If you’ve ever been digging in the garden and discovered plump, pale coloured grubs beneath the soil that curl up into a “C” shape when disturbed, these are Curl Grubs. Curl grubs are the larvae of various species of cockchafers or scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae). […]
Product Review – Ryset Tree Cover Formed Insect Net
When protecting fruit trees from birds, possums and pest insects, there are two approaches – you can cover the fruit with individual netting bags as seen in our Product Review – Ryset Fruit Protection Bags, or you can cover the whole tree with netting. Netting […]
Citrus Problems – Why Citrus Fruit Splitting Occurs and How To Prevent It
Various cultivars of Navel and Valencia oranges, mandarins and mandarin hybrids are prone to fruit splitting, a pre-harvest physiological rind disorder. Gardeners often wonder if this phenomenon is caused by a nutrient deficiency. Actually, there’s another cause, but plant nutrition can play a part in […]