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 Organic Growing in the vege patch

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Garden Dan
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PostSubject: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 4:10 am

OK, the seedlings are in.

Prior to planting I used organic type soil preparation and I am fairly happy with the soil condition...albeit it has taken 4 years and there is still much to do over next few years.

I want to try to be organic; perhaps ease my way into that but see how I go.

Usually I would spray quite early for moths and grubs in cabbages and tomatoes etc.

I have begun reading some book/articles on organic growing and accessed some sites on computer. But what about the basics. What are you main stays...the very practical stuff - how do you stop the bugs and critters from spoiling the vegetables?
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Gail
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 4:46 am

I would say vigilance would be one of the most important things in organic gardening to stop outbreaks while only young. One of the quickest and easiest control methods is pull off bug with the thumb and finger then squish under the foot. winky-winky There are several organic sprays that are good but usually these types of sprays are contact sprays... the bug has to be there already. There are some good ideas on this link but not all will work... what works for one doesn't always work for another.
http://gardendelights.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~645.asp

Don't just kill all bugs you see in the garden, identify them first as the can be a helpful sort. Read up on encouraging beneficial insects. That is going to be one problem of growing in a cage... it will keep out insect eating birds but I suppose without it you wouldn't have any vegies with those possums winky-winky

Companion planting can be a helpful though not perfect method... have a look here http://gardendelights.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~3418.asp

It is hard to really know where to start but there are many good articles on the net and books on the subject already so my best advice would be to read up as much as you can. You are going to have losses but hopefully those losses will only be the odd vegie and not all the frogs, birds other wildlife... and your health. Good luck
flower
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Richard
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 5:02 am

I've got areas around my garden that i call "wild areas" where i sowed all kinds of flowering plants,herbs,clovers and grasses etc.The idea was to create a strong well balanced insect population.You also need expect to find the odd bug in ya vegies which i think is fine,its when that balance is out of kilter is when so many people turn to chemicals.
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Pitta
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 8:29 am

Plenty of great advice there I WISH YOU WELL .
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Mary-Anne
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 9:57 am

All the best there Daniel..You will have your work cut out for you..
Tony can take 50 or more Organic Growing in the vege patch B_cat_r of the cuke vines in a couple of days, they are the worst next come the tomatoes, dont have insect problems with many other veggies..

So check every plant every day if possible with your cage that should stop a lot. I hate seeing the caterpillars coming down from the gum trees on a fine thread but you cannot stop nature, once the butterfly lays its eggs best to get out there and squash them I say.

Cut into one of our Kent Pumpkins last night so will post seeds next week when they are dry..
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 10:02 am

I use a garlic spray and works on most things flower
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tessa
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 12:18 pm

daniel...yates sells a product called 'success'...and it has won a bio-technology award and is organic. it controls the green grubs from the cabbage moth.
also...they have that in a powder form called tomato dust (which can be used on anything). both of these products are extremely good at what they do...and are a natural form of bacteria, not a chemical.

beat-a-bug spray is the most effective mite and aphid killer i have used.
unfortunately...it is no residual and only comes in 1 litre bottles, which are not to be diluted. this spray is a mixture of garlic, chili, and pyrethrum. it kills aphids dead. immediately. i am waging that the effective ingredient here is the pyrethrum so i have bought a small bottle of that, also from yates, which i will be mixing up in my pump-up sprayer and trialing on the cabbage family plants this winter.
those are usually covered in aphids.
i shall let you know how that goes!

i feed my plants with powerfeed.
i don't use the seasol much...perhaps i should.
i have just found a bag of crushed rock for my minerals and trace elements. i hope to see some results from that.
i use a lot of sulphate of potash in the summer...but in the winter i use the ash from my wood burner. i throw bones from dinner into the woodheater when i have them...to add some extra K to the ash.
i use liquid sulphur on the powdery mildew.
and the chickens contribute as well. *ahem*.
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Richard
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 3:16 pm

You on the right there track tessa.

A gardening friend of mine uses "success" and he like it a lot, for me i have so many parasitic wasps within my garden because of the wild area i planted that i dont have a much of a problem needing any control measures.

I do understand that every area is different and what control methods suits one area doesn't suit another and so on.

I find growing here largely problem free and that's why Canterbury is now one of the largest growing seed growing areas in the world
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 5:12 pm

Thanks all. I have taken copies and placed in a word file then saved in my gardening file. Will be very helpful.

The problem with trying to be seeing and squeezing them is that for about the next 4 months I guess, it is dark when I leave for work and dark-ish when I get home. I can do the search and destroy thing on weekends but the little blighters don't play game - they cheat and eat through the week! Oh, I am a poet and don't know-it!
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 5:23 pm

well it is 'poets' day Dan laughing wit tears
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeFri Apr 24, 2009 7:05 pm

Thankfully in the cooler months there are a lot less of the little blighters
There is even a time when we don't see any at all
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Apr 25, 2009 6:07 pm

That's encouraging - thanks Mary-Anne.
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Jun 27, 2009 4:07 am

Cabbages have been my biggest casualty. Bought success and tomato dust - but rain has been a 'problem' in that it has rained so often (and I love that) but down side is wash off of plants. I have to say; it is a price I have been willing to pay to have this lovely rain. My tanks must be close to full...even the storage ones with only little catchment.
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Jun 27, 2009 4:21 am

I always have trouble with those too. It hasn't been really cold enough this winter so far to kill many of the bugs off yet. There are a few organic suggestions for keeping those caterpillars away... none work 100% but may be helpful. The easiest method would be to get some mozzie netting and throw over the plants... before the caterpillars arrive. If it's too late, the chooks love the caterpillars and the cabbage winky-winky
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Jun 27, 2009 4:27 am

Too true Gail; too true. I through one cabbage to the chooks during the week - they did not mind that contribution at all! winky-winky
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Jun 27, 2009 7:59 am

Good to hear that your tanks are almost full Daniel thumbs-up
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PostSubject: Re: Organic Growing in the vege patch   Organic Growing in the vege patch Icon_minitimeSat Jun 27, 2009 8:02 am

Just came in from outside; surprisingly three are not that full after all...must do the calcs again. Off to learn about pruning now...HAve a great day all
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