Vegetable garden

[Ageo]

Re the brown wilt on tomato leaves, this happens in coastal Qld with most varieties of tomatoes except the smaller ones as Nioka says. It doesn't seem to affect either the quantity or quality of the fruit.

Does anyone have a cure for those little green grasshoppers? They are turning my beautiful basil into just stalks by literally shredding the leaves.

Put some fine chicken mesh over the plants so nothing can get in, also pellets around the herbs so snails and that dont eat them. Other than that ask the garden people where you bought your stuff what to do.

Im having troubles with birds eating my stuff, especially indian mynas. I shoot them but they still keep coming back.

 

[Happy]

Does anyone have a cure for those little green grasshoppers? They are turning my beautiful basil into just stalks by literally shredding the leaves.

Bit of pain, but flyscreen plastic mesh can be sawn with cap on top and put on some kind of skeleton to hold it up. Seal bottom with mulch or burry bottom edge in soil.

Make sure that enough airflow is maintained, as the next thing to turn up will be mould.

 

[nioka]

Im having troubles with birds eating my stuff, especially indian mynas. I shoot them but they still keep coming back.

Either you are a lousy shot, using blanks or is it reincarnation.

Actually the birds will eat the grasshoppers.

 

[Flying Fish]

One sure fire way to eradictae myna birds is fenthion. Very cruel way to die though, and you must ensure all other birds do not eat the food. Not difficult givin the aggressive nature of these pests.

 

[Ageo]

Either you are a lousy shot, using blanks or is it reincarnation.

Actually the birds will eat the grasshoppers.

Ive shot 20 so far for this month so i think they are reincarnating.

I dont have a problem with the grasshoppers, only the birds

 

[Stan 101]

We are in Townsville,

Apart from bugs getting my mustard salad, our pak choi, oregano, parsley, thyme, mint, basil, coriander, lemon grass, lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, oranges, pawpaw and lemons are all doing well. Hoping our chili will start producing again soon.

Garpal

Garpal, to keep bugs away, I used to use a few crushed chillis in water and spray around and on the plants being eaten by bugs.. That kept things in check...This may work for you also, Julia.


cheers,

 

[Kimosabi]

Try NEEM OIL for bugs that eat your veggies etc.

Doesn't kill the good bugs because good bugs don't eat the plant. Is non-toxic to humans, birds, earthworms or animals. It doesn't kill beneficial insects either because the beneficial insects don't eat the plants. Neem Oil is also used to treat Arthiritis, Cold Sores, Cuts, Massage, Sprains and Bruises and Wrinkles.

Unique Features:

• Broad spectrum insecticide/fungicide/miticide
• Controls insects and mites including whitefly, aphid and scale
• Controls fungal diseases including black spot, rust, mildew and scab
• For indoor/outdoor use on ornamental plants, flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and fruit & nut crops.

Garlic sprays send worms crazy if you get too much into the soil and don't seem to work that well anyway.

I sprayed NEEM OIL on my plants that were getting hammered by aphids and strangely the aphids have now all disappeared

I bought a litre of this stuff which will probably last me for 20 years, it's UV stabalized to last 28 days and organically certified ==> http://www.ecogrowth.com.au/Eco-Neem Gold datasheet 3 Dec 03.pdf

I could probably drink my Pesticide without any long-term effects except maybe a good puke, but as long as I puke over the garden then this is probably ok.

 

[nioka]

I dont have a problem with the grasshoppers, only the birds

Maybe it is because you have the birds you don't have a problem with grasshoppers. although there are better birds than the pests you are shooting. I like the maggies and butcher birds to help in the garden.

 

[Ageo]

Maybe it is because you have the birds you don't have a problem with grasshoppers. although there are better birds than the pests you are shooting. I like the maggies and butcher birds to help in the garden.

Unfortunately i only attract indian mynas, turtle doves (hazard to my garden) and honey eaters (not sure if thats the right name for them).

 

[So_Cynical]

gday all,

coming into spring id just like to see if anyone else grows some vegies of their own.
its hard to explain how good it feels to walk down to the garden in the morning or arvo and see them thriving.
last christmas all the salads served up to the family were 30 mins out of the ground.

so find a patch of dirt, chuck some topsoil and chook poo on, whack up a fence of sorts and plant seeds. just like investing on the market...foresight, patience, reward.

I love a garden, unfortunately for me ive been without a garden for the last 8 years or so...thanks to my idiot wife.

Enjoy your gardens people...such a simple pleasure.

 

[nioka]

While we are talking pests in the garden could we find an answer to the biggest pest I have. Flying foxes, (fruit bats of whatever you want to call them). They descend in hundreds and in one night will strip every piece of fruit from the trees that are not netted. It is impossible to net some trees. Last year I never got 1 mango off 2 large trees. This year so far they beat me to the nectarines and peaches by destroying the light bird netting I have used in the past. They need culling but try and tell that to the local tree huggers. One of the locals was fined $1000 recently for "disturbing" them. He evidently made a pop gun out of plastic pipe and fired potatoes at them.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[Kimosabi]

While we are talking pests in the garden could we find an answer to the biggest pest I have. Flying foxes, (fruit bats of whatever you want to call them). They descend in hundreds and in one night will strip every piece of fruit from the trees that are not netted. It is impossible to net some trees. Last year I never got 1 mango off 2 large trees. This year so far they beat me to the nectarines and peaches by destroying the light bird netting I have used in the past. They need culling but try and tell that to the local tree huggers. One of the locals was fined $1000 recently for "disturbing" them. He evidently made a pop gun out of plastic pipe and fired potatoes at them.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Spray your fruit with Cane Toad Puss...

 

[Julia]

Try NEEM OIL for bugs that eat your veggies etc.

Doesn't kill the good bugs because good bugs don't eat the plant. Is non-toxic to humans, birds, earthworms or animals. It doesn't kill beneficial insects either because the beneficial insects don't eat the plants. Neem Oil is also used to treat Arthiritis, Cold Sores, Cuts, Massage, Sprains and Bruises and Wrinkles.

Unique Features:

• Broad spectrum insecticide/fungicide/miticide
• Controls insects and mites including whitefly, aphid and scale
• Controls fungal diseases including black spot, rust, mildew and scab
• For indoor/outdoor use on ornamental plants, flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and fruit & nut crops.

Garlic sprays send worms crazy if you get too much into the soil and don't seem to work that well anyway.

I sprayed NEEM OIL on my plants that were getting hammered by aphids and strangely the aphids have now all disappeared

I bought a litre of this stuff which will probably last me for 20 years, it's UV stabalized to last 28 days and organically certified ==> http://www.ecogrowth.com.au/Eco-Neem Gold datasheet 3 Dec 03.pdf

I could probably drink my Pesticide without any long-term effects except maybe a good puke, but as long as I puke over the garden then this is probably ok.

Will give this a go. Thanks. Would Bunnings have it?

Stan 101: I tried the chilli idea last year. Just encouraged the nasty little critters. I think they were grateful to me for providing a dressing for their salad.

Nioka: Those ******* flying foxes are the bane of any gardener's life.
I absolutely don't comprehend why anyone wants to protect them. Not only do they ruin every fruit crop but then as a result of their greed and over indulgence they crap over everything and it doesn't come off. I hate them with a passion previously only reserved for mosquitoes.

 

[Ageo]

While we are talking pests in the garden could we find an answer to the biggest pest I have. Flying foxes, (fruit bats of whatever you want to call them). They descend in hundreds and in one night will strip every piece of fruit from the trees that are not netted. It is impossible to net some trees. Last year I never got 1 mango off 2 large trees. This year so far they beat me to the nectarines and peaches by destroying the light bird netting I have used in the past. They need culling but try and tell that to the local tree huggers. One of the locals was fined $1000 recently for "disturbing" them. He evidently made a pop gun out of plastic pipe and fired potatoes at them.

Any suggestions appreciated.

lol noika funny you say that, i was on a farm out west (cousin) and he had permission to cull them (massive fruit farm, grapes, oranges, apples etc..) luckily he did in 1 week we destroyed over 50 (spotlight and shotgun). But they actually do $100,000 worth of damage each year just to his fruit trees. Alot of the trees he cant net so there like a sitting duck waiting to get attacked. It amazes me thow that with so many of them they arnt allowed to control the population numbers?

I love a garden, unfortunately for me ive been without a garden for the last 8 years or so...thanks to my idiot wife.

Enjoy your gardens people...such a simple pleasure.

Why would your wife stop you from having a garden?

 

[arminius]

just a little thing on bunnings.
ive boycotted them. i go out of my way to get stuff from smaller hardware stores and nurseries. mind you, most hardware stores have gone out of business thanks to you know who.
im all for the little guy.

our back yard is the playground for heaps of noisy minas. they're native so i dont wanna kill em, but gee they're territorial, and noisy. funny that, but at least some rosellas and lorrikeets come and check things out every now and then.

 

[Rastan]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would share a photo of the Tomatoes, Paw Paw trees and a pumpkin vine (you can just see the leaves to the right at the back) that i grew at home all from just throwing out the dishwater! The first time I let the tomatoes jut grow, but this time I staked them and they have gone gangbusters! We got 8 pumpkins from the vine last time (about ~6 months ago) and it has just started sprouting some new fruits. There are about 60 toms all up and we have just planted some seeds from some capsicum last week!

Rob

 

[Happy]

our back yard is the playground for heaps of noisy minas. they're native so i dont wanna kill em, but gee they're territorial, and noisy.

Not sure if we are talking the same bird, but Indian Myna is introduced bird from Indonesia and while ago Don Bourke recommended to destroy their nests and get rid of them as they are very competitive and kill a lot of native birds.

http://www.indianmynaaction.org.au/
http://www.indianmynaeradication.com/MynaMagic.html
http://www.indianmynaeradication.com/Reports/Environmental Disaster Report.pdf

 

[Ageo]

Rastan nice work!


As for the Mynas they are responsible for competing against native birds and should be destroyed whenever possible.

 

[nioka]

Rastan nice work!


As for the Mynas they are responsible for competing against native birds and should be destroyed whenever possible.

Don't confuse the Indian mynas with the native Noisy Myna although the native one can be a bit of a pest. They bully other birds and where you find them in numbers you rarely see finches, willy wag tails etc. The only difference is that it is legal to destroy the import but not the native one.

 

[INORE]

Rastan nice work!


As for the Mynas they are responsible for competing against native birds and should be destroyed whenever possible.

do you think the australian native people feel this way about the imigrants into australia.....destroy them whenever possible???